ã€ŠMetem: A LitRPG Progression Fantasyã€‹


 TBC Chapter 1

    METEM

    THE BLIND CHEMIST

    BY HANLONS AWKHAM

    PART I

    Chapter One

    Cory awoke, head pounding, body in pain. The palms of his hands met his eyelids as he tried rubbing away the throbbing sleepiness.

    Not again he thought.

    This was not even close to the first time he had passed out while still logged into the VR world. Age, exhaustion, intoxication¨Cyou name it¨Cany number of reasons could have been attributed to him doing this. It¡¯s not all his fault though, the VR worlds have become so advanced; from true haptic accelerators to sensory engines imitation of real life, that being in VR versus the real world is almost a matter of perspective. If you were a true enthusiast and had some extra money you could port yourself into the world while your body essentially rested inside a futuristic looking cryo-chamber. They were fully functional, life sustaining and with a lifetime warranty: people could practically plant themselves in the VR world indefinitely.

    This was frowned upon for a long time but eventually due to overpopulation, unemployment, food shortages, global warming and on; governments were left with little choice. Regulations were drafted, policies were enacted and after extensive voluntary testing in the prison population, it was approved for use in the general public.

    None of these things concerned Cory at the moment as his body felt like he had been eaten and then shat out of a T-rex.

    ¡°Titus of Kon, log out,¡± he said, rubbing his eyes and temple.

    Nothing happened.

    Cory cleared his throat and with a little more authority said, ¡°Titus of Kon, log out.¡±

    Again nothing. His super secret VR log out phrase was not logging him out.

    Annoyed, he removed his hands from his eyes and took stock of his surroundings. Cory sat in the middle of a circular room. Black stone blocks lined the floors and round wall, while four mirrors affixed to said wall emitted the only light source in the room. The mirrors were situated across from each other, creating a lit X on the floor that Cory now sat in center of. No door could be seen and arms of the soft light reached for a ceiling that wasn¡¯t there, leading off into unknown darkness.

    If I fell in here, no wonder that I feel like I got beat with a bag of oranges. Cory wondered.

    The general pain and soreness seemed to be subsiding with each passing moment. Like the relief of making it home just before your bike wheel went completely flat, he rolled his neck around and stretched a bit. The pain faded and he soon felt normal.

    ¡°Ok, enough of the bullshit,¡± Cory said under his breath. Standing he closed his eyes and raised both arms. With a booming voice,¡±Tidus of Kon, LOG OUT¡±.

    Only the echo of his words were heard as they chased the darkness up the funnel above.

    Cory glanced around only to find his various reflections in the adorned mirrors, returning the same blank slate of confusion donning on his own face. He gave himself the middle finger and the gesture was returned.

    Fine, manual it is, he thought begrudgingly.

    With the necessary mental flexing required in all VR games, he willed his user interface to be visible. What should have popped up was a tall rectangular window filled with other windows and buttons. These other windows and buttons would then lead Cory through a slew of options, calibrations and preferences until locating the section that allowed a player to request a manual log out of the VR world.

    A manual log out is akin to just unplugging your computer to turn it off. Sure, it might not cause damage, but in this scenario that computer is your brain. Unplugging your brain is painful, to say the least. So much so, it wasn¡¯t released to the public and only used in emergency cases. Cory didn''t even know if he was in an emergency, but his tinglers were tingling and at the moment, options were nil. He had known a guy from college that had done a manual logout. That guy ended up in the hospital for a week with a severe concussion and was thankful for it. So when the window he just summoned was empty, he had a simultaneous pang of relief and a sudden tremor of fear of being trapped.

    While those two emotions danced together on Cory¡¯s stomach, he gave the room a second and third look before he noticed two things: he was naked and he was himself. Being naked was generally how a gamer would start a new game but that was after you picked a race or a character. Cory, seeing his human form in the mirrors, seemed most off. You were never you in the VR World. You could be, but why would you want that when you could be literally anything else; An alien race, a fantasy race, a celebrity race or even a celebrity/alien/fantasy race. The point is, you never chose yourself in all the exact details. As he was considering the new information the mirror that he was facing started to emit a new hue. Silver words began to follow each other across its surface and an angelic, reverberating voice spoke along with them:

    What Are You?

    The shiny letters of each word looked superimposed atop a smokey back drop that played inside the pane of the glass. It pulsed ever so, prompting to be answered. Cory could still see his naked form reflected by the now smoky mirror. His eyes involuntarily twitching from side to side as if to ask, Me?. Cory, not knowing what else to do, answered the call, ¡±What?¡±

    ¡°What are you?¡± The voice repeated. This time a series of images played quickly across the smoke filled mirror, too fast to process. When the procession slowed down enough the images appeared like a flip book and he was like looking at a bestiary from some ancient D&D type game. Some of the creatures even seemed familiar to Cory: a goblin, short and green; elves, tall and lean with pointy ears; cyclops, bugbears and what looked to be a dwarf minus the beard, which was unsettling. The images kept this up for a short while until settling on one. Cory stood eye to eye with a blueish, human-ish being in the mirror.

    ¡°Choose.¡± The voice said, drawing Corys attention to the mirror on his right. This mirror had begun to take on the same smoke filled emptiness as the first. Instead of silver, it emitted a faint blue light. Four diamond shape symbols came floating through the smoke. Each bore a different symbol and Cory started to understand what was happening. ¡°Fire, water, air, earth,¡± Cory said under his breath.

    I¡¯m either in a magic game or I¡¯m choosing how I¡¯d like to die, he thought.

    Thinking that if the game was going through its start up then maybe the controls were also working again.

    ¡°Tidus of Kon, log out.¡± Cory said while looking back at the blue guy in the first mirror. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Nothing.

    He willed his interface but it was still blank.

    ¡°Choose.¡± The voice said.

    ¡°Fire,¡± Cory replied.

    After a brief silence, the voice repeated,¡±Choose.¡±

    ¡°I said Fire,¡± Cory did his best to remain calm.

    ¡°Choose.¡±

    ¡°Fire Motherfucker!¡±

    The Air symbol came to life.

    Grrr! Cory groaned, trying to keep his thoughts from lamenting the multiple uses of Fire magic. That is, in addition to the utter badassery of having the option to throw a miniature sun down the throat of anything mildly aggressive.

    Let¡¯s not forget the cooking! Cory finished his angst.

    He remembered all too well the fallout from the release of Skyrim Realms III. It hailed the latest in fully immersive haptic VR, touted as the ¡°real life experience¡±. It delivered too, a bit too well. In its first iteration, the game had these enhanced taste receptors that allowed the players to, well, taste the world around them. Smell receptors had long been perfected, but it wasn¡¯t until SRIII came out that VR stepped up against the border of the real world. People died of course; some threw up in the game from trying exotic food such as dragon meat; triggering a reflux in real life and drowning the gamer in their vomit. People with fish or nut allergies, would react to the perceived ingestions of those foods and in extreme cases were fatal. Yet, the true Darwin of this group are the Starvers¨C they starved to death. The taste engine was so realistic that gamers simply never came out for food or water and died. This is also why now all mythical animals, beasts and non-verifiable meats taste like chicken. Dragon tastes like chicken, griffin tastes like chicken; a fish tastes like chicken! Sentient beings, like humans, NPC¡¯s or any avatar, were said to taste like microwaved brussel sprouts mixed with cat food and stale milk. Most gaming companies frowned upon, even remotely, encouraging cannibalism.

    Fast forward through all the lawsuits and technical revisions; a VR world emerged. Companies of all types came together to create a single gaming engine. It was thought, throughout the rise of the 1900¡¯s and early 2000¡¯s, that mankind would come together with the great purpose of reaching the stars. It was written in early sci-fi literature, captured on the big screen and then in video games; on hideous, space consuming, wire connected monitors. Advancements in the early 2000¡¯s paved the way from clunky head and hand gear, to suspended haptic rigs until finally, the O.B.S.E.: Ocular Biological-Simulation Engine. Instead of reaching the stars, humanity turned inward and the VR realms were born.

    Cory shook his head in confusion, ¡±Do I get a weapon?¡± he said to the room. The next mirror flared to life like the two before it as if to answer his question. It was, indeed, a weapons choice.

    Say it, Cory thought

    ¡°Choose,¡± the voice offered.

    As with the second mirror, 4 symbols appeared: a broad sword, a staff, a bow and a dagger. Cory perked up a bit, seeing a bow as an option. Though bowmen were a dime a dozen, the few that actually made their way to the master tiers of this weapon could wreak some serious havoc. Factor in Cory¡¯s aversion to unnecessary pain and slaying foes from a distance just made sense. Cory chose, ¡±Bow.¡± The four floating symbols coalesce into one and were replaced with a single larger symbol bearing the image of two swords crossed like an X.

    ¡°So much for social distancing,¡± Cory murmured to himself. Giving into the understanding that he will not be listened to, Cory turned to the last mirror air quoting ¡°Choice¡±. Not really understanding anything that was happening, he waited for the last mirror to produce four icons that would eventually choose for him. On cue, the mirror came to life. Smoke billowed inside its void, two words appearing through the mist: Infinity Bag and Speakeasy.

    ¡°These are boons to help you on your journey¡± the mystical voice said. ¡°One grants spatial folding for mass storage, the other allows you to understand others more clearly. ¡°Choose.¡±

    Infinity Bag seems simple enough to figure out, Cory thought to himself. Every RPG since the invention of RAM had some sort of bag that allowed you to hold a dragon''s trove of loot with a very generous weight reduction. These were coveted items and extremely useful. Speakeasy, on the other hand, was not so clear.

    ¡°Understand others better,¡± Cory whispered questioningly. Would that make me better at poker or better at knowing what a woman really meant when she said ¡°fine¡±. Running a few guesses through his brain: A charisma boost? Trading skill? A negotiator? It could be all or none of them, Cory thought, Hell, it might just allow me to understand babies babble. Erroring on the side of caution, Cory began to choose the Bag but stopped. He had not gotten his first choices on the last two mirrors but those ones had four items each. This mirror only offered two. Cory gave it some thought:

    The last two mirrors gave me a random item.

    Air isn¡¯t the opposite of fire¡­

    and short swords aren¡¯t really the opposite of bows¡­

    In fact, short swords wasn¡¯t even an option!

    Stupid game!!

    Focus, focus, breathe...

    This blue elf guy over there def wouldn''t be my first choice¡­

    Pick the Bag and get Speakeasy¡­?

    Speakeasy get the Bag¡­?

    Cory settled on a solution,¡±Infinity Speak,¡± he said with a winning smile.

    Nothing happened.

    ¡°Speak Bag,¡± he tried again but the icons just floated there and a small part of him missed crickets.

    ¡°Choose¡±, the magical voice said again.

    ¡°You Choose!¡± Cory shouted stubbornly.

    ¡°And give me some goddamn clothes!¡± Cory gestured to his exposed loins and in a softer tone said, ¡°It¡¯s getting cold in here.¡± The window flared and the Speakeasy icon was left floating in the mirror.

    Cory pulled up his user interface, superimposed over his field of vision, and it was still blank. Shutting it off he did not have to wait long for what came next. It started off with the feeling of needles in his hands and feet, the sensation spreading through his limbs. It was followed by a growing warmth centered in his torso and his head began to feel a few leagues under the sea. Alone, they may have been bearable to experience but together they were growing quickly annoying. Worse still was the fact that Cory started to feel hotter, tinglier and more pressurized as the moments passed. When the now sharp needles sewing their way through Cory¡¯s body met the burning sensation in his chest, his body seized and he collapsed on the stone floor. The burning jumble of needles pulsed through his body in brutal, crashing waves. Meanwhile, Corys head felt as though the full weight of the ocean''s wrath was pressing down on him like he owed it money.

    Cory screamed.

    A deep, guttural, soul bending sound ripped through the circular room, shattering the mirrors. Bright lights and billowing smoke over took the small space like multiple dams breaking all at once. The smoke raced up into the darkness and the light shot straight into Cory¡¯s clenched eyes.

    When Cory was younger he enjoyed mixing the right amount of ignorance with a need for senseless adventure. Sprinkle in a healthy imagination and Cory found himself in all kinds of...issues. When on his uncle''s farm in his youth, Cory thought it a good idea to use some old fence boards as a makeshift springboard. Logically, he calculated, it would propel him over a short electric fence that kept the farm life from the street. He would then land on the other side, in either a Superman power landing or roll into it like a ninja: he wasn''t sure at the time. Thankfully the old springboard wood held, launching him just as imagined. Unfortunately he had no idea what he was doing and landed on the fence. Thankfully he was with his older cousin but unfortunately it took a well swung 2x4 to his back to end his relationship with the fence. He had only been on it for agonizing seconds but it felt an eternity.

    Cory found that that particular experience paled in comparison to where he lay curled up now. His body seized and contorted, seemingly collapsing into himself and expanding at the same time. As this Shepard''s Tone of pain somehow kicked into another gear, he muttered, coughed really,¡±Tidus...kon...log...out.¡± The pressure stopped, the angry fireball of needles racing through his body settled, and Cory¡¯s world went black.

 TBC Chapter 2

    Chapter 2

    Cory awoke, head pounding, body in pain. The palms of his hands met his eyelids as he tried rubbing it all away.

    Not again, he thought.

    ¡°Titus of Kon, log out,¡± he said, rubbing his eyes and temple.

    Nothing Happened.

    Cory snapped open his eyes. At first he screamed in frustration at the notice of still being in the circular stone room. His screaming hit some feminine tones and unintelligible indiscretions at the Universe when he saw that his hand was no longer his hand. His hand was there, present and accounted for, yet different. It looked a little bigger, his nails were longer with more defined points and his skin was¡­ blue? Not the blue of an ocean or sky, but blue in a way that it bordered on purple. Expanding his gaze further he could see that his legs and naked torso bore the same shade. As he stood, he noted that his junk was uniform with the rest of his exterior. There was a joke there but Cory had more pressing issues on his mind.

    Noting also that he was still in his birthday suit, Cory began to scan the room for changes. The four mirrors were still adorned in their places, a soft light emanating from each; smoke slowly trickling out. The room was still circular with no exits and the roof was no more present than it was before. He didn¡¯t see any glass on the floor that he was certain should be there. Not knowing what else to do Cory took a few careful steps forward and placed himself in front of the mirror with the blue creature.

    The being¡¯s skin was the same as Cory¡¯s. Its body was muscular but lean, somewhere between a soccer and tennis player. It¡¯s hair, black and pulled back, exposed slender slightly pointed ears. High cheekbones and sharp jawlines could be seen under a face that showed signs of both age and youth. Cory involuntarily ran his hands along his scalp and felt the same pointy ears, his hair pulled back as well. The notion that this creature was him crossed his mind moments before their eyes met. Well, until Cory saw the empty sockets that stood in stark contrast to it¡¯s periwinkle complexion. He wore what looked to be a simple snug brown tunic, capri type leggings, bracers and sandals with straps.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Cory said, waving a hand in front of the creature''s face. ¡°Anybody in there?¡±

    Nothing happened.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to give me those clothes you got on there would ya?¡±

    Nothing.

    Seeing that this line of questioning was getting nowhere, Cory opted to reach out and touch the creature. As his fingers passed the place where glass should have been the sound of a soft pop was heard, the figure disappeared and its gear fell to Cory¡¯s feet. It did not surprise Cory when it all fit. The gear felt worn, malleable and had the smell of old leather. His footwear took some cajoling. Seeing his toes exposed for all the world to stub did not bring him peace of mind but having anything on his feet felt good. With the exception of beaches and bathing, sandals were the exception not the rule. If classic Christmas movies had taught him anything it was that running over broken glass and jumping off exploding buildings required proper footwear.

    It took a good ten minutes to completely don the full set of basic gear. When Cory had finished lacing up the last strings and buckles, a translucent window with a glowing bronze border popped up in his vision. Startled, Cory took an involuntary leap backwards and assumed a defensive ninja stance even though Cory had no formal ninja training. The transparent window was similar to that of his VR interface except it was much smaller. Just like his VR interface, this one was empty too. With a thought, he closed the window.

    Curious, Cory unbuckled and removed a bracer. Nothing happened. He then put the bracer back on: no window popped up, but he did feel...something. It was the slightest bit of nothing. Strange, Cory thought and repeated this several times. He could definitely feel the smallest of sensations when taking it off and putting it back on but nothing else. Strange indeed. Chalking it up as a mystery of the cosmos, Cory headed over to the mirror with the icon of the two crossed swords.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Skipping the small talk, Cory reached out to touch the spinning icon. Just like the last mirror, a small pop could be heard before the icon vanished with a bundle of leather and metal toppling to the floor. Two sheathed weapons lay on the black stone, tied together by various straps and buckling. The hilts looked basic, no ornate carvings or writing could be seen. One of the weapons was almost a foot shorter than the other, the longer of the two being just over two feet long. Cory picked up the bundle and examined it.

    Turning the leather bundle in his hands, Cory could not see any obvious way to unravel it. Various buttons, straps and oddities needed to be undone until the whole thing could be unwound. Once unwound, Cory laid all of it on the floor, removing the shorter sword. It didn¡¯t look like much. He ran his thumb across the blade and could surmise that it was about as effective as a butter knife. Unsheathing the longer sword Cory bemused the fact that he was now holding a larger version of a butter knife. It was pointed at the end but otherwise unrefined.

    The sheath for the two weapons was something altogether different. Cory imagined if a straight jacket had a leather strap fetish, this is what it would look like. Straps and buckles everywhere, in an interlaced hodgepodge, connecting two sheaths with no clear direction of how it fit. There was no obvious belt loop or shoulder support or anything that said ¡®Start Here¡¯.

    Arrgggg!! Cory grumbled.

    Frustrated, Cory dropped the leathery bundle of weapons and took some deep breaths. He meandered back to the center of the room. He needed a second. He needed several seconds. Trapped in what appeared to be a broken game with useless gear and in a room with no exit; he needed to focus and calm. At least I''m not dead, Cory thought and then winced. Maybe...I am dead.

    In the real world, he tried breathing exercises to help keep himself calm in uncertain and stressful times. After a gross misunderstanding and an unfortunate circumstance, the court system thought therapy was advised. The only thing he took from it was that deep breathing helped. This was not an exact science.

    ¡°I''m just stuck in a game,¡± Cory said in a hushed tone. Deep breath in.

    ¡°I am just stuck in a game.¡± He repeated and let the deep breath out. He followed this pattern until the ball of anxiety in his stomach puttered away.

    He stood up, stretched and remarked that at least the clothing fit nicely and that things could be worse. With all the abject normalcy that he could muster, Cory stepped in front of the spinning icon that bore the words Speakeasy.

    Once the magical barrier popped, the letters began to fall apart like sand. Before hitting the ground the grains whirled and swept into loop-de-loops over Cory¡¯s head. He backed away and involuntarily swatted at the magical dust buzzing about his face. The dust glittered and glided, weaving its way through the air until all the particles started to merge. The closer the billowing cloud of magic dust got to the floor the more form it took. With a small flash of light and a thud, an old book dropped its weight to the floor. It was plain with no noticeable features, art or words; leather bound, worn and dirty. When Cory picked it up, a small empty interface window came into his view, blank just like the rest.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost like you¡¯re trying to tell me something.¡± Cory said out loud. He closed the prompt.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost like,¡± he vented, with heat in his voice, ¡°there might be some relevant information I should be receiving!¡±

    His voice simply echoed off the plain black stone and filtered into the darkness above. Frustrated, he stomped over to the last mirror, where an image of a cloud, with three quick horizontal lines, spun in the open air. He reached his hand across the invisible barrier but instead of a pop, Cory heard a quick ZAP! and the slightest sensation of being shocked. The spinning cloud winked out from existence, the mirror disappearing as well. He noticed all the mirrors had vanished as well as all the residual smoke that had lightly layered the stone floor. With the exception of his swords laying at his feet, the room was empty and now pitch black.

    It was also cold and stale, two sensations he either hadn¡¯t noticed or weren¡¯t there before. Cory opened and closed his interface; it bore no differences. Running with the logic that it is better to be caught with than without, he picked up his weapon bundle and loosened a sword. Before Cory could start tempting the Universe to smite him or be done with this charade, the floor shifted. Caught off balance, Cory fell to a knee holding his weapons like a newborn close to his chest. He wasn¡¯t spinning, instead he felt like he was going up. Stone grated on stone as the platform he had been standing on ascended into the darkness.

 TBC Chapter 3

    CHAPTER 3

    The platform pushed upward for many moments before jerking to a stop. Cory stood in darkness until he began to make out the slightest contour of the area he found himself in. More spots of wall and floor began to come into his vision, their presence denoted by a slight blue hue. After a few seconds Cory stopped squinting and the room became more clear. Much like the old military night vision goggles detected and amplified light, Cory could now make out his surroundings. Instead of the military green, Cory¡¯s world came through in fuzzy blue.

    Night Vision, he thought, a wry smile cresting his lips. Whether a passive skill or a trait inherent to his new avatar, Cory didn¡¯t care, he had Night Vision! It wasn¡¯t perfect but it gave him the necessary spatial awareness required to soothe any rampant claustrophobia. He could make out that he was in a small dome, no more than ten feet high. The surface glowed a light blue except for a black hole on what appeared to be the other side of the igloo he found himself in. As he stepped towards the door-sized blackness the blue illumination followed; ending roughly fifteen away. He continued forward until he could make out that a tunnel was being illuminated by the blue particles. At the mouth of the cave, Cory reached up and ran his hands across the cold, uneven stone. Turning, he could make out the size of the entire room he had been hoisted into, but as he stepped into the tunnel the far wall fell dark. Curious, Cory stepped back in the room and it returned to full light.

    Limited Night Vision, Cory murmured.

    Tick. Tick. Tick.

    The sound of skittering came to Cory¡¯s ears. Though the sound itself was new, he would have sworn his ears twitched just slightly.

    Tick. Tick. Tick.

    This time his ears did twitch and the sound was coming from the tunnel.

    Of course it¡¯s coming from the tunnel asshole, Cory reprimanded himself mentally. It¡¯s not coming from the fuckin empty room we just left!

    Taking a deep breath and reminding himself that he was Just in some broken ass game, Cory stepped into the tunnel to find his way out.

    It was slow going at first. He found that if he stood up close to the side of the tunnel, the rough contour and rocky crevasses could be seen clearly. Yet moving to the other side he could only make out that an obstruction was there. He walked forward and then walked backwards several times while watching the side of the tunnel to get a bearing on his sight. An outsider might think that Cory was preparing to charge and possibly tackle the side of the cave but lacked the necessary courage to attempt such a feat.

    Finding his range, Cory felt better about placing one foot in front of the other. Though he couldn¡¯t see far, he could see the ground. Pitfalls and trip wires were never eye level and falling up usually wasn¡¯t a thing. Just in case though, he had unsheathed his sword and was holding it out in front of him like an unlit torch. It wasn¡¯t long before he heard the skittering noise again but it was faint. As he journeyed the cave tunnel had been sneaking in an upward slant, the walls were getting noticeably closer and he could now touch the ceiling with his outstretched fingertips. Hoping that he hadn¡¯t missed some alcove or ledge, he pressed forward.

    The dry, dead air had begun to take on the smell of mold and after roughly ten more minutes of walking he could start to taste stale moisture. He would pause randomly to listen, and move on when nothing could be detected.

    Eventually the slightest sound of a plinking noise could be heard. A few moments later he heard it again. After the fifth time he heard it he knew he was close. Hopefully water, he thought, noticing for the first time that he was a bit thirsty.

    Rounding another corner Cory came face to face with¡­ himself. Light had begun to illuminate from, ¡°another goddamn mirror¡± Cory cursed, just as he had come around the bend. A small blank name template hovered in the open space of the mirror, pulsing with a slight plinking sound.

    ¡°What now?¡± He asked the mirror, annoyance evident.

    ¡°Who Are You¡± a magical voice chimed from everywhere at once.

    ¡°We¡¯ve already covered that,¡± he replied while considering smashing the mirror with his weapon.

    ¡°Name Thyself¡± the voice whispered. A silver oval sat atop a small rectangular box that was adorned with illuminated carvings was floating in the open space. Inside the oval was what could only be described as a glamor shot of his avatar.

    Username, Coy wondered.

    Catching on to what was happening, he leaned against the tunnel wall to consider. For consistency purposes Cory had always stuck with one username. Well, it started off as a consistency thing but as the online world exploded with people, names became precious and changing them expensive. Naming conventions became an unforeseen issue as using personal names was generally frowned upon¡­ for reasons. It had gotten unnecessarily worse before it got better.

    There was finally a movement in the late 40¡¯s that allowed for a one-time free name change that could be used after your twenty-first birthday. A large group of Users that had given themselves names in their teenage years proved to make finding a job difficult in their future. It was hard to take someone seriously named BroomStickDick8008. Likewise, regardless of education and experience, nobody was going to get medical treatment from someone called STD4u. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Naming things was hit or miss with Cory. It either came to him right away or required some elaborate, 4D venn diagram to really hone in on the proper moniker. Unwilling to let this drag him through some existential crisis Cory took a couple moments to ease his mind.

    General claustrophobia from being trapped in the broken game, compounded by an ever shrinking cave system full of faulty, cryptic mirrors could take a toll on a man. Before Cory¡¯s confusion and frustration could render him even more useless, he thought about the basics. Two basic, simple questions:

    ¡°What do I know? What don¡¯t I know?¡± Cory whispered to himself.

    Cory¡¯s grandfather, Papa as he was called, had imparted this knowledge on him from an early age. He would say, ¡±When you¡¯re stuck, confused or lost about anything? Anything! You hear, an-ee-thing,¡± Papa would punctuate.¡±You ask yourself two questions: "What do I know?¡± and "What don¡¯t I know?¡± indicating with his hands as if one could outweigh the other. He would then kneel down to Cory¡¯s eye level, and with a wry smile would finish, ¡±That¡¯s where you start the search.¡±

    For the longest time it was a confusing piece of advice but Papa was a broken record about it, so it stuck with him. It wasn¡¯t until he was a bit older that he started to use the thought process and when it helped Cory hoped his face had the same wry smile as Papa had all those years ago. The only thing he said more to a young Cory was, ¡±So, my copious ball of energy, are we going to find a way or make one?¡±

    ¡°Name Thyself,¡± the magical voice broke Cory from his nostalgia.

    ¡°Copious¡± he said with no level of uncertainty.

    ¡°Copious¡± he repeated, not waiting for the mirror to egg him on. A soft ping sounded, echoing down the tunnel. Ambient light pulsed from inside the mirror. Electricity raced through the empty expanse until it poured out of the mirror and down the tunnel he had been traveling. In a blink, the lightning particles returned, sucking wind and loose rocks with it. As the lightning and debris filled back into the void of which it had come, the mirror began to crumple into itself until it morphed and mutated into a shiny silver key, which quickly clattered to the cave floor. When he picked the key off the ground, the now mirrorless wall that blocked his path somehow shifted and moved, revealing a wooden door. Opening his interface he saw something new for the first time. There was a name at the top center of the otherwise blank window. Cory huffed and muttered, ¡±Kopius, with a K.¡±

    The silver key was nothing special. No distinctive features or engravings, just plain, much like the wooden door now in front of him. Taking a giant leap in logic, Kopius placed the key in the keyhole and turned. The key blinked out of existence leaving glittering residue floating in the air, some clinging to his pale blue skin like a bunch of remora on parade. The door also¡­ poofed; sending sawdust into the air. Kopius quickly moved the hand holding the tangled mess of a sword sheath to his nose but he was already sneezing. Then he was coughing as he tried to bat away the chemistry experiment gone wrong.

    When the dust settled and his coughing subsided, Kopius could see a more open space; a small enclave with a sliver of light coming from somewhere above. Stepping through the space where the door had once been, Kopius tried to get an angle to the light source. He had a poor vantage point as juts of large rocks covered the small area. The ceiling was more jagged and shredded, headed in an upward angle but the source of light was past his view. More alarmingly though was the ticking sound had returned and now it was clattering.

    Something moved quickly from between a crack of two giant boulders. When the creature creating the noise rounded the corner, Kopius froze. The wiener dog-sized monster had six short legs that came to points at the end, it bore a long forward snout with two pincers at the end and it was moving like a spider. Its mouth was just below the snout and three eyes on both sides of its head gave it a near 360 view.

    In the low light his dark vision was faulty and he couldn¡¯t make out all the details but what he could make out looked like an anteater with scorpion legs. Kopius tried to take a cautionary step back into the cave he had emerged from but¨Cever so gently¨Cscraped the cave floor with his strap-on Birkenstocks. Rookie mov- was all the chastising he could manage before the beast turned and charged.

    In an open area, with space to move, Kopius would have had some wiggle room to dodge this Dr Moreau reject; the cave he was in afforded no such luxury. Kopius did manage to juke the oncoming threat but was quickly thrown onto his back when his feet were pulled out from under him. He hit the ground with a thud, knocking some wind from his lungs. He held onto the weapon in his hands but the bundle was thrown, the sheath and blade clattering across the stone floor. Kopius tried to stand but his foot was wrenched out from him again. The damn thing has a tail too!!

    The monster¡¯s tail had been used like a whip to secure and pull his foot. The spider-wiener, as Kopius would later describe it, had jerked him back on his butt and turned. They were face-to-face, er, face-to-snout and Kopius got a close up view of the things ugly mug.

    The snout sat below a set of 6 clustered eyes. Its mouth, lined with tiny spikes, dripped with saliva. Pincers, like wicked ant mandibles, writhed on both sides. Not waiting for this dog show reject to grow anymore bold, Kopius used his free foot and rammed his heel into the open maw of the monster. In the same motion he swung his sword hand down trying to sever the tail. It took several chops of his oversized butterknife until the tail cut loose. The monster screeches ripped through the tunnel. A moment later Kopius was the one screaming as the creature''s pincers took a deep bite into his forearm, just above his wrist, and latched on. For the briefest of moments, eyeballs only feet apart, the two combatants sung the ballad of their pain to one another. Kopius was the first to stop screaming as the pain quickly fled and he could no longer grasp his weapon; his hand fully limp.

    ¡°Not today asshole!¡± Kopius yelled in half panic.

    Realizing he was about to be paralyzed, poisoned or otherwise f¡¯ed, Kopius spun himself to his feet and pulled at the pincers lodged in his arm. The spider-wiener tried jerking him back down but Kopius had his balance. The pincers were locked tight and the numbing sensation was growing towards his elbow.

    With no small amount of terror, instead of trying to free the pincers, Kopius took a hold of the long snout with his free hand and twirled. Using his heels as a fulcrum, Kopius gave his best impression of a hammer throw spin before smashing the monster into the side of the cave. The hard outer carapace cracked against the stone and it fell to the floor on its back. The creatures'' feet were flailing about trying to find purchase in anything and the pincers were no looser than they were before.

    Kopius noticed, had the tail been attached, then this hell spawn would have been able to flip over with no issues. Not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Kopius quickly retrieved his weapon with his good hand and hacked at the pincers until it severed free. The creature muled and screeched, the sound was almost too much to bear. Not that Kopius had any sympathy for the beast, but that the cave echo acoustics were relentless.

    His sword arm was limp and bleeding with the pincers still firmly lodged in place. It wasn¡¯t in pain but useless otherwise. Not wanting any part of a surprise attack, Kopius reaffirmed the grip of his short sword in his off hand. As the legs of the monster danced to its own tune, Kopius located its face and looked at it in all six eyes before plunging his sword all the way to the hilt. The legs stopped moving. Kopius, exhausted, collapsed to the ground and rolled to his back. A blank notification window popped into his field of vision and he closed it.

    After a few moments of catching his breath, he shadow boxed with his one good arm until he wasn¡¯t sure if he was laughing or crying.

 TBC Chapter 4

    CHAPTER 4

    He lay there for a while. As his senses came back to normal, Kopius reflected on what had just happened. That thing was fucking hideous, he complained internally. Sitting up to get a better look, ¡°You sir,¡± pointing at the dead monster, ¡±are all kinds of ugly.¡±

    Kopius had been in all kinds of fights throughout his VR gaming life. Though this¨Cspider-wiener he decided to name it¨Cwasn¡¯t terribly hard to defeat, the fight itself was¡­ more. The rush that came from battle was always invigorating, but the pounding in the chest, the distortion of sound, the smell of blood and whatever was coming out of that thing; his palms were sweaty for the love of it all!

    The pain though, for all things new, the pain hurt. Kopius chuckled to himself at the thought, pain hurts.

    That¡¯s some detail, he admitted.

    He also noted that the monster did not disappear after being killed. In damn near every game, ever made¨Cever¨Cthere was either a loot drop from a slain foe or an XP increase! Sure, some games tried to make you dig inside dead monsters for odd items and treasure; they attempted to give players the full taun-taun experience. What they really delivered was a hand grab into an over oiled glory hole. It was gross and we don¡¯t talk about it anymore.

    This realization brought forward the throbbing sensation running up his injured arm. Looking at the dead spider-wiener, his eyes followed the snout to its severed end before shooting over to his forearm. One of the piercers, a stone-age shaped caliper, was lodged deep in the skin, possibly the bone. The pain he felt in his arm was growing. Whatever sedation or numbing agent that creature used to capture its prey was wearing off. Kopius shivered at the thought of being completely immobilized by this thing.

    He cut off some excess strap from his sandals, placed it in his mouth and chomped down on it. Finding the best angle to pull from, he placed his injured arm against the ground with his knee on top, counted to three and pulled. When he awoke a few moments later, his arm throbbed but felt somehow better. A blank notification window was waiting for him to awaken just to have it closed in frustration. Dark blood trickled out of the wound so Kopius tied the excess strap on his arm, using it as a tourniquet.

    It took a little while for Kopius to come back to his full senses. He stood when he could flex his injured arm, the pain fading but not fast enough. When he retrieved his lodged weapon from the spider-wieners face he noticed that the six eyes had taken on a milky green hue that he had not noticed during their screaming contest. He quickly forgot about the eyes when he saw that his short sword was covered in guts. It pulled out of the monster with a wet shlurp! and he held it out in front of him like a fully loaded infant baby diaper. Kopius eventually used the bottom of his basic sandal to clear the fragments, leaving behind a few smears. Fetching his discarded jumble of a sword sheath, he moved up, out of the cave and towards the soft light illuminating the bend.

    Past this last turn Kopius found a sheer wall with, at best, a rickety old ladder leading straight up through a tight crevasse. At its base lay a jumble of rags and bones. The light source leaked through the crevice high above and placed a spotlight on the crumpled remains. Kopius stepped forward and gave the pike a poke with his short sword.

    Though reanimated skeletons were generally player XP fodder, Kopius was a bit too on edge for a surprise. Once satisfied that he would not be dueling at the moment, he squatted down and sifted through the pile. He picked up a worn cloak that tore when he lifted it.

    ¡°Been here long?¡± Kopius joked.

    Seeing it wasn¡¯t wearable, Kopius put what was left of the tattered cape to the side so that he could thoroughly clean his dirty sword later. He picked away the bones and other debris before finding a skull. It appeared to be a human type skull with a significant crack running across the back. It was old, dusty yet not as fragile as some of the bones he had thrown to the side.

    Looking up at the obvious death trap that led to the light, he said, ¡±How far did you fall from, you poor bastard?¡± He rummaged some more until finding two worn rings, one on each of the skeleton''s hands. No weapons?! Kopius complained. He stood and placed both rings in the palm of his hand. In the light he could make out a small engraved symbol on both, but the rings would need to be polished or cleaned to make them out. Kopius went to place the rings in his pocket but could not find any. The rucksack clothes that made up his attire were void of both style and functionality.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Though the rings were on the index of each boney hand, they did not initially fit on his. They were a bit too big until the first ring shifted and melded to the fit snuggly. That''s interesting, Kopius thought. When the second ring tightened to fit, all the peripheral pain in his injured arm was released. The slightest sensation of warm water ran up his injured appendage and just as quickly as it came it was gone, taking the pain with it. ¡°Niiiiiice,¡± Kopius hissed as he flexed his fully healed arm.

    Mentally closing the two blank windows that popped up, he picked up his sword and swung it a bit. His arm felt great! After a few more thrust for good measure, he returned the sword to its sheath. Kopius glanced back over his shoulder before diving back into the pile of bones to see if anything was missed. A bit paranoid he may be but nobody would be pulling an et tu brute on him. The pile of bones was just that. It had been picked over, gnawed at and weathered to the point of brittleness. The spider-wiener must have picked over these bones for ages, Kopius thought.

    ¡°No,¡± he said aloud, ¡±this is just a broken ass game...¡± He ran his hands across the pile of bones and then up the cave wall. His, not so wounded arm came into view and he saw goosebumps as he recalled the monster from not just ten minutes ago. ¡°...with the most amazing detail I have ever seen.¡±

    Opening and closing his hand in the sliver of light gave him a better perspective of his skin tone. He found it strange that in sunlight, his skin looked dark bronze but when pulled away from the light it changed to a blueish color; not so much blue as he was blue leaning. It''s like he was a walking, talking blue dress/gold dress optical illusion. Leaving this matter for another time¨Csatisfied that Gargamel wouldn¡¯t be on his heels¨CKopius decided it was time to get out of the depths and move to higher ground.

    Giving the small enclave a slow walk around, he wanted to make sure that scaling the side of a cave on wooden planks, not fit for sawdust, was really his only option.

    ¡°That appears to be the way.¡± Kopius sighed.

    Climbing wasn¡¯t the issue. In the real world, a younger Cory had been quite coordinated. Sports were a saving grace in his otherwise turbulent world. On a soccer field, he would run like the wind and baseball had taught him fundamental life lessons. His basketball prowess was more defensive leaning while on the football field, he played one season to get his friends off his back. No, Cory could make this climb even though he hadn¡¯t stepped on a playing field in years. Given the overall body type and agility that he had seen so far, Kopius could make this climb too. Falling was the issue, for both of them. Looking at the pile of bones, he remarked, ¡±For this guy too.¡±

    The cave wall was sheer and without many protrusions. The slanting ceiling of the cave came close to meeting the wall, which looked to be roughly twenty feet above him. From there, a small circular funnel led up another fifteen to twenty feet. Slats of wood could be seen making a rough line all the way up the wall and through the tight crevice leading to the surface.

    Some of the planks were missing, others broken or breaking. Train rail type spikes pocked the areas where boards should be nailed to the rock. The lowest board plank, at knee height, appeared intact; old but still in place. He pressed his foot against the top as if to start climbing and was pleasantly surprised that the board held. Wanting to understand the structural integrity of the plank, Kopius stepped down and jumped backwards, applying his full weight to the wood. The board held and Kopius launched himself away from the wall.

    A large rock stopped his flight, knocking out a small amount of air on impact. He came to a squatting position after sliding down the huge boulder. Taking several breaths before standing Kopius noted he had jumped back a lot further than he should have been able to. Sure he should have landed by the large protruding rock, but not into it. Setting that thought aside for a later date, Kopius went back to examine the still intact plank that had sent him flying.

    It was, for lack of a better description, normal. The next two planks in this bolted cave ladder looked suspect. A bit worse for wear. Not weathered or rotten, more gnawed on.They were situated roughly at his waist, shoulder and a fourth piece of wood about a foot above his head. The pattern of distance between each plank leading up into the light, which Kopius hoped led to some more wiggle room, followed the same spaces between the first four. He took a step back and gave it the squint test.

    Bringing his hand to his face, he made a pincer with his pointer and thumb to measure the space between the first and second plank. Holding his fingers in this position he then compared it with other spaces between planks. Satisfied that his guesstimation was accurate, he surmised that the distance between any two planks was roughly two feet. Gazing up the uneven, rickety path he counted¡­¡±seventeen steps.¡± Kopius huffed. Using the math his 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Beatle, said he would always use in life; Kopius figured he was going to be climbing at least 34ft. Involuntarily, he gave the ladder a razzberry and kicked at nothing in particular.

 TBC Chapter 5

    CHAPTER 5

    ¡°Were you coming or going buddy?¡± He asked, looking down at the skeletal remains.

    ¡°Did you fall coming down,¡± he said, sweeping down both hands from high, ¡±or did you fall going up?¡± finishing with an upward motion. Kopius brought both arms down in frustration and started to pace. Keeping an eye on the ladder he tried to formulate a plan that didn¡¯t involve him getting picked over by whatever the next creature was that wandered down here. The thought of being picked over meant that he would have died.

    Death might set things straight, Kopius thought to himself. He considered that dying could lead to a respawn. Respawning might jar the game into allowing functionality of his user interface. A functional interface meant a logout, a logout meant an exit and then a sternly worded v-mail to whichever person, company or entity that could cause such a cataclysmic failure.

    Not allowing himself to go completely off the rails, envisioning his inner Karen wreaking havoc on an undervalued and underpaid manager, Kopius returned to the possible benefits of dying.

    ¡°I die, I respawn and can logout.¡± Kopius said aloud. ¡°I die, I respawn, I can¡¯t logout,¡± he weighed.

    Would I go back to the room of mirrors?... Wouldn¡¯t matter if I can logout... Might matter if you can¡¯t logout. Why would that matter, we¡¯d still be stuck! Yes, but we have already cleared this cave. You don¡¯t know whether that thing will respawn too! We know where it will be if it does!

    ¡°Fair enough!¡± Kopius exclaimed, ending his inner debate before it came down to blows. The idea of dying to respawn and then hopefully logout had merits. Cory, having had an old tech job, knew how restarting a faulty program or machine could resolve an issue. ¡°Have you turned it off and on again?¡± is a very important question! Yet that ¡°it¡± was attached or otherwise influencing his brain.

    ¡°Ok Grandpa,¡± Kopius said,¡±Whatcha got for me?¡± He began to pace again, muttering to himself, ¡±What do we know? What don¡¯t we know¡± on repeat. The pacing helped Kopius to keep his mind on track. Wishing he didn¡¯t have to turn so often he kept this up until he started listing off items, counting on his hands.

    ¡°I am alive,¡± Kopius paused mid step. ¡°I¡¯m...alive, right?¡±

    Sometimes Cory would have to start with the most basic of ¡®what do we know¡¯ answers. He had actually had to refer back to this ¡®I am alive¡¯ statement to jump start the process quite often; it was motivating to get the first few answers correct. This was usually followed by ¡®I am breathing¡¯ and other obvious ¡®I know¡¯s¡¯ until the momentum could be directed to the problem at hand.

    There were time¡¯s Cory would giggle that he would have to confirm that he was alive. Kopius, using it for the first time, felt a chill stretch through his body and squeeze his heart.

    ¡°I have to be!¡± Kopius blurted out to the cave. ¡°I¡¯m right here!¡± he yelled. Kopius started to pace as if his thumping heart just needed to walk it out. When all manner of breathing techniques did not calm his nerves, he dropped against a large boulder, defeat washing over him. ¡°I¡¯m breathing,¡± he sputtered looking down at his open palms. ¡°I feel¡­¡± and he broke.

    Years of avoided conflicts and internal strife were waiting on the other side of the dam Kopius had just broken wide open. He was not prepared. Tears that he would normally fight off or push back first fell on his palm and then patted on the floor of the cave. It wasn¡¯t the cave, or the ladder or even the fact that he was stuck in a game. Long ago, well before he knew it, Cory had given up. Not on life but on living.

    At some point Cory¡¯s hubris collided with his naivety and the dust storm that erupted engulfed him. By the time that Cory could see the mess he had created, maintaining the status quo was the easiest way forward. Forward he went. Odd jobs and odd women kept his life interesting but at the end of the day, he was empty.

    ¡°The easy way.¡± Kopius laughed admonishingly, rocking back to sit. ¡°More like the ¡®let everyone down¡¯ way,¡± he managed to get out between the sniffling. He let the tears flow as he picked up small pebbles; flicking them away. Self-doubt needn''t knock on an open door and Kopius was throwing a party. He rocked, internally mulling at himself for every misstep and mistake that he could remember. His wasted potential or every teacher¡¯s ¡®if you just applied yourself¡¯ conversation. His parents hoped for better times while he consistently gave them reasons to believe otherwise. Ruining his one joy of coaching baseball because of a run in with the law. Just a spiral of over ambitious, poorly thought through schemes and ventures.

    These breakdowns would happen from time to time in the real world. Some innocuous question would catch him off guard and he would be hit with the emotional equivalent of a surprise slap ¡®cup check¡¯. Generally, after some time, the feelings would abate and he would push on, learning nothing from it. As he got older, the peace of mind he craved too often fell victim to the shortcomings of his past. Overthinking and under planning became common pitfalls in an already clouded world. It wasn¡¯t for lack of trying. From time to time he would make blind attempts at positivity, like ¡®if the hole was big enough, why not decorate?¡¯ or ¡®Deeper hole equals more head room!¡¯ Positive spins on negatives were his jam. It was a comedy reel in his head that kept reality at bay.

    With further impending doom awaiting his mental horizon, Kopius had come to a crossroad. He could continue to wallow in his own contrived, self-fulfilling, self-loathing prophecies or accept that mistakes are made and meant to be learned from. To his credit, he rarely made the same mistake twice.

    Life lessons aside, Kopius started the arduous process of pulling himself out of his muck. After wiping away the residual tears and snot, Kopius took a few deep breaths closing his eyes to ensure he had, indeed, backed away from that ledge. A blank window appeared even with his eyes closed. He shut it.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Coming back in the direction of normal, Kopius gazed at the small exit in the high ceiling of the cave.

    ¡°Twenty-one days,¡± he said aloud, thinking of his VR unit. Cory¡¯s O.B.S.E. rig in the real world was modest to say the least. It could only run for twenty-one days until it needed to be refilled with the necessary liquified nutrients and vitamins required to sustain long term activity in the VR realms. Commonly referred to as ¡®day-zero¡¯ or the day you are OOI, out of inventory. Prolonged immersion also called for a sanitisation change and/or cleaning. At the day-zero mark, with no refills, the system goes into hibernation, setting off any and every alarm associated with your logged in user. On day twenty-two the authorities are informed and an extraction ambulance is dispatched. If by day twenty-five you haven''t been reached, logged out or otherwise extracted; well, at least they tried.

    Twenty days to be safe, he corrected himself.

    ¡°That¡¯s what we got,¡± he said, speaking to the light. He stood, wiping off residual rock debris from his butt and headed back to the base of the wooden cave ladder. Though the first plank seemed more than capable of supporting his weight Kopius was not as convinced about several others that he could see. One of the planks in question was at roughly the height of his outstretched hands and he opted to try a pullup. He placed a handhold just above where the wood was nailed to the cave wall. After a preliminary tug, Kopius pulled his body off the floor with the grace of a practiced puller-upperer. Letting himself down, he marveled at the strength and ease of doing a single pull-up.

    When Cory played baseball, pull ups were an everyday thing. Though he was slender, he was fit and athletic. The larger players would tease him about his size but would pay their respects after he would excel in everything else besides brute strength. Pull-ups, to Kopius¡¯s recollection, were the first time he understood that strength was not absolute. That application of strength was the true measure of power. Pull ups are meant to be paced and consistent, with an established rhythm to maximize longevity. The meat heads, in general, did not understand this. They would approach the challenge with the pace and vigor of a boy running from his own virginity. While Cory would take the measured approach, his larger challengers would exhaust themselves within seconds while appearing to dry-hump the air.

    The smallest of smiles creeped across the face of Kopius as realized it had been a long time since had done a pull up. Most VR simulations did their best to emulate and deliver on all the human senses, physiques and emotions. Some, like mentioned before, were so real that real life felt surreal. Yet with all of these, there are limitations, exceptions and guidelines. One of the guidelines Kopius was just remembering was that self-harm, like cutting, was not emulated. Much like suicide and any array of lewd or otherwise illegal happenings, there were activities that could not transpire. These were, among many others, safety protocols in place to avoid and/or discourage despicable behavior or self-harm.

    An old friend of Cory¡¯s had once been a cutter in real life. When the friend tried it in a VR realm, instead of alerting the security protocols around such behavior, he was given a Secret Quest. It turned out to be a Self Help algorithm, that took individual Users on customized journeys, through specific trials, so that they could learn to love themselves. Given the right set of circumstances, many people healed. These were the stories Cory loved to hear but were far and few between in their telling. Not to mention filtering through the truely sick fucks, making up these stories for attention. At present, Kopius had no interest in causing himself any more harm than was necessary.

    Giving the plank a second try, this time placing both hands next to each other in the center of the board, Kopius pulled.

    CRACK!!

    His feet didn¡¯t even leave the ground before the board snapped in two, leaving the separated pieces hanging on their respective spikes. Mentally congratulating himself for being safe rather than sorry, he stepped back to give his path up yet another look. It was mostly a straight climb up. Some planks were a bit off center but otherwise, if he could make the climb without falling, it led out to the light.

    He then stared at the two broken pieces of plank that hung lazily from their respective nails. Nails that remained in place, Kopius noted. Reaching up as if to give the board a backhand, he wedged his fingers between the wood and the cave wall until he could touch the metal spike. He tried to give it a pull but only the wood bent. He tried using the board as prying leverage but to no avail. This nail and by extension, he hoped, all the nails were firmly in place.

    ¡°I guess that can be Plan B.¡± Kopius muttered.

    Hoping Plan A would present itself shortly, Kopius considered alternatives. He had just jumped pretty far earlier, easily further then he could have in real life. Even in his prime, that jump would not have been possible. Maybe I have some passive traits? Kopius mused. ...or an advanced jumping Skill?...Could be a race specific thing¡­ Magic? He scrunched his nose at this last thought.

    ¡°I have Air magic.¡± Kopius said this while remembering that he was ninety-nine point nine-nine-nine-nine-nine percent sure that the little spinny symbol with the wavy lines, was Air magic. He got a bit of goosebumps when his logic jumped a bit too far as he wondered if he may be able to fly.

    Grinning, he looked up to center himself with the light from above. Kneeling down as if to start a race, one closed fist slowly descending, Kopius began to summon his inner Neo. One of his grandfather''s all-time favorite classic movies was The Matrix. Papa had it on VHS, DVD, HDDVD, Blu-Ray, fiber optic drives, HDVR, you name it, he had it. Before his passing, Cory was able to secure a yet to be released ¡®The Matrix: Full Experience¡¯ VR simulation. It was the first and only time Papa had the opportunity to live the life of his hero, Mr. Anderson. The price Cory paid for securing said unreleased copy was negligible in comparison to the joy he saw on his grandfather''s face.

    Paying his respects to the late and great K. Reaves, Kopius leaped. He did not, in fact, fly. He did land awkward though, stumbling to one side before catching his momentum against the cave wall. His jump was higher than expected but the flying would have to wait. Happy with the knowledge that if he were to come across a basketball game, he could most definitely dunk...No more ¡°just play D¡± for me! Kopius chuckled to himself.

    A grumble in his stomach rid Kopius of any further daydreams, this new sensation brought him back to the present. That had felt like real hunger, like, you worked two shifts and that Coke with a Snickers bar you had for lunch just won¡¯t cut it, rumbling. The kind that feels like an earthquake and sounds like a sea lion in heat.

    He was amazed at the realism of the game he was stuck in for the umpteenth time. The problem was that the realism he was looking for came in the form of a functioning user interface with a Logout button. Mentally pulling up his interface, for the umpteenth-and-oneth time, he was not surprised by its blankness. Of course the name he chose sat in bold letters at top center.

    ¡°Everything seems to be working fine except you!¡± Kopius scolded the blank page before willing it to go away. Seeing no other options, Kopius gave in and opted to execute Plan B.

    Occam seemed to have the edge in this one.

 TBC Chapter 6

    CHAPTER 6

    The plan was simple: Only grab above the nails; don¡¯t fall. ¡°And don¡¯t look down,¡± Kopius said aloud as a reminder. With gear tied to his back, placing one foot on the first plank, he gazed up. Though he had little confidence in the integrity of the wood, he saw no other options. The cave that led him here was the only path, it was unclear or unhelpful to mull over death at the moment and now his stomach had chimed in. For better or for worse, when he put his mind to something, it got done¡­ or undone.

    There was little toe room on the two inch thick planks and Kopius couldn''t slide his foot in as it was blocked by the wall. Instead, he found he would have to assume a knocked-knee position to step up, using the outside edge of his foot. Awkward though the position was, Kopius wanted to distribute his weight evenly so as to not chance breaking anything. Taking a few breaths, he set his mind to the task and started to climb.

    The two broken pieces made for easy holding and Kopius was off the ground. Being as balanced as possible, he pulled himself up while moving one leg up to the next plank. Getting a firm grip on the next ledge, Kopius applied increasingly more pressure until he was mildly confident that he wouldn¡¯t fall. Raising the leg opposite of the gripping hand, he would press up. After clearing the broken planks, Kopius found that even had he wanted to, looking down would mean certain death. His chin had to be in a slight upward angle so that he could keep his chest as close to the cave wall as possible. This made placing his feet properly a lot harder. He would catch a glimpse of his foot, and a healthy whiff of body odor, when outstretching an arm to move up.

    After snailing up three more planks, Kopius was reminded of the old carnival game, the one that required a person to cross a hanging rope ladder without falling off. In order to be successful, pressure was the key. You would have to ignore the rungs in the middle and maintain equal pressure to both sides of the side ropes. Moving one arm and the opposite leg at the same time, while maintaining pressure with the other two was no simple feat. This was Kopius¡¯s current plan of attack. Though he had never personally succeeded crossing the rope ladder it did not deter his otherwise slow pace.

    CREEAaaakkkkk

    Kopius froze.

    He could feel the tension give slightly in the board of his right hand. He eased a bit but not enough to let go. Jiggling it as best he could, the board moved a bit in and out, making the smallest of rubbing noise. Applying increasing pressure like before, the wood still creaked a bit. The small pause in his climbing brought to the front of his mind the ever present feeling of his muscles starting to burn. It was unfamiliar, unlike the usual burn from hard exercise. This felt more like a deflating balloon.

    Ah shit! They have a stamina drain! Kopius reprimanded himself for not considering that staple RPG element. If he had a free hand to slap his forehead, this would have been the moment. After reminding himself that he can''t have a tea party while climbing the side of a sheer cliff, Kopius continued. The boards creaked and complained but half way up Kopius had yet to fall or be otherwise surprised. Keeping his eyes to the sky, he began to get a better view of the cave''s ceiling, where it ended, and the light began.

    The ceiling of the cave came up at a vertical slant until stopping, leaving a two to three foot crevasse between it and the wall he was attempting to scale. From there he couldn''t tell how far it went up but he figured, if he could reach the crevasse, stabilizing himself would get much easier. He also wasn''t sure when his stamina would run out and that small enclosed space could grant him a respite if wedged properly. Seeing the metaphorical and literal light at the end of the tunnel, Kopius kept climbing. He sang internally to keep his mind busy, You gotta put one foot in front of the other...don''t fall down,down,down, he slowly made his way up,up,up.

    The cave wall indented a little, creating a shelf of sorts. Where Kopius had hoped to find a plank he found emptiness. Like the cat on the wrong side of a locked bathroom door, he searched the area swiping for a ledge. A bit of cold sweat ran down his spine and his arms were feeling the burn of the climb. Placing his palm flat and sweeping the surface for anything until his thumb hit a protrusion in the surface. Focusing his hand in that location he fumbled around until quickly deducing he had a hold of a nail spike, the board was not there. Not wasting any time, with just his pinky and index finger wrapped around the nail he pulled himself up. He could feel the nail strain against his squeezing fingers, giving no indication of coming free, until it did.

    Kopius¡¯s other hand had a death grip keeping him from swinging out and down to the cave floor. Heart racing and with more luck than awareness, his flailing hand let go of the large spike and came down like a high five to the nails'' old home. He slid his hand quickly over and whacked his finger against the other nail of the missing plank.

    Now, with a more awkward hold of this second nail, his pointer and middle finger held for all their might. Praying for a different result, Kopius unlocked his death grip and found purchase in the next plank. His head had reached the beginning of the small crevasse and he got a short whiff of fresh air.

    Placing his foot against the protruding nail, Koipus found he could now spider walk with outstretched arms. His fingers were starting to strain and the cockeyed way his legs were positioned made muscles he didn''t even know exist burn. Only his shoulders had breasted the space between the wall and the ceiling and he pushed further, racing the growing fatigue in all of his limbs.

    Putting the heave in ho, Kopius pressed on hoping two more of these planks would be enough. Then, maybe, use the two opposing walls leading to the surface as a wedge to rest.

    ¡°Just...¡± Kopius grunted, moving up a plank.

    ¡°...keep¡­¡± he continued, finding purchase for his next step.

    ¡°...swimming.¡± he groaned, pulling himself through the crease in the ceiling. To his surprise and relief, the wall opposite the ladder had a rough oval shape seat poorly carved into the stone. It resembled those extremely uncomfortable seats that are more dysfunctional egg shaped decorations than usable chairs.

    Clearly expecting the promise of rest to be a trap he hesitated to lean across the abyss and have a seat. Keeping a firm grip with his fingers Kopius carefully reached one leg across and tapped the crudely curved surface of rock. He involuntarily jerked his foot away, as if to avoid triggering a trap, Kopius''s other foot slipped.

    Voluntarily he rammed his proding foot hard against the curved surface and squeezed the wood in his hands. The foot that slipped swung down and out but not enough to take Kopius with him. He found himself secured at an upward angle, one foot dangling in the space between the two rock walls. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest it felt like Thor was trying to get out. He would have looked down to see if it had actually pounded out of his chest but securing his second foothold was a more pressing matter.

    Securing his other foot, Kopius found himself in another odd position. Much like a small child pushing a heavy shopping cart, he looked like a man trying to hold back a falling wall. Though, the precarious angle afforded his limbs to rest in turns.

    Feeling comfortable that his position was secured, he would, one by one, let an arm or leg relax. Switching it around for a minute he was able to reduce the burn in his muscles. Once satisfied that he could return to climbing, he took stock of his situation.

    The space between the two rock faces was roughly three feet and he had about five to six feet to go before reaching the top. Kopius very much wanted to look down at the seat he was standing in to see if it could be useful but that meant looking down. Looking down would be breaking a long standing tradition of not looking down. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    As a child he had followed his father up the side of a small mountain while camping. Cory had scaled it with the ease and grace of a playground. With no more than twenty feet to the top, he had turned to look down and froze stiff. Long story short, he did not make it to the top.

    Though Kopius found himself currently at a much shorter height, he could not afford to freeze. So he looked up, he looked over to the sides and made a decision.

    ¡°Spider walk,¡± he murmured. Feeling his luck with the planks was at an all time low, Kopius chanced Plan C. The short distance left, his position and the brief rest meant that the boards and spikes were not his only option anymore. Giving his limbs each a shake to ¡®get the lead out¡¯, his Papa would say, Kopius got to work.

    Spider walks are simple in theory. First you would need two vertical, parallel surfaces like the two cave walls before Kopius. Second, the distance between the two surfaces has to be such that one could reach both without fully outstretched arms. From there it is a matter of leverage, strength, and stamina. Let¡¯s hope we have enough stamina, he thought reluctantly.

    Placing one hand firmly against the wall opposing the planks, Kopius found the right angle to support himself. Arms secure, he removed one foot from the small alcove and found solid purchase above a wooden plank. Testing the foot¡¯s hold for good measure one more time, he heaved his body up, releasing and then quickly slapping back his hands a bit higher than they were before.

    ¡°Holy shit that worked!¡± Kopius exhaled. He brought his feet up with him and secured another foothold. Not waiting to skip a beat he slid up the cave mouth again and then once more, squirming and heaving. The cave walls grew closer as he went up, making applying pressure with his hands easier. The familiar burn started first in his arms and then his legs. With three feet left to the surface he could smell fresh air and see a light blue sky. Two more heaves and Kopius¡¯s head crested the surface; he paused.

    He gazed about wanting to know if he was going from the frying pan to the fire. It looked to be a valley of sorts. Short grass to his right led off into some bushes before ending at another rock face. Dirt led off to his left, riddled with more bushes and other shrubbery. Kopius, with only his head above ground, looked about with the determination of a man destined to tell the world if Spring came early this year. Wherever the sun might be, it was past the high cliffs that looked to surround the gorge he had just climbed into.

    Kopius moved his hands to secure holds against the edge of the pit and then swung both legs up and out, tumbling to the grassy side of the hole. Rolling several more times for good measure, he lay there taking in the space as though he had just been unwrapped from a straight jacket.

    He took deep breaths of fresh air, realizing how much he had missed it. The grass felt coarse and stiff, pricking him at times in exposed areas. An empty window appeared in his view and he was too happy to be annoyed. He was going to lay there for a bit longer when he heard a sound. Almost familiar but still foreign, it happened once and was gone.

    Ding-dang

    Kopius sat up quickly not knowing where the sound had come from. He fumbled for his gear on his back as he stood, managing to free the longer of the two swords, the rest of his tattered goods fell to the ground.

    There! To the left, he saw a light blur and it was gone. He shifted his body in that direction, making sure he was safe from falling back in that hole. There! Again, a blur to his left. Gone in an instant.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± Kopius shouted, gripping his sword.

    ¡°Show yourself!¡± Kopius demanded.

    Show yourself? Come on man, you¡¯re better than that, Kopius thought admonishingly.

    ¡°I have a weapon!¡± he continued to shout.

    Pathetic, Kopius conceded to himself, shaking his head.

    He kept turning, anticipating. After spinning a full circle a thought occurred to him. In a VR game that Cory had been heavily involved in playing, Titans of the Fall, the HUD(heads up display) displayed a lot of real time information. Like a lot, a lot. So much so that in the beginning, while battling, the notifications would be so intrusive that Cory would miss crucial hits or take damage where he could otherwise dodge or parry. The information was admittingly useful: You could see damage dealt and taken, health, stamina, mana drain, critical percentages, weak spots and more. Cory¡¯s Papa had said that he had felt like real life Iron Man.

    In later iterations of the game it allowed for the information to be minimized to the side or transparent enough to not be an obstruction. But, in the beginning, Users had two choices: On or Off. When the notifications were turned Off, players would see a soft red blinking light that would pulse off to the side of their vision when there was something new; like an upgrade or level increase.

    With that last thought, but still keeping his eyes alert for a threat, Kopius willed his user interface visible. To his surprise, there was something new displayed. At the top, to the left of his name, the number ¡®2¡¯ was etched in silver.

    ¡°That''s it!¡± Kopius seethed, closing his interface. He kept scanning the area, not one-hundred percent sure he was clear of danger. After a minute or two of no flashing blurs and not being attacked by anything, Kopius let his shoulders relax a bit. The tension he was releasing in his body made its way up to his brain. TWO!!! He screamed internally. Two what?! What happened to One!

    ¡°GRRRrrrrrr¡± was all Kopius could manage to get out of his mouth as he took swipes at nearby grass with his sword.

    ¡°TWO!!¡± he yelled, clearing a swath of knee high grass.

    ¡°WHAT!?!¡± he continued, slicing more grass with the backswing, his words echoing up the canyon walls. After a few more swipes and vulgarities, Kopius picked up the gear he had tossed down and looked for a place to sit to orient himself.

    He wandered over to some rocks jutting from the ground next to the side of the cliff face. Finding the most comfortable spot he could on a pile of boulders, Kopius rested his back to the cliff and had a much clearer view of things. While previously spinning he had gotten a quick chance to get an idea of his surroundings. Now able to sit and rest, he could take it all in.

    He found himself in a small grassy cove, deep in a ravine. The sheer cliffs raced up more than one-hundred feet and he could see that he was at a deadend of the deep gorge. A path, if you could call it that, led off to his right. Bushes, grass and half dead trees were growing randomly about the cul-de-sac in a manner of disarray that only nature, Or a computer simulating nature! Kopius thought, could do. Some brave plants were attempting to scale the rock face while a small host of flowers grew about a sickly looking pond. A pond that butted up against yet another cliff face. He could tell from where he was resting that the water was not drinkable.

    The sight of liquid brought to his mind that he was slightly parched. Mimicked in most VR games as a dry smacking sound, being parched, if not corrected, led to stamina drain, dizziness or any other ailment associated with a lack of hydration. What Kopius was feeling now, again, felt life like.

    There was a dryness in his mouth, like the kind he used to get before attempting to ask out the pretty barista or the moment before presenting a project in front of a crowd. Smacking his lips together to produce some saliva, Kopius again remarked how realistic the world he was stuck in was.

    Continuing to scan the small alcove, Kopius did not see anything of noticeable importance. Seeing as climbing was not an option, Kopius looked down the dark ravine floor path that led off to his right. Much like the dead-end he was sitting in, the path was strewn with bushes and other odd shrubbery. The way seemed to have a slight upward slant but Kopius was not sure if he was making that up or not. With a rumble in his stomach and a half dry mouth, he gathered his meager belongings.

    The sun, or whatever passed as the sun, had already been absent from the ravine floor when Kopius had climbed out of the cave. Now it was creeping its way up and out of the canyon, threatening to leave him alone in the dark.

    If the fleeting sun was any indication, Kopius figured he was heading in a westernly direction. The ground, uneven and lumpy, was much like a riverbed but without the slippery rocks. Grass patches reached out of random, sandy soil while the healthier of the bushes hugged up against the rock face to his left. Few plants lined the cliff on his right. While the space was wide enough to drive a few cars side by side, Kopius could see the path narrowed just before a bend a few hundred yards from his spot. He could not tell what was past that but anything was worth exploring if it meant not climbing. Before setting off, Kopius took his jumbled mess of a sword sheath and managed to tie it about his waist in what might have been the ugliest strap-happy belt ever constructed. Yet, like Kopius, it held.

 TBC Chapter 7

    CHAPTER 7

    With his short sword in hand, Kopius started walking. It was slow moving at first. Not that Kopius was in fear of falling or slipping on uneven terrain, instead, he marveled at the small slice of world he found himself in. Everything from the sound of his foot falls, the texture of the shrubbery, to the way the clean air filled his lungs with each breath. He could feel the friction ridges of his fingers when rubbed together gently and his knuckles would pop with that familiar sound. When Kopius reached up to run his hands through his hair he stopped walking and focused on his skin. The deep bronze was similar to that of ancient Greeks and he briefly wondered if he had made up the blueish tint he had seen in the caves. I saw what I saw, Kopuis mumbled internally.

    ¡°Whatever.¡± Kopius said aloud and continued up the ravine.

    Roughly ten minutes of walking and the canyon started to narrow, casting a longer shadow on the floor and surrounding area. There were considerably more large rocks and boulders mixed in with the plants and grass. They weren¡¯t poking out of the ground like in the cave but looked to have fallen from a great height. The boulders were embedded in the ground rather than having looked pushed up.

    Kopius walked up to one of the larger rocks and started to circle it when he saw a bush tucked behind it with bright red flowers. It was a pleasant sight to see a vibrant color finally. The beige and green of the surrounding area, drowned out by the gray cliffs and rocks, had made for little aesthetics. As he approached the bush, his stomach saw what his brain had yet to register: food.

    With a tight grumbling knot awaking in his belly, Kopius¡¯s eyes grew large and he smiled. Sitting inside each red star shaped flower were golf ball sized looking berries. Only a handful of flowers could be seen on the bush but their red pedals made them stand out. Hunger and curiosity pushed Kopius closer and he could see the inviting fruit, much like deep red raspberries on steroids, sitting in the open pedals.

    ¡°Yesss,¡± Kopius half hissed as he moved forward. His hand was a mere foot from his prize when the bush rustled.

    Kopius froze.

    An onlooker might think that Kopius was in the process of introducing himself to the fruit bush, his arm outstretched as though to shake hands. Yet Kopius, in the nanosecond following the sound, was connecting the dots on an old adage about something looking too good to be true. The next two nanoseconds shifted his stomach from aching hunger to ¡®ya done fucked up¡¯.

    The next few moments were a blur as Kopius¡¯s instincts took over and he attacked the bush. With a bellow his sword arm came arcing down to cut the bush in two but all he got was a thunk when his sword hit the ground. The bush had quickly retreated back into a large borrowing hole that was not visible before. Kopius also quickly retreated, getting as much distance between him and the garbage can lid-sized hole. As he reached the other side of the ravine, Kopius turned quickly. Heart pounding he focused on the hole, sword in hand, ready to fight. He didn¡¯t have to wait long, as whatever was coming out of the hole made a screeching bellow of its own. A moment later, the bush shot out of the hole.

    Quick as can be, the bush monster closed the distance to Kopius in two blinks of an eye. Its long body, scaled with four legs, skipped across the terrain like a smooth rock on water. Much like getting a high and tight fastball, Kopius bailed to the side, avoiding the lunging creature and its gnashing maw. He hit the ground with his shoulder and rolled to his feet, glancing back at the animal he barely dodged. The beast had rammed head first into the cliff wall and appeared to stumble momentarily before shaking its head vigorously. The bush, being attached to the beast''s head, made violent rustling sounds as it swung it about. The monster looked to Kopius to be some kind of small alligator/mole crossover experiment gone wrong. It was at least four feet long with stubby legs, scaled on its stomach with hair running across its back. Not knowing how long this thing would be dazed, Kopius did what Cory could do best. He ran. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I hate¡­¡± Kopius huffed as he turned to run.

    ¡°...this fucking¡­¡± he puffed, his momentum building.

    ¡°...game!!!¡± he finished, now in a full sprint.

    A screeching roar ripped through the ravine as Kopius had started his flight. Like a panther huffing on helium and roaring in the jungle, the sounds echoed off the walls. The mixture of noises came dangerously close to throwing Kopius off balance. He used a few jutted stones to propel him over boulders and had only looked back once to see he needed to be moving faster.

    The monster weaved through rocks and over the terrain as though it was on rails. Kopius pushed harder and found that his Earthly speed, though formidable, was no match to what he could do now. The ravine was narrowing ahead and looked to fork again shortly. He took the path to his left and kept running. The world was a blur as Kopius moved as though one with the wind. His breaths had started to come faster and shorter, his thighs and stomach also feeling that early burn of exhaustion.

    ¡°Ok, ok, ok, ok¡± Kopius said in quick succession, realizing that the running would come at the same price as his climb in the cave. Though the strength and speed were greatly increased, so was the proportional stamina drain. He had the nagging impression that he would soon not be able to run or fight. Streams of sweat ran freely down his scalp as he navigated the terrain and formulated a plan. A plan, that if not enacted quickly, would result in his death and the answer to his respawn question.

    Another helium laced screech ripped through the ravine and this time Kopius did falter. He stumbled and then slipped, the sword he had somehow held onto this whole run flew from his grasp as Kopius hit the ground hard. He rolled to the base of a large boulder, quickly getting to his feet. Just as Kopius was getting his bearings the bush monster had already leapt and flew like a spear straight at his head.

    With the grace of a petulant child refusing no for an answer, he buckled his legs and fell back to the ground. For the second time, for however long this pursuit had transpired, Kopius had dodged near death and the bush had hit a wall. This time, however, Kopius was beneath the falling monster and was inexorably crushed to the ground, face first.

    With half the air knocked out of him and a mouth full of dirt, Kopius coughed and strained to catch a breath. He wiggled and wormed, trying to free himself but he was pinned. For all of the struggling on Kopius¡¯s part he had not felt the creature move. He paused as best he could and gauged that, dead or not, he wanted no part of anything to do with this creature. Pulling his legs in as much as he could, he leveraged himself to do a push-up. With his hands placed down, Kopius used whatever strength was left in his body and pushed.

    He pushed, digging knee and toe into the ground until, like tipping a wheelbarrow, the monster slid off. Kopius got to his feet quickly and moved back, not taking his eyes off the creature. He chanced and looked quickly about, searching for the lost short sword. He found it close by, up the path in the direction he had been running. Snapping it off the ground, he backed up the path until he saw the beast move.

    It shuttered at first, the red flowers swishing back and forth as the animal lay there. As it tried to stand, Kopius had turned to run. Several seconds into his sprint and Kopius heard the bellowing screech from the beast but much further away than the other times he had heard it. Making a right when the ravine forked again, he could see trees and what looked like more open space. He raced into the glade only to find a dead end. Frantically he looked for anything to use or anywhere to go. Trees at the back of the glen were dense and cast dark shadows, so he ran there hopeful of hiding. His eyes had to adjust to the darker space and once they did he couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. There, embedded in the cliff wall, well within the dense trees, was a wooden door.

 TBC Chapter 8

    CHAPTER 8

    Kopius burst through the door, slammed it, and braced his back against it. He dismissed an empty window that had popped up and tried to catch his breath. Though he would have felt infinitely better behind a steel-walled vault, Kopius pushed with all his might against the door. The impending doom that should have burst through Kopius¡¯s thin layer of protection never came. As the seconds passed by and Kopius regained some composure, he tentatively turned and put an ear to the door.

    He listened until his breathing was less of a heave and more of a long whimper. He heard nothing, so he peered out a small crack in the door. There it was, pacing back and forth, looking around like a dog in search of game. The animal moved about with purpose but seemed totally unaware that the thing it had been chasing was a mere twenty feet away, hiding behind a piece of wood. This went on for several moments: Kopius steadfast in his gaze and the beast investigating. Several ideas ran through Kopius''s head as he stood there, but apparently none made more sense than opening the door and poking his head out. Rhyme and reason were more guidelines anyways.

    Kopius quickly closed the door when the animal''s head turned in his direction. Looking back through the crack, he could see that the beast¡¯s confusion had deepened, its movements more subdued and cautious. Kopius repeated the head-poking a few times until the beast was no longer sniffing about. Its interest in having Kopius for lunch looked to have passed, the four-legged alligator-mole bush monster backed down the way it had chased Kopius until it was no longer in sight.

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Kopius exhaled, turning around and slumping to the ground, his back still against the door. Closing yet another blank notification window.

    ¡°I see you decided to leave the door shut,¡± said a pleasant, high-pitched voice from inside the room. Kopius jumped to his feet startled, again. He had spent the whole time peering out the crack in the door or had had his eyes closed while praying to any and every god out there, that he never looked around.

    The elementary-classroom-sized room had a scattering of fire light with a short ceiling. An intricate fireplace sat central in the room with billows of smoke racing up a wooden range hood, lined with some type of metal. There was a large cauldron above the low flames, with various metal pipes snaking out to different sciencey-looking stations that lined the walls. Bookshelves were stuffed into any and all free spaces, filled to the brim with liquids, artifacts, plants, and more.

    ¡°Wh-wha-what?¡¯¡¯ stumbled out of Kopius¡¯s mouth, both as a question and a statement. His eyes darted from one lab table to the next. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, eat your heart out.

    ¡°The door,¡± the voice peeped. ¡±I find it best left shut, but you seemed less sure.¡±

    Due to the lack of overall illumination, Kopius couldn¡¯t see anyone in the dim space. The different small flames dancing throughout the room caused Kopius¡¯s eye to dart from one moving shadow to the next. As his eyes began to adjust to the darkened state of the room, so did his nose. Several stenches assaulted Kopius¡¯s nasal passages. His stiff linen shirt provided little in defense from it either.

    On further inspection, to his surprise, part of the smell was coming from him. Not that body odor hadn¡¯t been simulated in games for years, but it was his smell. More specifically, it was his STANK. Like spicy Taco Bell sauce that had gone rotten, the smell was potent and specific. As he added his stink to the ever-growing list of things to figure out later, Kopius saw a figure emerge from the back of the room. He cleared his throat and answered.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m¡­ I was running from¡­¡± Kopius paused to figure out what exactly he was running from. ¡±Some¡­ bush.¡± Borderline stammering, he continued, ¡±I¡¯m sorry about breaking in here... I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m lost, and I-I don¡¯t know where I am.¡± Kopius had always tried to keep it together when things went bad, but he was having a rough go of it and started speaking faster. ¡±I woke up in a cave, but I can''t log out, and then I was attacked by some porcupine chihuahua! It hurt! The pain hurts! Then it healed, err, I mean, I healed, and then I got out of the cave and still can''t log out.¡± Kopius¡¯s hands were moving now, chopping at the air, animating his plight. ¡°Then I was hungry, which was weird because you can''t eat real food, so I plucked a berry that wasn''t a berry, and an angry berry bush chased me through your door!¡± Kopius ended by gesturing to the place he stood.

    By the time Kopius had finished his vigorous rendition of the past few hours the figure had come to sit in a chair next to the central cauldron. An array of pipes branched out of the large pot, creating a vast system throughout the room. The patchwork pipes ran over and through shelves to the three stations situated along the three walls. There were small leaks in some joints and steam coming from others. Crude knobs were in various places.

    Maybe they¡¯re safety valves? Kopius guessed.

    The three stations looked similar in their setup: various glass tubes, containers, and tools. Each area had four pipes to one side like air vacuum tubes in a mailroom. The one noticeable difference was that each had the slightest hint of a different color. The east wall station had a red hue emanating from a medium-sized, nondescript metal pot hanging above a small pile of smoldering embers. Similarly, the north wall across from him had a yellow-hued metal pot, and the west wall was blue. These colorful pots, mixed in with firelight, accounted for all the light in the room.

    ¡°It is quite alright, quite alright,¡± the figure said kindly. ¡°I can assure you we are safe here.¡± After a brief pause, he continued. ¡°Can you understand my words?¡± the man asked.

    ¡°Uh, yes,¡± Kopius replied, staring at the silhouetted man.

    ¡°Excellent!¡± the shadowed figure exclaimed, jumping to his feet and clapping his hands together. ¡°Common seems to be more universal than expected¡­¡± the man said quietly.

    ¡°Common... is what?¡± Kopius asked, confused.

    The man''s head jerked in Kopius¡¯s direction, as if he had just noticed him.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± the curious man said. ¡°Common? Oh, yes, but you are using it right now!¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Kopius could hear the glee in the man¡¯s voice. ¡°But that is not important, er, it is important-more useful, very useful...¡± The man¡¯s words trailed off.

    They both stood there for a few moments before Kopius moved to lean against a short wooden cabinet. It was one of many cabinets and bookshelves that made a maze of sorts, leading to various parts of the room. With most of this furniture only reaching up to Kopius¡¯s waist, he could make out the paths like an adult in a children''s hedge maze. Some cabinets had doors, others were just shelves, yet Kopius could not make out most of the contents. The large room, with the exception of the central cauldron and workstations, looked as though it had been thrown together. Before Kopius could continue to survey the room any further, the short man stepped forward and out of the shadows.

    ¡°Please excuse my mess. My name is Oh-jin. Oh-jin Ochos,¡± he said, finishing with an arm gesture and slight bow. The man looked as though one of Santa¡¯s elves had tried meth for a year and then decided to take up alchemy. The top of his head was shiny and smooth. Around the edges, white hair raced away as though he had recently been electrocuted. A long goatee hung from a face that had as many wrinkles as it did odd blemishes. His eyes were hidden behind crudely made goggles that stretched tight over slightly pointed ears. A heavy apron looped about his neck, wrapping most of his torso. It had various straps and pouches, and it rested snuggly atop a plain, long-sleeve shirt folded to the elbows. Sturdy, well-worn boots, almost reaching his knees, were affixed to the man''s feet. With a quick smile Oh-jin offered Kopius some food.

    ¡°You must be famished,¡± Oh-jin said matter-of-factly. ¡°That sounded like quite the adventure!¡±

    The audible grumbling that sprang from Kopius¡¯s stomach was all the confirmation Oh-jin needed. He spun on his heels and before he disappeared through a backdoor, he shouted over his shoulder, ¡°I have just what you need, my boy!¡±

    Kopius exhaled. His heart rate had started returning to normal now that he felt a bit safer. As the adrenaline eased throughout his body, he stretched his neck and arms trying to relax further. Hunger continued to groan in his belly, and his mouth was drier than a drought in the Sahara. Kopius raised his hand to eye level to see if it was shaking, but to his surprise the hand remained steady. As he was lowering his hand, Oh-jin emerged from the back. He was carrying a small wooden platter that had a short knife and something that looked like a burnt potato on it.

    Oh-jin, with the smallest of grins, placed the items on the counter that Kopius had been leaning on. He then gently pushed the tray in his direction, making the universal, two-handed, palms-up gesture for ¡®here you go¡¯. Kopius looked at what he assumed was supposed to be food for quite some time before bringing his gaze up to meet Oh-jin¡¯s. The short, lean man simply returned the gaze and nodded.

    For several reasons Kopius¨Cthough starving and parched¨Chesitated to take the offering. The oblong, disfigured-potato-looking thing was about the size of a child''s rubber football. It had a deep-brown, almost burnt skin and hair follicles like kiwi fruit. It reminded Kopius of a bachelor party he had attended. The party had been a weekend getaway at a lake for wakeboarding and general debauchery. Someone had eventually taken such a massive bowel movement that they all had celebrated. It was quite the achievement. The poo had been the length of a medium fish with the girth of a racket ball. It was gross then, and the object Oh-jin had slid in front of him was gross now.

    Sensing the hesitation, Oh-jin pulled the tray back and picked up the small knife. His cuts were quick and precise, slicing the fruit into five equal-ish pieces. The inside of the fruit was white, had many small, purple seeds, and sounded like a watermelon when it was cut.

    ¡°These are really quite good,¡± Oh-jin said as he picked up a slice and took a bite. He ate all the white part until the only thing left was the poop-colored peel, which he placed back.

    ¡°This is a marshromo,¡± Oh-jin began. ¡°It can be found deep in the swamps, usually by pools of water that are isolated.¡± Kopius just stared, so Oh-jin continued, ¡°Though it looks unappealing, the nutritional benefits are unmatched for what can be found in the wild. Not to mention, it tastes like it was blessed by Pomo herself!¡±

    ¡°Pomo?¡± Kopius replied.

    ¡°Yes, Pomo! Goddess of the Fruit!¡± Oh-jin exclaimed, smile still present. He looked at Kopius directly and asked, ¡°Are you hungry?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Kopoius answered.

    ¡°Good. Are you thirsty?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Kopius replied with some wonder, ¡°But I shouldn¡¯t be. Uh, hungry that is. Not like this. Not for real.¡±

    ¡°Whether you should or you should not be is irrelevant if in fact you are. Well, hungry,¡± Oh-jin replied. He took a slice of the fruit and handed it to Kopius. ¡°It is safe, I can assure you. Better than safe! It will replenish you entirely. Please, you will not regret it!¡±

    Kopius took a piece of fruit and held it in his palm, sure to not touch the white parts. What did Papa say about eating wild plants? Kopius tried to recall a survival lesson Papa had taught him long ago. Though Papa¡¯s approach was slow in its going, it worked.

    Smell it first.

    He brought the white fruit slowly to his nose until he could get a whiff of it. Papa would say, ¡°Now, if it smells like crap, you leave it be. Sour, rotten or just plain poo-smelling, leave it alone.¡± The marshromo smelled wonderful. It had an aroma of watermelon mixed with warm honey, and Kopius could almost feel his lips reach out for it.

    Resisting the urge to take a bite, he then rubbed the white part of the fruit on the inside of his wrist. The texture of the marshromo was much like a watermelon, firm but crisp. After removing the fruit, he waited for several more moments to see if his skin reacted in any irritated or noticeable way. Part three of Papa¡¯s ¡®will this kill me or make me stronger¡¯ approach was to bring the fruit to your lips and rub it on as one would with lip balm. If your lip exploded in pain, hives, or swelling, the fruit would most likely cause you some suffering¨Cor death. Kopius could smell the fruit just below his nose, the soft, pleasant aroma-there one moment, gone the next. He pulled the fruit away and waited for any signs that proceeding further was a bad idea.

    Nothing happened.

    The last stage of Papa¡¯s plan was to take a nibble and then wait some more; so that¡¯s what he did. The piece that he bit off was too small to have any meaningful flavor. Kopius swallowed and waited. Several moments later he took a larger nibble, and this time there was flavor. His mouth filled with the taste that his nose had already smelled, watermelon and honey. It was so juicy and refreshing that he didn¡¯t even think twice and started to eat the whole thing. He closed a blank notification window and just enjoyed the delicacy.

    His body began to tingle, like someone had thumbed a guitar string in his soul and the sound waves were reverberating through him. The dry, smacking sensation in his mouth abated and the knot of hunger in his belly lessened. He might have freaked out about a ball of energy growing inside him but this one was pleasant, empowering, and light. It passed through him and was gone. Kopius felt more energized, refreshed, and aware. He smiled and looked at Oh-jin, who had been watching him the entire time. Oh-jin had not moved or spoken, he seemed like a man content to watch paint dry if given the chance. Kopius picked up a second slice of the marshromo and finished that one as well.

    ¡°Two should do you just fine.¡± Oh-jin said, breaking the comfortable silence in the room. ¡°We can save these last two for later!¡± With that, Oh-jin scooped up the tray and returned to the shadows in the back of the room.

 TBC Chapter 9

    CHAPTER 9

    For lack of a better term, Kopius felt great. His hunger and thirst were gone. He felt full but not heavy. The residual aches and pains from his day''s journey had vanished as well.

    ¡°It¡¯s like I got the best sleep of my life,¡± Kopius marveled.

    ¡°The best what now?¡± Oh-jin said as he returned, carrying a small pouch that had a belt attached to it.

    ¡°I feel great,¡± Kopius replied. ¡°What¡¯s in that thing? That-that marshromo. Does it have concentrated electrolytes or something?¡±

    ¡°E-lec-tro-lytes¡± Oh-jin said, almost tasting the word. ¡°I do not know of this substance. No, I do not,¡± he rubbed at his goatee, ¡°but it sounds exciting!¡±

    ¡°Well, what did it do to me?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°To you? No, no, no. For you, it did,¡± Oh-jin answered. ¡°The marshromo has several special properties. The pulp replenishes your energy, your stamina. The seeds, they replenish your mind and your mana.¡±

    ¡°I have mana?!¡± Kopius exclaimed, eyes wide open.

    ¡°Yes boy, we all do! Now, pay attention.¡± Oh-jin shot back, as if this was common knowledge.

    I KNEW I had magic! Kopius celebrated internally.

    ¡°So the pulp and the seeds,¡± Oh-jin was saying, ¡°they do great things alone, but the marshromo has one other benefit: eating the fruit will negate the need to eat or drink anything for one rotation.¡±

    ¡°Rotation?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Yes, one day.¡± Oh-jin answered with a smile, placing the pouch on the counter. ¡°After eating one of these when you wake, you will not feel the urge to eat or drink until the next morning.¡±

    ¡°That sounds very useful,¡± Kopius said, leaning over the counter, ¡°but can I ask you a question?¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course! You must have many!¡± Oh-jin said, glee in his voice. He too leaned on the counter.

    ¡°Are you an NPC?¡± Kopius asked with a straight face.

    ¡°A what?¡± Oh-jin replied.

    ¡°An NPC, a non-player character,¡± Kopius clarified. ¡±Are you a part of this game?¡±

    ¡°I am not sure what you mean,¡± Oh-jin said with obvious confusion.

    Kopius stared at Oh-jin as the man leaned against the counter.

    Would an NPC know it''s an NPC? Kopius wondered.

    ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ are you¡­¡± Kopius sighed and trailed off. For all that the marshromo had done to revitalize his body, his brain was stuck in neutral.

    ¡°Honestly,¡± Kopius conceded, ¡±I don¡¯t know what the fuck is going on.¡±

    ¡°Fuh-k¡± Oh-jin repeated, mouthing the new word.

    ¡°Riiight,¡± Kopius said, shaking his head.

    The man seemed fascinated by everything Kopius did and said. He gave Kopius a mild case of the creeps. Not like old-man-staring-at-the-park creepy but more like old-scientist-would-like-to-dissect-me-up-upon-my-death creepy. Oh-jin looked to be both paying attention and lost in thought simultaneously. The goggles Oh-jin wore made it hard to see where he was looking, but the man''s head movements and facial expressions were evidence enough. Kopius willed open his user interface to look for any changes.

    Nothing.

    As he closed his interface the smile on Oh-jin¡¯s face grew exponentially.

    ¡°Kopius,¡± The old man stated, clapping his hands together.

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Kopius exclaimed.

    ¡°That is your name, yes?¡± Oh-jin asked kindly.

    ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t-¡± Kopius protested.

    The old man giggled.

    ¡°I still got it!¡± Oh-jin shouted. ¡°Do it again!¡±

    ¡°Do what again?!¡± Kopius shouted back.

    ¡°Look at your profile again,¡± Oh-jin replied in a softer tone.

    ¡°My interface? You saw that?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Yes! I have a Skill called Peek. Please, look at yourself again,¡± Oh-jin pleaded.

    Kopius pulled up his interface, and the old man giggled some more.

    ¡°This thing must be broken.¡± Oh-jin complained, whacking the side of his head as if to jar something back into place. ¡°I can only see your name and level.¡± Wrinkles furrowed on the old man''s nose like he was squinting as Kopius closed his profile.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying,¡± Kopius said with some relief. ¡°That¡¯s all I can see too! The whole thing was blank when I woke up. Nothing was there until I gave it my name, and then the ¡®2¡¯ didn¡¯t show up until I had gotten out of that stupid cave. No idea where ¡®1¡¯ went.¡±

    ¡°It is like he was born yesterday,¡± Oh-jin muttered to himself, rubbing at his goatee, oblivious to Kopius¡¯s words.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Yo!¡± Kopius hollered, snapping Oh-jin out of his wonder. ¡°I don¡¯t know what is going on or where I am,¡± Kopius continued in a calmer tone. ¡°I am stuck in a game. Something is broken. I can¡¯t log out, and I can¡¯t leave.¡±

    For once the perpetual grin on Oh-jin¡¯s face faltered. His lips puckered slightly, and his head teetered as though having an internal debate.

    ¡°You are the first person I have seen or met-¡± Kopius had started to continue.

    ¡°First person!¡± Oh-jin spat out. ¡°How did you receive that ring then?¡± He motioned to the ring on Kopius¡¯s left hand.

    ¡°This?¡± Kopius asked, raising the hand in question. ¡°I found it in a pile of bones before I climbed out of the cave. I found this one too.¡± He brought both hands together as if to show off a fresh manicure. ¡°They both have symbols, but I don¡¯t know what they mean.¡± Kopius rotated the ring on his right hand until the small engraving was visible. ¡°This one healed me or something.¡± He then spun to the other ring¡¯s symbol on his left hand. Oh-jin, now noticeably deflated, let out an audible sigh.

    ¡°This ring,¡± Oh-jin said solemnly, gesturing to the ring on Kopius¡¯s right hand, ¡±is used for basic healing. ¡®Young adventurers will stumble,¡¯ Lexsore would say.¡± A bit of a smile returned to Oh-jin¡¯s face.

    ¡°Lexsore?¡± Kopius asked softly.

    ¡°Yes, my boy, Lexsore,¡± Oh-jin replied. ¡°He was¡­ my friend.¡±

    ¡°If you clean that ring,¡± Oh-jin continued, pointing at the other ring, ¡±the symbol will be two triangles, the smaller offset and a straight line reaching beyond the tallest point. It is a key of sorts.¡±

    ¡°The symbol is a key?¡± Kopius replied.

    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Oh-jin said, waving his hands about. ¡±The ring is a key.¡±

    ¡°A key to¡­ ?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Well,¡± Oh-jin said, gesturing to his workshop, ¡°here.¡±

    ¡°Here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, here.¡± Oh-jin answered, ¡±The door you came through could not open without it. Well it would open, but I would not be on the other side.¡±

    Lucky for me, Kopius thought, remembering the gnashing teeth of the bush monster he had been running from.

    He looked at the ring on his hand and spun it a couple times. ¡®Loot everything¡¯ had long been a motto for Cory when playing RPGs. In general, the looted items would be sold for game currency, usually copper, silver, or gold; or deconstructed for parts to craft something better. If it fit through the opening of something like a Bag of Holding (or any other storage device that folds both space and time, allowing a player to literally take everything and the kitchen sink) it went in the bag.

    Rings, amulets, and other aesthetic items were no-brainers to loot. All had monetary value, some were enchanted granting low-level stat buffs or boons, and the rest, though rare, had magical properties of varying applications and degrees of power. Basic magic rings, like the healing ring on Kopius¡¯s right hand, were crucial to surviving, especially early in a game.

    Though, the difference between being ¡®enchanted¡¯ or ¡®magical¡¯ got lost in the nuance of any given game, Kopius had come to understand it like this: enchanted items grant Passive boosts to the wearer. These boosts could be as meager as a +1 to your attack stat or as grandiose to give the wearer the location of all enemies within a certain radius. Magical items had active abilities, often an extra heal or damage spell, that could be used in conjunction with a player''s mana pool without using the player''s mana. Active Abilities or Skills were triggered through an action or a spoken word, and Passives were always ¡®on¡¯.

    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Kopius said, waving his hands around as if to stop some unheard music. It was starting to occur to Kopius that this conversation was heading in too many directions at once. ¡°Time out,¡± he continued, making the universal sports gesture to pause time. ¡±Hold the goddamned phone.¡± Kopius stood back from the counter and ran both hands down the front of his face. When he reached his chin, Kopius made two quick jerks in opposite directions, popping his neck. Cory had held stress on his shoulders, and it seems the same for Kopius.

    ¡°Let''s start over,¡± Kopius began, ¡±I will tell you about my day and then maybe you can fill in some blanks?¡±

    Oh-jin nodded in agreement.

    Kopius took a deep breath before regaling the old man with his plight. Starting with waking up in the cave of mirrors, Kopius took Oh-jin through the sequence of events and decisions that led him to the old man¡¯s door. Once he had finished, the two men stood there in silence processing the information. The only time Oh-jin made any movements during the whole story was when Kopius spoke of the skeletal remains. Besides that, the old man listened patiently.

    ¡°Soooo,¡± Kopius said, breaking the silence, ¡±does any of this sound, I don¡¯t know, normal?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Oh-jin offered in a small, distant voice, slightly shaking his head in disbelief. He then stood up straight, adjusted his leather apron, and cleared his throat.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Oh-jin repeated with more authority. ¡°I do not know where to begin exactly. You see, Lexsore was to inform all adventurers upon their arrival and escort them here. I give them the tools to start their journey. What I can tell you,¡± Oh-jin paused, ¡°is that I am here to help. What Lexsore was to tell you, I will have to look among his notes.¡±

    It sounded to Kopius that some man named Lexsore was supposed to give new arrivals the background story while escorting them to Oh-jin, who would then give next step instructions, possibly supplies too. While all of this was well enough to advance a storyline, Kopius still had no answers to his predicament.

    It¡¯s like the authors of the game weren¡¯t even trying, Kopius thought.

    ¡°Your friend, Lexsore,¡± Kopius began, ¡°He was supposed to bring me here?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Oh-jin said.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing he would have told me what was going on, why I''m here, things like that?¡± Kopius continued.

    ¡°Well, of course. This whole business would be quite confusing otherwise.¡±

    More broken than confusing, Kopius thought. Let¡¯s just keep it moving along.

    ¡°Once Lexsore had escorted me here, what then? What would you have done?¡± Kopius asked, hoping to move the story along. His current line of thinking was that if he continued advancing the game, eventually, the system would fix itself. Also, he figured if he was going to be here for the foreseeable future, he did not want to spend it cooped up in a medieval lab.

    ¡°Well then,¡± Oh-jin perked up, ¡±First I offer the marshromo, as all are hungry after such a great journey. Next, I would document their profiles using my Peek skill. From there, they are fitted with basic gear, a weapon, and a small pack for food,¡± he said, gesturing at the sack he had come back with earlier.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Kopius said with some surprise.

    ¡°No, boy! I have more to offer than treats for the welcoming! You will discover one shortly as I know how to fix your profile¡¯s visibility.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Kopius sputtered.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Oh-jin answered. ¡°It has been some time, but the ingredients are simple enough. An old midwife recipe from my people¡­¡± He turned back to look at his laboratory. The old man started to point indiscriminately around the room, murmuring to himself. ¡°Cyanins, optical-quartz, powdered fern, and¡­¡± He was a bit puzzled now and started to rummage through a shelf just behind him. ¡°I will need a petal from an eyebright flower.¡±

    ¡°Kopius,¡± Oh-jin said, turning back to face him, ¡°if you would like my help, I can offer you this. Lexsore was a most studious man and kept extensive writings in his many, many notebooks. I must look through them in order to, eh, fill in the blanks,¡± he replied, almost as a question. Like one would using a phrase they were not totally familiar with. ¡°In the meantime, if you accept, I will need several petals from a flower called an eyebright. This last ingredient is needed to create a remedy that will clear the absence of your full profile. Do you accept?¡±

    For the first time in a while, a notification window with a glittering bronze border popped into Kopius¡¯s field of vision. It was absent of any words, but when Kopius tried to mentally shut it the window did not close. He tried several times, flexing his mental smite button, but the window remained. On a whim, Kopius thought, Yes? and the window disappeared. A bit of a smile crested his face as he guessed that he had just accepted his first quest.

 TBC Chapter 10

    CHAPTER 10

    ¡°Excellent!¡± Oh-jin shouted, clasping his hands together loudly. ¡°The flower can be found by rivers, mostly in dammed areas where trees have fallen. They have white petals, yellow centers, hard thorny stems, and grow in bunches of five.¡± Oh-jin paused to hand over the small pouch with a drawstring to Kopius. ¡°Use this to gather at least a full flower, five petals.¡±

    ¡°Simple enough,¡± Kopius replied, ¡°but I didn¡¯t see any rivers out there.¡± He motioned beyond the door he had first run through.

    ¡°You will not be going out there,¡± Oh-jin chuckled. ¡±You will need to go up there.¡± Pointing to the ceiling.

    ¡°Up where?¡± Kopius said with dread, ¡°I already climbed out of one hole today, there¡¯s no way I can climb out of here. Have you seen those cliffs?!¡±

    ¡°No, you will not need to climb anymore today,¡± Oh-jin replied. ¡°There is a lift to the surface in the back. It will take you up to another tunnel that exits just below the crest of the valley. Are you understanding so far?¡±

    Kopius nodded.

    ¡°From there,¡± Oh-jin continued, ¡±once you are out of the valley, head a short distance north to the trees. Along the tree line, you will come to a river. That is where you will find the eyebright.¡±

    ¡°The flower with white petals, yellow center, grows by downed trees,¡± Kopius stated.

    Oh-jin nodded.

    ¡°And what is this going to do for me?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Well,¡± Oh-jin paused to scratch at his chin, ¡±Eyebright by itself would poison you if eaten. Now, if you dry the petals and grind them into powder, it becomes a useful ingredient for vision ailments.¡±

    ¡°So, what, it¡¯s like a potion?¡± Kopius replied.

    ¡°Many plants and herbs can be used to make potions or stronger elixirs,¡± Oh-jin said with a practiced tone. ¡±Depending on the ingredient, it would give you any variation of enhancement to your Skills, Abilities, or magic. With some, you could see in the dark or swim without the need for air for short periods of time, say, to the count of one hundred. Potions can restore health or cure poison, among many other things. I will not bore you with the details, but stronger potions give greater enhancements for longer periods of time. To answer your question, no, I am not making a potion. I am making a remedy. A remedy to see your profile.¡±

    ¡°I take it that everyone has their own profile they can look at?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Oh-jin said with a bit of curiosity. ¡°Is this not the same where you come from?¡±

    The question caught Kopius a bit off guard. Not that it was profound, but that Oh-jin understood that Kopius had come from somewhere else. Besides the absence of his friend Lexsore, Oh-jin acted as though it was just another day at the job. An NPC would be totally cool with random strangers showing up at their front door. Kopius thought. Hell, he¡¯s expecting them to show up! Where did he send off the others¡­ ? Who cares where the others went! Where are we going?! For all the internal arguments of his existence, this was a short one. Kopius was starting to feel the familiar pangs of anxiety creep into his chest, his breathing coming in shallow gasps. How the fuck did they simulate an anxiety attack?!

    ¡°NO!¡± Kopius yelled, to rid him of both his thoughts and building anxiety. He took a deep breath or two before continuing. ¡°Sorry, I, ah, I didn''t mean to yell. No, we do not have anything like that.¡± Now more collected, Kopius needed to get something off his chest.

    ¡°I would like to back up a little further¨C before I woke up in the cave. It may sound a little crazy,¡± Kopius laughed, ¡°but I just told you a crazy story.¡± He looked about Oh-jin¡¯s shop before continuing. ¡°I don¡¯t think any of this is real.¡± He swept his hands around. ¡°This is either the most lucid psychotic breakdown ever or I am stuck in a¡­¡± Kopius paused, searching for a description that wasn¡¯t ¡®virtual reality simulation¡¯. It was clear that they shared a common language, yet when he used words like electrolyte and fuck, Oh-jin had obviously never heard them before.

    ¡°My real body, my physical body,¡± Kopius said, gesturing to his current body, ¡°is inside a chamber. That chamber sends my mind images of different places. Those places look and feel very real. It feels like you are very much in there, moving around and everything. Now, I should be able to shut down the chamber and end the images whenever I want, but right now, I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Like you are dreaming?¡± Oh-jin interjected.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Kopius exclaimed, snapping his fingers. ¡°Like a dream you can control.¡±

    ¡°But you are unable to control the, ah, dream, now?¡± Oh-jin asked.

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Kopius said with some satisfaction, feeling that the two of them were finally starting to find common ground. ¡°Where I come from, we don¡¯t have magic. We have science. We read stories about people using magic. It¡¯s like I am stuck in a story written by a guy fresh off a mid-life crisis, trying too hard to live out his childhood dream of being an author.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you, Kopius,¡± Oh-jin said kindly. ¡°When the others arrived, Lexsore had put almost all doubt to rest. There are always some with lingering doubts, but they all understood.¡±

    ¡°Understood what?¡± Kopius asked, the bile building in his belly already knowing the answer.

    ¡°That they, and you, are here,¡± Oh-jin answered softly. ¡°I will know more once I address Lexsore¡¯s notes, but you are here.¡±

    Kopius could feel genuine empathy in the words, but his logical brain was blaring a different tune. All he could manage to do was shake his head in disbelief. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where here is,¡± Kopius whispered.

    ¡°Metem,¡± Oh-jin offered. ¡°Where we lay within the stars I do not know, but this world is known as Metem.¡±

    ¡°Metem.¡± Kopius breathed the word in as he said it, filling his lungs and exhaling for a long while. His logical brain was telling him that this was all a game, while another voice had just crept in and asked him ¡®what if?¡¯. What if this is real? What if I am really here? His head spun as his logic and skepticism duked it out in his skull. A firm hand grasped his shoulder, partially relieving some of his dizziness.

    ¡°You look like you need some fresh air. Let us get you outside,¡± Oh-jin said, his voice sounding as if it was coming down a corridor. Like a drunk being led through a crowded bar, Kopius let Oh-jin guide him through the maze of shelves, trinkets, and cauldrons until they were through the back door of the lab.

    Kopius came out of his mental funk to something tugging at his waist. Oh-jin was muttering under his breath while trying to untie the sloppily put together sword sheath Kopius had wrapped as a belt. Looking down the long corridor he hadn¡¯t noticed while walking, Kopius could see he had not traveled far from the lab. He could still see the mixture of lights dancing faintly through a doorway at the other end. Wiping his face as if to remove the cobwebs in his mind, he saw that they had come to a small enclave with an even smaller recess carved out of one side. He took in the scene in a moment while the smaller man tugged at his belt.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Kopius complained, shooing away the fiddling hands.

    ¡°You are not wearing that correctly,¡± Oh-jin replied.

    ¡°Really? What gave you that impression?¡± Kopius spat back, knowing full well it was a jumbled mess and he was lucky to have not lost either sword in his flight. This guy acts like I¡¯m just supposed to know all this shit, Kopius moaned. ¡°Do you know how it goes on?¡±Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°No,¡± Oh-jin said plainly, ¡±But not like that.¡± Looking Kopius over, he gestured to the sheathed swords. ¡°Do you even know how to use those things?¡±

    ¡°These bad boys?¡± Kopius asked, lifting the pair of swords. ¡°Not really. Not a real sword anyways. I was able to fight off that thing in the cave though.¡±

    ¡°Is there a weapon you do know how to use?¡± Oh-jin asked.

    ¡°I can shoot a bow! I won first place in the 6th grade Indian Guides Annual Shootout.¡± Kopius said with some pride, before remembering that was the last time he had shot an actual bow.

    ¡°I do not have any archery supplies,¡± Oh-jin said sadly. ¡°It is a finicky weapon unless made from the wood of a petrified bamboosa tree, and they only grow on the peaks of the Stoneclaw Mountains! Terrible journey. No, no bows and arrows for you. Any other weapons?¡±

    ¡°I know how to swing a bat,¡± Kopius offered.

    ¡°Swing a bat!¡± Oh-jin laughed, spraying spit from his mouth. ¡°Why would one capture a bat to swing at an enemy? Oh, oh,¡± Oh-jin straightened in all seriousness, ¡±Do you have familiars in your world too?¡±

    ¡°Wha¨Cno, not the flying animal bat. A baseball bat,¡± Kopius took a step back and swung like he hit a homerun, ¡±Baseball. It''s a sport we play back home. You probably never heard of it.¡±

    ¡°Base-ball?¡± Oh-jin replied, ¡±Like a dance at a military outpost¨Cfor sport?¡±

    Kopius smiled at first, then chuckled, ¡°Nothing like that, I won¡¯t bore you with details¨Cyet¨Cbut part of the game is using a bat, basically a metal or wooden club, to hit a small round object.¡±

    ¡°And then what?¡± Oh-jin asked curiously.

    ¡°Annnd then a lot of stuff happens, and I very much like to talk baseball. BUT for now, my point is that I can swing a bat, er, club.¡± Kopius said, wanting to keep things on track.

    ¡°I suppose a club is useful,¡± Oh-jin began, ¡±but you should hold on to the swords. They are basically clubs with sharp edges.¡±

    Kopius took a few steps forward to get a better look at the phone booth-sized recess. Poking his head in the cut-out space and looking up, Kopius saw a vertical shaft that led up into darkness. Twice in the same day, Kopius thought.

    He also saw two sets of rope dangling from the darkness that led down to a pulley wheel attached to a wooden square. The rope was looped through the wheel and ended in a knot, with roughly four feet of slack. To each side of the pulley were spring-loaded metal rods that punctured into the side walls. Another smaller bar connected the two rods to a single piece of metal that stood upright like a crude lever.

    ¡°Looks safe,¡± Kopius said uneasily, removing his head from the recess.

    ¡°This has been used many times. It is the safest way out of the valley¨Cand the fastest!¡± Oh-jin replied. ¡°It takes some time to get to the top, but coming back down can be quite exhilarating.¡± Removing a pair of old worn gloves from a pouch, Oh-jin gave a large smile and handed it to Kopius. ¡°It will not be as fun without these.¡±

    Kopius accepted the gloves and a blank window popped into his field of vision. He mentally closed the window and internally fumed at the lack of information. He tried the gloves on. They were on the larger side, even though his hands were pretty big to begin with. It was like putting on your old man¡¯s working gloves when you¡¯re a teenager. They were more frumpy than snug. After a moment, the gloves adjusted, shrinking down to fit his hand perfectly.

    ¡°Very cool,¡± Kopius marveled.

    ¡°Warm, actually,¡± Oh-jin said. Kopius raised his eyebrows in response. ¡°The gloves are fire resistant, not ice or cold. While wearing them, your hands are protected from fire or heat damage for a count of twenty. You will need them mostly for the way back. Besides that, they are just gloves.¡±

    I wonder if that is what the popup window was telling me, Kopius guessed.

    ¡°Do all items change size to fit the wearer?¡± Kopius asked, ¡±Like the rings, they didn¡¯t fit when I first put them on but changed after a few moments.¡±

    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Oh-jin began, ¡±Many items that are enchanted will adjust to the wearer unless otherwise bound to another¡¯s soul. There are limitations, of course. You could not take the ring off a mountain giant¨Cthe size of a large crown mind you¨Cand have it resize to fit your finger. Some items will be race bound, others alignment. It can get quite complicated.¡±

    ¡°What then?¡± Kopius asked, ¡±Just try it on and find out?¡±

    ¡°Better to learn a Skill that will show you the item''s properties,¡± Oh-jin answered.

    ¡°Like your Peep?¡±

    Oh-jin nodded.

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Kopius conceded. Gesturing to the so-called lift, he continued, ¡±You want to tell me how this death trap works, or should I just try this on too?¡±

    Oh-jin snorted a laugh. ¡°Like you said, it¡¯s safe enough. Simple to operate as well,¡± Oh-jin said as he approached the recessed area. ¡°You stand in the center of the board like so.¡± The older man positioned his feet to straddle the pulley. He then picked up the knotted end of the thick rope and made a pulling motion. ¡°Heave the rope until you are drained of stamina, and then pull this lever for a respite.¡± Oh-jin pulled the lever, showing the rods embedding in rocky sides. ¡°When you are rested, hold the rope taut, release the lever, and begin heaving again.¡±

    After that simple lesson, Kopius understood the purpose of the gloves. If he was going to have to pull himself up the shaft, then coming back down would mean some serious rope burns for unprotected hands. Thinking about the description Oh-jin gave him, he asked, ¡±If the gloves protect me for twenty seconds, or, like you put it, the count of twenty, how long will it take me to come back down from the top?¡±

    Oh-jin considered this question a moment before answering. ¡°If you are in a hurry, a five to seven count. If you want to make it down alive, around fifteen¡­ seconds,¡± he finished with a smirk.

    ¡°Ok, anything else I need to know?¡± Kopius said, ready to leave the claustrophobia that was Oh-jin¡¯s home behind.

    ¡°Just be quick about your business. The sooner you return, the sooner we can start to answer questions. Also,¡± Oh-jin said, as though remembering something, ¡±for all the dangers you will find in Metem, the valley we are in is said to be the home of a being that is called the Shadow. More formally, the Shadow of the Valley. Possibly a tale to keep children obedient, possibly a powerful creature that remained after the Waning.¡± Oh-jin shook like he¡¯d got the chills before continuing, ¡±I am not certain either way, BUT something calls this valley their home and people do not venture here.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste time, flowers by the river to the north, be wary of shadows¨Cgot it,¡± Kopius stated.

    Kopius changed places with Oh-jin, pulled the rope until it was taut, and looked up into the darkness. He could feel the tingle of repressed excitement building in his chest. Like a kid who had been grounded for two weeks in the summer, Kopius felt like part of him was ready to break free. He turned to say goodbye to Oh-jin, who was holding a lit candle, ready to give it to Kopius.

    ¡°For the trip up,¡± Oh-jin said.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to need both hands,¡± Kopius said before chuckling to himself. That''s what she said.

    Focus Kopius! he thought. ¡°Besides,¡± Kopius continued,¡±I can see in the dark.¡±

    With that last proclamation, Kopius gave the rope a mighty heave.

    Nothing happened.

    Wrapping the length of rope once around his wrist, he gave it another strong pull. The veins in his arm had started to protrude when Oh-jin said, ¡±Kopius.¡±

    ¡°No worries,¡± Kopius replied, strain in his voice as he placed a foot atop the pulley for more leverage. ¡°I got this,¡± he wheezed, pulling with all his strength. Sweat driblets formed and slid their way along Kopius¡¯s forehead. The rope about his wrist dug into his skin as he strained to move the small platform.

    ¡°What the hell!¡± Kopius growled, throwing the rope to the floor in frustration.

    ¡°Kopius.¡± Oh-jin repeated.

    ¡®What?¡± Kopius shouted.

    ¡°The lever,¡± Oh-jin said, trying to suppress a smirk from forming on his face.

    Looking at the locking mechanism and then the metal rods holding the platform firmly in place, Kopius sighed. He reached down and pulled the lever, freeing the platform. With a shrug and a sheepish smile, Kopius said, ¡±Let¡¯s give this another shot.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Oh-jin nodded, ¡±To the top.¡±

    Grabbing the rope with both hands, Kopius returned to the straddle position above the pulley. He nodded to Oh-jin and began to pull like a pirate hoisting an anchor to set sail. One hand pulled, the other reached down to grab, and then they reversed. The platform moved easily, though the pulley wheel was squeaking. Kopius figured each pull raised the platform just under three feet, so he rounded up and started counting to keep track.

    At the count of twenty, and reprimanding himself for not doing it sooner. He stopped his ascent and kicked the lever into the locking position. Still holding the rope with one hand, he reached down to make sure the lock was set. Tentatively, he let go, leaving his fate in the hands of two metal rods and a dingy lever. Happy with the results, he organized the excess rope to one side of the small space so as not to get his feet tangled. Grabbing the rope firmly again, Kopius released the lever and started to pull.

    Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three¡­

 TBC Chapter 11

    CHAPTER 11

    Kopius had stopped counting rope-pulls at one hundred and twenty-one as he had the sudden, brief memory of him stumbling into his apartment at 1:21 a.m. He couldn¡¯t recall if it had been the night before this whole debacle or not. He had been lost in an internal debate as to whether it was, in fact, last night or just any other random night he had arrived home in the same condition. By the time he had given up on the whole matter, he had no idea how many times he had pulled the rope.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Kopius said aloud, continuing to pull. After several stops for rest, Kopius could start to hear the squeaking of a second pulley wheel. With the prospect of an end in earshot, Kopius gave some extra effort and powered himself to the top.

    Like coming to the top of an old goldmine shaft, a pulley was attached to a heavy wooden beam, supported on both sides by larger¨Cmost likely heavier, Kopius thought¨Cwooden beams. With his limited Night Vision active, Kopius navigated and parked the wooden platform with little effort. A small window populated in his vision, blank like the others.

    Stepping off the lift, he found himself in a small tunnel, the width no bigger than the shaft he had just ridden up. The ceiling was short like that of Oh-jin''s lab, and it smelled of earth just after a short rain. Moving at an upward angle, Kopius walked for several minutes until he could make out light emanating from around a final turn. His Night Vision adjusted off and he took in the site just beyond the cave¡¯s mouth.

    The valley was riddled with still erect, barren, dead trees. The leafless branches were numerous enough that the sunlight had issues breaking through to the floor. They reached well above the mouth of the cave and were too dense to see how far across the other side was. It reminded Kopius of a creepy forest a person might be chased through in some low-budget horror film.

    The cave mouth itself sat roughly ten feet off the valley floor with a steep drop from where he stood. Rocks and various boulders looked as though the cave had shat them out and they¡¯d collected together at the bottom of the near vertical drop.

    Kopius gathered his swords to one side and sat at the lip of the cave. He then turned his body until it was teetering over the side, his flat palms holding his entire weight. He slowly let himself slide down the side embankment until he hung fully outstretched. The drop from there was just over a foot, but Kopius slipped on a boulder causing him to stumble and then fall on the valley floor. The hilts of his swords clattered together. The pinging of metal clashing filled the space before returning to silence.

    He got to his feet quickly, taking a few steps to press his back against the cliff wall. Worried he had alerted every creature in the general area to his presence, Kopius withdrew the short sword and listened. After a few moments of silence, he dusted himself off and looked about.

    ¡°Which fucking way is north?¡± he complained. Doesn¡¯t moss face north? he thought.

    ¡°Do you see any moss!?¡± Kopius answered himself, sweeping his hand out in front of him. There were dense dead trees to his right and the same to his left. If it were not for the side of the cliff, Kopius would have no idea where to start.

    Taking a step away from the rock face, he turned around and looked up the wall. Not too far above the cave mouth¨Cforty maybe fifty feet, Kopius guessed¨Cthe valley walls came to an end. After taking another few steps away from the cliff Kopius could make out a gradual incline where the valley floor met the wall.

    With a direction in mind, Kopius took a few moments to situate several large boulders roughly below the cave entrance. He wanted to make his trip back as obvious as possible. Kopius removed his gloves while glancing back up at the cave mouth and muttered something about needing a ladder. Sword in hand and the cliff wall to his left, Kopius began to walk.

    The walk started off arduous and remained that way for much of the trek. Kopius stayed as close to the cliff wall as he could but often had to climb around large boulders or fallen dead trees. Sunlight peeked through the various gaps in the branches, showing a barren, congested landscape. Some trees felt petrified, while others seemed fragile enough that a sharp look might knock them over.

    Kopius continued to zig-zag through the valley until the other cliff came into view. The size of the valley had shrunk to that of a four-lane road before Kopius noticed the other rock wall. It was just as tall and steep as the one he had been walking along.

    I could climb that if I wanted to, Kopius thought, knowing full well he would not be making an attempt. He had steadily watched the ridge of the valley and felt he was headed in the right direction. The way became increasingly more clogged, forcing Kopius to abandon the comfort of the cliff wall and forge into the center of the ever-thickening dead forest.

    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder nobody comes down here,¡± Kopius groaned as he slogged over fallen trees. ¡°How could you run for your life in this mess?¡±

    After twenty to thirty minutes and a rest, Kopius came to a stop when he smelled something other than dead wood and dirt. The aroma was faint, too soft to garner a guess but distinct enough to be noticeable. He waited and listened.

    I¡¯m waiting for a plant to make a sound, Kopius lamented, shaking his head.

    He sniffed at the air but that produced nothing. Moving forward at an even slower pace, he smelled the air like a hound in search of game. At first he couldn¡¯t detect anything, but he soon caught a steady whiff of something wonderful. Kopius drifted forward, weaving between dead husks and frail bark until, before he realized it, he had come to a small clearing.

    Like walking through a corn field to find a baseball diamond, Kopius was looking at a space a bit larger than Oh-jin''s lab. One side of the area was neatly tilled and had several rows of the same plant in various states of growth. The other side had a crude stool sitting next to a fire pit long neglected. There were other wooden beams sticking out of the ground a short distance from the firepit and another hastily put together object that reminded Kopius of an old western tanner rack. Sunlight spilled into the small enclave, with the plants getting the majority of the rays. The aroma coming off the crops filled the space, and Kopius wanted to get a closer whiff.

    Someone had to have uprooted every tree to make this place, Kopius marveled as he glanced back and forth.

    After further inspection, a crude, medium-sized pile of cut wood lay to the far side of the open space. Behind the pile, which Kopius had first mistaken for further congested forest, was a rat¡¯s nest of roots and tree stumps. Circling around the encampment in that direction would not be an option.

    Why do we need to circle the camp? There¡¯s nobody here, Kopius thought to himself. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Maybe strolling through a perfectly manicured glen in the middle of an otherwise dead forest is a recipe for disaster? Kopius countered.

    Are you suggesting that someone boobytrapped a garden in a valley where people are afraid of shadows?

    No. I¡¯m saying the only thing it¡¯s missing is some smoking-hot siren luring us to our death.

    Kopius took the time during this debate to further scan the open area for anything out of the ordinary. No rope or noticeable string could be seen on the ground nor heavy objects hung about any tree limbs. He briefly considered throwing branches into the glen to trigger well hidden traps, but ultimately voted against it.

    Once he decided things looked safe Kopius stepped into the glen and walked to the crude wooden stool. The ground around the firepit was flat and dense, as one might sleep there to keep warm. Some metal rods had hooked ends and rested on the inside of the pit. Kopius picked one up and guessed it might be to lift a pot or something out of the fire. He tossed the metal rod back in the pit and proceeded over to the manicured plants.

    The aroma they gave off was still faint but consistent, like a person with the proper amount of cologne or perfume on. The smell did not mug his senses, nor did it linger long enough to savor. It was a perfect balance of scents, like a freshly cut rose mixed with citrus undertones. A glimmer just above the crops caught his eye as he approached. Thinking nothing of it, he bent down as if to smell a fragrant flower. Only a few inches from the plants and Kopius felt a resistance against his forehead. When he tried to pull away he found that his forehead was stuck to some invisible surface.

    In a half-bent position, Kopius instinctually placed both hands on the barrier to push with more force. Those too became stuck. No matter how hard he wiggled or wormed, he was glued fast. Panic set in. Kopius jerked and wrenched until his neck tweaked in such a way that pain brought him to his knees. He was already getting sweaty and heaving.

    ¡°Get it together, man!¡± Kopius growled.

    He closed his eyes and tried to regulate his breathing. With his eyes closed, he saw a flashing indicator softly throbbing in his peripheral vision. He mentally opened his profile page and was surprised to see a new item. In the upper right corner was a small, white hourglass, lightly covered in spiderwebs.

    Focusing on the hourglass, another window with a bronze border popped into his field of vision. Nothing was on the new window, and he closed it in frustration. Looking at his profile again and focusing on the hourglass, he made out some numbers that were counting down.

    ¡°86,000 of what!¡± Kopius exclaimed, before lowering his voice. ¡°Seconds?¡±

    He stared at the descending numbers and started to keep the cadence.

    One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand. Damn.

    It was seconds.

    After doing some quick calculations and carrying several zeros, Kopius deflated. If he was still good at basic math then whatever trap, barrier, or magic spell he was caught in would stay active for just under twenty-four hours.

    He wanted to scream and felt that he had enough pent-up rage that doing so would break him free. Before bellowing his disdain to the Universe, Kopius came to the grave realization of his overall predicament. More specifically, his inability to even swat away a fly. He basically looked like a man on his knees paying homage to his plants.

    This is worse than¡­ Kopius¡¯s thoughts trailed off as he wondered.

    This is it. This is the worst, he concluded. The irony of his situation wasn¡¯t lost on him either.

    ¡°I¡¯m stuck in a game while stuck in a game,¡± Kopius said, unable to shake his head in disapproval. He was dead meat to anything, big or small, that came his way. His only saving grace was that he had not come across, alive or otherwise, any creatures on his journey.

    Additionally, with the marshromo he had eaten, Kopius would not have to worry about growing hungry or thirsty. Those two thoughts eased his mind a bit, and his composure started to return.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kopius said, ¡±That just leaves the owner of these plants, shitty weather, ominous shadows¡­ and everything else that might kill me.¡± He chuckled. ¡°So much for being quick about my business.¡± Though Kopius didn¡¯t know what Oh-jin¡¯s version of being ¡®quick about it¡¯ meant, he assumed it was faster than twenty-four hours. ¡°At least this plant didn¡¯t try to eat me.¡±

    For the first hour or so, Kopius recounted his day. His walking through the cave, his sprint through the valley, and his conversation with Oh-jin. He had a growing phobia of plants and wondered what Lexsore could possibly say to someone showing up like Kopius had to put their minds at ease. He told them, ¡°Hey, this is just a game! Go have some fun,¡± slaps them on the butt, and throws them in, Kopius thought.

    He would occasionally peek at his profile page to look at the counter. He concluded that the webs about the hourglass stood for ¡®stuck¡¯ or ¡®sticky¡¯; Kopius couldn¡¯t figure if it was a magic trap or magic spell. Not that the distinction made any difference at the moment. It just gave him something to think about other than being stuck.

    Images of mice trapped in glue, inches away from cheese, sprang about in his mind. He remembered as a young boy watching Tom and Jerry while at his grandparents¡¯. Papa would let him watch in the morning before the day started. The cat found magnificent ways to be outsmarted, Kopius thought.

    ¡°I am Tom,¡± he murmured, before having a chuckle at himself. Papa, for all his infinite advice, had little to say about traps.

    ¡°Avoid them,¡± he would probably say, simple as that.

    At some point Kopius settled on the topic of using the bathroom. He had no urges to speak of, but he did wonder about it. As with all human bodily functions, the gaming companies of the world attempted to simulate general bathroom activities in the virtual world.

    In the earlier days, some connected users actually wet their physical beds. This first led to the global popularization of wearing Depends before connecting to the virtual worlds. Eventually, with improved O.B.S.E. functionality, players had optional gear to capture whatever they may be relieving themselves of. Where things could get messy in the real world, it went poorly in the virtual worlds too.

    It was a clusterfuck of degenerates, peeing and pooping where they pleased. Wherever and/or on whomever. Before that implementation, the worst a player could expect was to have other players teabag their avatar in a PvP area after being killed. This was the final view for many gamers as they waited to respawn. After the bathroom measures were introduced, shit literally hit the fan; hit the walls, ceilings, front lawns, car seats¡ªalong with any other tangible surface. It got so bad that whole areas of virtual worlds were shut down, erased, or reprogrammed. After a very short debate, virtual world leaders blacklisted the poo-code, and shit was no more.

    Grateful that he had no urges to relieve himself, Kopius returned to his profile screen and stared at the hourglass. It read 75,142 at this point.

    Only three hours! Kopius grumbled.

    With the sun starting to set the shadows of the plants had grown long and the tall, dead trees further blocked light from entering the small space. The temperature had not dropped, and Kopius was thankful for small favors. He had situated himself in such a way that he could lean against the magical barrier in relative comfort. With his knee tucked under for support and the stickiness of the barrier holding him firm, Kopius could relax his muscles.

    He settled in and opened his profile for the millionth time, content to watch the counter do its counting. The aroma of the flowers had finally breached his racing thoughts and found a hold in his mind. The plant, roughly six inches from his nose, smelled wonderful. The mixture of roses and freshly cut citrus filled him with a sense of wellbeing and calm. He sat there smelling the refreshing plant until his eyes grew heavy and he drifted off to sleep.

 TBC Chapter 12

    CHAPTER 12

    Kopius awoke to the sound of snapping branches and a cold chill down his spine. Disoriented at first, he tried to look in the direction of the sound but was quickly reminded of being glued to a magical barrier. The steps grew louder and heavier, making far more noise than when Kopius had been walking.

    It¡¯s big, Kopius thought, sobering up from his nap quickly.

    A mixture of emotions washed over him as the crunching grew louder. He was fearful, confused, but above all, he was angry. Angry that he was stuck; angry that he was confused; angry that he was afraid. Angry that life had been one pitfall after another and that he was to blame for most of it.

    Being trapped, indefensible, and with the sound of impending doom bearing down upon him, Kopius let go of logic and screamed. Not the high-pitched, damsel-in-distress whine one might expect. Instead, it was a growling, snarling, guttural roar. He strained against the barrier, but no rage in the world could wrench him free. After the yelling had subsided, Kopius noticed a brief pause in the crunching footsteps before they picked up again. A few moments later there was a loud thud behind him like a huge boulder had been thrown down, accompanied by the clatter of metal and wood.

    ¡°It takes a special kind of village idiot to try and steal my plants!¡± came a booming voice from behind. ¡°Ya must be a moron. Skirted all my traps, just to blunder into this one!¡° The deep sound of his voice would have echoed off the cliff face had it not been for the trees. Kopius could sense the man was close and had stopped walking. The fact that the man hadn¡¯t killed him on the spot was a huge relief.

    ¡°I should kill you on the spot!¡± The voice bellowed, an accent coming through. ¡°How did ya find my camp and how did ya get past my traps?¡±

    ¡°Do you want the long version or the short?¡± Kopius asked with indignation. He heard movement and then felt something like a stick prodding the back of his head. Kopius tried to sway his head, but the constant poking wouldn¡¯t stop.

    ¡°You are in no position to be a little priss,¡± the voice said, pushing the stick extra hard into Kopius¡¯s head for a short while before releasing. ¡°How did you find my camp? How did you get past my traps?¡±

    ¡°I was walking out of the valley,¡± Kopius began with gritted teeth, ¡±and I came across your garden. If you have any other traps, then maybe you aren¡¯t so good with traps.¡±

    ¡°Walking out of the valley?¡± the man spat back with incredulity. A distinct, british-leaning accent present. ¡°Nobody comes to this valley, let alone strolls out of it!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in this valley!¡± Kopius shot back.

    ¡°That is why I am in this valley!¡± the man responded.

    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t be surprised when someone else walks through a valley nobody else comes to!¡± Kopius said matter-of-factly.

    WHACK!

    The back side of Kopius¡¯s head exploded in pain as splinters of wood sprayed about in his peripheral vision. He tried to grab at the throbbing lump, but his hands would not move. His mind rattled and hummed before finally settling on a dull ache. A blank window appeared and he closed it once he could focus.

    ¡°Pretty brave for a man positioned to suck off a horse,¡± the man stated.

    ¡°Says the horse carrying a stick,¡± Kopius retorted.

    ¡°Next time you get the blade,¡± the man said calmly; the sound of a weapon being drawn. ¡°Now, answer my questions.¡±

    ¡°Listen,¡± Kopius said calmly, trying to keep his heart from exploding. ¡°I came walking up the valley from that direction.¡± He extended one of his legs and used his foot to gesture in the way he had come. ¡°I found your little garden, came over to smell the plants, and got trapped.¡± He felt the sharp point of cold metal rest against the back of his neck.

    ¡°Nothing comes from that direction except the shadows,¡± the man responded, then whispered a few hushed words. Kopius felt a sudden haziness and had to blink a few times before regaining focus.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you, man,¡± Kopius started, speaking like he just finished smoking a joint. ¡±I woke up in a cave, got chased by a bush, climbed out of another cave, and here I am. I got this quest from some old guy in the rocks so I can look at myself properly. He is going to read his dead friend''s notes to figure out what to say to me when we first meet.¡± The haze vanished, snapping Kopius back to full awareness just as quickly as it had overtaken him. What the hell was that? he wondered internally.

    ¡°Who sent you to find my plants?¡± The voice behind the blade demanded. Again, Kopius heard hushed tones and another wave of dizziness hit him. Stronger than before.

    ¡°The weird guys in the rocks?¡± Kopius asked drunkenly.

    ¡°Whoever sent you,¡± the voice replied.

    ¡°Oh-boy sent me!¡± Kopius proclaimed. ¡°Wait, no¡­ Oh-no, Oh-my, Oh-jin¨Cthat¡¯s it. Oh-jin sent me for starlight¡­ eyebright, first star I see tonight¡­¡± For a second time Kopius snapped back to full awareness, further enraged by whatever the man was doing to him.

    ¡°Yo!¡± Kopius shouted. ¡°Knock that shit off! This ain¡¯t some frat party, so quit hitting me with roofies!¡±

    ¡°Roofies?¡± The man half asked.

    ¡°Listen,¡± Kopius said in the calmest voice possible. ¡°I woke up this morning in a cave, naked. I located some gear, got out of that cave, and found myself in a valley. I got chased by some monster and somehow found a door on the valley wall. While hiding, I come to find I am in a lab, and there is an old man working. Maybe he¡¯s a chemist or a scientist, I don¡¯t know. It doesn''t matter. Oh-jin, the old man, said he can help me figure out what is going on but that I needed some eyebright. Are you with me so far?¡± There was a long pause before the man replied.

    ¡°Have you been smoking horror-root, lad?¡± The man asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is,¡± Kopius replied, ¡°but I will take that as a sign that you are following along.¡±

    ¡°Oh-jin has a lift that brought me up to another cave,¡± Kopius continued. ¡°Once out of that cave, I started walking in the direction that I thought was out. I came across your place here and got stuck trying to smell your plants.¡± Kopius couldn¡¯t hold back an uncomfortable chuckle. ¡°But that¡¯s not even the crazy part.¡±

    ¡°Do tell,¡± the man said.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°The crazy part is, well, I don¡¯t think any of this is real. This is all some huge virtual fiasco, and quite frankly, if this is somehow real¡­¡± Kopius trailed off, collecting himself. ¡°Let me put it this way: I have been both attacked and trapped by two different plants. You would probably be doing me a favor by ending it now.¡±

    The blade moved away from Kopius¡¯s neck, and he prepared himself for the end. He felt numb, resigned to his fate. He couldn¡¯t even summon the will to beg for his life.

    Kopius didn¡¯t have to wait long as he fell forward to the sound of a bubble popping; face-planted into the tilled dirt. He rolled to his back and stretched his body as a tall figure loomed over him.

    A large man, face obscured by Kopius¡¯s angle, stood above with a heavy stick resting on one shoulder. He wore calf-high, black leather boots with a variety of buckles. Skintight trousers ran up the man''s legs, one of which had a sheath of knives wrapped about his muscular thigh. A heavy jacket covered the rest of him, but Kopius could see that the man was bald and had a full beard. He made no movement to get off the ground, unsure of what his release entailed. For several moments, nothing happened.

    ¡±What now?¡± Kopius asked, breaking the silence. At that, the man took his free hand and itched his face. He then flung the large stick off his shoulder, revealing at its end an opal colored, anvil-sized, rectangular shaped hammerhead. He twirled it in the air and it glimmered iridescent in the sunlight. Catching it on the way down he slammed the white stone head flat into the ground. The thud from the hammer shook the ground around Kopius.

    ¡°The truth is the truth, no matter how confusing,¡± the man said, resting a hand atop the long handle of the now inverted weapon. He reached down and offered Kopius his hand.

    Hesitant at first, Kopius extended his own hand, and the two clasped each other¡¯s wrists. With a firm hoist, the man lifted Kopius to his feet. Kopius took a quick step back, dusting himself off.

    The man didn¡¯t move. He just stood there leaning against his huge weapon, one leg crossed over the other. He was slightly taller than Kopius, and heavier too. The strong grasp of the man''s hand and ease with which he pulled Kopius to his feet further suggested the man had significant strength. When the two finally met eyes, Kopius felt a blush creep into his cheeks, though he¡¯d never admit to it. The man was strikingly handsome.

    Cory had been comfortable enough with his sexuality that admitting another man was handsome was no big deal. He had introduced enough women to his cat Orwood that it was a non-issue.

    I¡¯d have coffee with this guy, Kopius joked internally; oddly smitten.

    His beard was staunch, thick, and precise. The black strands intertwined about the man''s face, woven together like a shield. Or a pillow, Kopius thought involuntarily and had to physically resist the urge to reach out to touch it. What daylight remained gleamed off the man¡¯s head like a setting sun on the horizon. His skin was a healthy shade of dark brown, teetering on black and he had soft, green eyes; the kind a lounge crooner might have as he steals your date right out from under you.

    Kopius was so caught up admiring the man that he forgot about the dull pain emanating from the back of his head. He rubbed at it, first wincing at the pain but then soothing it down to a low roar.

    ¡°Aye,¡± the man said as he pulled something that looked like jerky from inside his coat. ¡°Sorry about the ache you got there. This will help.¡± Kopius stood there staring at the jerky-looking food, much the same as he had back with Oh-jin.

    ¡±No¡­ thanks,¡± Kopius replied, raising his hands to decline.

    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± the man shrugged, sliding the food back into whichever pocket it had come from.

    ¡°So¡­ ah,¡± Kopius began slowly, ¡±No more need to kill me on the spot?¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± the man said. He studied Kopius in a way that was much different than Oh-jin¡¯s dissecting glance. He¡¯s not sizing me up, Kopius thought. Is he checking me out? I was NOT serious about the coffee!

    ¡°My name is Cici Beo,¡± Cici said with a flourish of his free hand and a slight bow. ¡°This,¡± he continued, gesturing at the open space, ¡±is my private garden.¡± His voice was low and deep. Now that Cici wasn¡¯t yelling at Kopius, the man¡¯s voice was soothing in its tone and it was accompanied by an accent, British in tone. It reminded Kopius of a Sunday afternoon radio host. Someone who would play smooth jazz and had a voice that could lull you to sleep.

    ¡°I¡¯m Kopius.¡±

    ¡°Very well then,¡± Cici said with a grin. ¡°That is quite a tale you told me. Maybe I can hear more later. As for that quest you mentioned¡­¡± Cici paused and reached into his large coat. His hand moved down to his crotch area, and there was a lot of hand movement happening behind the coat. After a few short uncomfortable moments, Cici produced a white flower with a yellow center. ¡°I only have the one,¡± Cici said, reaching to hand it to Kopius. ¡±They are easy enough to come by, though.¡± Kopius did not reach for the flower.

    ¡°Just like that?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Just like what?¡±

    ¡°You were going to kill me. Now you¡¯re giving me flowers. What¡¯s the deal?¡±

    Cici chuckled.

    ¡°That does seem a bit odd,¡± Cici started. ¡°I cast a spell that, ah, motivates you to tell the truth. Twice actually. Some can lie the first time, rarely the second. Not foolproof but rarely steers me wrong.¡± It was like listening to Idris Elba giving him a lecture. ¡°Besides, from what I can gather, you seem more harmful to yourself than to me. You know you are wearing that wrong?¡± Cici finished, gesturing to the impromptu belt/sheath wrapped about Kopius¡¯s waist.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Kopius replied with a huff. ¡°Do you know how it is supposed to go on?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Cici said, itching at his beard. ¡±But not like that.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Kopus said with some resignation. ¡°Is that the eyebright I mentioned?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Cici said with a smile, offering it to Kopius for the second time.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Kopius said, taking the flower and placing it into the pouch that Oh-jin had given him. A blank window popped up into Kopius'' vision, but he blinked it away. There was an awkward silence that held after the two men exchanged the flower. They looked at one another, a steady grin on Cici¡¯s face while Kopius felt the unnerving feeling one gets when caught staring too long at someone.

    ¡°Alrighty then,¡± Kopius said after clearing his throat. ¡±I am going to get these back before I run out of sunlight.¡± Kopius had zero confidence that his Night Vision would allow him to navigate back to the cave¡¯s entrance. Dusk had settled in, and he figured that he had an hour, at best, to find his way back. He started to turn the way he had come when Cici decided to clear his throat.

    ¡°Are ya really going back that way?¡± Cici said with genuine curiosity.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kopius said, stopping to face Cici. ¡±By the way, if for some reason I need to come back through here, how do I go about getting past your traps on the other side?¡±

    Cici¡¯s grin grew the slightest bit. He looked over his shoulder at the pile of tree roots and then off towards the horizon.

    ¡°Next you¡¯ll will be asking for the whereabouts of my hidden treasure,¡± Cici said with a laugh. ¡°It will be night soon and unless you like to wander in the dark, join my camp til dawn. You can tell me about these caves, and we can discuss the traps?¡±

    Kopius would have to run through the forest to reach the cave mouth at this point. A brisk walk was the fastest he could manage before. Yet if he took off now and had to come back this way later, he was screwed.

    Cici seemed to be on the up and up, but a wolf in sheep clothing is charming too. With dusk literally happening in front of his eyes, Kopius let out an audible sigh. Oh-jin will have to wait a little longer, he thought.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Kopius replied. ¡±There isn¡¯t much to tell, but what do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Cici said, clapping his hands together, ¡±First we set up camp!¡±

    ¡°What, pull up a log and have a seat?¡± Kopius asked, looking around the open space.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Cici replied as he made his way to a large sack that had pieces of chopped wood strewn around it. Gesturing to the pile of tree stumps, he continued, ¡±Grab a stump from there. I only have the one seat. I will set up the rest.¡±

 TBC Chapter 13

    CHAPTER 13

    The campfire lit up the small enclave, fighting back the approaching night sky as best it could. The air was warm and comfortable as Kopius struggled to feel the same. Once mildly comfortable, he took a deep breath and felt relaxed for the first time since he had awakened in the cave.

    The familiar smell of burning wood brought about a nostalgia that could breach the strongest of personal defenses. For all the faint and particular smells of the forest, the scent of burning wood was one of his favorites. It brought with it the joy and wonder a child would feel being unleashed into the wilderness.

    Being a young boy in the forest for the first time had convinced Cory that ogres and trolls were real, gnomes lived in the trees with the elves, and that animals did understand him! Kopius began to wonder if his active childhood imagination was about to catch up with him.

    Brushing the thought away, Kopius noticed that Cici had finished whatever preparations were needed and had taken to his stool opposite the fire. The man went about his business with the practiced efficiency of a person who had done it a thousand times.

    Cici cleaned a small, dented pot, tipping it over to clear out any straggling pieces of debris. Satisfied, he poured liquid into the pot from¨Cwhat Kopius guessed¨Ca small waterskin. He then placed several items into the pot before making sprinkling hand motions over it.

    Is he seasoning or casting magic? Kopius wondered.

    Cici hung the pot above the fire, stirred it a few times, and then sat back on his stool. The big man pulled a large violin¨Cor a small guitar, Kopius was not sure¨Cfrom out of nowhere and started to tune it. Plucking at a few strings and making small adjustments, he fiddled with the instrument.

    ¡°Mind if I play a tune?¡± Cici asked, looking over at Kopius.

    ¡°Go for it,¡± Kopius replied. This better not give me a headache.

    Cici smiled. ¡°This is one I have been working on.¡±

    The song started off soft like the way it feels to wake up from a good nap; there were no words. Harder cords started to twang as the song picked up, and Kopius felt a hint of wanderlust followed by the chills. Cici continued to build to crescendo and pull-back several times. By the end of the tune Kopius felt like he had gone on an exciting journey. It was reminiscent of the acoustic, classic rock-and-roll his Papa would play in his workshop.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Kopius blurted. ¡±That was great. Gave me ¡®Stairway to Heaven¡¯ vibes.¡±

    Cici frowned upon hearing the song''s evaluation.

    ¡°You felt like walking to your death?¡± Cici asked.

    ¡°Ah, no, not at all,¡± Kopius replied with some confusion.

    ¡°Did the song take you on an adventure?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah, I guess so. I felt like I just did something exciting, if that¡¯s what you mean,¡± Kopius answered. A look of disappointment washed over Cici¡¯s face. Even with the firelight dancing about, the big man looked distraught. Cici placed his instrument on the ground and paced around the fire; possibly talking to himself, given the hand gestures. He stirred his pot some more before taking a seat back on his stool.

    ¡°Adventure is not what I am going for.¡±

    ¡°What are you going for?¡±

    ¡°A song to capture a heart.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Kopius said. ¡±Trying to win the affection of a special lady?¡±

    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Cici said, raising his hands in protest. ¡±The affection has been won. I need to un-affect, be done with her.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re writing her a love song?¡± Kopius asked as if he had missed something.

    ¡°Not just any love song,¡± Cici replied in all seriousness. ¡±A love song so pure it rips out this vile creature¡¯s heart.¡± He made a motion with his hands like he was tearing out his own heart. Kopius, utterly confused, had the feeling that this ¡®Kali Ma¡¯ gesture was not a metaphor. Kopius mimicked the gesture, and Cici nodded in approval.

    ¡°That will have to be quite some song,¡± Kopius managed after a long pause.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Cici said, glaring at the fire. ¡±Then I will finally be free.¡± He had a thousand-yard stare going for a few seconds before snapping out of whatever thought had captured him. ¡°You hungry?¡±

    ¡°No, I had a bite to eat earlier,¡± Kopius answered. ¡°I should be good until morning.¡±

    Cici produced a bowl from his sack and filled it with the contents of the pot. He sat back down, waved away the steam, and then dove into his meal. Kopius took this time to resituate himself on the ground, closer to the fire, allowing his back to rest against the stump. By the time Kopius found a comfortable position, Cici had finished eating.

    ¡°Alright, Kopius,¡± Cici said, also getting comfortable on the ground. ¡±Tell me your tale.¡±

    With little else to do, Kopius gave him the long version. Every detail he could remember, regardless of its relevance, he relayed to Cici. Though Kopius did leave out the various nervous breakdowns and pity parties he had had. Cici sat patiently, fussing with his instrument and sometimes stoking the fire. He would ask for clarification every once in a while and informed Kopius that the bush-monster was called an Allgitator. Kopius also covered, to the extent he had explained to Oh-jin, the fact that he was stuck in a game or dreaming¨Cmaybe dead.

    There was a long pause after Kopius had finished. Cici sat by the fire slowly nodding his head, sometimes shaking it in disagreement. It was clear the man was having an internal debate. A few times the handsome man started to say something but would stop himself.

    ¡°That is quite a bit to take in,¡± Cici finally said. ¡±Even more to have gone through it, I imagine.¡± He paused to scratch his beard. ¡°An old mysterious man in the valley and a stranger lost in a new world. This would make for quite a ballad.¡± Cici groped inside his coat again before producing a sheet of parchment and a writing instrument. After jotting down a few things, he returned the items.

    ¡°Apologies,¡± Cici said with a smile, ¡±you have to write down the good ideas when they come. Now let me make sure I have heard you correctly.¡± The man sat up into a crossed leg position and used his fingers to count. ¡°You are not from here?¡± Cici asked.

    ¡°Correct,¡± Kopius answered.

    ¡°You were given magical gifts in a cave?¡± Cici continued, to which Kopius looked at his ¡°magical gifts¡±. He had untied the mess of a sword sheath from his person, and it lay in a heap beside him. The two swords would be great for blocking attacks but they looked as though they would have a hard time cutting through wet paper. His clothing often chaffed and his sandals did nothing to protect his toes.

    ¡°Some magical stuff happened in the cave,¡± Kopius said, ¡±but I wouldn¡¯t call these magical items.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°Your profile, you cannot see it?¡± Cici kept the questions coming.

    ¡°I can see my name and what I guess is my level next to it, but that¡¯s it. Oh, when I was stuck in your trap, I did see a timer,¡± Kopius replied.

    ¡°Yes, the number next to your name is your level. What is yours?¡±

    ¡°Two.¡±

    ¡°Two!¡± Cici practically spat out. ¡±Were you born yesterday? How old are ya?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thirty-two! Why? What¡¯s that have to do with anything?¡± Kopius said defensively.

    ¡°Most young children are around level 5, level 10 by their teens. You would have to be level 10 to find work, depending on the profession, that is.¡± Cici chuckled a bit. ¡°Hell, my ma said I was level 4 before I got off her tit. We can talk about that later, though¨Cthe levels, not the tit, eh?¡±

    Kopius laughed. ¡°I take it then that your level and your age are not the same?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all. You will find that most strive to reach level 20, and then their progress slows dramatically,¡± Cici replied.

    ¡°Why level 20? Is it just hard to move up from there?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°You are given a Form at level 20. Depending on what you choose to Practice at level 10. It is all quite complicated, yet simple once you understand,¡± Cici said.

    Kind of like baseball, Kopius thought with a slight smile before asking, ¡±Do you have a short version? I mean, you¡¯re given a Form but choose a Practice. How does that work?¡±

    ¡°It would take some time to explain,¡± Cici answered. ¡°But that leads me to my last thought. You have said, in detail, that you are not here. You think this a dream or the like. So why do you want to know?¡±

    It had dawned on Kopius, while magically glued to the trap, that he may be here a while. He¡¯d sporadically opened his profile window throughout the day and night, but to no avail. Nothing new had appeared. He had also figured that he wouldn¡¯t just sit around and wait for the universe, fate, and/or destiny to get their collective shit together either. Kopius had no desire for power or world domination; he just wanted to figure out what was happening so that he could return to being miserable as Cory.

    Considering he had no idea how long he would be stuck in this world, Kopius knew it wouldn''t hurt to get a lay of the land. For all he knew, Oh-jin had already found a solution and was awaiting his return. Yet, when Cici confirmed that the number next to Kopius¡¯s name was a level indicator, it piqued his curiosity. If there are levels, then there might be skill points or something, Kopius thought. This Practice and Form stuff just sound like Classes and Professions from old RPGs. There might be abilities! Oh, I hope there are passive abilities... His mind started to race with different combinations of skills and abilities before he cut himself short after a glance at Cici.

    ¡°I, ah, well, on the off chance that this is real,¡± Kopius said, gesturing to nothing in particular, ¡±or that I am here for an extended amount of time, I figure the more information the better.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Cici replied thoughtfully. ¡±It is not a subject I can cover in a short time, nor is it easily summarized.¡±

    ¡°Just give me the basics,¡± Kopius said.

    ¡°The basics are these,¡± Cici began. ¡±Upon reaching level 10, any sentient being is given a list of Practices of which you would choose three¨Cwell four. One of the Practices is chosen by the powers of the Universe itself. The others are meant to build off your strongest inherent abilities. You can choose to advance all or none of the Practices, but come level 20, the Universe gives you your Form.¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Kopius protested, hands raised as if Cici had just pulled a gun on him. ¡±Powers of the Universe? Sentient beings? Form changes? This all sounds like a horrible He-Man reboot.¡±

    Cici regarded Kopius the way one would look at a small child who had just eaten a booger.

    ¡°Yes, and much more!¡± Cici said with a hearty laugh. ¡°This is only the tip of the snowcap!¡±

    ¡°Iceberg,¡± Kopius said, laughing a bit too.

    ¡°Iceberg?¡±

    ¡°Yea, an iceberg. Tip of the iceberg? It¡¯s a saying where I¡¯m from.¡± Kopius wondered if there were icebergs here.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Cici said, snapping his fingers. ¡°Because of what is beneath the surface! Very clever, Kopius, clever indeed.¡± The man almost seemed smitten by the metaphor.

    ¡°So does ¡®tip of the snowcap¡¯ mean something of the same?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Care to take a guess?¡± Cici replied.

    ¡°Maybe something about reaching the snowcaps is like finding the truth?¡± Kopius garnered a guess.

    ¡°I do not follow,¡± Cici answered.

    ¡°Well, if I wanted to reach the snowcaps, I would have to climb a mountain. In that same line of thinking, finding the truth of things can be like climbing a mountain,¡± Kopius explained. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe I¡¯m just talking out of my ass.¡± He threw small pieces of debris into the fire.

    ¡°You are not wrong,¡± Cici said after a thoughtful pause; Kopius perked up a little. ¡°You are not right either, at least not how I understand the saying. The way I was told is that the snowcaps represent knowledge, and to acquire it, one must tread lightly. To trample the snowcaps would create an avalanche, consuming you and all in its path.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit dark,¡± Kopius said with a chuckle.

    ¡°Your version has shades of black too,¡± Cici shot back with a laugh.

    ¡°You mentioned ¡®sentient beings,¡¯ not just humans. What are we talking about? Elves? Trolls? Sprites? Man-eating Giants?¡± Kopius asked, steering the conversation.

    ¡°There is no shortage of humans on Metem. They breed like trapped rats and often smell the same.¡±

    ¡°Not a fan of humans?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Depends on the day, if I am being honest. But I cannot hate what I am¨Cor at least, half of what I am,¡± Cici said with a hint of scorn. He looked Kopius in the eye before he spoke again. ¡°I am a Slasher, a half-breed.¡±

    Kopius sat there, not understanding the intensity behind the words.

    ¡°So, what, like you¡¯re from two different races?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Cici replied.

    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±

    ¡°Depends on where you travel,¡± Cici said, the intensity fading from his eyes.

    ¡°You look pretty human to me,¡± Kopius replied.

    ¡°I am only half human. My father¡¯s race, the Astral Lumen, has similar features to humans as well. You can see the subtle differences in better light.¡±

    Kopius reached up and rubbed on his now slightly pointed ears.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I am human¨CI mean, anymore. I was human before I woke up today, but now¡­¡± Kopius said while examining his new body. ¡±I don¡¯t know. I look mostly like myself¨Cbut with noticeable changes.¡± He ran his hand past his ear.

    ¡°I cannot quite place your features,¡± Cici said. ¡±At first I thought you were a human, but then I only saw your backside¡± He winked. ¡°After that I¡­ for a terrifying moment, I thought you were the Shadow of the Valley taken form! But now that I have had a better look, I would guess you are not fully human either. Too bad for you.¡±

    ¡°Why too bad for me?¡± Kopius inquired.

    ¡°If you are of mixed blood, life comes with all the trouble of both races and the benefits from neither¨Cmostly. Some major cities segregate their populations, and the mixed breeds are always the lowest rung of the ladder, if on the ladder at all. Depending on the kingdom, only purebloods can roam freely. In others, the sweat of your brow is all that is measured. Needless to say, life is easiest for the pure¡¯s, human or not, and then the rest of us fight for the scraps. Oh, and everyone hates the gnomes.¡±

    Kopius found that last bit a little strange. He also noted that rampant bigotry seemed to be a staple for any growing society. Hating those that looked or sounded different was a knee-jerk reaction for a lot of humans in the real world. Maybe humans are just genetically assholes, Kopius thought.

    ¡°Is that why you camp out here?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°No, not specifically. I do not get bothered too much,¡± Cici said, then flexed and kissed his covered bicep. His smile was part ¡®I¡¯m a sexy bitch¡¯ and part ¡®I''m one bad mofo¡¯. Kopius couldn¡¯t help but have a chuckle at the large man.

    ¡°Now, we could blather all night, but I need a good night''s rest after the scare you gave me,¡± Cici said jokingly as he found a comfortable position to lay down. ¡°Be a good sort and throw a few more pieces of wood on the fire before you sleep. We can talk about traps in the morning.¡± Kopius, feeling the weight of the long, long, grueling day fell asleep on the hard ground as if it were cloud nine lady herself.

 TBC Chapter 14

    CHAPTER 14

    Kopius woke up to a stiff body, neck and mind. He had to peel his makeshift pillow, his sword sheath, from his face when he first awoke. The early morning light creeped about the small space, and Cici sat by the fire, stirring in his pot.

    ¡°Top of the morning to you, Kopius!¡± Cici seemed to yell.

    Great, he¡¯s a morning person, Kopius lamented silently.

    Kopius gave him a nod and tried to stretch his knots out. The morning was cool and brisk, but the small fire balanced out the temperature. Kopius located the small pouch he had and removed one of the two remaining marshromo. He ate it and threw the peel into the fire.

    ¡°What do you have there?¡± Cici inquired.

    ¡°Marshromo.¡± Kopius answered, possibly butchering the name.

    ¡°Marshromo?¡± Cici said with some surprise. ¡°You do not come across that every day! I would not mind mixing up a meal with one of those.¡± He returned to his stirring, but Kopius could see the wheels turning.

    Cici had taken off his large jacket and now wore a sleeveless shirt. His arms were indeed large, Kopius noticed, but not defined. From his angle, Kopius guessed that Cici was leaning more towards a dad bod than a Mr. Universe contestant. Nevertheless, the man had picked Kopius off the ground as though he was a small child. He removed the last slice of marshromo and offered it to Cici.

    ¡°This is all I have left. You want it?¡± Kopius said, holding the small slice out.

    ¡°I would happily take that off your hands. What do you want for it?¡± Cici said with a twinkle in his eye.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Kopius replied. ¡±You can have it.¡±

    ¡°Those are rare to come by, you know,¡± Cici said.

    ¡°You mentioned that. How about a trade for the eyebright?¡± Kopius offered.

    ¡°Those can be found at the next river you come across,¡± Cici said with a laugh.

    ¡°How about payment for safe passage though your garden?¡± Kopius suggested.

    ¡°I am not some bridge troll!¡± Cici scoffed.

    ¡°Just take it then. I¡¯m sure Oh-jin has more.¡± Kopius said, flustered. Without another word, Cici took the quartered fruit and placed it inside the bag that had held his cooking pot.

    ¡°I can make quite the meal out of this, you know. Powerful rations,¡± Cici said as he removed the pot from the fire. ¡°Tell you what, I will save one for you.¡±

    ¡°One of what?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Whatever I make. Trust me, you will not be disappointed!¡± Cici said as he dove into his meal.

    Kopius worried that Cici would want him to wait to finish whatever the man was excited to make. He was anxious to get back to Oh-jin and hopefully put this whole experience behind him. With a fresh round of marshromo replenishing his system, Kopius wanted to get a move on.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that I can collect on that,¡± Kopius started. ¡±I need to head back soon, and if things go right, well, I¡¯ll be home.¡±

    ¡°True enough,¡± Cici conceded, finishing his food. ¡°But if you find your stay is longer than expected, the closest village, Feral Crossing, is about a day''s walk from here. You go straight out this valley and head downstream at the first river you meet. It is a sty of a place but it¡¯s home, for now.¡± Cici paused to think, ¡±At least until I figure a way out of my current, ah, situation.¡±

    ¡°Is that the love song thing?¡± Kopius guessed, to which Cici nodded, repeating the heart-removing gesture.

    ¡°There is a small tavern I frequent, The Ring Worm,¡± Cici started to explain. ¡±There is only one in the place, so you cannot miss it. Come find me and we will share an ale.¡± A blank window popped into Kopius¡¯s field of vision. It had been a while since it last occurred, and it startled him.

    ¡°Relax, friend,¡± Cici said with a laugh. ¡±I am not asking for your hand in marriage!¡±

    Kopius willed the window shut, and when it did, he guessed it was not a quest. The pop-up window lacked the glittering bronze border like the one he saw when accepting his first quest from Oh-jin. Bronze glitter border equals ¡®quest¡¯. Got it, Kopius thought. With one possible mystery solved, Kopius returned to the conversation.

    ¡°Did you offer me a quest?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Ha, no!¡± Cici exclaimed. ¡°I invited you to a drink.¡± Confused a little, Kopius let the matter slide.

    ¡°Alright-um, I can¡¯t have that drink if I get killed by your traps. Maybe you should take me through that?¡± Kopius said. Cici produced a piece of paper from his groin area and handed it to Kopius. ¡°Add this to your map,¡± the man said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a map,¡± Kopius stated, patting himself down as though he¡¯d once had one.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. You cannot see anything,¡± Cici replied, scratching at his beard. ¡±Try looking at your profile and ¡®thinking¡¯ of a map.¡± Kopius shrugged and opened his page. ¡°Ok¡± Kopius said before he relayed in frustration that nothing happened.

    ¡°You have to relax your mind, like you are ready for a midday nap. I swear, I thought you were tense when we met because of the trap. Now I might think otherwise. You are trying too hard. And you do not have to close your eyes either. You look like you are struggling with a turd.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Kopius conceded with a laugh. ¡±Eyes open, no clenching.¡± He relaxed as best he could, opened his profile window, and focused his mind on the word ¡°map.¡± In two breaths, his name and level disappeared.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Kopius whispered in annoyance.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°Do you have a map?¡± Cici asked.

    ¡°No, no my name and level disappeared. There¡¯s a window there,¡± Kopius said, waving his arm through the translucent window, ¡±But nothing else. How do I go back¨C to my profile?¡±

    ¡°As you normally would,¡± Cici replied with a shrug. ¡°Same as the map, really.¡±

    Kopius thought of his profile page, and his name with the level next to it returned. That¡¯s cool, Kopius remarked. He thought of the word ¡®map¡¯, and the same thing occurred as the first time he had done it. This time, maybe because of his line of sight, Kopius saw three tiny, red dots hovering in the windowpane.

    ¡°Wait a minute. I see dots. Red dots,¡± Kopius said curiously, squinting to try and get a closer look.

    ¡°You do have a map!¡± Cici exclaimed, clapping his hands together.

    ¡°No, no map. Just three red dots,¡± Kopius answered. He flipped back and forth a few more times. The red dots were always there in the same spot when returning to the map. If the map is there and I just can¡¯t see it¡­ Kopius thought. ¡°When you look at your own map, where are you on the map?¡±

    ¡°Is this a riddle?¡± Cici replied.

    ¡°No. When you look at your map, are you positioned in the center of it?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Well, yes,¡± Cici answered.

    Kopius gave the information some thought and then regarded the blank window of the ¡®map¡¯. Keeping his eyes on the group of red dots, Kopius began to rotate in place. He spun a slow, full circle in both directions before stopping; the red dots moved in relation to which way Kopius was facing. Ok, cool, Kopius thought. Now, if I have calculated this correctly¡­

    ¡°I think I might have something here,¡± Kopius said, still math-a-matizing his bearings. ¡°Your traps are right over there.¡± He pointed to the other side of the small garden.

    ¡°You are a bit off, lad,¡± Cici said with a chuckle. ¡°They are past the pile of stumps, like I told you last night.¡±

    He threw his thumb over his shoulder, the opposite direction Kopius had pointed. Kopius readjusted his ¡®calculations¡¯. He faced the stump pile and walked towards it.

    ¡°Climb over and have a look,¡± Cici shouted over his shoulder as he began to break down camp. Kopius climbed the medium-sized pile, careful not to trip, and looked over it. To his surprise, the area on the other side lit up with dozens of faintly glowing, red dots.

    ¡°Are all these traps?¡± Kopius yelled in exacerbation. He could see a path through the red dots, but he would have to tread carefully to navigate through.

    ¡°Yes, they are,¡± Cici shouted back slowly, a bit of pride seeping through his words.

    ¡°It only showed me three dots!¡± Kopius protested, stumbling off the pile.

    ¡°You have to adjust your map to have a closer look,¡± Cici answered.

    ¡°Zoom in?¡±

    ¡°Like a spy glass? Yes, zoom in.¡± Cici replied.

    Kopius opened his map, focused on the three red dots, and thought of the word ¡®zoom¡¯. Nothing happened. He thought ¡®zoom in¡¯, ¡®closer¡¯, ¡®nearer!¡¯ and ¡®SHOW YOURSELF!¡¯

    Nothing.

    He took a deep breath, and instead of trying to bring the red dots to him, he imagined going to the red dots. It worked. Sometimes you gotta take the fight to them, Kopius thought with some satisfaction. He stopped zooming in once he felt that he was at a proper distance and then looked over the pile again. ¡°Does this work on all traps?¡±

    ¡°If you know the traps are there, yes,¡± Cici answered, finishing his packing.

    ¡°And I can see these because you showed me?¡± Kopius inquired.

    ¡°That is correct. They only turn red if you know they are there, someone showed you, or you happened to notice it.¡±

    ¡°So if I have to come back this way, will I still be able to see these traps?¡± Kopius asked to be sure.

    ¡°Yes, once you are close enough to them, they will appear. The distance varies, but I do know the more traps you find on your own, the stronger your Skill to locate them becomes,¡± Cici answered.

    It sounds as though Cici is talking about Skill progression. I wonder if I have a Skill window like my map, Kopius mused.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that if I can find enough traps on my own, I¡¯ll be able to find them all?¡± Kopius asked, pushing his other thoughts to the side.

    ¡°No, I am saying finding more traps makes you more likely to spot a trap. The traps will find you just fine,¡± Cici answered with a grin. Kopius glanced at the row of plants but did not see any red dots.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I see the trap over your plants? I mean, I know it¡¯s there,¡± Kopius said, gesturing to where he''d been trapped.

    ¡°That is a magic barrier,¡± Cici said with a little laugh. ¡±At the core of it, it is just a barrier. A wall to separate us from them. After enough time and use, I was able to enhance it and add the stick function. So, it is not really a trap at its core.¡±

    So many questions ran through Kopius¡¯s mind after hearing the explanation. He wanted to know what kind of magic it was and how he learned it, if there were levels for progression, and if so, what level would the enhancement happen. Ultimately, though, he remembered his predicament and kept the questions to himself.

    ¡°Alright, cool,¡± Kopius started as he gathered his meager belongings. ¡°Thanks for the¡­ ah, thanks for not killing me?¡± Kopius said as a half-question, shrugging.

    Cici laughed heartily and slapped Kopius on his shoulder.

    ¡°Any time my boy! Do not forget that drink,¡± Cici said enthusiastically.

    With that, Kopius found his bearings and started to retrace his steps back to Oh-jin.

    It took a little over two hours for Kopius to find the mouth of the cave he had climbed out of. In the beginning of his walk, he had watched the red dots on his map. They had disappeared within a few moments of him leaving the small glen, and though he could not see through the dense, dead forest he guessed he had traveled ten paces before they were gone.

    ¡°Ten paces at about six foot strides,¡± Kopius had calculated aloud, ¡±puts me at about thirty yards. You know what, we will say twenty yards to play it safe.¡± The rest of his journey back he attempted to open other virtual windows like he had done with his map. In his mind he tried to focus on words like Magic, Abilities, and Skills. When those didn¡¯t produce anything, he tried variations, like Proficiency, Talent, and Expertise. By the time he had climbed up to the cave and reached the wooden platform, his mental thesaurus had long run dry. Kopius donned the pair of gloves Oh-jin had given him and steadied himself for the descent.

    He lowered himself at a slow, steady pace, not wanting to entice gravity to take the reins. Before his hands could cramp up, he¡¯d reached the bottom of the lift and exited the small alcove to an empty room. Light danced from the door at the end of the hall that Kopius knew to be the lab. He headed in that direction, passing by two closed doors before coming to a third that was ajar.

    Soft light emanated through all the cracks and crevices in and around the door. Kopius peeked through one to see what could be seen. From his limited view, he could make out all sorts of books thrown about on the floor. A crude, half-empty bookshelf rested against a wall. He heard the sound of a book closing shut before he saw the object slide across the floor. After hearing an audible sigh from inside the room, Kopius knocked a few times before opening the door.

    Oh-jin sat at a wooden bench, surrounded by more crudely made bookshelves in similar disarray as the first he saw. The small room had a spattering of books tossed about. Most found a new home on the ground, while a handful lay on the small cot opposite the door. There had to be over one hundred texts in total, half still on their respective shelves. Oh-jin turned his bald head to look at Kopius and smiled.

 TBC Chapter 15

    CHAPTER 15

    ¡°Ah, excellent, you returned in one piece!¡± Oh-jin said, closing the book in his hand and throwing it to the floor.

    ¡°Doing some light reading?¡± Kopius said with some sarcasm, gesturing at the mess.

    ¡°I have been looking for answers.¡± Oh-jin replied. ¡°Did you find the eyebright?¡±

    Kopius produced the flower from his sack and handed it over. When Oh-jin took the flower, an empty window popped up with a bronze, sparkly border. Quest complete? Kopius smiled to himself. He opted to skip the part about Cici, as he was anxious and didn¡¯t want the old man to get sidetracked. Oh-jin looked between the flower and the books, as if deciding which to address first.

    ¡°Let me treat this first,¡± Oh-jin said, raising the eyebright, ¡±and then I will let you know what I have found.¡±

    The short man exited the room and turned towards his lab. Kopius picked up the book Oh-jin had been holding and gave it a look. At first, the cover appeared to be filled with symbols and other foreign markings. It looked to Kopius as though Egyptian hieroglyphics and Greek letters had had babies. After a few moments of staring, everything adjusted, and Kopius could read as though it was his native language.

    He quickly put the book down and wondered if he had been hit with some kind of magic spell, but he didn¡¯t feel any different. With slight trepidation, Kopius picked up the book again and looked at the cover. Lexore Val-jin Volume 113 Metem. He opened the book and started to read the first entry:

    4th of Jonuar, 13319um

    Metem

    We have found a cave deep in a valley. There is a concentration of magic I have not felt in quite some time; or possibly ever. It seeps from the rocks, and my mana pool regenerates at an extraordinary pace while there. After experimenting, I have concluded that the source is not of natural means. At least, it is not a product of any magical ley line. Maybe a fallen god from long ago, maybe a magical creature dormant, maybe any number of things we have yet to discover. Either way, we should tread carefully, as something resides in the shadows. I will continue to test the boundaries of the cave to see if it will fit our plans.

    Cave sketch- Caves Volume 3, page 10

    Oh-jin returned as Kopius was reading the last of the entry.

    ¡°You can read Jin?¡± Oh-jin asked with curiosity.

    ¡°Jin?¡± Kopius replied.

    ¡°Yes, Jin! Jinovian. The book you have there,¡± Oh-jin said, pointing at the book.

    ¡°No, I never heard of that-or them, or whatever.¡± Kopius answered, but then looked over the book again. A lightbulb started to have a seizure in his mind as he slowly realized something.

    ¡°This is written in, what did you say, Jinovian?¡± Kopius asked, holding up the book.

    ¡°Well, yes,¡± Oh-jin answered with confusion.

    ¡°Do you have any other books in a different language?¡± Kopius asked anxiously.

    ¡°I do not believe so.¡± Oh-jin replied, scratching his beard to think. ¡°I do speak a few languages, though.¡±

    Kopius smiled at this and turned to face the man. ¡°Ok, that will work. Which do you know?¡±

    ¡°Let us see now. There is Common,¡± Oh-jin started with a small smile, ¡±and then there is Jinovian. I can also speak Elvish.¡±

    ¡°Are we talking elves like, they live in the forest, pretty agile, usually attractive?¡± Kopius asked.

    Oh-jin considered the description for a moment before replying. ¡°That is a rough approximation of the elven people. Like most races, though, there can be vast variations depending on where you travel. Elves do prefer the woods from what I understand but can be anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough. Can you say something in Elvish?¡±

    ¡°What should I say?¡± Oh-jin inquired.

    ¡°Say, uh, say, ¡®two outs, bottom of the ninth.¡¯¡± Kopius said with a slight grin.

    ¡°Two outs, bottom of the ninth,¡± Oh-jin repeated.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Kopius replied, ¡±say that in Elvish.¡±

    At this Oh-jin cocked his head. ¡°I just said it in Elvish,¡± Oh-jin said.

    ¡°Just then, you said it in Elvish?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Oh-jin said, ¡±I am speaking Elvish right now. Two outs, bottom of the ninth.¡± While Oh-jin was speaking, Kopius paid attention to the man''s lips moving.

    ¡°Can you say it one more time¨Cin Common, though?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Two outs, bottom of the ninth,¡± Oh-jin said slowly with some irritation.

    Not that Kopius, or Cory for that matter, was a lip reader but sometimes he could tell, especially with a phrase he was familiar with. The first time he watched Oh-jin speak Elvish, his lips moved in ways that just did not look right. While speaking in Common, the old man''s lips had the familiar shape and movement that Kopius recognized. The light bulb in his head finally lit up, and he couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. Oh-jin joined the laughter, but it was clear he was not exactly sure what they were laughing about.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Speakeasy!¡± Kopius finally blurted out. Oh-jin thought for a second before his forehead indicated that his eyeballs were wide open in realization. ¡°So I have Night Vision, I can understand different languages, and I am faster. That just about covers everything from when I woke up,¡± Kopius said, thinking of the Speakeasy and the floating symbol he¡¯d assumed had something to do with air magic. ¡±Well, and this shitty gear.¡± He shrugged.

    ¡°Amazing,¡± Oh-jin said, mouth agape. ¡±Continue to hone Speakeasy. It will be most valuable in your travels!¡±

    ¡°Travels?¡± Kopius asked, with a sick feeling springing up out of nowhere in his gut.

    ¡°Yes, travels,¡± Oh-jin answered. ¡°I have been reading since the moment you left and have information to share. Some of it is reassuring. Some of it is not.¡±

    ¡°How about we start with the ¡®not¡¯ first?¡± Kopius offered as he leaned against the small desk. Oh-jin made his way over to the tiny cot to have a seat. He collected the books that were on the cot, five in total, and placed them on his lap. He sat with a pensive expression, his normal nonchalance absent.

    ¡°You may have suspected by now that I am of the Jinovan race,¡± Oh-jin began, to which Kopius nodded slightly; though it really hadn¡¯t crossed his mind. ¡°Long ago, the Jinovian people, also known as Jin, did not exist. They were non-corporeal beings, summoned through various vessels, requiring some kind of container to hold their spirit. At some point, a Jinovian was set free and took form. It was the will of a benevolent master. The first Jin then set out to free others and create a society. Now, Jin contained by their vessel are very powerful sorcerers, but once set free, they lose much of their power. They are still very strong magic users but not the dominant force of nature they once were. Generally, they excelled in the four elements, and it was not long before their numbers grew.¡±

    Kopius raised his hand to interrupt. ¡°This is gripping and all, but why are you telling me this?¡± Kopius asked, trying¨Cbut failing¨Cnot to sound rude.

    ¡°I am not taking a walk with my memories for pleasure, boy!¡± Oh-jin spat. ¡°If I told you what I found before telling you what I know, I would have to start over from here anyways!¡± Oh-jin softened his tone. ¡°I need to tell you about the past so that we can best address the future. Now, where was I?¡±

    ¡°They are strong magic users,¡± Kopius offered.

    ¡°Yes, strong indeed. They use the elements of fire, water, and the like.¡± Oh-jin resumed, and Kopius raised his hand again, a bit sheepishly this time.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Last interruption, I swear,¡± Kopius said. ¡°For magic; are fire, water, earth, and air the only options?¡±

    ¡°No, but they are the most common. There is dark and light magic, empath or psionic magic, blood magic and more. I have also heard rumors of chaotic magic, but those are just rumors,¡± Oh-jin answered politely. ¡°Now, may I continue?¡± Kopius made a lock and throw away the key motion over his mouth.

    ¡°In the beginning, the Jinovians were a peaceful people, long ruled by heirs of the first Jin, Jannasa. They shared their knowledge and skills with other towns and races, building a reputation of being trustworthy and strong. Yet, given enough time and the wrong ambition, a society can turn on a coin. Eventually the power shifted to darker souls with darker minds. Of course, there are finer details, a myriad of causes and catalysts. It was a slow deterioration of one moral compass after another.¡± Oh-jin trailed off a bit, caught up in his own story.

    He gathered himself and continued. ¡°These darker souls, known as the Val-jin, are a rare type of Jinovian, for they are skilled in psionic magic. This rare breed used their magic to gain influence and power. Their manipulation allowed them to gain access to the highest levels of the Jinovian leadership. When the heir to the throne, Qulsan Mum, wed a Val-jin, it all but spelled the end. The day Qulsan took the crown, everything changed. Our borders were closed, all non-Jinovian¡¯s were thrown from the kingdom, and half-bloods and dissenters were imprisoned. Sent to the Maca Dami.¡± Oh-jin shuttered as if reliving an unwelcome memory.

    ¡°The Val-jin call it their ¡®meditation center,¡¯ but others know too well what happens behind those walls; Lexore knew more than most.,¡± Oh-jin said, gesturing to a set of books.

    He then pointed at Kopius. ¡°This next part is where your path aligns, so pay attention,¡± Oh-jin said in a lecturing tone. Kopius shrugged innocently as he had been paying attention this whole time.

    ¡°The Maca Dami sits on crossing magical ley lines. This helped to amplify their influence at first, but they found, through powerful magic users, that they could do much more than influence: they could reave a soul and then replace that soul with another. Every single being that entered the Maca Dami left changed both mentally and physically, if they left at all. Those who did leave, joined the ranks of the ever-growing Val-jin army, devoted beyond measure. Inside the Maca Dami are powerful wizards known as Sifters, or Soul Sniffers. They reach out with their powers, searching for wandering and weak souls. Once they find their target, they redirect its trajectory into a waiting vessel, the body of a prisoner. The prisoner would take on some or all of the characteristics of the entering soul. The process, as I have read, is instant and agonizing. They are then ushered to further indoctrination before joining the ranks of soldiers.¡±

    Oh-jin, after saying that whole part in one breath, paused to take another drink of water.

    Kopius had begun to feel a bit of unease while Oh-jin had been speaking. It still all sounded like some convoluted story to him, but what-ifs kept scratching at the surface of his mind.

    Doubt had always been an afterthought for Cory. What-ifs had never really bothered him as he was so sure of his own brilliance. After enough ¡®life lessons¡¯ though, Cory had started to account for contingencies and plot holes, often being unsuccessful because of his overcorrecting. He would joke that ¡®his pendulum had gone rogue¡¯ to account for his errors.

    Kopius took a deep breath to clear his thoughts of past miscalculations. He began to lament the absence of a ¡®skip dialogue¡¯ button, like those often found in video games. Maybe there is one and I just can''t see it, Kopius fumed internally. He wanted to move to the part of the conversation that got him out of here. The part that confirmed he was stuck in a game and this NPC was going to show him the way out. He opened his profile page and closed it. Nothing had changed.

    Kopius was feeling anxious, like a man with limited time and a mountain to climb. He felt his sense of urgency rising, especially after hearing the part about the Soul Sniffers. It¡¯s just a game, Kopius reminded himself. Just go with it until we can get the hell out of here.

    ¡°So, what, I am not a chosen one?¡± Kopius half chuckled, breaking the short silence.

    ¡°If by that you mean special, I am afraid not,¡± the old chemist-looking man said with a hint of sympathy. ¡°Quite the opposite, actually.¡± Oh-jin made a deep sigh and continued. ¡°Weak souls tend to be malleable, motivated by fear or fortune. Once the tether between¨Cwell¨Cyou in this case, and your physical self is severed the process is complete.¡±

    ¡°The process?¡± Kopius said with a bit of trepidation.

    ¡°The transfer, boy! Are you not listening?¡± Oh-jin huffed. ¡°Your soul has been, or I should say, is in the process of transferring. Dying is not the only way to separate the soul from the body!¡±

    Kopius had never really pinned down where he landed on the whole soul thing, but hearing that someone or something was tampering with it gave him the heebie-jeebies. In the real world, Cory struggled with emotional overtones. Believing in a soul meant having a soulmate, at least by his stretch in logic. If the man formerly known as Cory and his big, black book of poor decisions were an indication of anything, his soulmate was either highly elusive or grossly unmotivated.

    Cory had had a cat in the real world. Orwood was a black cat with green eyes, a white-striped belly, and an attitude only Firelord Azula could love. Orwood was fierce and loving. She would cuddle you just as quickly as she would take a swipe at your face. She was, Cory had felt at the time, the closest thing to a soulmate that he would get. Bitch, Kopius thought with a loving, nostalgic grin. ¡°Gotta watch the tail,¡± he said under his breath. ¡±The tail tells all.¡±

    ¡°The tail does what now?¡± Oh-jin interjected.

    Kopius snapped out of his reverie. ¡°What? Oh, my bad,¡± he said, bringing himself back to the present. ¡±A cat''s tail, it tells all.¡±

    Oh-jin cocked his head a bit, processing the information.

    ¡°A cat''s tail moves in a way that you can guess its intentions.¡± Kopius clarified.

    After hearing this additional information, the old man rubbed at his chin. ¡±Interesting,¡± Oh-jin murmured. ¡°Does the tail speak to you?¡± The old man asked with genuine curiosity.

    ¡°Ah, no,¡± Kopius replied. ¡±It''s more of an educated guess. I don¡¯t speak to cats.¡± Kopius ended with a slight chuckle. ¡°I mean, I do speak to cats, but they can¡¯t understand me.¡± Before things got completely sidetracked and Kopius got lost in an endless explanation of cat videos, he steered things back to more urgent matters. ¡°I can elaborate on that later, but you were saying something along the lines of my soul being harvested or something?¡± Kopius said with some apprehension in his voice.

    ¡°Harvested! That is a terrible, painful happening! No, no, I said your soul, your essence, um, ah, your life energy is being traded.¡± Oh-jin smiled as though he had covered all possible explanations.

    ¡°Traded?!¡± Kopius exclaimed, completely forgetting his ¡®just go with it¡¯ attitude. ¡±Traded how? For who?¡± He was yelling now. ¡°I didn''t agree to come here!¡± He gestured to everything.

    ¡°Maybe traded is the wrong term,¡± he offered. ¡±It is more like a swap.¡±

    ¡°That''s the same thing,¡± Kopius muttered.

    ¡°Exchanged?¡± Oh-jin tried.

    ¡°Same,¡± Kopius retorted, running his hands over his face and through his hair.

    ¡°Oh, switched!¡±

    ¡°You can dive as far as you¡¯d like into that thesaurus, dude. It. Is. The. Same.¡± Kopius replied, clipping each of the last words.

    After taking a moment to calm the growing ire in his gut, Kopius apologized. ¡°Sorry. This is just a lot to process. Isn¡¯t there some cosmic rule about souls?¡± he lamented. ¡°Don¡¯t I have to agree or contract or barter or some such nonsense?! There should be rules, you know!¡± He raised his fist to the ceiling.

    His anger dissipated and exhaustion settled in. Anger had been a sad fact of life for Cory in the real world. When it wasn¡¯t clouding his better judgment or running his mouth into a black eye, Cory¡¯s few successes were fueled by it too. Spite had driven him up those hills and then kicked him on the way down.

    In the moments he didn¡¯t have someone to fuel that furnace, the eyes of those flames turned inward. Years of snide remarks with sarcastic undertones¨Cmostly unwarranted¨Cpointed at unknowing people had turned their ugly heads to feed on their host. After that, self-loathing became an art form. He was warned as a kid that making those silly faces for too long would result in your face getting stuck that way. In reality, if you tell yourself something for long enough, you will start to believe it. Cory was convinced he had only made it this far in life through dumb luck and tiptoeing all around Murphy¡¯s Law. Neither made for stand out resume skills or first date conversation.

    Oh-jin, feeling the despair, offered Kopius the only chair in the room. Begrudgingly, Kopius squeezed past a small bookshelf and dumped himself in the seat across from the old man.

    ¡°Why am I here?¡± Kopius lamented.

    ¡°I do not know,¡± Oh-jin said in hushed tones. ¡±Maybe you are a failure or mentally deficient, someone who is expendable; my best guess would be you have a weak soul.¡±

    Kopius thought he should feel insulted, but the man was rambling to himself. ¡°I am right here, you know!¡± Kopius said, gesturing at his whole self.

    Oh-jin¡¯s head perked up as he realized he was speaking aloud. ¡°Sorry, my boy, no ill intentions towards you.¡± He replied with a chuckle. ¡°Have you signed any documents of late, or blood oaths? Those can be strong indeed! Maybe a contract, like you mentioned, whose terms you agreed to but did not fully read?¡±

    Kopius laughed in spite of his mood. ¡°If there is a soul-reaving clause in the Terms of Service for anything, ninety percent of my planet would be here,¡± Kopius said, relieved for the few seconds of levity.

    He did consider the question for a moment before remembering that there were some truly sick individuals out there that do, in fact, read the entire service contract. One of them would have said something, right? Kopius thought wearily. He pushed the thought to the side and tried to get his mind back on track. He was getting caught up in the what-ifs and needed to focus.

    ¡°So you are saying that, somehow, my ¡®weak soul¡¯,¡± Kopius said with some bitterness, ¡±was redirected here, to Metem?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Oh-jin answered.

    ¡°To what, though? This right here?¡± Kopius asked, looking over his new and improved body. ¡°Who was in this vessel before me? Or the souls of anyone else you brought here, for that matter?¡±

    ¡°That is a mystery to me. A mystery that only the studious notes of Lexore can answer for you¨CI hope,¡± Oh-jin said, gesturing to the hundreds of books that occupied the room. ¡°From what little I have gathered, it is a combination of psionic and blood magic.¡±

    ¡°Fine, we can figure out the ¡®how¡¯ later I guess,¡± Kopius huffed, not satisfied with such a short explanation. ¡°Who¡¯s blood, then?¡±

    ¡°That is what the eyebright is for!¡± Oh-jin exclaimed, jumping to his feet. He sped out of the room like a man who had left his oven on. After a few moments, the old chemist returned with a milling stone and a mortar in his hands. He was grinding a fine, white-and-yellow powder with a practiced hand.

    ¡°Kopius,¡± Oh-jin said while minding his work, ¡±come with me. Let us see if we can have a better look at your profile.¡±

 TBC Chapter 16

    CHAPTER 16

    Kopius had cleared a spot in Oh-jin¡¯s lab and sat atop a shelf. He watched the old man circulate to various cauldrons, measuring and mixing as he went along. After several minutes, Oh-jin poured a blue liquid in a small glass vial. He then mixed the powdered eyebright into the vial, capped it, and finally shook it vigorously. The vial emanated a soft, blue light, giving the impression of sunlight filtering through water. Oh-jin stared at the liquid for a few moments before handing it to Kopius.

    A window with gray borders popped into his field of vision upon taking the vial. He closed the blank window and brought the vial close to his face, watching the light particles softly dance inside the elixir.

    ¡°What now?¡± Kopius asked absently, his gaze locked on the vial.

    ¡°You drink it, of course,¡± Oh-jin answered.

    ¡°Obviously I drink it,¡± Kopius replied, glancing at Oh-jin. ¡±I mean, what does it do?¡±

    ¡°It is going to reveal that which is hidden,¡± Oh-jin said in a theatrical voice.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be able to see my profile?¡± Kopius asked anxiously.

    ¡°I,¡± Oh-jin corrected, ¡±will be able to see it.¡±

    ¡°What good does that do me?¡±

    ¡°It will tell us a number of things, including what blood was used for your vessel,¡± Oh-jin replied. ¡°I will transcribe your information, and then we can figure your best way forward.¡±

    ¡°Ok,¡± Kopius conceded. ¡±How does it work?¡±

    ¡°Once you drink the elixir, open your profile window, and then leave the rest to me,¡± Oh-jin answered with a smile. Kopius hesitated to get started, but he could not understand his hold up. Information was what he needed, and this is what Oh-jin claimed would provide it.

    With no logical reason or additional questions, Kopius pulled the cap off the vial and drank. The liquid was warm and bubbly, tickling his throat on the way down. The sensation of millions of tiny bubbles popped throughout his whole body before he let out a deep, guttural burp.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Kopius said, removing his hand from blocking his mouth.

    ¡°Very good!¡± Oh-jin chimed, a writing utensil and paper in hand. ¡°Now, open your profile.¡±

    Kopius obliged.

    ¡°Oh, my,¡± Oh-jin whispered and then began to write furiously on the paper. The old man would look up momentarily and then continue his scribbling, sometimes switching his writing instrument for another. This went on for about a minute until Oh-jin stopped and looked over the page.

    ¡°You can close it now,¡± Oh-jin said absently, apparently still focusing on the paper. The old man was nodding to himself as he examined the document. He counted on his fingers, then opened another book and flipped to a particular page before staring some more. Oh-jin would turn to different pages occasionally, compare his notes with whatever he was reading, and then move on.

    ¡°Here it is,¡± Oh-jin finally said, looking at Kopius. ¡°I had memory of your condition before, mostly in young or slow children. Most grown adults cannot read, but children most certainly do not. Having access to your profile at such a young age would be meaningless. Have you ever heard a three-year-old explain something? When they take this elixir, a person with the right skills can briefly see what that profile says.¡± Kopius obviously wanted to know his stats, but a quick hand gesture from Oh-jin that said ¡®I will get to that¡¯ kept him quiet.

    ¡°Now, most of the time,¡± Oh-jin continued, ¡±we will see their health, stamina, and mana levels, as well as their race, magical inclination, and their first two attributes¨Cnormally Strength and Dexterity. Occasionally, it will be Intelligence and Dexterity. Rarely, it is Intelligence and Strength. Attributes go much deeper than this, but these are the core of any sentient being.¡±

    ¡°I feel like you are setting me up for bad news, doc,¡± Kopius interjected. ¡°What¡¯s in the box?¡±

    ¡°What box?¡± Oh-jin said in confusion, looking about for a box.

    ¡°No, I mean the paper,¡± Kopius quickly corrected himself. ¡°What did you write down?¡±

    ¡°I wrote down everything I saw,¡± Oh-jin replied with a hint of irritation. ¡±Now let me finish explaining so you will understand what you are looking at. Strength, Intelligence, Dexterity: that is what every sentient being starts their life with. Think of a baby when it is first born. They have no control of their extremities, and they cannot move about other than to flail while crying. They do not know words or sounds or even touch. As they learn to roll over and crawl, strength and dexterity come to life. When they start to recognize a familiar face or item, intelligence is born. Do you understand so far?¡±

    ¡°Yeah I get it,¡± Kopius replied. ¡±Babies can only eat, sleep, and poo.¡±

    ¡°They do not even know how to poo!¡± Oh-jin said. ¡±They just poo. Everywhere!¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Diapers aren¡¯t a thing here?¡± Kopius replied, shaking his head. ¡±I don¡¯t get the ¡®come to life¡¯ part. You said everybody starts with the three attributes. Do you have to activate them or something?¡±

    ¡°In a sense, yes,¡± Oh-jin answered. ¡°Lore has it, many eons ago, the gods that created our part of the universe gathered together to make what we now know as Metem. Among the many things that they created was a base set of Attributes for every living creature. After many iterations and adjustments, they settled on three core, foundational Attributes that any sentient being would need to survive: Strength to protect, Dexterity to move, Intelligence to understand. These are the building blocks to further Attributes. Now, you may not know this, but not everyone develops at the same rate, so the gods placed checks and balances until a being has advanced to level 10. The answer to your question are those checks and balances. Back to the example of the baby; the Universe or the gods, whatever you choose to call it, know that just because the baby can flail its arms about does not mean it has any level of dexterity or strength. Once that flailing baby can, let us say, crawl across a room, the universe brings life to both attributes, allowing for them to be advanced further.¡±

    ¡°You have to prove to the universe that you can do something before it allows you to do it? That doesn''t make any sense,¡± Kopius complained.

    ¡°Allow,¡± Oh-jin emphasized, ¡±would be the wrong characterization. The Universe feels you are capable of pursuing that Attribute further. Think of it as the Universe''s way of saying it believes in you.¡± Oh-jin said this last part in a bit of a sing-song way, like someone placating a child.

    Kopius sat there in thought, equating the information he was getting to his memories of classic RPGs and VRRPGs. To his mind, the similarities were glaring. Magic, monsters, a level system, an attribute tree or foundation or whatever, Kopius mulled it all over internally. He rubbed his face absently, trying to clear the air of confusion around him. If there is a level system, shouldn¡¯t there be some Skill or Attribute points to assign, ones I get to assign? Kopius wondered.

    ¡°Can you give me a summary of the checks and balances and how the levels work?¡± Kopius finally asked.

    ¡°Certainly,¡± Oh-jin said with an extended smile. ¡°Once a child has unlocked an attribute and moved to the next level, they are given one accelerator per core Attribute. If you have Strength and Dexterity unlocked, you would receive two accelerators. These are used to advance your Attributes. For example, moving an individual from a Strength of 5 to a Strength of 6. Until you reach level 10, the Universe applies these accelerators evenly. After level 10, the individual can assign the accelerators where they so choose. You could put all three into one attribute or distribute as you see fit.¡±

    There it is, Kopius thought with a smile. This is a game, this is a game, this is a mother-loving game!

    He felt a small amount of relief wash over him. Kopius kept getting swept up in the moment, a problem Cory experienced as well, and lost sight of the bigger picture. Nothing had indicated to him that this was not a game. The story about the soul-sniffing Val-jin was full of holes, the most glaring one being where the body Kopius now occupied came from. Even if there were a well-thought-out explanation, it would not detract from the fact that this world, Metem, functioned just like a game in every noticeable facet thus far.

    Feeling more resolute about his situation, his thoughts drifted to the O.B.S.E. capsule that his real body currently occupied. If a day here is like a day on Earth, then I have, what, nineteen days until the alarms go off? Kopius wondered. BUT these games usually have some inception-based time dilation bullshit, so like a day here could be an hour on Earth!

    ¡°Blah!¡± Kopius inadvertently blurted out in frustration. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said to Oh-jin, who had a worried expression. ¡±I am just working some things out in my head.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough, my boy, this is a lot to take in. Normally this is taught over the course of several solar cycles,¡± Oh-jin said in an understanding manner. ¡°For now, you do not have to worry about Attributes. The Universe sees to that until you reach level 10. What you should worry about is working on your Intelligence.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kopius shot back. ¡°I can think¡­ and¡­ stuff!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes of course,¡± Oh-jin replied. ¡±It is plain that you can think and stuff, yet the universe does not share our sentiment. Intelligence is not just acquiring knowledge, it is also about understanding. It is the difference between knowing a bird can fly versus how they can do it. My guess is that you lack understanding. Let us look at what I have written. Maybe it will help.¡± Oh-jin handed over the piece of paper to Kopius. ¡°I will give you a moment to look it over.¡±

    Kopius took the piece of paper from Oh-jin like it was his pass-or-fail exam in high school. He looked about the page like a man on the hunt for Waldo, darting back from different words and a variety of symbols. When he slowed his eyes down enough to let them focus on one thing, the words on the page adjusted to Common. He wrote it in Jinovian, Kopius thought. Ok, let¡¯s just start at the top.

    The top of the page read ¡°Kopius¡± with a number ¡°2¡± next to it and then another number next to that, (11). Below his name were three symbols of the same shape and size that looked like a morphed version of home plate, basically a pentagon. Inside each symbol were different colors and letters.

    The first home plate symbol was red with ¡®STR¡¯ in capital letters. The next symbol, this one blue, had the letters INT. The last symbol, yellow in color, had DEX. Below each set of letters were two numbers, of which the right-most number had brackets to each side. It read:

    ¡°STR 1 (13), INT 0 (9), DEX 2 (18)¡±

    Continuing below the symbols he read:

    ¡°Human/Jinovian¡±

    Kopius took in a sharp breath and looked at Oj-jin. The old chemist smiled and nodded his head. ¡°Welcome to the family,¡± he said with his normal glee. Kopius returned to the page, shaking off the full invasion of questions swarming his mind. Once focused again, he continued down his written profile page.

    ¡°Magic: Air elemental¡±

    ¡°Skill: Night Vision, Speakeasy, Haste, Bumbly¡±

    ¡°Health: Normal¡±

    ¡°Mana: Normal¡±

    ¡°Stamina: Above Normal¡±

 TBC Chapter 17

    CHAPTER 17

    Kopius examined the document several times, burning the numbers into his brain; not knowing if they were good or not. The ones can¡¯t be good, he garnered. I¡¯m an Air Elemental, so that sounds cool. Haste might explain my speed. No idea what Bumbly is. He pondered this way for a few minutes until Oh-jin cleared his throat.

    ¡°Would you like to ask questions first, or shall I go over it first?¡± he offered. Kopius considered going first but thought better of it. In the few instances that Cory had just kept his mouth shut, things had tended to go well. It should have been his go-to tactic, but resisting the urge to be a sarcastic asshole was too much to bear at times. Those situations were normally heated, wannabe alpha-male posturing. Whereas here, Kopius had the presence and calmness of mind to be a listener¨Cfor now.

    ¡°You go first,¡± Kopius answered.

    ¡°Very well then,¡± Oh-jin said, rubbing his palms together. ¡°Understand that these things vary, and there are outliers. What I will be comparing you to is the average.¡±

    Kopius nodded.

    ¡°At the top we have your name and level,¡± Oh-jin continued. ¡±Normally an individual at level 2 would be about two or three years old. Their Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence would look like your numbers, except they would have active intelligence.¡± The old chemist tried to keep the humor of it out of his voice but was failing. ¡°Ahem, now, they would reach level 10 by roughly the age of twelve. At level 10, the Universe will offer you a set of Practices to select from, but that is a discussion for another time. You are, of course, wondering what the second numbers mean?¡±

    Kopius nodded slowly, a bit struck that he was equivalent to a toddler. Not even a toddler, a baby! Kopius corrected himself.

    ¡°I was a bit confused until I referred to these notes,¡± Oh-jin said, holding up a notebook. ¡°You may be a little special after all. There was one other instance of this, long ago, and what we came to learn was that the first set of numbers is what can be seen but the numbers in brackets are what you are. Let me explain further. There is a fairly common spell called Scan, a non-branch magic. Branch magic refers to your magical leaning, in your case, Air Elemental. Most anyone can wield non-branch or common magic. Scan would give the caster basic information, like your name, your personal level, Advanced tiers of Scan would also include health and mana levels. If someone were to Scan you, they would see the lower numbers.¡±

    Oh-jin was very pleased by this.

    Kopius looked at him blankly.

    ¡°This is why you have no intelligence, my boy. You are missing the value here. People will see you as weak, fragile, and stupid. You will be grossly underestimated, whether it be with brains or brawn!¡± Kopius had a brief flashback of his ex-girlfriend calling him those exact same things, just not in the same order. I think she started off with ¡°fragile,¡± oof, Kopius thought, cringing internally.

    ¡°So, my weakness is my strength?¡± Kopius asked, ridding his thoughts of exes and their stupid words.

    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Oh-jin declared. ¡°Your strength is your strength! Your weakness is a mask. You appear lesser than you are, so find a way to use it to your advantage.¡± Oh-jin had the cadence of a teacher lecturing his student for the tenth time on the same subject. ¡°Your Strength is above average. A 13 in Strength would be above normal at level 10, but you are level 1. Same for your Dexterity, except that you are extraordinarily advanced there. At level 20, the second tier unlocks! I am getting ahead of myself. The rest of your profile is a bit self-explanatory. You are half-Human and half-Jinovian. Whatever blood Lexore used was that of our brethren.¡± Oh-jin bowed his head slightly and raised a closed fist to his chest. ¡°Now, you have four Skills: Night Vision, that is always useful, Speakeasy, which you have figured out¨C¡±

    ¡°But if I am half-Jiovian,¡± Kopius interrupted, ¡±might that be the reason I can understand it?¡±

    ¡°Possible,¡± Oh-jin said, rubbing at his beard. ¡°Possible indeed, but you understood Elvish just fine. Haste is haste and Bumbly, I am not sure. Sounds like falling. Did you do a lot of falling while you were running about?¡±

    Kopius puffed up at the accusation that he would run away, run away and trip, of all things. Buuuut, Kopius thought to himself, reliving the flight from the allgitator. I did a lot of running. Maybe a little falling.

    ¡°I did some running, yes,¡± Kopius answered flatly. Oh-jin was tapping at his lips in thought.

    ¡°Skills can be odd,¡± Oh-jin stated. ¡°You can acquire them in different ways. Someone teaching you is the best way, but there are others. Your Haste comes from more than just running aimlessly¡­¡± The old man trailed off into a mumble.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t I have the Skill for walking or breathing or some other basic thing?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Try to understand, Kopius. This is the will and machinations of the Universe, the framework of Gods. Maybe it¨Cthey, the Gods¨Cdid not want to overwhelm anyone with too much information at once.¡± Oh-jin gave a shrugging gesture. ¡°Skills will show up after someone has shown some type of proficiency at them.¡±

    ¡°Can we go back to the Attribute numbers?¡± Kopius asked, to which Oh-jin nodded. ¡°I get it for the most part. The world will see me as a level 2 in Strength, but I am really a 13. Won¡¯t it be a little strange for a grown-ass man to have baby numbers?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Oh-jin said with a chuckle. ¡°They will not see you as a baby, though, more like a dainty, pampered noble. Someone who has been catered to their entire life¡±

    ¡°That doesn''t seem much better,¡± Kopius interjected.

    ¡°Now you are starting to see the big picture, my boy!¡± Oh-jin said. ¡°This will not always be the case. Those numbers will eventually agree with each other. Once you increase through your levels, that is.¡±

    Kopius felt his temperature start to rise. Every bit of new information brought ten more questions to his mind, and then he would stumble over what to ask next. He slid off the shelf and started to pace. ¡®Dainty¡¯ is a new one, Kopius thought to himself, trying to get his mind right.

    ¡°Have you read anything about getting me home?¡± Kopius asked, figuring it was the most important of all the questions.

    ¡°No,¡± Oh-jin said with some regret. ¡±Nothing yet. There are still many, many notes that I need to go through. I also recall having these talks with Lexore in the past, and he was of the mind that, in theory, one could return the soul to its original vessel.¡±

    ¡°Ok then,¡± Kopius perked up. ¡±Can I help you read through these? Where do we start?¡±

    ¡°Ha, thank you, but you will need to help yourself in another way,¡± Oh-jin replied. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°How so?¡± Kopius asked with reservation.

    ¡°To begin with, you are curious enough that questions would abound and we would never get through all the readings. Secondly, and more importantly, you need to increase your level. From what I can recall of Lexore¡¯s theories, he suggested that certain items and artifacts would be needed. Items and artifacts that would require an adventurer to have a Form at a minimum. A Mastery, if possible. You do not even have a Practice!¡±

    Oh-jin had a point about the questions, Kopius conceded to himself. My questions have questions, Kopius lamented. There is that ¡®Practice¡¯ and ¡®Form¡¯ thing again¡­ Mastery is new.

    ¡°I understand that leveling up is important, but how? I have random blank windows popping up. Some are gray, others bronze. Sometimes they glitter or sparkle, and other times they don¡¯t. When you sent me for the flowers, it was glittering bronze, and I couldn¡¯t close the window until I thought ¡®yes¡¯. Yet, when you gave me the gloves, it was a gray border, and I was able to close it no problem.¡± Kopius finished, obviously flustered.

    Oh-jin just nodded his head before answering.

    ¡°Gaining experience can come in many ways,¡± Oh-jin began. ¡±Accepting quests, finishing tasks, or engaging in battle are the most common. We gain experience for advancing Attributes and developing our Skills. Until you reach level 10, the powers of the Universe allot you experience just like the accelerator distribution. From what I can gather, this is a check and balance. The Universe¡¯s way to stop the potential for power leveling. It stops¨Cor at least slows down¨Cpeople from trying to over-power their offspring.¡±

    ¡°I guess that makes sense,¡± Kopius replied, unconvinced. Oh-jin shuffled the books he had placed to the side before pulling one and showing it to Kopius.

    ¡°I have a few books for you to take with you, but this one will be the most informative,¡± Oh-jin said. ¡°In here you will find a guide of sorts, an outline of basic functions, and meanings of your profile.¡± He handed the book to Kopius. It read:

    Handbook of Universal Definition: Volume 1

    ¡°Did everyone that came through here get one of these too?¡± Kopius asked while flipping through the book.

    ¡°No,¡± Oh-jin answered. ¡°They all had full functionality of their profile. I was able to explain what they were seeing. Your profile goes a lot deeper than what we have discussed, but until you can see it in full, we are left with the basics. This book and these other three,¡± Oh-jin continued, gesturing to the other books at his side. ¡±You will take these with you and read them when you can. They will cover things like your profile, common and branch magic, Attributes, known Practices, and Forms. There is also a part about the color of the borders as well as equipment tiers.¡±

    ¡°Do these come in audiobooks?¡± Kopius said with a laugh. ¡°Maybe Steven Pacey or some Nick Podehl? Jeff Hays? You say Jeff Hays and I¡¯m all in.¡±

    ¡°I do not understand.¡± Oh-jin relied.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Kopius said, shaking his head. ¡±Wishful thinking. I just don¡¯t understand why I can¡¯t stay around here, read, and level up. You gave me a quest, I think. Can¡¯t we just do that a couple hundred times and be done with it?¡±

    ¡°These books will explain a bit better, but I will say this.¡± Oh-jin returned to his teaching cadence. ¡°Numerical values only appear for levels, whether that be your personal level, Attribute level, or magic. Progression to the next level is displayed by a slender, sliding bar being filled. Furthermore, as an example, if a level 40 warrior were to slay a level 20 ice wolf, he would receive less experience than a level 15 warrior killing the same beast. There are many factors that account for progression. To answer your question, yes, I could send you to pick flowers, but such a simple task would be like emptying the ocean one drop at a time, in terms of experience.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Kopius said. It made sense that the lower-level warrior would have a more difficult time killing the beast, hence receiving more XP. He cringed internally at the idea that there were no numbers to reference. It was always nice to know that you only needed 1000 XP to advance to the next level. It was even better knowing that he could kill, say, ten ice wolves to reach it. A sliding bar indicator was just the worst, and it seemed gaining experience had a sliding bar too. Not that I can see any of it!

    ¡°Any idea when I can see all of this? When will my profile show up?¡± Kopius finally asked.

    ¡°That is still a mystery,¡± Oh-jin answered. ¡°Possibly when your Intelligence comes to life. If not then, it may be when your Practices are presented to you. The Universe seems to think you are but a baby, yet here you are looking like a strapping young lad. I believe you will see your profile in time, and in that time, you should focus on increasing your levels.¡±

    ¡°But how do I do that?¡± Kopius asked in annoyance. ¡°Am I just going to go walk aimlessly killing things and hope I don¡¯t die in the process? Is there a quest board somewhere?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, ¡±Oh-jin said in soothing tones, ¡±I am not going to just release you into the wild, my boy. I have some items for your travels; rations and remedies.¡±

    Oh-jin began to remove empty vials from random shelves. They were all the familiar, circular, hand-sized glass potion bottles that one would expect, complete with a wedged-in cork stopper.

    After collecting enough of the identical bottles, Oh-jin made his way to the back science stations and started to fill them. He filled five vials per station, producing three different sets: red, blue, and yellow. Oh-jin then placed down the four books and several pieces of orange stalk that resembled carrots. Last, from yet another shelf, Oh-jin brought out a pair of shin-high, leather boots.

    Kopius eyed the boots longingly, thinking of his exposed toes and all the stubbing, poking, and splinters he had managed to endure along the way. The idea of having protection on his feet gave Kopius a sense of relief that he never would have expected. Cory wouldn¡¯t be caught dead without a pair of shoes on. Unless sleeping or bathing¡ªshoes were on. The sandals Kopius wore were a far cry from being barefoot, yet he¡¯d missed the protection of real shoes more than he had realized.

    ¡°Are those for me?¡± Kopius asked with glee in his eyes.

    ¡°Indeed, all of it,¡± Oh-jin said, smiling as he handed the boots to Kopius.

    He willed away the blank window after being handed the gear, and then dropped to the ground to untie his sandals. Once he had both feet in the large boots, he stood and anxiously hoped for the boots to shrink to his size. Thankfully they did, and Kopius paced about to get a feel for them.

    ¡°This is so much better!¡± Kopius beamed.

    ¡°Very good!¡± Oh-jin said happily. ¡°These will be useful for two reasons. First, it will indicate if your Intelligence has come to life, and you will know this by the second reason. These boots can use a portion of your mana to produce fire when you strike something.¡±

    Kopius immediately stopped his pacing and craned his neck towards Oh-jin.

    ¡°My boots will start fires?¡± Kopius asked in concern.

    ¡°Not while you are walking,¡± Oh-jin said with a laugh, ¡±Or while you are running or doing any kind of remedial task. Some aggression is involved¨Cand mana.¡±

    ¡°I am going to need you to elaborate on that for me,¡± Kopius replied, unwilling to move.

    ¡°Your Intelligence is not active, so you do not have to stand there,¡± Oh-jin lectured. ¡°Even if you had accessible mana, you would still need to push it into the boots for the fire to activate. This book will cover how to do that.¡± Oh-jin picked up one of the four books before saying, ¡±Read this one first.¡±

    Manabolism: Flow and Function

    ¡°Now, if we can move on to the how,¡± Oj-jin stated, moving the conversation along. ¡°I will need more cyanins, optical-quartz, and eyebright in case we need to look at you again. Cyanins and eyebright are found easily enough in the wild. The optical-quartz will need to be purchased at a blacksmith or a weaver. These people can be found in most towns or villages, and you may be able to barter a quest from them to pay for it. These will help with your growth. Since you can see your level, return here when you reach 10.¡±

    A blank window with a bronze, glittering border popped into view, and Kopius thought, Yes. It disappeared and was quickly replaced by another blank window with a glittering, bronze border.

    ¡°Two quests?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Oh-jin replied. ¡±One for the cyanins and eyebright, and the other is for the blacksmith or weaver.¡± Kopius nodded and accepted the quest. Looks like my tutorial is coming to an end here, he thought.

 TBC Chapter 18

    CHAPTER 18

    ¡°Alright, I get it,¡± Kopius said. ¡±What about the rest of it? What does it do? And how am I supposed to carry all this?¡±

    Oh-jin went on to explain that the small, softball-sized vials were health, mana, and stamina restore potions: red, blue, and yellow, respectively. Each potion bottle restored all of their respective stat. The orange stalks that looked like carrots were, in fact, carrots. They were just the size of an ear of corn and the color was dull. Oh-jin had also mentioned giving him a small waterskin before he was to leave.

    Kopius had a growing anxiety inside him. He was not sure if it was fear or wonder giving him the slight feeling of nausea. The more items Oh-jin checked off the list of things to explain, the closer Kopius was to being sent out into the wilderness.

    It reminded him of trying out for the varsity baseball team as a sophomore after an injury had prevented him from playing his freshman year. Most of the boys were a full head taller and had all but finished puberty. Cory, though skilled, had heard a lot of reasons from a lot of different people as to why he would not make the team. The older boys did not like the idea of some scrawny youngster trying to take one of their spots, and they were not shy about it either.

    He was nervous the night before tryouts, and it was even worse as he suited up. He felt like throwing up until the batter hit the first ball to him, and his instinct took over. It was in that moment of subconscious movement that Cory forgot everything and just played the game. It was the same game he had played his whole life¨Cwith a little more speed. His composure returned, his doubts subsided and he¡¯d just played the game. Just play the game, Kopius thought to himself, breaking from the memory.  Breathe.

    ¡°I have two last items. These will be the most useful to you,¡± Oh-jin said in his lecturing tone. The old scientist produced a cylindrical piece of wood that was two or three inches in diameter. The wood was roughly six to seven inches in length and appeared smooth on all surfaces. It had the look and sheen of a baton that would be used in a relay race.

    Oh-jin held the piece of wood close, like a long-lost teddy bear or an item long cherished. After a few moments of reverie, the old man extended his arm as if to hand it to Kopius, but he shook his head no when Kopius reached for it.

    ¡°Quinn,¡± Oh-jin said in a raised tone, ¡±Quinn Train, you have a new student.¡± The two stood there for a moment, Kopius at a loss and Oh-jin with a frown growing on his face.

    ¡°Quinn!¡± Oh-jin shouted. ¡±I said you have a new student, damn it all!¡±

    After a few more moments, Oh-jin¡¯s head started to bob around like he was listening to unheard music.

    ¡°Thank you for blessing us with your presence,¡± Oh-jin said after a moment, his comment dripping in sarcasm.

    Another pause.

    ¡°Far be it from me to take you away from your official duties,¡¯¡¯ Oh-jin responded to whatever he was hearing.

    Kopius was a bit concerned with the change in demeanor coming from Oh-jin. The old man had lost his aura of pleasantness and now was acting like a person calling a relative they do not care for.

    ¡°No, no, those are not your official duties nor a requirement of your position. We have been over this, Quinn,¡± Oh-jin said while rubbing at his temple with his free hand. ¡°You train the novices in exchange for your¡­ your¡­ luxuries. It is not the other way around! Now accept your assignment and fulfill your duties!¡±

    Oh-jin returned to his nodding, I-am-listening routine.

    ¡°Yes, fine, you will not be summoned for some time. Are you ready?¡± Oh-jin said and then nodded again.

    ¡°Kopius, my boy, grab a hold here,¡± Oh-jin said, instructing Kopius to grab the top part of the wooden looking baton. It was cool to the touch, smooth, with a brown metallic sheen to it. It felt like pulling a cold soda can out of the fridge. Each end was sealed off with a sleek, rounded, rose gold colored cap that gave the impression of an elongated pill container; or a dildo. The cylinder started to warm up and then held a steady, comfortable heat before dissipating back to a slight chill. Oh-jin released his end of the wood, and Kopius pulled it closer to get a better look.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Kopius inquired with awe in his voice. He turned the piece around and upside down, running his hand across the smooth surface.

    ¡°That thing is a unique training apparatus, commonly known as a Pugil Staff,¡± Oh-jin explained. ¡°This and the others like it were cherished items among the wealthy; the powerful. These helped to train warriors with a variety of weapons. A sparring partner to advance your skill faster. Much safer than learning on the battlefield and just as effective.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a great tool! How do I use it?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Very useful,¡± Oh-jin emphasized. ¡±As for using it, well, that will also require mana, like the boots. But when you do have mana, simply do as I did while pushing mana into it.¡±

    ¡°And I will figure out how to push mana from the book, right?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Correct,¡± Oh-jin said.

    ¡°What or who is Quinn Train?¡± Kopius inquired.

    Oh-jin let out a long sigh before he answered.

    ¡°Quinn was a respected¨Cfeared even¨Cswordsman, a Jinovian icon. He was a preeminent soldier and sought-after instructor. He is also a bit self-righteous and a drunk. Harmless, though; besides his tongue, that is. Trust that Quinn will tell you all about himself¡­ all the time. He will also be able to teach you how to use your swords, among other weapons, but you will need mana to make it work.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°And I will know my mana is active when I kick something and set it on fire?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Oh-jin replied.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kopius said, rubbing his hands together. ¡°How am I going to carry all this shit?¡±

    Oh-jin started to pat himself down and rummage through the various pockets on his person. He looked dismayed as his searching produced no items. He then snapped his fingers, came closer to Kopius, and presented his hand as if expecting to slap some skin. Kopius resisted the urge to low-five the old man''s hand, and a moment later a ring materialized in Oh-jin''s palm.

    ¡°Whoa!¡± Kopius exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s a cool trick.¡±

    The ring looked like granite, speckled with gray, white, and amber colors. Kopius picked up the ring, closed the blank window that popped up, and remarked at how light it was. The ring''s texture reminded Kopius of sandstone or pumice. Pieces of amber glimmered in the soft light from Oh-jin¡¯s lab. They looked like individual honeycombs placed randomly about the ring.

    ¡°Put it on,¡± Oh-jin insisted.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°It is how you are going to ¡®carry all this shit,¡¯¡± Oh-jin said, waving his hands across the items. ¡°Put it on.¡±

    Kopius obliged, placing the ring on his right pointer finger, and it adjusted to fit. To his surprise, a window popped into his field of vision and something was there. A four-by-four block grid was present inside the window.

    ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Kopius exclaimed, ¡±I can see a grid!¡± He closed the window with a thought, then he realized he did not know how to open it back up. ¡°Ah,¡± he said apprehensively, ¡±I closed it. How do I bring it back?¡±

    ¡°Focus on the word ¡®inventory¡¯ and you will see it. Give it some practice,¡± Oh-jin replied.

    Kopius did as told until he was comfortable with the process.

    ¡°Now let us try to put something in your inventory,¡± Oh-jin said with a smile and placed a book in front of Kopius. ¡°Place your hand on the book and focus not on the book itself, but the book moving into the ring.¡±

    It took several tries, but Kopius felt accomplished when the book finally disappeared and he could see the item in his inventory window. A miniature book occupied one square, identical to the same book but infinitely smaller.

    ¡°Very good!¡± Oh-jin praised. ¡±Now remove the item in the same manner, except imagine the item in your hand.¡±

    Again, Kopius did as instructed and was successful much sooner. The book dropped from his hand and made a loud thud when it hit the floor.

    ¡°Palm up,¡± Oh-jin said, showing him the proper way. ¡±Unless you want everything to fall to the ground. Now place these four books in your inventory.¡±

    Kopius did as instructed, and the four books took up four individual inventory slots.

    ¡°And these,¡± the chemist said, gesturing to the fifteen vials.

    When Kopius placed the potions in his inventory, they only took up three individual slots.

    Nice! Like items stack, Kopius thought with a smile.

    ¡°Remove a book,¡± Oh-jin requested.

    ¡°Which one?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Oh-jin said. ¡±Do you know their titles?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Kopius replied in frustration, having just read two of the titles not that long ago.

    ¡°Focus on the word ¡®book¡¯ and try to remove one.¡±

    When Kopius executed this, all four books appeared in his hand forcing him to do a balancing act before setting them down.

    ¡°Well done. Try to remove a health potion now,¡± Oh-jin said.

    ¡°I can¡¯t juggle, man. You really want to clean up that mess?¡±

    ¡°Just try it,¡± Oh-jin insisted.

    Kopius turned his palm up and willed a health potion from his inventory. To his relief, only one potion vial appeared.

    ¡°I get it,¡± Kopius conceded, returning the potion to his inventory. ¡°If I know the title of the book, I will pull that one book from my inventory. What if I have, like, three different swords in here. Are all three swords going to come out?¡±

    ¡°Same as the books, my boy,¡± Oh-jin said, smiling. ¡±To avoid that, the sword¨Cswords, I suppose¨Cwould need a designation.¡±

    ¡°Like a name?¡± Kopius guessed.

    ¡°Yes, like a name,¡± Oh-jin confirmed. ¡°You give it a designation, or a name, the first time it enters your inventory. This way you can recall the item by the given moniker.¡±

    ¡°Any name, huh?¡± Kopius said. ¡±I could call it sword one, two, and three?¡±

    ¡°If you like to keep things simple,¡± Oh-jin answered. ¡°Use whatever convention will stick with your memory.¡±

    In the absence of any loot to name at the moment, Kopius put the matter to the side.

    ¡°I see sixteen slots to store things. What can¡¯t I put in here?¡± Kopius asked anxiously, not allowing his imagination to run away with all the possibilities.

    ¡°You cannot put anything in that you could not lift yourself,¡± Oh-jin started to recite, ¡±living creatures; sentient or otherwise¨Cyou cannot remove doors, you cannot take in liquid unless it is contained in some fashion, you cannot store active traps, torches or devices. There may be a few I am missing, but that should cover most.¡±

    Kopius nodded along as Oh-jin had gone down the list. Everything the old man had said was consistent with Cory¡¯s experience gaming, and this further eased the tension weighing on Kopius. His small pangs of anxiety started to lean towards a sense of excitement, an emotion he had not had in quite some time. An emotion he was not quite sure what to do with. He felt like an eight-year-old waiting for their food to settle so they could return to the pool.

    ¡°What about the weight? Is it reduced in any way?¡± Kopius asked, rubbing the coarse stone on his finger.

    ¡°Weight is negated,¡± Oh-jin replied.

    ¡°Really?¡± Kopius said, surprised. ¡°So long as I can pick it up and that other stuff.¡± Kopius further marveled at the ring, as he was not expecting a full weight reduction. ¡°Do I have to actually pick up the item or do I just have to be able to pick it up?¡±

    ¡°You do not have to physically lift the item, but there are limitations. Even though you may be able to lift a small tree, it is still rooted in the ground. Or, let us say, a dagger tied to a belt. You would not be able to brush your hand across the weapon and place it in your inventory, as it is attached to the person,¡± Oh-jin explained.

    ¡°What if, let¡¯s say, a coin purse was sitting on a table, not tied down or anything, just sitting there?¡± Kopius suggested. ¡±Would I be able to brush the purse, as you say, and place it in my inventory?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Oh-jin replied with some annoyance. ¡±As long as you can pick up the item and it is not tethered down in some manner, it can be placed in the inventory. Petty thievery is a sure way to lose your hand, boy!¡±

    ¡°I was just asking,¡± Kopius replied, his hands raised in placation, a devilish grin on his face. ¡°I will keep my pettiness to a minimum.¡±

 TBC PART II Chapter 19

    PART II

    CHAPTER 19

    Cory opened his eyes and was tied to a chair. He¡¯s in Oh-jin''s lab, but instead of a claustrophobic-inducing short ceiling cave he is in a room that is part modern classroom, part morgue. He sees who he at first thinks is Oh-jin and tries to call out to him, but his voice is absent, sound is absent. He tries more yelling¨Cto no avail. The straps holding him are tightening as Cory struggles to free himself. The man turns to walk towards him, his face in constant shadows. When the man is close enough, he kicks over the chair and Cory falls on his back. The stranger straddles Cory, then pulls back the shadows revealing a scary, distorted, screaming monstrosity. He clenches his eyes shut, bits of phlegm and saliva pelting his face.. When he opens them again, he is in his O.B.S.E. machine, the air barely breathable and pressure pushing at his body from all angles. Cory, nearing suffocation, opens his machine. He is greeted with fresh air, and the feeling of depressurization of his body like a balloon deflating. He finds himself standing by a lake with a beautiful waterfall, Cory smiles at the scene, though the water is louder than it should be. Water is rising above the shore. It reaches up to his ankles, knees and then hips before he begins floating in a vast ocean. Before he can panic, the current picks up and Cory starts swirling in circles. Faster and faster until being flushed down a toilet, the nightmarish face looking down the drain laughing.

    Kopius jerked awake, breathing heavily, his vision trying to find focus. His eyes adjusted and he found himself in the same place he had laid down to sleep the night before. Cici¡¯s private garden looked as it had the first time he¡¯d woken up here, minus Cici.

    Just a dream.

    Lifting himself to stand, he paused, noticing that an area on his pants was darker than its surroundings. Kopius returned to a sitting position, legs out straight as though he was about to stretch. As he gawked at the offending agent, his mind became clogged with overlapping emotions. Dread and wonder circled about his brain while his curiosity was in a tug-of-war with Kopius¡¯s growing need to remain ignorant and what had happened.

    ¡°No,¡± Kopius whispered.

    He could feel the pit of despair returning to his stomach, his breath picking up speed but coming in shorter spurts. Try as Kopius might to create different possibilities, the wet mark that covered the crotch of his pants had the undeniable smell of urine. He tentatively leaned in to smell, then quickly jerked back.

    Kopius started to violently swipe at the damp cloth, hoping to rid himself of the impossibility. He paused once to smell his hand and that only made him more adamant to get away from it. Kopius began to vigorously scoot backwards, trying to put distance between him and the pants. After a few quick scoots with no success, he tried to squirm and remove the pants, yet they were stuck by the boots he still had on.

    Kopius removed the boots hastily, stripped the pants and heaved them across the small garden. He sat there for many moments trying to find an inkling of composure. While his mind attempted to fit a square piece of logic into a circular hole, reality sat in a heap on the ground where he had thrown it. He couldn¡¯t deny his senses, even in a world that didn¡¯t make any. He knew what he had to do, but was frozen by the implications.

    Slowly, meticulously, he stood¨Cas though any sudden movements would alert the pants of his presence. After dusting off his feet and putting the boots back on, Kopius stood in the middle of the garden half naked, in a state of unease. His body was stiff from sleeping on the ground while his mind was stiff as well but that was expected first thing in the morning. His stomach started to give indications of hunger rather than his usual foreboding pangs of impending doom.

    Kopius summoned one of the large carrots from his inventory¨Csomething he had practiced on his journey back to the small private glen¨Cand ate it. He then took a drink from his modest waterskin. With breakfast out of the way, Kopius squatted beside his pants. The smell of urine made passes at his nose while he stared. He glanced at the naked lower half of his body and came to a decision¨Che would have to put them back on.

    But not like this, he mused.

    Picking up the soiled rag, Kopius walked over and placed it on one of wooden poles sticking out of the ground. Had there been any wind, he would have made himself a flag. Yet there was no wind, so the pants hung there limply. After some thought, Kopius began to stoke the dying embers of the fire until he had a low, steady flame. He then took the wet pants and laid them on the rod that would have held a pot, while he held the pant legs away from the small fire. He stood there motionless, thoughtless, his eyes fixated on the fire below. The thousand-yard stare was interrupted when the smoke adjusted in his direction, making Kopius move to the other side, flipping the pants over in the process.

    He began to reason with the new information. Reasoning led to low levels of frustration. In his mind, he was left with one of two improbabilities: he was actually, physically in Metem, or he could pee in games again. There were no other reasonable, rational, or sane explanations and peeing made a lot more sense.

    ¡°How did that saying go?¡± Kopius wondered aloud. ¡°Something about the least amount of steps or something? Or the simplest answer¡­ no. Least steps¨Cthat¡¯s right. When faced with a problem, choose the answer with the least steps.¡± He was sure he was butchering the phrase but understood it well enough. Cory had called it the ¡®Razor¡¯ approach, though he always got confused whether it was Occam or Hanlon that wrote it. I think Hanlon was the malice versus stupidity guy, Kopius guessed. Regardless of who wrote what, the tension building from the stress of it all slowly dissipated. Being stuck in a broken game that he could pee in was much easier to reconcile than the alternative.

    Kopius felt like smiling, like he had figured out some small puzzle. He gave a small chuckle at the thought that it had, thankfully, been a long time since he had peed himself. Laughter turned into coughs at the thought of going number two¨Cand the absence of wet wipes to clean his rear. That¡¯s just as bad as walking around barefoot, Kopius thought with a shudder.

    That slight tremble was enough to coax the pants off the rod and they dropped into the fire. Kopius quickly pulled the pants out, thankful for it not being aflame, though he stomped on it nonetheless. He picked them up and started to whip them in a fashion that one would do with a beach towel to remove the sand. Bits of debris pelted his face, but he carried on, eyes clenched shut.

    Holding the pants out at arm¡¯s length to assess the damage, he was relieved to see only minor burn marks and soot stains. The pants were dry, though they were no more comfortable to put on than the first time he had done it. His manhood would be safe from being scratched by random branches, but he lamented the fact that he was basically wandering around in thick pajamas. Additionally, he stank of smoke and soot, with a trailing cloud of urine muskiness. Maybe it will keep the wildlife away, Kopius hoped.

    He extinguished the fire with handfuls of dirt, collected his meager belongings, and opened his map. Three red splotches appeared, showing Kopius the way past the small minefield of traps.

    Hours passed by as Kopius trudged his way through the ever-thickening dead forest. Along the way, and in spite of the low light, Kopius had noticed the spots that Cici had likely stepped in. There was no well-beaten path to follow and the big man''s footsteps made random indentions in the ground and other debris. Once Kopius had picked up on the clues, his progress out of the valley became more of a slow walk rather than a crawl. After following Cici¡¯s path for about an hour, a blank window appeared, startling him. He closed it and returned to his struggle, wondering the whole time, What the hell was that for?

    Eventually, the walls of the valley began to drastically taper in. The trees became even more dense, to the point that Kopius¡¯s Night Vision kicked in. He could make out both sides of the valley and began to hope very feverishly that he had not missed an exit along the way. He kept moving forward, following the trail of Cici¡¯s elusive footprints. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    The farther he walked into the darkness the quicker his heartbeat picked up; expecting danger to jump scare him at any moment. Dead trees littered his path, while he noticed that others had started jutting out of the valley walls horizontally, creating an impromptu canopy.

    ¡°Sword one,¡± Kopius whispered.

    His short sword appeared in his hand, the blade resting on his palm. He silently shook his head in disappointment¨Che had yet to figure out how to remove the sword from his inventory with the hilt in his palm. Twenty paces into the canopy, Kopius would have been in total darkness if not for his Skill. Slowly he scooted around obstacles and squeezed past trees.

    ¡°How did he fit through here!¡± Kopius grumbled to himself, lowering to a crouch to move forward. Several minutes later Kopius caught the smallest glimmer of light through the trees. He redoubled his crouch-walk until he was able to walk-walk, breaking through the last of the dead lumber.

    A sense of relief poured into Kopius as he stepped out of the dark valley. His lips curled into a genuine smile. In front of him lay a sprawling, healthy, colorfully flamboyant forest with glowing rays of sunshine lighting the land entirely. Trees of varying height and genus covered the rolling landscape. Wild grass and bushes sprouted out in abundance. The air was fresh and filtered; the finest Perri-Air.

    It all stood in stark contrast to the apocalyptic forest he had just slogged through. Here, there was room to move and run, if needed, just like the outdoors he had experienced as a child. Granted, the trees and plants had an extensive variety of colors and shapes. More than he was used to; giving it the credence of feeling ¡®otherworldly¡¯.

    Kopius took in a deep breath of fresh air and enjoyed the openness.

    Man, the developers really did a great job, Kopius thought as he took in all the small details. It was like he had stepped out of a monochrome silent film and straight into a color one with a complete home theater system. The sounds and smells of a thriving forest made their way into his senses, and he all but forgot the dense dreariness of the valley behind him.

    Looking over his shoulder, Kopius was surprised to see the valley wall standing tall, a massive barrier separating the lush forest from the darkness. He turned to get a better look.

    In both directions, a continual mass of rock jutted thirty or more feet above the surface. It created a natural, vertical wall that spanned as far as he could see. One gigantic crack marred the otherwise smooth surface of the foreboding barrier. In it was the small space Kopius had come out of, though it looked like a foxhole in relation to its surroundings.

    Just looking back toward that dark valley began to rob Kopius of what joy he had felt about getting out¨Che remembered that he would have to come back here and find this place. He would have to go back through there. This line of thought also reminded him ¡®why¡¯ he was doing it in the first place. His cheery moment passed and Kopius returned to his normal brooding.

    ¡°Tidus of Kon, logout,¡± Kopius said aloud, his fingers crossed.

    Nothing. He exhaled in disappointment but not in surprise.

    Head straight out of the valley, have a splash in the first river you come to and then head downstream, Kopius thought to himself. These were roughly the instructions Cici had told him, if he wanted that drink. Oh-jin, on the other hand, had not specified a direction. Just that he would need to find a blacksmith or a weaver. If Cici¡¯s directions were correct, getting to Feral Crossing would be the easy part. Getting back, on the other hand, was another story.

    Kopius considered creating placemarkers, like stacks of rocks, as he headed toward the water. He looked about for any unique landmarks that would help guide him back. He wondered that, if he were to make traps, would he see the red dots to help show him the way. After filtering out most of his choices, he was left with stacking rocks or having Cici show him the way. Kopius could not expect that the big man would be able to bring him back. Furthermore, if Cici did bring him back, Kopius might owe him a favor or something.

    ¡°Nah,¡± Kopius said. ¡°I¡¯ll just stack rocks.¡±

    Roughly two hours into Kopius¡¯s journey to find the water crossing and he had given up on stacking the rocks. There were not as many as he had been expecting, and the ones he did find had to be peeled from the earth. He had reasoned that, whenever he reached the water, he would create something there instead.

    Since he had given up on scouting for proper stones, his pace greatly increased. The forest was alive with various sounds and aromas. He occasionally saw small, squirrel-like animals darting about the trees and the sound of birds squawking about the treetops. Kopius steered clear of colorfully flowered plants and bushes with fruit bared. He wanted to enjoy the new scenery, but the grip he had on his short sword was enough to create a diamond.

    He stopped for a moment and returned his sword to inventory. Creases were evident in his sword hand as he opened and closed it. Deep breaths failed to relieve him of any anxiety. It wasn¡¯t a full-blown attack, just the normal, day-to-day anxiety that had hounded him for too long now. Cory had experienced it for so long that not having it was, at times, worse.

    You have it and deal with it, or you don¡¯t and worry about it coming back, Kopius lamented.

    ¡°It always comes back,¡± Kopius said, shaking his head. ¡°Ain¡¯t no running from it.¡±

    Though that was true, it did give Kopius an idea. Regardless of someone¡¯s physique, running requires a lot of concentration. Cory had found that when running, it was as though his brain would cut off his ability to concentrate on anything else besides maintaining his balance and avoiding obstacles. The faster he ran, the less the worries of the world weighed him down. By all measures, Cory was fast. He didn¡¯t want to guess at how fast he could go now.

    Kopius started off at the pace of a swift walk, picking up speed as his footfalls became acclimated with the terrain. A pair of socks would have made him feel better. Cory¡¯s feet had a tendency to sweat and that led Kopius to believe it would be no different now. He did not want any part of that slippery stench. To the credit of the boots, they remained snug against him with no obvious chafing.

    The sound of crunching foliage changed to that of rustled grass as Kopius moved into a run. Trees and bushes zipped by his peripheral and wind rushed against his face until his breaths became too heavy for him to continue. He slowed back to a walk and found a tree to lean against. Though Kopius had no idea how far he had traveled, he knew that he had been moving really fast.

    That Haste Skill must really make a difference, Kopius thought¡­ between breaths.

    ¡°I mean, don¡¯t get me wrong, I was fast before,¡± Kopius said unabashedly, as if the Universe itself was attentively listening.

    He looked at his body with a new appreciation. Moving fast was something he knew how to do, or at least his younger self had been quite capable of. His new body¨Cavatar!, Kopius corrected himself¨Cfelt like an upgraded version of peak, twenty-year-old Cory. A time when all he did was eat, sleep and train for baseball. Kopius smiled briefly, remembering the good old days.

    Though, it wasn¡¯t long after his 21st birthday that Cory had gotten in trouble with the law.

    ¡°Use your fucking blinker,¡± Kopius whispered with indignation. His mood soured as he recalled the events that followed that statement: his arrest, arraignment, and prison. Where he should have learned his lesson and come out a better person, Cory had emerged bitter and disgruntled. His view on life had become even more selfish, as he felt he was ¡®owed¡¯ something for his transgressions.

    He would stumble from one failed quasi-legal scheme to the next, only making enough to get by. Some of the ideas were actually good ones, though¨Ceventually¨Cthey were grossly mishandled and ran into the ground. Cory had little to show for his good ideas, material or otherwise.

    Kopius laughed but with no mirth, recalling the time when repo-men had come to take his O.B.S.E. machine. The address they had been given was that of his neighbor. They had taken it while she was out of town. Cory just let it happen. At best, he had been an opportunist. At worst, there were several words that he could use, though ¡®loser¡¯ was one of the nicer ones.

    Even when he wasn¡¯t losing, the feeling of the other shoe dropping was anchored in the back of his mind. So much so that the feelings of joy and happiness would be quickly replaced by anxious wonder of how hard the scales would tip back, out of his favor.

    He was a loser then, and now; he was just an older, more creative loser.

    If they¡¯d taken mine maybe I wouldn¡¯t be here, Kopius thought with a grimace.

    Then he took off running again.

 TBC Chapter 20

    CHAPTER 20

    Kopius rested on a low shelf of rocks, eating a carrot. He was bathing in the sunlight and listening to the gentle sounds of a flowing river. Roughly twenty feet down a grassy slope, spattered with knee-high boulders, a large river ran through the landscape. Judging by the shadows, Kopius guessed that he had passed midday a while back and that he had been headed west when leaving the valley.

    Across the river, towering above the distant treetops, a great mountain range dominated the horizon. He could make out various white peaks, along with tree lines, but the mountain was a long, long distance away. North, Kopius decided. Its jagged peaks gave Kopius foreboding chills, as it looked like a place where winter never ended.

    But I¡¯m not headed that way, Kopius reminded himself with some relief. He was told to go down stream¨Ceast by his measure¨Cwhich he was now thankful for.

    Trees had become less numerous as he had gotten closer to the river. Dense forest and shrubbery led way to more open fields of grass and flowers. There were many large boulders that looked as though they had been pushed out of the earth; thousands of pimples on an otherwise beautiful face. The roots of trees often snaked their way across the rocks until entering the soil again.

    He had not encountered any large animals and the ones he had spotted were too quick for him to get any kind of specific details. Kopius had expected to come across at least one monster, or beast he could kill. In his gaming experience, this part was supposed to have basic things to fight and gain experience points from. A few easy targets to level up a couple times. What he had gone through was nothing short of a nature walk¨Cwell, run, in this case.

    As Kopius scanned the area across the river again, he noticed three mounds in the tall grass. What he had thought to be boulders, he could now make out to be animals of some kind, moving toward the water. Even from a distance of at least a hundred yards, they looked the size of small buffalos. Squinting, as if it would help zoom in on the creatures, he saw each of the three animals had two large circular disks where antlers would have been on a moose.

    Kopius took some tentative steps back behind the closest boulder that would give him cover. He hoped the river was too far to cross, or that they would just stay on that side. They didn¡¯t look dangerous from this distance, but Kopius would be happy with them not noticing him. He waited for a little over five minutes as the three animals meandered their way down to the water. The larger of the three approached the river and took a drink before the other two joined. Just needed a drink? Kopius thought to himself as he watched earnestly.

    He scanned his own side of the river, anxious at the thought that he had missed other camouflaged creatures. He jerked his head back to the three animals when he heard the high-pitched sound of an animal in pain. He couldn¡¯t make out what was happening at first, as large amounts of water splashed and sprayed. The animal on land, the biggest of the three, charged into the water, acting like it was going to ram something.

    There was a loud crunching noise like a large tree branch snapping in half as Kopius¡¯s view became clear. Something had come out of the water and grabbed one of the smaller land animals, trying to drag it to water. The charging animal had somehow stunned or killed the water creature with its circular antlers, dislodging the one captured.

    The two buffalo-looking animals lurched and scrambled out of the water as fast as they could, before all three sprinted away once they reached land. Kopius, surprised by what he had just seen, now noticed something floating awkwardly downstream. It looked like a large misshapen, waterlogged piece of wood that twitched.

    He continued to watch the object until it washed on his side of the riverbank a few hundred paces downstream. A long reptilian-like creature pulled itself up the shore using its two front appendages. Once it had fully emerged from the water, Kopius could make out that the creature''s two back legs were being dragged along, unmoving. After making it a few steps out of the water, the beast collapsed to the ground. It lay there, motionless.

    Kopius felt his heartbeat pick up, already knowing what he would do next. He looked around as though to find a clue, or some excuse to ¡®not do it¡¯.

    ¡°That thing is obviously injured,¡± Kopius whispered. ¡°We can just go up and around, avoid it all together.¡±

    He summoned a sword into his hand, and then grabbed the hilt.

    We don¡¯t need the weapon if we are going around, Kopius reminded himself.

    Maybe we should go over there.

    For what!?

    If nothing else, we need the XP.

    ¡°Blah,¡± Kopius grumbled to himself.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he stated aloud, ending the internal debate before it could go any further. He needed the experience.

    ¡­and this thing might be dead before I even get over there.

    Kopius paused when he was roughly twenty paces from the immobile creature. It was slightly obscured by the knee-high grass, but he could see it nonetheless. It had a long black torso with various, random spikes about its back. A short, stubby tail flopped slowly, the only sign the thing still had life. The head of the creature was diamond shaped. If the thing had been sand colored, Kopius would have guessed it was an extreme version of a bearded dragon.

    ¡°Still alive I see,¡± Kopius whispered. He summoned a baseball-sized rock from his inventory and held it firmly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see just how alive you are.¡± Kopius said, then hurled the rock. The rock missed its target and skipped into the river with a small splash. The animal showed no signs of noticing.

    A bit rusty, Kopius thought. He twirled his arms a few times to give it a stretch. But that¡¯s why we grabbed more than one.

    He summoned a second rock to his hand and this time it hit the mark. He hit the thing center mass and it flopped wildly. Its tail flapped violently and in its struggles the animal flipped onto its back. Without a moment to consider his next move, Kopius grabbed his sword he had stuck in the ground and took off running. In five strides he was on the beast.

    From what Kopius knew about lizards, their underbellies were the weak spots. Before the creature could bring itself upright, Kopius took his butterknife of a sword and skewered its underside. The beast squealed and bucked¨Cits tail swiped but missed Kopius¡¯s legs. He pushed harder using the pointy end to pierce and poke with the dull blade as best he could; eventually finding the beast equivalent of a heart. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    The thing bucked once more, whimpered, and then went limp. Unconvinced, Kopius stabbed it a few more times just to make sure. Blood streamed out of the large gash and pinholes Kopius had created in the beast, soaking the ground and surrounding area. He stuck his sword in the ground and hunched over triumphantly.

    ¡°Well,¡± Kopius said, catching his breath. ¡±That was exciting.¡±

    He was about to examine his kill, but paused when a blinking indicator started flashing in his peripheral vision followed by that bell sound again.

    Ding-dang

    A brief sense of accomplishment passed through him as he opened his profile page. Next to his name was the number 3.

    ¡°Nice,¡± Kopius congratulated himself on the new level. All I have to do now is find other, immobile, half-dead monsters to kill and I¡¯ll hit level 10 in no time. Kopius gave a brief laugh, knowing this was about as easy as it would get.

    He returned his attention to his kill. The animal, if it could stand, would have been slightly taller than himself. Its black body was hard and scaly, much like aquatic lizards. Its face resembled a snake and judging by its long row of teeth, Kopius assumed the animal was able to open its jaw very wide. A chill ran through him as he wondered if this was adult size or not. Its dark complexion was perfect cover for stalking prey from beneath the water''s surface.

    Now that he was only a few short steps from the river in which the beast had emerged, he felt¡­ unsafe. He wanted to put some distance between him and the water, but dragging the heavy creature would be a chore. There were no good handholds, and the slippery nature of its skin made gripping it near impossible. He tried to lift the creature, soaking his shirt in the process, but couldn¡¯t get it off the ground. He considered grabbing the animal by its exposed rib cage, yet the angle was all wrong.

    Kopius finally settled on taking his two swords, ramming them diagonally into the underside of the animal''s head and creating two handholds. It took a good twenty minutes, but Kopius managed to drag the beast back to the rock shelf he had been sitting on.

    He cleaned his swords in the tall grass before returning them to his inventory. After drinking from his waterskin, Kopius came to the conclusion that this dead animal would work well as a place marker. He reasoned that it was large enough to see, and that as long as something bigger didn¡¯t come along to take it, it would be here on his return. Most likely, he would smell the rotting carcass before seeing it.

    Kopius looked over his tattered, stained pants that now had several splatter marks of the beast''s blood on them too. He looked longingly at the river below, but decided he would rather curl back his own nose hair with the stench than try to wash his meager clothing in those waters. He wasn¡¯t keen on coming across a healthy version of this thing, nor did he want to wander the woods in soaked clothing. He would just have to continue down the river like a vagabond.

    Dusk had just begun to settle in as Kopius emerged from the tree line that ran along the river. Cut grass and tilled land lay before him. In the distance was a small village, smoke rising from several of the structures. He found what looked to be a well-beaten path and followed it in the direction of the town. The closer he got to the settlement the more he wondered if the place had been abandoned.

    Buildings, if you could call them such, that lined the outer boundary of the town were more like poorly made lean-tos than habitable structures. Many looked as though a stiff breeze would knock them over. Once past the clutter of crappy tee-pee¡¯s, a wooden fence made a large semi-circle around what looked like an old western town not fully built and with no clear plans of improving anytime soon.

    There were many structures beyond the wooden fence that were visible. The fence was a meager barrier that looked to be designed to keep animals in rather than a defensive structure to keep predators out. Kopius found that if he remained on the path he was on, it would take him through the official opening into town.

    There were no guards he could see, nor could he make out any movement beyond the entrance until he was practically making his way through it. He paused just past the fence when he spotted the first forms of life walking about inside.

    The small town had a straight path that led from the opening where he stood, to the river several hundred yards away. The buildings that lined the street were no more than two stories in height and in varying degrees of deprecation. Though the buildings were in vastly better shape than the lean-tos outside the fence, it was obvious that maintenance was only done out of necessity rather than preventative care.

    A few torches lined the streets, in front of stores that still had open doors. People were milling about, many coming from the direction of the river before ducking down side streets or alleys¨Cheading home, Kopius guessed. With the sunlight fading it was hard to make out specific features but Kopius could see a range of height differences easily enough.

    Casually, Kopius continued the beaten path and started to make his way to what seemed to be the only intersection in town. The wide road allowed him to keep his distance from the buildings. He would glance at windows that held candles in them, but he couldn¡¯t make out the interior of many of them.

    A large man, standing in the doorway of some kind of shop, was watching Kopius as he passed by. Kopius gave him the universal head nod for ¡®Whaddup¡¯ but the man just spit on the ground, turned inside, and shut the door.

    A few kids ran out of an alley not too far from Kopius, gave him a look of disgust, then proceeded down the street towards the river.

    ¡°Welcoming sorts here, I see,¡± Kopius said under his breath.

    Before reaching the well-lit intersection, he noticed an older lady sitting in a chair on an elevated porch, petting what looked like a large dog at her side. Kopius went to approach the lady, only to stop at some distance when the animal snarled in his direction.

    ¡°Sorry to bother you, ma¡¯am,¡± Kopius started, his hands up to show the animal he meant no harm. ¡°I¡¯m looking for the tavern, the Ring Worm. Could you point me in that direction?¡±

    The lady rocked in her chair, stroking the beast. She looked at Kopius for some time before replying.

    ¡°You smell like you¡¯re new here, friend,¡± the lady said with a scruffy voice, emphasizing the word friend to imply anything but. ¡±It may be a shit of a town, but you don¡¯t need to embrace it.¡± She chewed on her lip before continuing. ¡°You should be looking for a place to bathe,¡± she said in all seriousness. ¡°I can smell you from here, and you look like a trampled turd.¡±

    Kopius knew he smelled bad. As for how he looked, he could only imagine the sight. He had piss and soot on his pants, animal innards on his shirt, and mud all about from trekking along the river for so long. His hair was plastered back, and grime had built up along his face where he had routinely wiped away sweat. He was tired, sore, and had considered on more than one occasion to try a stamina potion to give him some kind of energy boost. He had reasoned that the potion didn¡¯t work that way, so he hadn¡¯t experimented¨Cyet.

    Kopius shrugged.

    ¡°The tavern will do for now, thanks,¡± Kopius replied, mustering up some annoyance.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let your trousers get bunched,¡± she replied with a raspy laugh. ¡°Besides, the drinks in that place,¡± she said, pointing diagonally across the street, ¡±will burn your nose hairs, so most won¡¯t notice.¡± Kopius looked over in the direction she had gestured and saw the tell-tale sign of swinging doors that made for most old-western bar entrances. Above the entrance was a large, off-center letter ¡®O¡¯, which Kopius was a bit confused by. As he looked he saw a few people were heading in while two came stumbling out.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Kopius said over his shoulder, making his way to the tavern.

    All four corners of the intersection had two-story buildings, and the structures looked to be the most well maintained of all that he had seen thus far. Opposite the tavern was a goods-and-supply store from what Kopius could make out through the windows.

    Another corner looked like a jail or some sort of government building. Overweight men in shoddy chainmail armor sat in front. They looked uninterested, with one of the three men asleep¨Cpassed out in his chair.

    The last building, opposite the jail-looking place, was possibly a place for lodging, but it wasn¡¯t obvious. With the night sky quickly approaching, Kopius stepped up to the swinging doors of the tavern and looked at the sign once again. A closer inspection showed what looked more like a snake than a worm, eating its own tail.

    The sounds of chatter and clinking glass carried out from the inside. Sour burps and bad breath also fought their way out too. Kopius could practically taste the disappointment spewing from inside; a taste he knew well enough.

    He gathered up what energy he had left and¨Cwith a deep breath¨Cstepped into the Ring Worm.

 TBC Chapter 21

    CHAPTER 21

    ¡°What¡¯ll it be?¡± the one-eyed bartender said without looking up as Kopius approached the actual bar inside the tavern. Oh shit, a cyclops, Kopius thought before remembering that he was in some kind of magical, medieval world¨Cgame, not a world, a game.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ uh, looking for someone I was supposed to meet here?¡± Kopius replied, scanning the various bottles that lined the shelf behind the man. The cyclops spit into the mug he was cleaning, ran a dirty rag inside it, and placed it under the bar. His one eye lazily veered in Kopius¡¯s direction and looked him up and down.

    ¡°I ain¡¯t in the business of people watching, friend, or people finding for that matter,¡± the bartender replied. It was clear Kopius was not, in fact, a friend. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for bounties, you¡¯ll find it across the way with the law.¡± The bartender turned back to his business of cleaning.

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing bounties,¡± Kopius began, not allowing his tiredness to lead to frustration. ¡°He told me to meet him here for a drink.¡±

    ¡°Drinks I can do. What¡¯ll it be?¡± Throwing his rag over his shoulder, the large one-eyed man leaned against the counter and waited for an answer.

    ¡°I¨Cah, don¡¯t have any money right now. The guy I am meeting will, his name is¨C¡±

    ¡°Boy, names mean nothing to me unless we exchange coins or goods.¡±

    ¡°What about services?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Services?¡± the man said with a huff.

    ¡°Yeah, like a cellar full of large rats to clear out or something?¡± Kopius said with a straight face.

    ¡°Nope,¡± the man said without blinking.

    ¡°A spider''s nest to get rid of?¡±

    He shook his head, visibly annoyed.

    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Kopius said, running his hands through his disheveled hair. ¡°What goods do you take?¡± The cyclops'' gaze traveled to the pouch that was tied about Kopius¡¯s waist and gave a look that suggested whatever Kopius had to offer wasn¡¯t going to be enough for even a drop of water.

    Kopius, reading the man¡¯s expression, started to feel the heat rise in his body. This asshole thinks I''m some broke-ass beggar or something, Kopius complained internally. This would have been a moment in Cory¡¯s existence to use an almost-maxed-out credit card and proclaim loudly that ¡°drinks are on me!¡±

    Absent a delinquent credit card, Kopius reached into the small pouch, summoned a healing potion, and pulled it out like a valuable stone. The eye of the barkeep widened ever so slightly, enough to give Kopius the clue that this was one of those ¡®goods¡¯ that would get him a drink, or three. A smirk crossed the lips of Kopius as he placed the potion bottle atop the bar.

    ¡°What will this get me?¡± Kopius asked with all the smugness that he could muster.

    ¡°That will get you drunk for a night or two and a room; or poached by the first scoundrel that sees what you''re carrying,¡± the bartender said, clearly giving more of a warning than a value proposition.

    The cyclops glanced over Kopius¡¯s shoulder and before the two could start to bargain, a portly man slid next to Kopius with a devilish grin on his own. The man had a greasy, gritty pig-face and a swine''s snout adorned with several piercings. He was a head shorter than Kopius and was dressed like someone who spent most of his time in the wilderness. A few sheathed knives were about his exposed belly on a belt that struggled to remain clasped.

    ¡°That, my friend,¡± the greasy man said nodding at the vial, ¡±will get you the name and location of anyone you may be looking for.¡± The man spoke with a slight lisp that sounded like the beginning of a drunken slur. ¡°It could also get you the best drinks Sloan has to offer for the night,¡± the snouted man continued, nodding towards the one-eyed barkeep. Sloan, apparently the name of the unwelcoming bartender, had leaned back from the conversation, seemingly wanting no part of it. ¡°But that¡¯s not the best you could get for that potion you got there.¡±

    ¡°No?¡± Kopius inquired. He returned the potion to the pouch and rested his back against the bar. ¡±What would the best deal be?¡±

    ¡°Your safety, of course.¡± The man smiled a bit wider, his grin exposing yellowish-green teeth with gaps where others had gone missing. His breath was vile, causing Kopius to gag slightly, which only made the man''s grin grow wider. Kopius brought his hand up, he cleared his throat and waved the man''s intrusive breath away.

    The pig-faced man suddenly had a knife out, poking it against his gut. Kopius froze, thoroughly surprised things had escalated so quickly. He raised his hands up as though the man had pulled a gun on him. The little pig man sliced the pouch from where it was tied on Kopius¡¯s belt, spit in his face, and turned away as though nothing had occurred. Kopius quickly wiped the loogie off his face; anger rapidly taking shape in his mind.

    It was one thing for him to be robbed¨Cafter all, he kinda¡­ sorta¨Cyou know¨Cflaunted the vial for everyone to see BUT getting spit in the face was a rage-inducing level of disrespect. He hadn¡¯t taken into consideration that he was a new face in an old town which probably didn¡¯t see new faces very often. Anyone looking to take advantage of a newbie, especially a newbie seemingly by themselves and visibly unarmed, would be watching. A quick glance around the occupants of the bar and Kopius could tell none had seen a thing. They remained too lost in their own conversations or miseries to notice. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Or they don¡¯t care, he thought.

    Kopius tried to calm his growing ire, slow down his breathing. He knew he would need to have his head on straight for what was going to happen next. The pig-man managed to get several paces away before he stopped in his tracks. That was the amount of time that Kopius had to get his head right. The greasy man turned slowly, chuckling to himself.

    ¡°You think you can pull a fast one on Brizzl,¡± the short pig-faced man spouted, catching the attention of the patrons that were close by. Brizzl raised the pouch and turned it upside down. A few flowers and small rocks fell to the floor at his feet.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the potion, boy?¡± the man said¨Clouder now, so that everyone in the bar could hear. The closer customers picked up their drinks and made for the back of the room, clearing out the general area around Brizzl and Kopius.

    In his past, Cory was no stranger to fights. Both in his nightlife of big cities or in prison, he had been in his fair share of fisticuffs. He often relied on his speed to overcome an opponent, though it hadn¡¯t always worked in his favor. His biggest issue was that he generally didn¡¯t throw the first punch, mostly in hopes that things could be worked out another way. Because of that, he¡¯d lost a lot of those fights. Prison had helped him see the value of striking first, even if he didn¡¯t want to.

    Kopius did not have to think long on how things would pan out here. Even if Kopius wanted to use his words or run out the door, he already knew that wasn¡¯t an option¨Cthat spit to his face had cemented the idea of beating this guy senseless. Kopius reached down his trousers, summoned the potion bottle, and pulled his hand back out.

    ¡°This potion?¡± Kopius replied, holding the vial in his hands. A grin passed across the face of Brizzl, and he pulled out his knife again.

    ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you hand that over so we don¡¯t leave a mess.¡± Brizzl replied.

    ¡°How about you buy me a drink and I¡¯ll give it to you?¡± Kopius offered, giving the impression of diplomacy.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather gut you and save myself the coin,¡± Brizzl replied with a sneer, taking a step forward.

    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Kopius said sheepishly and took a step forward as well, making the distance between them just a few steps. Kopius, being right-handed, was mindful to take his first step forward with his left foot to give himself proper leverage.

    Once that foot had touched the floor, Kopius said, ¡°Here,¡± and tossed the glass vial in a high arc, almost reaching the ceiling, toward Brizzl. Knowing this old baseball prank worked ninety-nine times out of one hundred, Kopius wasted no time closing the short distance to the distracted Brizzl.

    While the man¡¯s eyes were focused on the vial, Kopius landed a solid, bone-crunching punch to the man''s greasy snout and sent him sprawling to the ground. He then stomped on the outstretched arm holding the knife and kicked it away once it fell out of the man''s hand.

    Just as Kopius cast his gaze about for the flying potion vial, his legs were swept out from underneath him and he fell hard to the floor, banging the back of his head. Kopius quickly returned to his feet. Once he had his bearings he realized it was too late, Brizzl was already bull rushing him. The pig-man lifted Kopius up in a strong bear-like hug before slamming him down hard on a solid wooden bench. The impact drove the back of his head into the wood, air from his lungs and he was only able to get a short gasp before a strong hand clenched around his throat.

    Brizzl had Kopius pinned to the bench, one hand squeezing his neck and his other hand pounding into his sides. Kopius squirmed and shifted, trying to give himself the slightest respite. He scraped at Brizzl¡¯s eyes, and then punched him in his nose again. The fat man winced, loosening the grip around his neck enough that Kopius sucked in air before the hand clamped down again. The meager breath he managed to get in helped him gain a semblance of focus.

    With his left hand, Kopius was able to grab the wrist pounding into his sides and momentarily stop the blows. With his right hand, for no other reason than to give Brizzl what he wanted, Kopius summoned another healing potion. In a swift fluid motion he smashed it into the side of Brizzl¡¯s face, shattering the bottle in the process and sending the pig-faced man crashing back to the floor.

    Kopius, gasping in air, got to his feet. His neck burned and the sporadic air intake felt like a metal searing his throat. As best he could he took stock of his surroundings.

    Brizzl laid motionless on the tavern floor, blood leaking from his face. Kopius went to pick up a chair to smash on the man, but then felt a painful sting from his right hand. He looked to see his hand was sliced in several places, a victim of the potion bottle breaking.

    As he looked though, his hand began to heal, the lacerations closing until they left no trace of the wounds; not even a scar. He then looked back at Brizzl and saw that the man¡¯s face was also in a state of healing. Even with the pig-man¡¯s face healed he remained motionless on the floor. Still in his rage, Kopius picked up the closest chair and raised it over his head.

    ¡°That¡¯ll do!¡± came a booming, familiar voice from behind. Kopius turned around and saw Cici leaning against the bar. The big man turned to barkeep, made a gesture, and was given two large mugs.

    ¡°Cici?¡± Kopius coughed out, between gasping breaths, still holding the chair above his head.

    ¡°If it ain¡¯t the Shadow of the Valley himself!¡± Cici announced with a great laugh. ¡°I told you, Sloan, this is the lad that almost had me running for the hills!¡± Sloan looked at Kopius with the slightest hint of awe, at least as much as a one-eyed man could portray.

    ¡°Let us have a drink and talk about your adventures!¡± Cici continued as he made his way to a private booth. Kopius looked about the bar¨Call eyes were focused on him. After a moment, he absently let the chair drop behind him and it clattered to the ground. He gave Brizzl another look, spit on the unconscious swine, and walked back to the bar while rubbing at his sore throat. A blank window popped in his field of vision and he instinctively took a swing at it before closing it with his mind.

    ¡°Here¡¯s that drink¡­ Sir Shadow,¡± Sloan said shakily, sliding the mug toward Kopius.

    ¡°I¡¯m not¨C¡± Kopius sputtered, his throat very much in pain from almost being choked to death. ¡°I¡¯m not the Shadow or the Valley or whatever¨Che¡¯s just¡­ he thinks he''s funny.¡± Kopius finished, grabbing the drink.

    Another blank window with gray borders popped into view. He was confused for a moment before remembering that Cici had offered him a drink and that he was now, technically completing what he assumed was an optional quest. Better get some XP with that shit, Kopuis complained internally, then took his place in the booth opposite Cici.

 TBC Chapter 22

    CHAPTER 22

    The two men sat across from each other, Kopius nursing his injured throat while Cici sat there with an indomitable grin, enjoying his drink.

    ¡°Drink up, my boy,¡± Cici said, then took a sip. ¡±It will soothe both the pain in your neck and the worries in your mind.¡± Reluctantly, Kopius brought the mug to his nose and sniffed at the drink. To his relief, it had a soft aroma of something that reminded him of honey and freshly cut apples. Forgoing his ¡°will this kill me or make me stronger¡± testing method, Kopius took a long swig of the surprisingly cold beverage and relished the comfort it brought his aching throat. It tasted just as it smelled; Kopius wondered what the ragged old lady was talking about when she said these drinks would burn his nose hairs.

    ¡°Slow down there, killer,¡± Cici said with a laugh, ¡±can¡¯t have you stumbling into another squabble so soon!¡± Though Kopius could finish the whole mug, he opted to heed Cici¡¯s advice and put the drink down. He used his forearm as a napkin and took in some deep breaths, then cleared his throat a few times before speaking.

    ¡°I thought this was going to taste like shit,¡± Kopius said with less strain in his voice than he would have guessed. ¡°My throat only feels partially strangled now,¡± Kopius finished with a slight grin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, Kopius, that there is my special brew,¡± Cici said with a wink. ¡°The drinks here taste like fermented assholes otherwise!¡± he said loud enough to get a sideways glance from Sloan. ¡°I take some dried doobie and roll it with waxed honey,¡± Cici was saying, using hand gestures as though he was making it. ¡°Let that sit in the sun for a day before wrapping it all in the skin from a winesap. Drop that ball into a cask of your local tavern¡¯s swill and it makes for a fine drink, if I do say so myself!¡±

    Cici looked very proud of himself as he pulled out a reddish ball the size of a large marble and placed it in front of Kopius. He looked back and forth at his invention until Kopius got the hint and picked it up. The reddish object looked like the skin from an apple and smelled like tart honey. ¡°Keep it,¡± Cici said with another wink and drink of his ale. Kopius instinctively named the thing Applewax and summoned it into his ring. Cici¡¯s eyes narrowed a bit before he put his mug down, shaking his head.

    ¡°I thought so,¡± Cici said, nodding at Kopius¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Thought what?¡± Kopius replied.

    ¡°That you had a trick up your sleeve or, in this case, on your finger.¡± Cici said in a more hushed tone. ¡°Might want to learn some discretion with that little trick. That healing potion was enough to get you roughed up¨Cwhat do you think would happen if someone was wise to a ring with inventory space?¡± Kopius looked at his hand and then out at the rest of the bar occupants. Cici spoke the same way Sloan had about the potion bottle just before Brizzl had joined the conversation.

    ¡°I was being discrete,¡± Kopius said defensively. ¡°I reached into my sack before I brought out that potion.¡±

    ¡°True¡­ but not when you broke it across his face! Ha, ha¨Cthat was quite the move, by the way!¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute, were you here the whole time?¡±

    Cici nodded as he sipped from his mug.

    ¡°And you just watched the whole thing?¡± Kopius said with a bit of ire.

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°If you saw me come in, why didn¡¯t you say something?¡±

    ¡°I saw a disheveled man, looking as though the universe had puked him out of a swamp. It wasn¡¯t until I heard you speak that I made the stars align.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then why not help me out with pig-boy over there?¡±

    ¡°Kopius,¡± Cici said in all seriousness, leaning in, ¡±we are not friends¨Cyet. We shared a lovely night together, but you cannot tell what a man is made of from firelight stories. You showed real tenacity, my boy. And besides, I stepped in before you got yourself truly hurt.¡±

    ¡°Before I¨C¡± Kopius responded, confused. ¡°Before I smashed that chair on him? I think I had the situation handled,¡± he finished smugly.

    ¡°True enough,¡± Cici mollified. ¡°Though his people wouldn¡¯t have taken kindly to you killing him, even if it was justified. That¨Cwhat did call him? Pig boy, ha, they do resemble a farm hog, don¡¯t they. Anyhow, they call themselves the Cob Rollers, but we just say the Cob. They like to think they run this shit town and would have needed to make an example of you.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess, Brizzl is the brother of the leader or something?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Cici laughed before replying.

    ¡°Brizzl there is the shit I wipe off my ass in the morning. He¡¯s an enforcer in name only and wouldn¡¯t be missed in the slightest. No need to give him a second thought. See, here are his boys now,¡± Cici said, gesturing toward the tavern entrance.

    Kopius glanced over and saw four similarly-pig-faced men enter the tavern. When they saw their brethren laying on the floor, they quickly rushed to his aid. After they''d lifted Brizzl to a sitting position and slapped the man to wake up, Kopus could tell an explanation was taking place that ended with Brizzl pointing directly at Kopius.

    All four men stood up and stomped over in his direction. The tallest of the four slammed his hands down on the wooden table and glared at the two of them. Kopius, trying his best to not let his fear show, sat stoically while Cici had his customary grin plastered to his face. Kopius¨Cand Cory for that matter¨Chad never been fearful of a one-on-one fight as those often came down skill and luck. A four-on-one fight was a different scenario altogether, given that he did not expect Cici to get involved here either.

    ¡°Want to try your luck with one of us?¡± the taller of the four snarled, a drunk lisp evident as though it were a racial trait instead of alcohol addiction. Kopius was more surprised by another blank window popping into his field of vision than by the threat. I guess that wasn¡¯t just a rhetorical question, he thought

    ¡°Come now, Trilic,¡± Cici interjected, ¡±speak your piece in Common. You know damn well none of us speak whatever drivel you people call a language.¡±

    Kopius shot a confused look at Cici¨Che had understood the man clearly. Trilic glared at Cici and snorted at him.

    ¡°I was asking your level 3 princess here if she wanted to dance,¡± Trilic growled at Cici.

    Cici¡¯s face lit up and he clapped his hands together.

    ¡°You leveled up!¡± Cici said gleefully to Kopius. ¡°That is great news indeed!¡±

    ¡°But no,¡± he said, shifting his focus back to Trilic,¡± my boy, Kopius here, has danced enough for the night. Brizzl was kind enough to see to that.¡±

    ¡°What do you say, boy,¡± Trilic said pointedly to Kopius. ¡°You had enough for the night?¡± His fist balled up and firmly pressed to the tabletop. Kopius looked back and forth between the snarling, pig-faced man and the smiling portrait that was Cici. He couldn¡¯t help but notice the stark difference between the two men.

    ¡°What¡¯ll it be!¡± Trilic said, pounding his hands on the table, startling Kopius.

    ¡°I think I have had my fill for one night, but thanks,¡± Kopius finally replied, lifting his mug with a slight toast to Cici and taking a sip. The angry pig men huffed but made no other threatening moves or gestures. Trilic stood up and addressed his companions.

    ¡°Follow these two!¡± he said to them with irritation. ¡°I want to know how a level 3 nobody bested our level 19 enforcer!¡± The three other Cobs nodded in agreement. ¡°And find out where Cici lays his head¨Cit¡¯s high time we show him who we are.¡± The Cob¡¯s all laughed at that statement.

    ¡°Have a great night, boys!¡± Cici said with his mug held high after hearing his name.

    The two men watched the Cob gather up Brizzl and head out of the tavern. Sloan left his place behind the bar to clean up the mess that had been left from the fight. Once that was done, the tavern returned to its usual noises, volumes and odors; leaving Kopius and Cici alone in their private booth.

    ¡°Now that was the brother of the Cob leader,¡± Cici said with a smirk.

    ¡°You¡¯re not worried about them following us?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Why would they follow us?¡±

    ¡°That dude Trilic literally told those other three to follow us. Weren¡¯t you listening?¡± Kopius asked, confused.

    ¡°I only understand two languages, my boy: Common and Astral. Nobody speaks Astral, at least not anyone I¡¯ve heard in a very long time. When those Cob-gobblers start talking their tongue, nobody understands a thing.¡±

    ¡°I clearly heard them say, follow these two,¡± Kopius said, gesturing to the both of them.

    ¡°You understood them?¡± Cici said with a look of surprise.

    ¡°Yes, I did. I have this Skill that allows me to understand different languages. I just can¡¯t tell when they are speaking a different language and when they are speaking Common¡­ unless I am staring directly at their lips.¡±

    ¡°That is a very useful Skill indeed,¡± Cici replied, rubbing his chin. ¡°You should keep that to yourself¡­ my friend,¡± he finished, using Astral to say the last part.

    ¡°Oh, we''re friends now?¡±

    ¡°You do understand,¡± Cici said in amazement. ¡°Can you speak the languages too?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. LIke I said, I don¡¯t hear the actual language, it all sounds like Common to me.¡±

    ¡°That is too bad. Astral is a beautiful language, enough to swoon the coldest of hearts. So do tell, what else did the Cob have to say?¡±

    ¡°He wants to know how a level 3 defeated a level 19 and where you sleep at night. Something about you needing to be shown who they are.¡± Cici sat there and took in the information in silence. Kopius could tell the large man was considering his next move.

    ¡°I too would like to know that first part,¡± Cici finally said. ¡°But before we get to that, we should probably leave while those boys are dressing down Brizzl. To be safe, we will head out through the back.¡± The two men finished what was left of their drinks and Cici led the way.

 TBC Chapter 23

    CHAPTER 23

    The night air was cold and the sky was clear as the two men made their way through the trees and bushes that lay behind the tavern. Cici had produced a torch and guided them to a break in the fence that surrounded the small village, remaining silent for most of the walk. They kept up a steady pace until they reached the river somewhere downstream from the village.

    Another ten minutes or so of walking and they stood at the bottom of a tall rock shelf that rose well above the river. On both sides of the water were large rock faces, as though the river itself had split a small mountain and pushed it to either side. Cici then walked steadily away from the river, obviously having made this trek many times. Kopius was starting to get the impression that torch light was more for his sake than Cici needing to know where he was going.

    They scaled up some boulders to the top of the rocks, and then slid down the other side once the drop was a safe distance. Here the bushes were much taller and more dense. Kopius couldn¡¯t help wondering how they weren¡¯t catching fire as Cici used his torch to move branches out of the way.

    Soon they came to a small opening in the thick brush that had a backstop of the tall rocks. Beyond the small opening was a cave mouth of which Cici made a straight line for. Kopius, still not completely over the caves he had first found himself in, stopped short of entering.

    As Cici brought the light with him, a large cavern took shape, along with many homely features. There was a cot on the far wall and a firepit with various metal rods adorned about its edges. A number of large barrels¨Clike casks¨Cwere stacked by the cots, and clothes hung from a string like a clothesline. There were a few other pieces of functional furniture, little messes here and there. This fantasy world equivalent of a bachelor pad was only missing a Raquel Welch pin-up poster.

    As Kopius entered the space he could see that to his right was a small waterhole and to his left was a crudely made dresser with several drawers. There were other items of shapes and sizes that Kopius couldn¡¯t make out their purpose, but all in all, the place had a domesticated feel. Cici threw his lit torch into his firepit, and then added a large handful of dry branches before putting a few logs on top of those.

    ¡°Make yourself at home,¡± Cici said with a smile, gesturing to a wooden-backed chair that looked very similar to the one Kopius had been about to accost Brizzl with. ¡°Sloan traded with me,¡± Cici said, ¡±I had to fix it up a bit, but I can assure you it is almost as comfortable as my own.¡±

    The big man dragged over a larger chair that had been by his cot and brought it closer to the fire. It was wrapped in several layers of cloth and looked to have a large cushion on the seat. The two men sat, much like the first time they had met but in considerably more comfort. Cici stoked the fire and the smoke meandered up to the ceiling and before leaking out fissures into the night sky. It left the cave feeling warm but not congested.

    ¡°I am ready for some food,¡± Cici said, placing a flat cutlery board on his lap. ¡°How about you, Kopius? You look like you could use a bite to eat.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been living off water and carrots the last two days,¡± Kopius replied, his tired eyes focused on the dancing flames. ¡°I will take whatever you are making.¡± He sat back in his chair and closed his eyes; his body aching for rest. He could hear Cici humming as the fatigue took control.

    Kopius felt something nudging his shoulder and his eyes cracked open. Cici stood by with a metal pot in his hand and a smile on his face.

    ¡°Have a good nap?¡± Cici asked. Kopius rubbed his eyes and stretched a bit, his body thankful for the rest, though sleeping in the chair had come with new aches.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Kopius muttered, ¡±I didn¡¯t mean to doze off. How long was I out for?¡±

    ¡°Long enough for me to finish cooking,¡± the large man said, ¡°Go splash some water on your face and I¡¯ll have your food ready.¡± He motioned to the small watering hole and Kopius obliged.

    As he returned to his seat, a short end table was placed next to it. A pot of steaming food sat atop, a utensil stuck upright too. He sat down and smelled the meal. It had the aroma of cooked meat with baked beans. If there had been a large piece of bread and a soda can, it would have felt like his old days of camping as a young boy. Cici stood by the fire and the makeshift kitchen he had created while Kopius had slept. Various pots hung over the fire, while the bard chopped on a board he had rigged to some poles.

    ¡°Don¡¯t wait on me, boy, dig in,¡± Cici said, minding his task.

    Kopius did not wait. He peered in the pot and was delighted to see a large piece of meat saturated in sauce surrounded by large bean-looking morsels. He picked up the fork, skewered the meat, and took a healthy bite.

    The meat was tender and juicy. For the slightest of moments, Kopius savored the flavorful delicacy¨Cthen he immediately spat the hunk of meat to the ground, gagging and coughing. He fought the urge to puke and suppressed, as best he could, all while vile stomach acid tryed to escape his gut. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Cough, gag, spit, cough¡­

    ¡°What in the land of the dead are you doing?!¡± Cici bellowed, his words echoing off the cavernous walls.

    ¡°THAT DOESN¡¯T TASTE LIKE CHICKEN!¡± Kopius yelled, pointing at the offending agent, wiping away the remaining dribble from his mouth and tongue.

    Cici paused and then laughed.

    ¡°Of course not! It was a Lomster and now it is ruined!¡± Cici responded playfully. He swept down and picked up the meat, poured some water on it to wash it off and placed it back on the fire. ¡°If it is chicken you fancy, we would need to head farther south.¡±

    ¡°But everything tastes like chicken,¡± Kopius said in a hollow and distant voice.

    ¡°Maybe where you come from, but here there will be flavor!¡± Cici finished recooking the meat and placed it back in the pot next to Kopius. ¡°Now, small bites this time.¡±

    Kopius rinsed out his mouth with some water and stared at the steaming pot. He hadn¡¯t spit the food out because it tasted bad; quite the opposite. He had spit it out because it didn¡¯t taste like chicken. Everything tastes like chicken, he kept saying to himself. His disbelief couldn¡¯t be shaken. As much as he tried to reconcile everything that had happened to him over the last two or three days, even his own senses were rebelling against him. His stomach grumbled and he took a deep breath.

    Kopius cut away a small piece of the meat and without any further fanfare placed it in his mouth. As he chewed the tender meat he pleasantly confirmed that it tasted really good. It had a sweetness to it that seemed to come from the sauce and the meat itself reminded him of seafood without being overbearingly fish-like. He took a second bite and enjoyed the flavor even more. Before he knew it, he had finished the entire dish. When he looked up from his pot, Cici was staring at him with a look of pride on his face.

    ¡°You had me worried there for a moment,¡± the big man said jovially. ¡°I never once had anyone spit out my food. I thought maybe I had lost my touch.¡±

    ¡°Sorry about that, man, I was expecting, well¡­ chicken.¡±

    ¡°Lomsters are a bit bigger than chickens and more dangerous, if I am being honest. They have nasty stingers, and that venom is something you just have to wait out. It¡¯s a bit painful.¡± he finished with a grimace, the look of a person speaking from experience.

    ¡°It tasted great,¡± Kopius said, appeasing the cook.

    ¡°Good to hear, good to hear.¡± Cici passed him a mug with some ale and the two men sat in their chairs, finding comfort in the fire and silence.

    Kopius was lost in thought when he heard the familiar sounds of a musical instrument being adjusted. He watched, much like the first night they had met, as Cici tuned a medium-sized guitar.

    ¡°You going to sing me another song?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Not tonight,¡± Cici replied with a chuckle. ¡±An instrument that is not tuned is like an unrefined blade. You must keep it sharp for when it is needed.¡±

    ¡°I had never considered that,¡± Kopius said.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never lived by the blade, then?¡±

    ¡°Not in real life,¡± Kopius admitted. ¡°I lived more by my wits,¡± he said with an apprehensive chuckle, shaking his head. Cici stopped to look at Kopius and placed his instrument on the ground.

    ¡°A sharp wit is just as dangerous as a blade, my friend.¡±

    ¡°I think mine is a bit dull at this point.¡±

    ¡°From what I have seen so far, you seem to have a resourceful mind.¡±

    ¡°Situational awareness used to be my strong suit,¡± Kopius replied mournfully.

    ¡°What happened to it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, somewhere along the way I started second guessing everything. It went downhill from there.¡±

    ¡°You handled the situation with Brizzl just fine.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I wasn¡¯t thinking, man, I just¡­ reacted.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like instinctual awareness to me,¡± Cici said with emphasis that seemed to indicate a deeper meaning.

    ¡°I don¡¯t follow.¡±

    ¡°From what I gather, situational would happen before an action, yes?¡±

    Kopius nodded in agreement but still gave the ¡®kinda¡¯ gesture.

    ¡°Instinctual, I would guess, happens during the action,¡± Cici said.

    ¡°Are you telling me to stop thinking?¡± Kopius asked, with a short laugh.

    ¡°Not completely!¡± Cici laughed back, ¡±I would say to trust your instincts until you can trust your ability to reason.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been hard to get a grasp on reality lately,¡± Kopius said, motioning to the world around him.

    ¡°You still don¡¯t know what is happening, eh?¡±

    ¡°Not in the least. Still hoping to wake up and then go find myself a therapist.¡±

    ¡°Well, then, while we wait for you to clear things up, you can tell me how a level 3 princess bested a level 19 strongman.¡±

 TBC Chapter 24

    CHAPTER 24

    Kopius woke up and stretched the long night away. The smell of something cooking had broken him from his slumber, and he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes to see Cici at the firepit.

    ¡°Good morning, sunshine!¡± the big man''s voice echoed off the cave walls. Kopius winced at the loud sound so early in the morning and reminded himself not to yell back at the morning people. He just needed to splash some water in his face and try not to scowl.

    Kopius stumbled to a bowl with water and did just that. He also rinsed water in his mouth, but before he could spit it on the cave floor, Cici shot him a sharp look and pointed outside. Kopius spit outside the entrance, drank a few sips of water, and gazed into the morning sky. The sound of the river was relaxing, and a slight breeze rustled the surrounding greenery. It was the closest he had felt to ¡®normal¡¯ since he had arrived here.

    For all intents and purposes, he could have just been camping with some friends and wandered off to take his morning pee in some random bushes. Giving himself a once over, seeing the walking squalor that he was, he quickly reminded himself that he was not camping; he was not with friends. Worst of all, he did have to pee.

    ¡°Where should I handle my business?¡± Kopius asked, poking his head back in through the cave entrance.

    ¡°Business?¡± Cici replied, cocking his head to show confusion.

    ¡°Yeah, my business,¡± Kopius said, gesturing to his groin. ¡±Do I pee anywhere I please or do you have a spot?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± the big man replied with a laugh,¡±What an odd way to say it. Follow the base of the rock toward the river, you will see my latrine. Put some leaves down before you sit though!¡±

    Kopius walked a short distance toward the river and soon came to a throne of rocks. A large chair, made of stone and mortar, sat in the middle of a very small area that had been cleared of bushes. The space had enough room to walk around the stone seat, but that was about it.

    He strode over to the front of the chair and was surprised to see that not only did the throne have a toilet seat made of some sort of metal, it also had armrests and a thick leather back cover in case you needed to lean back.

    Just to the right of the chair was a tall bush, out of place from the other plants that littered the rest of the area. It had many wide, thin leaves that reminded him of an oversized maple leaf. Their texture was soft and flexible. After tearing off a leaf, he brought it to his nose and it gave off the slightest aroma of an aloe vera plant mixed with lavender. Kopius chuckled in amazement that this plant may actually be naturally grown toilet paper. He was also relieved that he didn¡¯t need to find out. He quickly found a proper position, peed in the toilet, and threw the leaf down the hole.

    Cici had a bowl of chow ready for him when he returned. The two of them sat down to eat breakfast. The meal looked and tasted like an oatmeal but without any sweetness to make it go down easier. Kopius, not wanting to return to eating carrots exclusively again, ate without complaint.

    ¡°So,¡± Cici said, breaking the silence, ¡±who is the tight-ass and what is a con?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kopius said, utterly confused.

    ¡°You kept mumbling in your sleep, something about a tight-ass and a con. You wanted to pull a log out.¡± Kopius just stared at the big man, mouth agape. ¡°Seemed to me you were upset with some cheap bastard.¡±

    ¡°Tight-ass and con,¡± Kopius murmured quietly, shaking his head.

    ¡°Yes, or maybe con is where he is from?¡± Cici stood up and placed his hands on his hips. ¡°You said something like, ¡®Tight-ass of con, logout.¡¯ Quite confusing. Maybe if I had watched you sleep a bit longer I would have heard more,¡± Cici finished, sitting back down.

    ¡°Wait, you were watching me sleep?¡± Kopius asked, unsure of which subject to broach first.

    ¡°That is beside the point, lad. Now, do you know a tight-ass from con or what?¡±

    Tight-ass from con, Kopius repeated in his mind. It sounded so familiar, but he couldn¡¯t quite place it. Like that board game Mad Gab, he could hear it but he couldn''t.

    ¡°Gahh!¡± Kopius complained, startling Cici. ¡°Say it one more time.¡±

    ¡°Tight-ass from con,¡± Cici replied and it clicked.

    Not tight-ass from con, Kopius laughed.

    ¡°Did I say, Tidus of Kon logout.¡±

    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s it,¡± Cici proclaimed, clapping his hands together. ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°That is my super-secret passphrase that is supposed to end the game I am playing.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t follow your meaning.¡±

    ¡°You remember how I¡¯ve said I am stuck in this game?¡±

    ¡°You may have mentioned that several times,¡± Cici said dryly.

    ¡°Well, in a normal world, I would say that phrase and it would shut the game off. Then I would open my eyes and be in my world¡­ my real world.¡±

    ¡°That is not nearly as interesting as I had imagined.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to disappoint.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you can keep trying, maybe it will work one of these goes,¡± Cici said, clearly trying to mollify the contention coming from Kopius. He gave Kopius his empty bowl and utensil.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°In the meantime, you can help wash these and I will break down the kitchen.¡±

    Kopius set about his mindless task with the enthusiasm of a small child going to the dentist. He knelt by the pool of water that occupied the bottom of the cave area and used his hands to scrub the dishes clean. Cici brought over a small bowl of hot water with a rag, and Kopius did his best to clean everything from last night and this morning.

    While he was squatting, small aches came and went around his stomach and midsection. Some were sharp, others flat, though none stuck around long enough to give him worry. Not until he stood and ripped a loud, bass-filled fart that echoed off the cave walls. Cici laughed loudly and said something about complimenting a chef, but Kopius was too caught up in his own thoughts to make out what the man was saying.

    He took some deep breaths, and then stood up completely straight, letting out some less vociferous flatulence. A bead of sweat formed on his brow as another, longer pain stabbed at his intestinal area.

    ¡°No fucking way,¡± Kopius said in a whisper, as even more gas escaped his rear. This time it came with a foul odor, reminiscent of mornings after binge drinking and 24-hour taquerias. His temperature rose; the cave started to feel stuffy and congested. More pain shot through his guts prompting him to stumble toward the cave exit. He kept tooting but tried his best to not let out a ripping fart¨Cit no longer seemed that it was just gas trying to escape his body. His stomach and intestines continued to cramp and twist, the discomfort growing with each step.

    ¡°You alright, Kopius?¡± Cici asked sincerely, to which Kopius, half bent over, just waved an arm at him as he exited the cave. He used the rock face to lean against as he struggled towards the stone throne. Once there, he quickly dropped his pants and sat just in time.

    An eruption of gas and debris rocketed out of his backside; all the while, he groaned like a man who had just been sucker-punched in the stomach. He removed his shirt and threw it to the ground as his temperature kept rising. Sweat formed all over his body as waves of flatulence and fecal matter fought their way out. After a few agonizing minutes, Kopius stopped rocking in the seat and just sat, resting his elbows on his knees.

    His temperature had stopped rising, and he felt the cool combination of the morning breeze brushing across his sweat-sheened body. The soft wind helped him come back to his senses. He grabbed some leaves from the out-of-place plant, prayed it wouldn¡¯t give him a rash, and wiped his rear. Having finished his cleaning, Kopius leaned back in the toilet throne to rest.

    Looking out at the landscape in front of him, Kopius came to notice that this latrine wasn¡¯t just randomly placed here. Cici had put it here on purpose. In the space directly in front of him, obscured slightly by trimmed bushes, he could see the river moving down the landscape. Various flowers of size and color decorated the riverbed, slope, and shores. Trees lined his view on the opposite side of the river and as his gaze kept moving farther out, he could see the snowy tops of those large mountains. North, he reminded himself.

    It had to be the most beautiful view from a toilet seat he had ever known. For a few moments his mind was clear of anxious thoughts. Kopius sat¨Cmostly naked¨Ctaking in the majesty of it all. He was broken from his reverence when a single thought brought a chill to his spine and goosebumps across his body.

    He couldn¡¯t fight it any longer, nor did he want to. As if the Universe itself was listening, a blinking indicator pulsed in his vision, followed by a reverberating gong sound.

    Dang-dong

    He opened his profile page and his eyes went wide. Though his level had not changed, there were three vertical bars situated on the left-hand side of the floating window: red, blue and yellow.

    While the red and blue bar looked even with each other, the yellow one was significantly lower. As Kopius stared at the new additions, he could make out that the yellow bar was inching its way up. Within a few seconds, the three vertical bars were all even. Kopius mindlessly reached out to touch them, but his hand passed right through.

    Health, mana, stamina¡­ he thought to himself, fearful anything audible might chase the columns away. Just like the potions.

    A wave of emotions tore at the foundation of Kopius¡¯s mind. He could no longer debate the possibilities or probabilities of what was happening. He had no more patience for the ¡°what if¡¯s¡± or the ¡°why me¡¯s,¡± nor did it even matter if he was still willing to entertain them. It did not matter if he was right or wrong, or if he made sense or not¨Ceverything pointed in the same direction. He could, like he had done on many occasions in his previous life, curl up in a ball and feel sorry for himself. Let the pressures of life paralyze him. To do little in the face of opposition. Or, he could reach into that dark pit of his heart, peel back his courage from its grasp, and actually live his one true mantra: find a way or make one.

    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful sight, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cici said. ¡°I have spent many a morning just sitting there, enjoying the view.¡±

    ¡°I am here,¡± Kopius replied in a soft, distant voice. He didn¡¯t even flinch at the big man''s sudden appearance.

    ¡°Of course you are here! It¡¯s not so hard to find a man when he is wailing like a cow in heat. Your moaning could summon the dead from the grave, boy.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Kopius said in a whisper. ¡°I am¡­ here,¡± he said, making circular hand gestures at the world around him. He stood up from the toilet, not bothering to pull up his pants. He gazed around in wonder until settling on Cici¡¯s wide grin. Kopius removed his boots and pants, throwing them to the ground where his shirt was. He nodded to Cici before turning and walking through the bushes towards the riverbank.

    Paying no mind to the cold water, he entered the river and submerged himself. When his mind and body sufficiently numbed, Kopius let go of reason and logic and sanity. He sat anchored on the river floor, his thoughts cleansing themselves until he was just out of air.

    When he felt the edges of his vision start to fade he quickly stood, breaching the surface, gasping for air. He stood defiantly in the middle of the river, a single stone standing against the tide. He stayed there for a moment, until the moment was enough.

    As he made his way back to shore he saw Cici, ankle deep in the river with a look of worry sitting on the big man''s face.

    ¡°What kind of madness has got a hold of you, boy!¡± Cici yelled.

    Kopius remained waist deep in the water, rubbing off the various bits of grime and dirt he had accumulated on his journey. He looked over his body as if seeing for the first time. He ran his hands across his face and through his hair, feeling every groove and crevice. After splashing water in his face a few times, he finally met eyes with Cici.

    ¡°What happens when you die?¡± Kopius shouted over the noise of the river.

    ¡°What?¡± Cici said with what could only be described as a WTF gesture.

    ¡°If I die on Metem, is that it?¡± Kopius clarified, making his way out of the water.

    ¡°Dead is dead, my boy.¡± Cici replied, still a bit confused. ¡°The soul needs its vessel.¡±

    ¡°Dead is dead¡­ one and done¡­¡± Kopius repeated, looking out at the horizon. ¡°One and done¡­ the soul needs a vessel,¡± Kopius said absently, really committing to his one-thousand-yard-stare.

    ¡°Earth or water magi, of a high-enough level, are said to be granted spells that could bring some back from the shadows,¡± Cici offered. ¡°Battlefield mages, powerful enough to raise the recently dead so they may fight again. The waters of Biminni are said to have life-saving properties too. But I have never seen a mage of this stature or met anyone who has seen the shores of the Biminni.¡±

    ¡°I need to level up, man,¡± Kopius said slowly, before continuing in a matter-of-fact cadence. ¡°I need to read these fucking books, learn how to use fucking magic, train with some asshole named Quinn, and get back to Oh-jin.¡±

    The list of things to do sounded exhausting, hence the swearing. He was immediately overrun by the feeling of falling behind without the hope of ever catching up. All of a sudden he felt rushed and that no matter how quickly he checked off his to-do list, he would remain behind. It was the same way Cory had felt the moment he thought he had it all figured out and life pulled the rug from underneath him.

    ¡°That sounds all well and good,¡± Cici said. ¡°How about we start off getting you dressed?¡±

 TBC Chapter 25

    CHAPTER 25

    ¡°So you have mana now?¡± Cici asked excitedly. He was rummaging through some large sacks, producing different pieces of clothing until he found some that fit Kopius.

    ¡°That¡¯s what the bars mean, right? Don¡¯t yours look the same?¡± Kopius asked while trying on different types of what looked to be basic clothes.

    ¡°Of course, when I was a lad. But now I have it higher up, so the bars go this way,¡± Cici finished, making a side-to-side gesture, indicating they were horizontal.

    ¡°Wait, you can customize your profile?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes! It is quite useful and easy to use.¡±

    ¡°Sounds¡­ awesome,¡± Kopius said with no humor.

    ¡°But you have mana now!¡± Cici repeated cheerily, not giving Kopius a chance to brood.

    ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t know how to use it¡­and I don¡¯t have any spells.¡±

    ¡°You will learn! How do those new clothes fit? They were the biggest I could find.¡±

    ¡°A bit on the smaller size, but far better than the rags I was wearing before. Do I want to know why you have all these different sizes of clothing handy?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever left a place in a hurry?¡± Cici said with a slight grin. ¡°Sometimes you have to put on the first thing you can grab.¡±

    Kopius looked at the several full bags of clothing they had been rooting through.

    ¡°Looks like leaving in a hurry is standard procedure,¡± Kopius said with a snort.

    ¡°Sometimes it feels that way,¡± Cici replied with a laugh.

    Kopius was dressed, though he felt like he was wearing clothes from the junior section. The shirt''s long sleeves only came to his elbows and the pants were highwater length at best. The crotch was a bit tight, but all-in-all, his new outfit was a step up from the potato sack he had first received in the cave.

    ¡°This will have to work. Thanks, man,¡± Kopius said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Cici replied, waving his hands. ¡°I need to get rid of this stuff anyways.¡±

    The big man went about putting all the clothing back in their respective bags. Cici had a rather organized system. One bag for tops, another one for bottoms, and then a third, much larger bag that housed miscellaneous items¨Cthings like bedsheets, towels, and underwear. There were also two tablecloths, three flags, and a horse blanket.

    Another item, a banner, had captured Kopius¡¯s attention. Its color was a deep blackish-purple, with illusions of dark green and blue streaks; depending how you looked at it. The material was thick and malleable but still soft to the touch. He had mistaken it for a cloak and was disappointed that it wasn¡¯t a wearable object.

    ¡°So,¡± Cici said, breaking the brief silence, ¡±back there in the water, is your mind better?¡±

    Kopius was silent at first, content to nod his head slowly. He took a deep breath and let it out.

    ¡°There is a very real possibility that you are¡­ well, in fact¡­real,¡± Kopius finally said.

    ¡°I am relieved to hear,¡± Cici replied playfully.

    ¡°At least one of us is.¡±

    ¡°It''s not everyday someone validates my existence,¡± Cici joked.

    ¡°In a realm of possibilities, that one is starting to take the cake.¡±

    ¡°Cake?¡±

    ¡°Hey, that shit I just took blew my mind. Just give me a second to get my metaphors straight.¡±

    ¡°Well now, a metaphor would be more like, you have shit for brains.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an analogy.¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Cici insisted, ¡±an analogy is more elaborate. Something like, you are so full of shit I can smell it on your breath.¡±

    ¡°I am just saying that I am still processing it. It was¡­ deep. It was deep shit.¡±

    ¡°Sounded more like a tough shit the way you were wailing.¡±

    ¡°I just need to get my shit together,¡± Kopius lamented.

    After some awkward stretching to loosen up his new garments, Kopius went on to explain to Cici most, if not all, of what Oh-jin had explained to him. He covered the books, the boots, the quests and Quinn. Kopius explained his numbers, his need to level up, and his storage ring.

    By the time he was finished, the two men had completed eating lunch. Cici laid in his cot, processing the new information. Kopius stood at the cave entrance while he stared off into the wilderness. Though he didn¡¯t knowingly have any expectations around the big man, he was flooded with a sense of relief when Cici finally said he would be able to help.

    ¡°Leveling you up will be the easy part, ¡± Cici said. ¡±Provided you don¡¯t die on me, eh,¡± he finished with a laugh.

    ¡°Oh!,¡± Cici exclaimed, ¡±It¡¯s perfect. I know a weaver in Cawbachu. It''s about a fourteen-day journey on foot, but we can take Escher Pass. We can make the trek in four, maybe five, days; level ya all the while. Sure, there are skinwalkers and some moonshots but two big lads like us, it will be harmless. And while we are there, we can gather some rare ingredients I have been in need of!¡±

    ¡°What''s a moonshot?¡± Kopius tried to interject.

    ¡°Besides,¡± Cici continued, oblivious to his question, ¡±it will give me the chance to turn in these bags of clothes for coins. Now that I have got someone to carry it!¡± He let out a good hearty laugh¨CKopius wasn¡¯t sure if he should be amused or concerned.

    ¡°Skinwalker?¡± Kopius eventually asked.

    ¡°If those boots do as you say they do, skinwalkers are no problem.¡±

    ¡°And the moonshot¡¯s?¡± Kopius asked. Cici smirked.

    ¡°They require, how should I say it, more: creativity. But that is with only one person attacking. With two, well, we will get the better of them.¡± There was a smile and confidence in all of his words, yet Kopius still felt a constant nagging that Cici was overselling the safety and ease of their journey.

    ¡°Will there be any loot?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Loot?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, loot! Buried treasure, secret rooms, zombie hoards protecting valuable artifacts. Stuff like that.¡±

    ¡°First of all, a zombie horde should be dealt with on sight. Secondly, yes, there are riches to be found all over, but they don¡¯t always reside in a locked box or on an altar.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Kopius said dismissively. ¡°When do we leave?¡±

    ¡°We head out after you can set things on fire with your boots.¡±

    ¡°Fine, don¡¯t get comfortable. This shit can¡¯t be that hard.¡±

    Kopius summoned the four books and the pugil staff from his inventory, then laid them on the cot he was using to sleep. He picked up the staff; the wooden-metallic surface was cold and slick in his hand. He flipped it a few times before placing it back on the cot. Finding the book titled Manabolism he flipped through the many, many pages before the feeling of exhaustion started to creep in even before the reading had begun.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Fuck, man,¡± Kopius complained. ¡±I wish I could just, I don¡¯t know, montage through this shit.¡±

    Four days later.

    Kopius vigorously stomped on a large tree branch, trying to set it on fire. Though the sun was high in the sky he needed the flame and he needed it quickly. Kopius was staring at a charging skinwalker¨Cat least, that was the name Cici had bellowed when it first came into view. This particular creature reminded Kopius of any random roadkill Cory might have seen on the street. One where the ants and maggots were helping the animal decompose and half the skeleton was visible. If that decaying carcass grew to the size of a large wolf and was charging in to eat your face, that was roughly what Kopius was experiencing at the moment.

    Cici had mentioned that there were many dangers cutting through the pass, and that most travelers took the fourteen-day journey around Escher Pass to get to Cawbachu. They would need to remain vigilant, he had said.

    Many creatures, like the one charging at Kopius now, could be turned into a skinwalker. The monsters were dead, but their skin kept them ¡®alive¡¯ and moving.

    ¡°Basically, a dead creature in Escher Pass with at least half its skin, can come back to life. Not life-life¡­ uh, dead-life,¡± Cici had said while they were still back in the cave.

    ¡°What exactly is ¡®dead-life¡¯?¡± Kopius had asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s the best way to explain them to you,¡± the big man had said defensively. ¡°Dead on the inside; alive on the outside.¡±

    ¡°Reminds me of a few ex-girlfriends,¡± Kopius had quipped under his breath.

    ¡°They are fast, yet lack agility,¡± Cici had continued, ¡±but fortunately for us, fire can kill them very quickly. So keep up the practice with your boots and we will leave when you can light a flame with ease.¡±

    They had not started their journey to the weaver until Kopius had successfully lit ten pieces of wood in Cici¡¯s cave. After his tenth success, Kopius had received an empty notification window which he had guessed was him either learning the spell or a ¡®light a fire ten times¡¯ challenge being completed. If Metem was going to function like a video game, Kopius was going to treat it as such. Better be some XP with that, Kopius had thought. His level had remained the exact same.

    Now, with death racing toward him, Kopius could not get the piece of wood to ignite. At first he stomped and thought of the magic word he had assigned to the spell in his head: Sparta. He quickly began to shout the word while he stomped as the beast closed the distance much faster than expected.

    His heart had gone from a soft nervous pounding to thumping jackhammer in his chest in the matter of a few seconds. With no options left, Kopius dove to the side as the Skinwalker lunged with outstretched claws, missing him by inches.

    Kopius rolled to his feet and found his bearings. The Skinwalker wolf barreled through some bushes, having to make a wide berth in order to circle back. On instinct, Kopius summoned a sword from his inventory and faced the charging beast.

    ¡°That sword won¡¯t do!¡± Cici yelled as he scaled a large tree with ease. ¡°Start the fire!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not working!¡± Kopius yelled back, not willing to return the sword to inventory. ¡°How am I¨C¡±

    Kopius was cut short as he was lifted off his feet and sent hurtling through the air. His sword went flying in one direction and his body flew in another. Kopius hit the ground with a loud thud, knocking some air from his lungs. He rolled with the fall and got back to his feet quickly while he sucked in the air he had lost. His vision came to focus with just enough time for him to raise his arm in defense, and the skinwalker chomped down on his forearm instead of his throat.

    The beast was upon Kopius and the two fell to the ground, both fighting for top position. Kopius yelled in pain as the monster bit harder into his forearm, piercing the meager clothing and breakin through his skin. The deadish animal''s hollowed eye sockets mere inches from his own but still managed to look deep within his being.

    The beast twisted and jerked, trying to gain leverage. If the animal had still been whole, guts and all, it would have easily outweighed Kopius and thrown him about like a ragdoll. Yet with all its muscle, fat, and innards long gone, Kopius just had to endure the pain. The teeth clamped into his skin and muscles, like a serrated knife strapped to a hydraulic press. He quickly feared the monster would sever the arm completely. The two wrestled on the ground, and it was the saving grace that the animal had not found any good footing to put some leverage into his bite.

    Kopius flailed his feet about, not giving the animal a chance to get any one foot down for too long. His legs swept back and forth, all the while trying not to focus on the tremendous amount of pain streaming from his forearm.

    In the briefest moment of clarity, Kopius thought of his healing ring, and in the same instant a cool relief rushed through his body¨Cthe pain in his arm subdued even with the beast still latched and lashing.

    He used all his weight and momentum to roll the beast over and stand in the process. The skinwalker had released its grip, allowing Kopius to gain a few feet of space. He immediately started kicking at the beast like he was breaking down the door of an unfaithful lover, all the while yelling ¡°SPARTA!¡± on repeat.

    His hand was mangled and the fingers unresponsive, his ring giving him only the briefest of respites¨Cthe pain came back twice as strong. The beast had cut him deep enough to sever the tendons and ligaments. The only thing keeping agony from taking over his every thought was a combination of fear, shock, and anger.

    WHOOSH!

    A flash of fire and a large plume of smoke exploded at the end of his outstretched foot. What had been a half-skin, half-bone skinwalker wolf-thing was now a gently smoldering pile of ash. It was like the thing had been a birthday party magician who had thrown a smoke bomb and disappeared.

    Pain enveloped Kopius as he sensed the danger had passed. His mutilated arm looked like spaghetti noodles and minced meat. He was momentarily nauseous when he first looked at it. Collapsing to the ground, he quickly tried his healing ring again. Nothing happened.

    A brief panic set upon Kopius. His arm began to throb at an incredible rate, a cold sweat forming on his brow. Kopius began to wonder in growing terror that he would lose his arm. His heart rate began to keep pace with the throbbing and whatever maintenance he had held over his self-control broke.

    ¡°I need a doctor!¡± Kopius bellowed in a panic.

    He stood while cradling the injured arm, trying his best not to falter from the sharp pain. He stumbled over to his dropped sword and while reaching to place it in his inventory a light bulb went off in his head.

    He froze, unwilling to give himself that kind of hope. Kopuis sat down slowly and with the greatest of care summoned a healing potion to his uninjured hand. He removed the stopper with his teeth, threw his head back, and drank half. He then poured the remainder of the potion across his injury.

    A few seconds later Kopius could sense the easing of pain as it pulled back from the wound. A few more moments and the wound was closed. When he tried to move his fingers, they were still unresponsive. Much the same with his wrist. The entirety of his arm below the injury had the icy-needle sensation that he would get when his leg would fall asleep from sitting in the wrong position for too long; except this was much, much more intense.

    Kopius, holding his injured arm close, laid on his back, and closed his eyes. As he was getting his breathing to a more normal cadence, he heard Cici¡¯s lumbering footsteps approaching. The pinky on his injured hand twitched and Kopius felt another wave of relief. He hadn¡¯t been sure that the healing potion would repair such extensive damage. The tingling he had first felt gave him the idea that it was working, but that was just a hopeful guess on his part. By the time Cici had reached him, all of his fingers had twitched at least once but he still had no control over them.

    ¡°Maybe you should have used a different word?¡± Cici eventually said as he sifted through the ashes of the skinwalker. ¡°What is a sparta anyways? I have been meaning to ask.¡±

    With the pain mostly gone and his worry over losing a limb pacified, annoyance, on the border of anger, bubbled within Kopius.

    ¡°What the hell, man! Climbing a tree, for real?!¡± Kopius said, not quite shouting but headed there.

    ¡°It¡¯s safe in the tree,¡± Cici replied innocently. ¡°We discussed this.¡±

    ¡°No, you said the other things couldn¡¯t climb! The moon-thingy!¡±

    ¡°They cannot climb¨Cthey float around, more or less. They do like to throw their acid though, so large rocks would be of great value.¡± Kopius raised his injured arm so that Cici could get a good look at it.

    ¡°Do you see this?¡± Kopius said, hostility in his voice. ¡°This could have been my face!¡±

    ¡°But you managed to keep that handsome mug out of harm''s way, didn¡¯t you?¡± Cici replied.

    ¡°That''s not the point!¡±

    ¡°What is your point?¡± Cici asked, as he continued to sift the ashes of the fallen skinwalker.

    ¡°My point is, I thought you had my back.¡±

    ¡°I was behind you.¡±

    ¡°Behind me and up a tree! I mean, I thought we would fight together, you know, as a team.¡±

    ¡°Yes, a team, otherwise why the journey?¡± Cici replied with a laugh. ¡°I just thought you would light the flame and be done with it. Get all the experience.¡±

    Kopius cringed internally. The big man was not only looking out for him, he had been a few steps ahead in his thinking. His fingers began to move so he stood up flexing his hand. The joints were stiff, his muscles sore, like he had gone through a rigorous workout. Cici had returned to sifting through the large pile of ash as Kopius approached.

    ¡°What happened back there, my boy?¡± Cici asked without looking. ¡°It looked so easy for you before we left.¡±

    ¡°I uh¨C¡± Kopius said, pausing to swallow some pride. ¡±It¡¯s a bit different with death breathing down your neck.¡± He finished with an uncomfortable laugh.

    ¡°Plans can get tossed aside when the swords are drawn,¡± Cici recited. ¡°Something an old teacher would yell in my ear. What she meant by it was, you must adapt quickly when your method is broken.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ makes sense,¡± Kopius replied after a few moments of thought.

    ¡°Your plan did not work, so you adapted quickly.¡±

    ¡°That was more instinct than anything else.¡±

    ¡°You continue to go with your instinct, and next time I will stay out of the tree,¡± Cici said with a laugh.

    ¡°Yeah, that was crazy how fast you got up there.¡±

    ¡°I have long invested in my climbing skill.¡±

    ¡°For this specific purpose?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t the original reason I invested in it, but it has been rather useful.¡±

    ¡°Do I want to know the original reason?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever left a place in a hurry?¡± Cici said with a slight grin. ¡°Sometimes you leave out the first exit you have.¡±

 TBC Chapter 26

    CHAPTER 26

    ¡°We need some ground rules,¡± Kopius stated. His forearm had fully healed after about five minutes, having spent that time watching Cici rummage through the skinwalkers¡¯ ashy remains.

    ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± Cici replied, wiping the soot from his hands.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kopius shrugged. ¡±You take the left; I¡¯ll take the right. I¡¯ll take the front; you take the back. Stuff like that.¡±

    ¡°Well, I will need to be in the front. I know the way.¡± Cici answered plainly.

    ¡°No¨CI mean, of course you¡¯d lead the way,¡± Kopius stammered, unsure if the big man was toying with him or not. ¡°Next time we have to fight is what I am asking.¡±

    ¡°I will¡­ take the right,¡± he finally finished. From Kopious¡¯s perspective, it was as though Cici had flipped an imaginary coin in the air and it had landed on ¡®right¡¯. For the first time, Kopius wondered if Cici even knew how to fight. Though the man was large and imposing, he was also charming, witty, and handsome. Maybe he has never really had to fight, Kopius wondered.

    Taking a second to think back on their past interactions, Kopius just couldn¡¯t figure it out. He had let me go on a pretty wild story, watched me get manhandled without doing anything, and now he¡¯s climbing trees quicker than a hanging curveball leaves the park¡­

    ¡°You, ah,¡± Kopius said hesitantly, ¡±you do know how to fight¡­ right?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Cici replied with the same confidence as every other word that came out his mouth. Kopius had expected a ¡°yes¡± answer but was hoping to hear some indignation or hesitation on Cici¡¯s part to give him a clue. The big man had simply, plainly, as confident as ever, said yes. Not even partially convinced, Kopius let the matter drop¡­ for now.

    ¡°Ok, I will take the left,¡± Kopius finally said. He gestured at the large pile of ash. ¡±Did you find what you were looking for?¡±

    ¡°I did not,¡± Cici replied, ¡±and what that tells me is that this one was fairly young¡­ as far as skinwalkers go.¡± Cici took the cue from the look on Kopius to explain further. ¡°When skinwalkers aren¡¯t feasting on lost adventures, they will seek nourishment elsewhere. They can detect a rare mineral deep in the ground which they dig up and eat. This mineral keeps them alive¡ªwell, as alive as they can be. When these skinwalkers consume enough, they begin to harden. So when you kill one of these hardened skinwalkers, you will find small, pebble-sized ore in the ashes.¡± Cici held up his hand and created a small circle, the size of a dime, with his pointer finger and thumb.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like much of anything,¡± Kopius interjected.

    ¡°True,¡± Cici said with a grin, ¡±by itself, it produces little; worth nothing. But, if you were to gather enough and have a competent blacksmith smelt it down, it makes for one of the most dynamic metals in all of Metem.¡±

    ¡°Dynamic how?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know all the details, but it can be easily sewn into materials to make them stronger and more durable, known to withstand heat, for the most part. Mages like to use it for their wands or staffs, dwarfs for protection when working the forge. There are other aspects, but those two I mentioned are well known.¡±

    ¡°Sewn¡­ like a metal thread?¡± Kopius guessed.

    ¡°Yes, exactly that.¡±

    ¡°Why not a full piece of metal, for a helmet or a weapon or¡­ something?¡±

    ¡°You would have to be a special kind of crazy to hunt down that many skinwalkers.¡±

    ¡°Are you like¡­ collecting them, saving up for something?¡± Kopius asked with curiosity.

    ¡°Me?¡± Cici replied with a laugh. ¡°Noooo, I will sell or trade what I find in Cawbachu.¡±

    ¡°But why not save them and make your own¡­ thing?¡±

    ¡°My hammer is made from astralsilicate,¡± Cici said in a reverent tone. He pulled the weapon off his back and coddled the anvil-sized, iridescent weapon with both hands ¡±Nothing tougher than this, I promise you,¡± he declared graciously. ¡°This old girl doesn¡¯t sing like a sword, nor does she bargain like a knife.¡± Cici then pulled the head of the hammer close to his chest in a way that caused Kopius to raise an eyebrow. Speaking directly to his weapon, Cici continued, ¡°No, my sweet, you bring the weight of a thousand stars down upon our foes. Nobody shines brighter than you.¡±

    The big man, in a move Kopius never would have expected, booped his weapon. He booped it as one might boop an infant on the nose. It was as though the giant hammer was a small puppy and the big brute couldn¡¯t help but gush.

    I feel like this has been an ongoing conversation, Kopius thought to himself as he watched Cici return the weapon to his back.

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Kopius half-quipped, half-coughed. ¡°What''s our next move here?¡±

    ¡°We still have a short walk until we are at the actual Pass.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not in the Pass now?¡±

    ¡°We are close. Close enough to come across a skinwalker, but no, we have not reached it yet. So, let us get to moving.¡±

    Roughly an hour of walking later and the trail opened up to a deep and wide expanse. To the right were steep hills, covered in tall, thick bushes. To the left, an even steeper and taller set of jagged peaks hogged the skyline. Between those two lay Escher Pass, maybe a mile wide if not more and stretching as far as the naked eye could see.

    Occupying the floor of the Pass were countless massive rock columns, hoodoos, most covered in varying types of foliage and plant life. It looked as though an ancient river had dried long ago, leaving behind a severely cracked bed of dried mud. Except the dry grooves in this case were hundreds of feet deep and varying distances apart, creating a natural maze of sorts. The trail they were following broke into three paths, the middle leading down a steep incline directly to the floor of the giant rock column forest.

    ¡°You know how to get through there?¡± Kopius asked with the unease of someone who had just recently struggled out of two valleys. What¡¯s the difference between a pass and a valley anyways?, Kopius wondered absently. Size? Width?

    ¡°It''s not always the same path, but I know it well enough,¡± Cici answered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t follow,¡± Kopius replied.

    ¡°You will want to follow, lad, or else you¡¯ll get yourself lost.¡±

    ¡°No¨CI mean I don¡¯t understand. Why not always the same path?¡±

    Cici took a drink from his waterskin and then glanced up at the sky. He shielded his eyes from the sun, returned the waterskin to his belt and started down the steep incline. Kopius, not one to be ignored, repeated his question with some more force, ¡±Yo, Cici, what¡¯s up with the path?¡±

    Cici stopped and half-turned to look at Kopius. For the first time, Kopius swore the briefest moment of annoyance passed across the big man''s face.

    ¡°Must you know everything?¡± Cici finally asked. He rubbed at his temple as if trying to massage away an oncoming headache.

    ¡°Did you see what happened with the skinwalker?¡± Kopius replied, gesturing to his now healed arm. ¡°Not even the first time it''s happened since I¡¯ve been here.¡±

    The way it came out of his mouth gave Cici pause before the big brute started to chuckle, breaking him of his funk.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my boy, a lot on my mind,¡± Cici answered, his normal smile returning. ¡°We need to get down there before nightfall, and I can explain the rest on the way.¡± Kopius was unmoved by the words. ¡°You¡¯ll have to trust me, lad, or should I say,¡± Cici bowed deep, making a sweeping gesture with his hand, ¡±your Royal Highness.¡±

    ¡°Fuck off,¡± Kopius blurted, unable to surpress his own laughter, and the two men started down the long steep hill. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Last time it was ¡®fuck you,¡¯¡± Cici stated, but his face showed that it was also a question.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kopius answered with a shrug as he recalled his time in Cici¡¯s cave, yelling at the pieces of wood for not setting on fire.

    ¡°Does it go with other words?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Kopius chuckled. ¡°It goes with all kinds of words. You explain this moving path thing, and I¡¯ll break down the F word for you.

    ¡°F word?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡ªfuck. The F word¡­ it starts with the letter F.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see. Context seems a factor here,¡± Cici said more to himself than as a reply to Kopius. As the two men walked down into Escher Pass, the giant rock columns took over the skyline, leaving only scattered bits of sunlight to guide their way.

    It didn¡¯t take the two long before they crossed paths with another skinwalker. The small dog-sized beast had come sprinting around one of the giant stone pillars and made a beeline directly for Kopius. With little time to think, Kopius threw out a kick and screamed ¡°SPARTA!¡± like he was committing bloody murder. The beast whooshed into millions of dust particles that sprayed onto his face and chest. He felt a small rock hit him in the forehead as tiny bits of debris bounced off his clenched eyes. Kopius reeled back, waving his hands about as if to ward off the dust storm, coughing all the while.

    ¡°Impressive!¡± Cici yelled in the background. ¡°Such passion! The shouting is unnecessary, but I respect your method.¡± Kopius managed to kung fu his way out of the dusty remains and was in the process of verifying his eyes still worked when he felt Cici at his shoulder.

    ¡°Here you go, my friend, your first bit of grafeen.¡± Cici said. Kopius looked to see the big man displaying a shiny, smooth pebble between his thumb and pointer fingers. He took it into his own fingers, closed the blank pop up window that appeared, and held it up in the remaining sunlight. It was no larger than the marbles he¡¯d played with as a kid and just as smooth. The gray, metallic color glimmered in the setting sun, and Kopius found himself impressed with the small stone.

    ¡°How many of these do I need to make a sword?¡± Kopius asked.

    Cici snorted, like a laugh-cough or somewhere between a sneeze and a hiccup. ¡°Thousands¨Ctens of thousands.¡±

    This information broke Kopius from whatever thousand yard stare he was stuck in.

    ¡°Thousands? For one sword?¡±

    ¡°Tens of thousands, and yes.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said mages and blacksmiths use this stuff.¡±

    ¡°They do! A skilled blacksmith will create strings from these rocks and then those strings get interwoven into¡ªwhatever. I don¡¯t know much past that, but the lady we are going to see in Cawbachu will.¡±

    ¡°Is she a skilled blacksmith?¡± Kopius asked, his mind wondering if this grafeen was some kind of magical Kevlar type of material.

    ¡°She was¡ªshe is a skilled Weaver,¡± Cici said with a shred of hesitation. ¡°She is the closest thing you will get to a blacksmith, that¡¯s for sure.¡±

    ¡°Are blacksmiths rare or something?¡±

    ¡°No, no, no. Blacksmiths will get deep into your coin is all, if you catch my meaning. ¡®Weavers are a poor man¡¯s blacksmith¡¯ is what most will tell you. But don¡¯t repeat that to a Weaver, lest you want your jangles shoved up your arse.¡± Cici said that last part in all seriousness. He even adjusted his manhood in a way that suggested he had firsthand knowledge. ¡°Let¡¯s keep on the move. We will follow the beaten path for now.¡±

    The ¡°beaten path¡± was a bit of a misnomer, mostly because it looked more barely traveled than beaten. There was a two-carts-wide path that weaved in and around the giant, plant-life-infused hoodoos. Yet, every few hundred yards, another similar ¡°beaten path¡± would fork off into the stone column forest and be lost to sight within a turn or two. In other instances, a not-so well beaten path would merge back with the trail that the two were walking on.

    Cici, on the way down to the valley floor, had explained that there was originally one path through but after time, the more intelligent creatures had started to set up ambushes along the way. This forced the less armored parties to find a way around the danger, thus creating multiple paths.

    ¡°For as long as history could be told, Escher Pass was the only way through to the southern lands,¡± Cici had said. ¡°Steep hills to the south, mountains to the east, swamp and dense forest to the west and northwest. The raging waters of the Dinoson could get you there quick enough, but that''s even more of a danger than the Pass itself.¡±

    Kopuis got the long version of the story, but his takeaways were short and simple enough. At some point in time another route was carved out and around the hills and mountains to the south and east. After that, Escher Pass became a choice. The beaten path was less tread upon and the way through became less clear. Many of the tangent paths led to corpses and/or skeletons¡ªtravelers who were either ill-equipped for the danger or under-rationed for the journey.

    Two of the more notable items: There were no trees in Escher Pass. They would have to bring their own wood for fire. Secondly, the place was without any viable or usable sources of water. They would come across ponds and a river, but the water would be undrinkable, ¡°poisonous,¡± Cici had spat. They would need to keep an eye on their rations even with just a four-day trip.

    ¡°To the left!¡± Cici shouted for the fourth time in the last hour. Kopius, still nursing a wound from his previous skinwalker encounter, turned and located the oncoming threat. Facing the monster, he raised an outstretched hand holding a lit torch. He mustered the strength of every school crossing guard who had ever volunteered and stood bravely against the oncoming storm of teenage drivers. The storm in this case was a medium-sized skinwalker bear combo. The monster did not waver or slow at the sight of the flame, much to Kopius¡¯s audible dismay.

    ¡°I thought you said they don¡¯t like fire,¡± Kopius yelled nervously. The beast glided over rocks and through bushes, two hollow eyes locked on Kopius.

    ¡°Nah, I said they are fast but lack agility,¡± Cici replied as though they were out bird watching.

    ¡°You know,¡± Kopius shouted, ¡±just because they keep coming from the left doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t join in!¡±

    By the time Kopius had finished complaining, the beast had closed the distance and lunged. Throwing courage out the window, Kopius ducked, rolled to the side, singed his shirt with the lit torch, and got to his feet. As he turned, the beast plowed into the stone pillar only a few feet behind him. In the few moments the monster needed to find its bearing, Kopius was on top of it. He stomped and then stabbed at the skinwalker with the torch, yelling ¡°Sparta!¡±

    Whoosh.

    The skinwalker went up in a large plume of dust. Kopius backed away from the cloud of debris and gathered his breath. For the first time in a while, an empty, translucent window with a glittering border popped into his field of vision.

    Too exhausted to be startled, he mentally closed the window. Another identical window popped up, which gave him a slight pause. He closed the window again, and a third empty window popped into view.

    ¡°What the hell,¡± Kopius murmured under his breath. Upon closing the third window, his ears heard a sound he wished to hear more often: Ding-dang, followed by a flashing indicator in his peripheral vision. He opened his profile page and smirked at the number 4 next to his name.

    ¡°I leveled up.¡±

    Five times he had stomped out a skinwalker, and each came with its own rush of adrenaline. He felt jittery, like he had drank a gallon of gas station coffee. He also felt exhausted, drained of resources, and in need of a rest. The two emotions called to him, one convincing him he could sprint a mile while the other wanted to lure him into a nap.

    ¡°Nicely done,¡± Cici said as he came into view and inspected the leftover pile of skinwalker dust. ¡°And you didn¡¯t get it all over you this time!¡±

    Kopius looked over himself and was grateful for the small win. The last four he had faced had left him inside the plume of dust, causing him to nearly cough to death. Three had gone like the first one had: the beast lunged, Kopius caught it in mid-flight, the dust particle followed the laws of physics and consumed him in its path.

    The previous one had not lunged in a high, arcing fashion like the first three had. It, a skinwalker that looked like an oversized iguana had a baby with a koala, had sprung forward in more of a straight line, latching itself to the top part of his left leg and boot. Though the leather¡ªor whatever material the boot consisted of¡ªblunted much of the attack, several sharp fangs had broken through.

    ¡°Goddamnsumbitch!¡± Kopius had yelled before dropping to the ground. He had pulled at the creature, smashed it on the head using his sword, nearby rocks, and just about anything he could get his hands on. Meanwhile the monster pierced further into his leg and whipped about as though it was a large crocodile trying to death roll him. Finally, he kicked at the creature with his other foot.

    ¡°Sparta, Sparta, Sparta!¡± Kopius yelled in quick succession, each accompanied by a kick to the monster. The two rolled on the ground, Kopius blurting out inaudible words and the skinwalker firmly entwining itself with his lower leg. Somehow Kopius got to his feet and continued to kick the monster with his heel.

    ¡°Sparta, you little bastard!¡± Kopius screamed, managing to complete a sentence for the first time in the battle. He looked like a man trying his best to click his heels in mid-air but failing miserably. He jumped, screamed, and kicked in varying degrees of order and intensity until falling back to the ground. With his legs up in the air, he gave the creature one more kick, and it whooshed. The debris fell directly onto Kopius, leaving him covered in skinwalker death dust.

    Afterwards, Kopius had opted to take some healing herbs from Cici rather than induce the ring or another healing potion. The herbs did a good job; they just worked slower than the other two. The bites were a small annoyance by the time this fifth skinwalker had shown up.

    Kopius came back to the present when Cici showed him the five pieces of grafeen he had pulled from the dusty remains.

    ¡°Now you have six,¡± Cici said with a big smile.

    ¡°How many do you normally get going through here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say anywhere between ten and twenty pieces, depending on my luck.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯ve been unlucky thus far?¡±

    Cici made a noncommittal shrug that Kopius took as a ¡°yes.¡±

    ¡°What will six pieces get me?¡±

    ¡°A bed or a hot meal for a night. Get your weapons sharpened or lightly repaired. Things like that.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. Where are we stopping for the night?¡± Kopius asked, hopeful that the answer was either ¡°now¡± or ¡°soon¡±. Cici looked through the pillars and up at the fading light of the sun.

    ¡°Shortly, it shouldn¡¯t be too far now.¡±

 TBC Chapter 27

    Chapter 27

    Kopius awoke to aches and pains. His muscles were tight from the fighting as well as the journey, and his joints were stiff for the same reasons. The soreness was exacerbated by the fact that he slept upon an unforgiving stone the whole night.

    Cici, after their fifth skinwalker encounter, had led them for no more than thirty more minutes when they came to the first trail marker. There were four trail markers in total, spread out to be roughly a day''s journey apart and meant to pass the night by in safety. Travelers had created these safe places, long ago, by knocking over a stone column and then climbing to the top of one of the broken pieces.

    Atop the fallen hoodoo, anywhere between twenty to forty feet off the ground, Kopius and Cici could make a camp without the fear of the night and its creatures. They had climbed the broken pillar piece that Cici was most familiar with, made camp, and were asleep before their food could settle.

    ¡°Top of the morning,¡± Cici morning-yelled, like morning people do. His booming voice echoed off the surrounding stone pillars, giving the impression there were morning people everywhere. Kopius involuntarily shuttered at the thought. Thankful for that not being the case, Kopius got to his feet, summoned his waterskin and rinsed the sleep from his mouth.

    Cici had revived the prior night''s fire and offered a steaming mug to Kopius when he approached. Now familiar with Cici¡¯s morning concoction, he sipped at the pungent drink knowing it would taste sweeter in a few minutes. Once the two had finished their breakfast-in-a-cup, Kopius thought it would be prudent to stretch before getting the day started.

    Though his new body had all the proverbial bells and whistles one might want, he still needed to build up his stamina and endurance¡­ and strength¡­ and intelligence. He wasn¡¯t sure if pulling a muscle could be cured by drinking a healing potion or eating a healing herb, nor did he want to waste one to find out. Cici joined in without a question, but synchronized they were not. They both had different aches for different pains, and their bodies contorted accordingly.

    With stretches done and camp broken down, they climbed down from their perch and returned to the ground level. The morning left dewdrops on all the plants, and shadows brought with them a chill for a lack of sun. The light came through in beams, cutting through the small spaces between hoodoos to reach the ground. The two men picked up where they had left off, Kopius a few steps behind Cici, who led the way.

    Cici hummed melodies as they journeyed, sometimes raising his hand in a way that looked as though he was conducting his own internal symphony. Kopius kept a mindful eye on his surroundings, not wanting any surprises with sharp teeth pouncing at him. As they made their way through the various stone pillars, Kopius tried to get a wider view as one might try to see the whole forest and not just one tree.

    Initially Escher Pass looked and felt like a maze: multiple paths leading in a variety of directions, many to dead ends. Yet the more he looked, the less of a traditional maze it became. Many of the pillars appeared to be the same shape and size. They even looked to have the same plant life growing in the same places. Looking to the left and to the right, in many cases, looked the same.

    ¡°It¡¯s like a house of mirrors without the mirrors.¡± Kopius said absently.

    ¡°What¡¯s that now?¡± Cici replied over his shoulder.

    ¡°How do people navigate this?¡± Kopius replied. ¡°It looks the same all over the place.¡±

    ¡°True enough. Now that the trail is no longer maintained, older methods are required.¡±

    Cici stopped and gestured at a pillar they were soon to pass around.

    ¡°See this one here? Notice that towards the bottom on the right it carves in sharply like a piece was removed?¡±

    Kopius stared at the giant column. He did see the sudden indentation starting roughly ten feet from the ground. Plants had long covered the surface, giving it enough coverage to camouflage the otherwise noticeable missing chunk. It was hiding in plain sight.

    ¡°I see it.¡±

    ¡°Excellent! There are many like it if you are paying attention. Those will keep you on the path.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t exactly jump out at you.¡±

    ¡°No, they are quite stationary, I assure you.¡±

    ¡°I mean, they are not very noticeable.¡±

    ¡°It is much easier when you know what to look for.¡±

    ¡°I guess I know now.¡±

    ¡°And knowing is¨C¡±

    ¡°¨Chalf the battle?¡± Kopius interjected.

    ¡°What? Why would you fight knowledge?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s a thing from a cartoon?¡±

    ¡°Cartoon?¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Yeah, like moving pictures; kids watch them. They teach lessons and entertain and whatnot.¡±

    ¡°Like a play?¡±

    ¡°Something like that.¡±

    ¡°Lessons on fighting knowledge? It''s no wonder you have struggled,¡± Cici said apologetically.

    ¡°Nononono, that¡¯s not¡­ you know what¡ª¡± Kopius replied, unwilling to dive down this rabbit hole any farther. ¡°What were you going to say? Knowing is¡­ what?¡±

    ¡°Knowing is going to keep you from getting lost.¡±

    There was a long pause as the two men stared at each other. One stood with a quiet confidence while the other tried to maintain his composure.

    ¡°Were you hoping for something more¡­ profound?¡± Cici said, breaking the silence.

    ¡°I guess I was.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well then¡­ a wise man once told me that to suffer is divine.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like an asshole.¡±

    Cici laughed. ¡°He was a bit of a pucker-pot.¡±

    Upon Kopius¡¯s request, he took the right side of the trail, and the two men were off. He paid closer attention to which way Cici rounded the hoodoos. At first, he had to really stare at the column before picking up the indention. After an hour of walking, he could accurately predict which way the big man would travel. At some point, a blank, glittering pop-up window appeared, and Kopius whisked it away, only able to guess at what it was communicating.

    Cici had moved on from the humming and was playing a tune on his musical instrument. He played in such a way that he used his own echo to create the illusion of multiple instruments and sounds playing together. If Kopius were to close his eyes it would be as though he were listening to a music band of four or five people playing. It was quite beautiful.

    Travel was uneventful, until it wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a skinwalker,¡± Kopius stated, his summoned sword pointing towards the distant creature. The two men found cover best they could and watched. A few hundred yards down the twisting path, a brightly colored animal was grazing among the plants. Its pink and yellow body stood out like a beacon in contrast to the dark-green and blue plants. It hunched over on two legs, bending at the waist to reach the ground. It gave Kopius a strong Road Runner cartoon vibe.

    ¡°It¡¯s a scavenging gleamer,¡± Cici answered, looking about for more. ¡±Looks to be alone. If you fancy chicken, that¡¯s pretty close.¡± He looked at Kopius expectantly.

    ¡°You want to catch that thing?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°I want to cook that thing.¡±

    ¡°Is it dangerous?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s got a bit of a piercer.¡±

    ¡°A piercer?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, like an overgrown toenail.¡±

    Again, Kopius felt like he was not getting the whole story, but lacking any evidence to counter, he went along with the big man. ¡°Well, okay, fine, how do we do this?¡±

    Kopius stepped out from his cover and stood in the middle of the path. In his right hand was a single, roundish rock with just about the right amount of heft. In his other hand were two similar rocks, about the size and shape of baseballs. From his closer position, Kopius gauged the distance to the grazing animal to be sixty to eighty yards away. He guessed that he was roughly the distance from center field to home plate, and that was an easy throw for him.

    The plan was for Kopius to draw the attention and ire of the gleamer, to which it would seek retribution. Cici, laying in wait, would tackle the unexpecting kangaroo-sized creature as it rushed by. Once on the ground, the big man''s size could make short work of the animal.

    After a few stretches and arm twirls, Kopius reared back and tossed the boulder. It sailed through the air, but he knew the moment it was out of his hand that it would fall short. Fall short it did, coming to a quick stop and not even registering on the animal¡¯s radar. The second stone was a much better throw. Using what is popularly known in the baseball world as a ¡°crow hop¡±, Kopius missed the beast just to the left, startling it.

    ¡°HEY!¡± Kopius shouted, getting the gleamer to look his way.

    Using the crow-hop again, he nailed the beast, and it let out an audible squawk. Kopius picked up three more rocks that he had by his feet and started slinging.

    Wap, wap, wap.

    Each successive throw pelted the gleamer until it finally rose to its full height and started running at Kopius. At the original distance, Kopius would have guessed that the gleamer would be no more than five feet tall. Yet as the beast quickly approached, its size seemed to double. Once within a reasonable distance, Kopius could make out that the flamingo/ostrich crossover was a bright and terrifying sight.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming,¡± Kopius yelled.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Cici confirmed.

    Thump, thump, thump.

    The closer the gleamer got, the louder its footsteps became. Its squeals and squawks echoed amongst the stones. Each thump felt like his heart trying to hammer out of his chest. Before Kopuis could say anything further, Cici pounced with all the alacrity and grace of a jungle cat. He caught the beast just below its elongated neck, causing the animal to veer off course but not to the ground. The big man bounced and flopped as he held firm to the gleamer. Cici looked like a rodeo hand trying to rustle a rogue horse.

    Kopius turned and ran. Five paces into his retreat, the sound of the thumping ceased. Unwilling to stop and look around, Kopius chanced a glance over his shoulder while on the run. The next few moments felt as though the world had slowed down so that everyone could really get a good look at the calamity as it ensued.

    Behind and above, like an ungraceful albatross about to land on ice, the gleamer stumbled through the open air. Clinging to the animal''s neck and obstructing its flight, Cici¡¯s face bore the expression of someone frustrated by a word puzzle.

    In a dragged out moment, he wrapped his legs around the flying animal and twisted and turned at its neck, trying his best to liberate its head from its body. The two wrestled mid-flight, and that is when the creature''s legs rose up like a striking cobra, giving Kopius his first glimpse at the ¡°oversized toenail.¡±

    On the front of each foot was a hooked appendage, one that would make even the largest of velociraptors jealous. The things looked like industrial-size blades meant to peel open a car''s roof. Kopius jerked to the left, avoiding a pillar. Bits of rock and plant debris pelted his backside as the gleamer¡¯s massive talons took out a chunk of hoodoo. The ground shook behind him as the large creature and Cici smashed into it. Kopius heard an ear-piercing squeal before it was quickly cut off, leaving only its echo to carry on.

    He finally stopped and looked back in time to see the big man unravel the gleamers neck from his arm.

 TBC Chapter 28

    Chapter 28

    The rest of the journey to the second trail marker was without any further incidents. Cici had quartered the gleamer, making pieces small enough that Kopius could lift and place in his inventory. Each piece had taken a new slot in his storage ring, leaving only a few spaces left for anything new they found.

    ¡°I will be honest,¡± Cici said, as he brought a new fire to life. ¡±I was expecting more encounters.¡±

    ¡°More gleamers or skinwalkers?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°More of¡­ anything really. There are plenty of others, other than just those two.¡±

    Kopius removed the large pieces of the gleamer from his inventory and placed them to the side. He also removed pieces of wood for the fire, thankful they stacked in his inventory even though the pieces were all shaped differently.

    Cici had pulled tools from his own backpack and started the process of setting up his kitchen. He placed short metal poles around the growing fire so that they would support his cooking pot. Alongside that was a cutting board to mince and/or spice whatever meal he might be creating.

    Normally Kopius would sit by, either watching the big man work his magic or staring off in the distance like some emo teenager mulling over life. This night, as he stared at the pieces of the bright feathers of the gleamer, an idea popped into his head. He pulled an extra shirt from his inventory, tied the arms and bottom shut, and then got to work.

    ¡°What you got there?¡± Cici asked as he watched Kopius rip handfuls of feathers and stuff them in the shirt.

    ¡°I need a pillow.¡±

    ¡°Ingenuity? And you said your people fight knowledge,¡± Cici said with a wink. ¡°Personally, I would burn it all, except the meat, of course.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t salvage it?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°A gleamer? No, they taste good, but their feathers gather fleas like a cloud collects water for a storm.¡±

    Kopius immediately took several large steps away from the carcass and instantly felt as though bugs were crawling all over him. He shook with a strong shiver and wiped vigorously at his exposed arms and legs.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me any of this? I was holding that thing!¡±

    ¡°I thought you knew.¡±

    ¡°How would I know? I¡¯m not from here, man!¡±

    ¡°True.¡±

    ¡°Very true! Like, unbelievably true!¡±

    ¡°Can we burn it now?¡± Kopius asked with a final get-this-ick-off shiver.

    ¡°And ruin my fire?¡±

    ¡°Start another fire, then.¡±

    ¡°That would leave us short kindling later.¡±

    Kopius walked to the edge of the fallen pillar and looked down.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just kick it off the side here.¡±

    ¡°It will become a skinwalker to fight in the morning.¡±

    ¡°You know, fine, you hang with fleabag here. I¡¯m going to the other side till it''s gone.¡±

    Cici gave a nonchalant shrug as Kopius stomped to what he considered a safe distance. After giving his body a thorough inspection, Kopius found a place to sit and brood. Just because he had mostly accepted his reality, it didn¡¯t mean he had to like it.

    Everything he came across reminded him that he was a stranger in this land. Instead of embracing the joys of discovery and adventure, Kopius had some "woe is me¡± soundtrack running on repeat in his head.

    For a while, he just sat there staring out at the wilderness. Firelight spread out among the pillars, dancing across the horizon until it faded into the shadows of the Pass. Kopius, with what was quickly becoming a silent mantra, ran through his ¡°why me?¡±s and ¡°how the?¡±s and ¡°WTF!¡±s as if they were the lyrics to his favorite song.

    Of course, this was nothing new. Cory had had the same chorus of voices. They just sang a different, albeit equally morose, tune. It¡¯s not that he enjoyed the sullen thoughts as much as it acted like a snowball, gathering size and speed. Given the right set of circumstances, the spiraling turns into a freefall with no bottom in sight.

    ¡°Food is ready!¡± echoed off the surrounding hoodoos, snapping Kopius from his internal loop. Cici had a wooden bowl raised in the air, with a look that said ¡±I¡¯m not bringing it to you.¡± Kopius stood up and walked away from the funk in his mind. He came back fully to the present when his stomach grumbled at the smell of something delicious.

    In the fire were several chunks of meat and some miscellaneous feathers. The pile of quartered gleamer was gone, leaving behind a few bright, scattered feathers on the rock. Kopius took his bowl and opted to remain opposite from where the bird''s remains had been.

    He brought the bowl to his nose and took a few strategic sniffs. It smelled vaguely familiar, like basil mixed with a spicy, pepper scent. The meat was atop what Kopius had come to call this world''s version of mashed potatoes. Satisfied that he wouldn¡¯t gag this time, he took in a few small bites. Sadly, the meat did not taste like chicken¡ªnot even close.

    Cici had been disappointed by the news, insisting that whatever planet Kopius was from did not, in fact, have chickens. A debate ensued for the duration of their meal, both men asserting the other was mistaken.

    After a second bowl each, they pulled charcoal from the fire and began to draw, to the best of their abilities, what they knew to be a chicken. Kopius showed his drawing skills to be roughly at the first-grade level, producing a chicken that had all the necessary parts, except it more resembled a miniature dinosaur with airplane wings for flappers along with a single eyeball. Cici¡¯s chicken reminded Kopius of Big Bird from Sesame Street but with notable differences. It was half the height of Big Bird and was covered in something close to lambswool. Two stick-like appendages kept it upright, and its short, stubby, forward-facing wings gave the impression that it was always looking for a hug. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    There was an air of smugness that exuded from the two artists, both satisfied with their personal renditions. It wasn¡¯t until Kopius complimented the meal that a noticeable change in Cici¡¯s mood came about. Eventually they both had a laugh at their indignation, and Cici urged Kopius to start his training, or at least meet his instructor, Quinn.

    According to Manabolism, there are a few steps when it comes to wielding magic. First, you need to have an intelligence high enough to comprehend the spell itself. The more complicated the spell, the higher intelligence is needed to understand it.

    Another step, in many cases, requires you to bind a word and/or gesture to a learned spell in order to invoke it. Basic, low-level spells would need but a single word to cast, where higher level spells required many words and multiple gestures. The rules varied if the spell were to be invoked with an item, such as the boots Kopius was wearing, but the principles were roughly the same. The step that Kopius struggled with was the one called ¡°intention.¡±

    From what he could figure out, intention came down to whether a caster is intending to cast the spell or just reciting for practice. Yet even though Kopius had every intention of setting skinwalkers on fire, it did not always pan out that way. The book had mentioned the importance of composure, that ¡°maintaining a balanced mind under duress is the requisite for mastery.¡± He reluctantly admitted to himself that the several times he had panicked, his mind was anything but balanced.

    With all of this in mind, Kopius summoned the pugil staff from his inventory. The metallic rod shimmered in the firelight, its cold surface sending a slight chill down his arm. Per the instructions, Kopius had cleared a roughly ten-foot circle to give himself room to move around. He held the baton-sized staff out in front of himself as though ready to drop a mic. With a firm grip, he attempted to summon his trainer.

    ¡°Quinn Train,¡± Kopius said, focusing on the staff.

    Nothing happened.

    He adjusted his grip¡ªand his focus¡ªand tried again.

    ¡°Quinn Train,¡± he said with more force. His hand felt the same pressure his feet did when casting fire from his boots. It was as though a giant air bubble was traveling down his arm, causing minimal but noticeable pressure all the way down and out his fingertips. The pugil staff warmed slightly.

    ¡°Quinn! Train!¡± Kopius yelled.

    The rod he was holding warmed considerably and began to change shape. Crevasses appeared and formed on the smooth surface, creating grooves to complement his grip. It gave the sensation of something trying to squirm free from his hand.

    After a few ticklish moments, the rod resembled the handle of a weapon that perfectly conformed to Kopius¡¯s grip. From what appeared to be the top end of the pugil staff, a beam of light shot out, roughly two feet in length.

    Before Kopius could convince himself that he was holding a real-life lightsaber¡ªquite possibly the greatest weapon ever conceived¡ªthe light flickered and started to take on different shapes. It turned into a short sword, a broad sword, an ax, a spear, a mace, a war hammer, a you-name-it handheld weapon, the light from the pugil staff changed into it.

    Once it ran through the myriad of shapes, it returned to its ¡±lightsaber¡± form and began to flash. The strobe light had an unnatural pulsating as though it was throbbing to music rather than a blinking pattern.

    Slowly, ethereal grass took form under his feet, and a tall, translucent barrier rose along the border of the ten-foot circle. A deep, The Matrix code green setting came to life, pulsating along with his light up toy.

    A door appeared opposite Kopius, accompanied by the sounds of distant drums that were growing closer with each second. He chanced a look around, only to notice Cici lounging by the fire, tuning his instrument.

    ¡°Are you seeing this?¡± Kopius said, but Cici did not look up.

    ¡°Can you see this?¡± Kopius shouted. Cici remained focused on his own task.

    The drums, like some wannabe Jumanji remix, dominated the small circle. Before they grew to the level of being painful, the sounds came to an abrupt end. The lights remained a steady green, and the absence of noise was almost as deafening as the drums.

    Crack!

    The door came flying off its hinges straight at Kopius. His only reaction to the impending impact was to turn and raise his arms like an X to protect his head. The green door hit him like a thick cloud of smoke, passing right through and dissipating once it crossed the circle''s barrier.

    ¡°Was that fear or cowardice?¡± The bellowed words were punctuated as though they were each a sentence, enunciated in a sharp, whip-like fashion. A hint of an accent seeped in that was half overweight Spanish noble, half drill sergeant. The voice came through the door before the man behind it did, but when he did, it was quite a sight.

    Emerging through the green doorway came a man of medium height and rotund build, a bit shorter than Kopius. He wore an outfit that was reminiscent of tight-fitting military fatigues with pockets galore. The man had so many pinned and colorful medallions it seemed practically mocking.

    His hair and mustache looked like a homage to Inigo Montoya; the long dark hair and thin handlebar facial hair stood out in contrast to the pale skin behind it. A sword with an elaborate hilt rested in its sheath on his right hip while a series of knives lined his left.

    He walked through the doorway like he owned the place, and though Kopius was taller, the man managed to look down upon him.

    ¡°Fear. Or. Cowardice?¡± The man said, staring down the bridge of his nose. His accent confirmed as stated above.

    ¡°Quinn?¡± was all Kopius could manage to get out.

    ¡°Quinntrain Erostrata Di-jin,¡± Quinn announced as though he was presenting himself to a crowd. ¡°Keeper of the Five Peaces, Champion of Jannasa, Champion of Junna; known by his countrymen as ¡®The Blade of Reason¡¯ and by his foes, ¡®The Last Breath.¡¯¡±

    The words hung in the air, and Quinn stood ready, chin up high, to accept any and all adulation. After a brief pause, Quinn reoriented himself back to looking down upon Kopius.

    ¡°Now, focus! Fear or cowardice?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªuh, neither. I was¡­ distracted.¡±

    ¡°The distracted are the dead!¡±

    ¡°It was more confusion¡ª¡±

    ¡°Even worse! You might as well fall on your own sword and save us all the trouble.¡±

    ¡°Now wait a minute¡ª¡±

    ¡°Seconds!¡±

    Quinn moved so quickly that one moment he was on the other side of the circle and the next he was so close that Kopius could feel the man¡¯s breath, leaving only the musk from his aftershave to separate the two men.

    ¡°Even less than that.¡± Quinn hissed, letting the words sink in before turning and walking towards the open door. He paused, looked back in Kopius¡¯s direction, and reached out with an aggressive gesture. Kopius looked behind himself in time to see the unhinged door come back to life and fly at him. He dodged to the side, and the door slammed back into place. Quinn gave a sour look, unimpressed.

    ¡°Come back when you are actually ready.¡±

    With that last statement, Quinntrain Erostrata Di-jin opened the green door and left with no other fanfare. When the door slammed shut, the ethereal, green grass and border went with it.

    Kopius stood silent for a while, not quite able to wrap his head around what had just transpired. He was snapped from his thoughts when a blank window popped up. Absently he closed it. His throat was parched, and when he glanced over at the fire, Cici was adding more wood. Kopius drank from his waterskin and made his way closer to the warmth.

    ¡°Back to life, I see. How¡¯d it go?¡± Cici asked.

    ¡°Back to life?¡± Kopius replied, still clearing the cobwebs from the experience.

    ¡°Well yeah, you stood there like a statue. Like you had turned to stone but, well, you hadn¡¯t.¡±

    Kopius looked back at the place he had been standing, noticing for the first time that he still was holding the pugil staff. He placed it back in his ring.

    ¡°So, did you meet your man?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s ah¡­ he¡¯s a pucker-pot.¡±

 TBC Chapter 29

    CHAPTER 29

    The next day, right around lunch time, Kopius began to hear the familiar flowing of water in the distance. It was impossible to gauge which direction the sound was coming from, but it was distinct in its cadence. Cici further confirmed that they were approaching the only river in the Pass, known as the Tessel.

    After another thirty minutes of walking, they rounded a final hoodoo and came to the bank of the river. With about thirty or forty feet to the other side, swimming across was possible, though it looked shallow enough in some parts that wading was an option, too. Its steady flow snaked around and through the pillars, carving its way into the distance until it faded from view.

    Upstream, a fallen pillar lay across the waterway blocking any view beyond it. The river had chipped away at it long enough that a giant hole had formed, leaving a natural bridge of rock to cross. The water had an unusual, unpleasant smell, similar to delta waters in the central valley of Cory¡¯s childhood. A place he had spent a summer in murky¡ªpossibly contaminated¡ªsludge-like water, kneeboarding into willow reeds and throwing back slimy catfish.

    ¡°Are we at the trail marker already?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Used to be one. Before my time, though.¡±

    Kopius approached the tainted, gutter-green water. He kicked a boulder into the goop and watched the bubbles race away downstream. Kneeling at the water''s edge, he could make out small clots of hair-like strings, slogging their way through the muck. A spot of water splashed on his exposed forearm and stuck to him like a loogie. Kopius wiped it away quickly on his pant leg and stepped back from the slime. What the fuck¡¯s up with the river, man? Kopius wondered in disgust.

    A window popped up in front of Kopius, and he stumbled back in awe. It was blank, of course, but had a border and sparkle that he had not yet seen. Its border was part crystal garden, part smile-now-cry-later caricatures. Light-blue crystals like ice shards lined each of the four sides, while each of the four corners had white stone faces that would make any kabuki mask proud.

    Each mask displayed different expressions ranging from what looked to be joy or elation to pain and despair. Light pulsed from inside the crystal borders, and Kopius anxiously wondered what such a thing could mean.

    Cautiously, with his mental fingers crossed, he tried to close the window. It did not close, and Kopius smiled. It¡¯s a quest! And if fancy notification borders mean anything¡­ Yes!

    The window closed.

    For a few brief moments, Kopius imagined himself amassing a mountain''s worth of loot and an ocean of XP. He pictured returning to Oh-jin not at a meager level 10 but at level 50, wearing the finest armor and enough gold to bribe a god.

    ¡°Hobbletwat!¡± Cici exclaimed, breaking Kopius from his brief daydream.

    Hobbletwat? Kopius thought. He turned to face the big man. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You accepted a quest, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Well yeah, it had a fancy border.¡± Kopius replied with a ¡°what''s the big deal¡± shrug.

    ¡°You know, you¡¯re a bit impetuous at times.¡±

    ¡°So I have been told, but I will have you know that I do not know what that word means.¡±

    ¡°It means you are rash, hasty. Sometimes it is like you¡¯re a small child pulling every lever he comes across.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it? I¡¯ve been called worse. Listen, it was glittery and shiny and looked important.¡±

    ¡°Not everything that sparkles is special, you know.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah, and the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know what you accepted.¡±

    ¡°And you do?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes I do.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get atop this rock and I will let you know what you have gotten yourself into.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a global quest?¡± Kopius exclaimed.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say global. Regional is more¡­ realistic.¡±

    ¡°You said anyone could get this quest?¡±

    ¡°Right, I did.¡±

    ¡°And anyone who already has the quest can give it out?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a good listener, I¡¯ve been meaning to mention.¡±

    ¡°So it can be given out?¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t give it out. You keep the quest. It¡¯s more like you can include them.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°So if I have the quest and then travel to the other side of Metem, I could pass it out to whoever I wanted? Because that''s pretty much global.¡±

    ¡°Well yes, but nobody would accept it. There are limits, you know.¡±

    Kopius stared at Cici with a face conveying what his words should not.

    ¡°Right you are, right, right.¡± Cici looked around like someone hoping the simple answer would suddenly appear and explain itself. ¡°Simply put: there is a limited number of quests you can accept or carry at any given time. The amount varies, and I don¡¯t know why or how. Basically, if you only have the ability to carry, let¡¯s say, ten quests, you probably wouldn¡¯t want to waste space on a quest you are unlikely to complete¡ªor even try.¡± He paused to let that all sink in.

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Kopius nodded.

    ¡°A Ripple quest, like we have here,¡± Cici gestured down to the Tessel, ¡±it''s not¡­ normal. Most quests are ¡®do an action, get something of value¡¯ or some form of that. Additionally, most quests can be canceled and removed from your list whenever you desire.¡±

    ¡°Sounds normal.¡± Kopius interjected. ¡°It¡¯s pretty much the same as the video games I used to play.¡±

    ¡°Ripples, though,¡± Cici continued, ¡±they are different for several reasons. First off, once you accept a Ripple quest, it can only be removed once the quest is completed. As we have discussed, those that possess it can give it out freely. Thirdly, when the quest is completed¡ªregardless of who completed it¡ªeveryone carrying that quest gets a part of the experience reward. Lastly, Ripples will always have a secondary, unknown effect. It¡¯s this last one that makes them¡­ special.¡±

    Kopius was uncomfortable with how Cici used that last word. It sounded to him like ¡®¡®special¡¯¡¯ had the same range of meaning on Metem as it did on Earth. A blank window opened and was quickly closed.

    ¡°Special good or special bad?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing, nobody knows. There¡¯s no way to tell. Some have had detrimental effects while others have had, ah, happier endings.¡±

    Kopius smirked but remained focused on the subject at hand. ¡°Maybe you guys aren¡¯t reading the fine print.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ nothing,¡± Kopius sighed. ¡°Can you give any examples?¡±

    ¡°Of the eight or so I have come across in my time, I only know of two that have been completed.¡±

    ¡°You have eight Ripple quests?¡±

    ¡°Ha, no. No, I only have this one. The others I have heard from travelers in passing or ones I have declined.¡±

    ¡°How common¡ªnever mind, what happened?¡±

    ¡°Well, the first quest, A Sound Heart, was completed when I was a wee lad. Everyone who had the quest received a noticeable increase to their overall health reservoirs.¡±

    ¡°Even if they didn¡¯t complete it themselves?¡±

    ¡°Well yes, that is part of what makes Ripple quests so tempting.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a pretty sweet deal. Get all the reward for doing none of the work, I can get behind that.¡±

    ¡°There is a bit more to it than that. In this instance, the longer you had the quest the less of a boon you received. Now, before you accept every Ripple you come across, let me tell you about the more recent one.¡±

    ¡°Okay fine.¡± Kopius complained, all but pouting as Easy Street disappeared from his imagination.

    ¡°The Hand You Hold, a Ripple quest in the swamplands of Kaliboz in the northwest. A small group of adventurers claimed their prize, defeating a fog-filled maze to complete the quest. The group reaped in glorious rewards for their strength and ingenuity. Yet for those that had the quest but did not complete it, they lost two points in Strength and Intelligence.¡±

    ¡°Is that a lot?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Do you want two points removed from either of those?¡±

    ¡°No. No, I would not.¡±

    ¡°Precisely. To further the story, a few nobles from the northeastern kingdom of Lamazil were some of those affected. The bungling fools did not take kindly to their losses and pursued each of those adventurers to the death.¡±

    ¡°How could they have known who completed it?¡±

    ¡°Well now, beside being a braggart or an attention-seeking blowhard¡ªlike most adventurers are¡ªthe quest sends it out!¡±

    ¡°Hold up, what?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, twice even! That is how I knew you had accepted the quest in the first place!¡±

    Kopius just shook his head in disbelief, his lips puckering dangerously close to that of a duckface.

    ¡°After you agree to the quest, every living creature carrying it will be informed of someone new taking it on.¡±

    ¡°They will know what exactly?¡±

    ¡°Just your name in the beginning, not such a big deal. You would also start getting alerted any time anyone else takes the quest for the first time.¡±

    ¡°How, uh, how often do you get these alerts?¡±

    ¡°Not as often these days. Back when I first stumbled across it, I would get a few a day, though.¡±

    As if on cue, a blank, index card-sized window magically slid into Kopius¡¯s upper peripheral, stayed a few moments, and then disappeared.

    ¡°See, there is one now!¡± Cici exclaimed. Three more index card-sized blank windows materialized and disappeared in quick succession. ¡°This usually happens.¡± The two waited in silence as several more windows came and went before continuing their discussion.

    ¡°Hmmm, okay. How many people just learned my name?¡±

    ¡°Most will ignore it.¡±

    ¡°How many people do you think have this quest?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a mystery, my friend. Quite a few I would imagine. These waters have always looked like this to me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Like you said, why would you accept the quest if you weren¡¯t going to do it? Especially if you get stuck with it?¡±

    ¡°It is rumored that there are Ripple quests where the more people you give the quest to, the bigger your reward once it is complete. Even greater if you, or someone you gave it to, is the finisher.¡±

    ¡°This sounds like some weird pyramid scheme.¡±

    ¡°One thing is sure, whoever completes a Ripple suffers no ill effects.¡±

    ¡°Unless there are nobles involved.¡± Kopius corrected.

    ¡°Suffers no direct ill effects,¡± Cici chuckled.

    The two men had a laugh, and some of the worries on their minds were temporarily eased. The rushing water brought with it, imagined or not, a pleasant breeze and relaxing sounds. Beyond the smell of the river below, Escher Pass felt no more dangerous than the woods of Cory¡¯s youth.

 TBC Chapter 30

    CHAPTER 30

    ¡°You¡¯ve never gone upstream to look?¡± Kopius eventually asked.

    ¡°I will admit I have been tempted. The experience points from a Ripple quest alone are said to be worth the risk. But, no, I have not journeyed up the river.¡±

    Kopius looked upstream and wondered if this was the XP boost he needed. If seasoned adventurers felt the XP was worth it, then Kopius might have just found the catalyst he was in need of. But if it''s been around for so long¡­ Kopius wondered.

    ¡°Has anybody been upstream?¡±

    ¡°Oh, sure. Plenty, I have been told. Met a few as well.¡±

    ¡°And?¡± Kopius almost shouted, his hands making ¡®¡¯you gotta give more¡¯¡¯ gestures.

    ¡°And nothing,¡± Cici replied, returning his own ¡®¡¯that''s all I got¡¯¡¯ shrug. ¡°The quest is still active, so anybody who did go upstream didn¡¯t complete it. As to their fate, well, I have seen fate stub a man''s toe on a ranker tree and then have his whole leg rot off within the week.¡±

    ¡°Are ranker trees dangerous?¡±

    ¡°No. Not at all! That¡¯s my point.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough. Okay. So, what¡¯s the name of the quest?¡±

    ¡°Let me find it and read the whole thing.¡± Cici¡¯s eyes began to dart around like he was trying to track a hummingbird. A few seconds later, he continued:

    ¡°Blight at the End of the Tunnel: the Tessel River has been contaminated. Find the source of the pollution.¡±

    ¡°That''s all it says?¡± Kopius asked with notable disappointment.

    ¡°That is it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, man. It sounds kind of easy. Find the source¡­¡± Kopius trailed off. He found his gaze returning upstream and his mind homing in on some sweet, sweet instant gratification. He didn¡¯t want to start splitting hairs but ¡®¡®find the source¡¯¡¯ and ¡®¡®fix/remove the source¡¯¡¯ were two totally different things. He also admitted that fixing the source of the problem generally comes directly after finding it in chain type quests.

    ¡°Are there chain quests here?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Like you finish one quest, and another quest pops up right away. Sometimes the quests are numbered. ¡®Finish part one to unlock part two,¡¯ that type of stuff.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t follow.¡±

    ¡°Okay. If we go up the river,¡± Kopius said with some impatience, using arm motions to help tell the story, ¡±we get up there and find out that the Tessel is now the shitter for a bunch of monsters. We would have found the source of pollutants or whatever and finished the quest. Would then another quest pop up saying something like ¡®Nice job, assholes, now fix the problem or else¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Quests are usually not that aggressive, but yes, I think what you are¡ªpoorly¡ªdescribing is called a Sequence quest. They are finished in stages.¡±

    ¡°Great. Can a Ripple also be a Sequence?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡±

    ¡°Perfect, let¡¯s run with that logic.¡± Kopius¡¯s palms felt a little sweaty, reminiscent of the days he would spend hours upon hours playing first person shooters before embracing VR gaming. He wiped them on his pant legs and took a glance at the sun''s position.

    ¡°Do you want to try and complete this?¡± Cici asked as he picked up on Kopius¡¯s body language.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m guessing we don¡¯t have enough supplies for that?¡±

    ¡°I always pack for an extra day or two.¡± Cici said with a smirk.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what you were saying when I wanted to burn that fleabag gleamer.¡±

    ¡°Eh, it would have ruined the meat.¡±

    ¡°Whatever. Are we going to do this?¡± Kopius asked, surprised by his own eagerness.

    ¡°Hold on there, shadow man. That¡¯s uncharted territory, at least to these eyes. We need more than desire to get us there. Let¡¯s have a look at our inventory.¡±

    A quick check of Cici¡¯s pack and Kopius¡¯s ring gave them the impression that¡ªif frugal¡ªthey had enough food and wood for three more nights. Food, they reasoned, could be found along the way, so it was really the wood that gave them pause.

    Safety was another issue they had to hammer out. The fallen hoodoos gave them an elevated place to sleep the night in relative peace. If there were no safe places up the river, they had to decide on precautions ahead of time. Their discussion lasted for about an hour or so when they both agreed to make the journey but not until the morning.

    With the sun past midday and camp already set up, the two men had time to kill. They meandered about the fallen pillar, Kopius collecting small rocks where he could and Cici whistling a tune. They stacked and restacked wood out of boredom, threw rocks, and tuned instruments multiple times. A mixture of lazy thoughts and anxious ones filtered in and out of the two, and Kopius could handle only so much serenity at once. The quiet finally got to him, so Kopius asked about the fallen hoodoos.

    ¡°This here,¡± Cici slapped the pillar they were sitting on like it was the hood of a used car for sale. ¡±This is the only known way across the Tessel, at least the only dry way. The old stories will tell ya that an army of earth magi brought the great pillar down, while some will say time is to blame. There are other versions as well, but at the end of the day, we have ourselves this bridge.¡±

    ¡°Which version do you think is true?¡± Kopius asked curiously.

    ¡°How was it felled?¡± Cici said slowly, like a person stalling for time. He scratched at his beard a bit and then responded. ¡°Probably a little bit of everything. Usually some truth in even the wildest of stories.¡± Cici held a deadpan gaze with Kopius until the latter understood that he was one of those wild stories.

    Kopius gave an I-see-what-you-did-there grunt that could have been mistaken for a laugh.

    ¡°As you might imagine, having fresh water and a lofted camp made this an appealing place to stop.¡± Cici continued.

    ¡°I thought you said the other trail markers were all cut down.¡±

    ¡°They were! One of the few times our ancient ancestors are said to have come together for a common goal.¡±

    ¡°And what was the ¡®common goal¡¯?¡±

    ¡°The untamed south, of course!¡± Cici said with a laugh, knowing Kopius had no clue what he was talking about. ¡°Before, to get south, you had to survive the riptides of the mighty Torrent. It wasn¡¯t until Escher found this route that adventurers could bring horse and wagon to cross the Tessel. Way down at each end of this rock are ramps carved for caravans, horses, women. and children¡ªbasically anything that could not cross the river without being lost or ruined.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so special about the south?¡±

    ¡°The north has high mountains, dense forests, and swamps a plenty. In the southeast there are hills and flat lands, good growing lands. To the immediate south, the Mountains of Amoss are abundant in ore and adventure. To the southwest lay the dead lands, commonly known as The Long Walk. Beyond all these is a massive body of water, the Sea of Saidnah. The kingdom of Corundu rests upon its shores as well as many other small towns and villages. To the deep south, the Valley of Mist remains unexplored.¡±

    ¡°Is that it?¡± Kopius asked dryly, knowing he would forget all of this shortly.

    ¡®Of course not.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t remember all these names or places¡ªor even directions for that matter.¡± Kopius groaned. ¡°Are we even heading south?¡±

    ¡°Right, right,¡± Cici placated, ¡±I don¡¯t want to overwhelm your budding intelligence. We are headed roughly east to the town of Cawbachu.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, sorry, man,¡± Kopius said, realizing that he was being a bit of an asshole. ¡°I¡­ just haven¡¯t made any progress. Every second I feel like I am falling further and further behind.¡±

    ¡°Behind what exactly?¡±

    ¡°Where I am supposed to be.¡±

    ¡°Where is that?¡±

    ¡°Not here.¡±

    ¡°But you are here.¡±

    ¡°I can see that.¡±

    ¡°Can you now?¡±

    There was more to what the big man was saying, but Kopius didn¡¯t have the mental capacity to dissect it at the moment. His mind was antsy, and his body followed that drum beat. Any life lessons Cici may or may not have been trying to bestow upon him rolled off as Kopius climbed down to ground level and started to wander upstream.

    ¡°Best to be back before dark!¡± Cici bellowed from the top of the pillar, like some over-bearing mother. Kopius threw a peace sign over his shoulder as he kept walking.

 TBC Chapter 31

    CHAPTER 31

    ¡°This is as far as I got,¡± Kopius said, pointing to a pile of rocks he had constructed the evening before. He had noticed that the farther he ranged away from the fallen hoodoo, the taller the overall vegetation had grown. What had started as shin-high greenery gradually made its way to being a bit taller than Kopius.

    The trek had been easy enough. The ground between the river and the tall shrubbery, roughly twenty feet apart, looked as though someone had salted the earth; it was nothing but dirt, rock, and mud. Kopius assumed the contaminated water had something to do with it, but he wasn¡¯t sure. Regardless of the ¡®how,¡¯ he had appreciated the even terrain.

    ¡°I can see why,¡± Cici answered as he got on tippy-toes to see above the wall of plants.

    Kopius had the slightest inkling of validation run through his mind. The night before, he had gotten all spidey-sensey when he could no longer see off into the grassy distance. There had been an internal debate as to why he had stopped. After a few minutes of doubts and self-aggrandizing, followed by several more minutes of unnecessary insults and what-ifisms, he had headed back.

    ¡°Yeah, I really didn¡¯t feel like getting ambushed by something.¡±

    ¡°Nor should you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks?¡±

    ¡°Happy to help, lad.¡± Cici gave a hard shoulder pat to Kopius. ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving.¡±

    The two men walked in silence for the better part of an hour, pausing when they heard a rustling and sighing in relief when nothing appeared. Kopius felt they were walking uncomfortably close to the tall foliage, but Cici had insisted that the noise of the Tessel would mask anything coming out of the grass.

    The uneventful journey was nerve racking. It felt like trying to sneak out of your house as a teenager, where every soft footfall sounded like thunder and every slight creak of a floor board was enough to wake the dead.

    They both walked with their weapons out. Cici, looking relaxed as always, rested his hammer across his shoulders. The astralsilicate shone like snow in the sunlight with iridescent colors; dancing rainbows across the stone''s surface. As nonchalant as Cici would appear, the two hands gripping the hilt of his hammer spoke a different truth. Kopius followed the big man''s lead, trying his best to maintain his composure.

    Thanks to a whetstone that Cici had packed, Kopius now carried two slightly sharper swords. He felt moderately safer than before, though the increased comfort did little to settle his nerves.

    Their pace eventually turned into a slow, tense walk, each step feeling a bit heavier than the one before it. The rustling sounds of nature turned into the mindless droning of the Tessel. It was hypnotic in its lack of rhythm, and Kopius had to shake off several drowsy hundred-yard stares.

    Cici, a few paces ahead of Kopius, had his head on a proverbial swivel. He swept the landscape on a continuous loop: back and forth, back and forth. Whenever the big man stepped into a patch of sunlight, his bald black head glistened with sweat. His water intake had increased, and he pulled from his waterskin at a considerably faster rate than at any other part of their trek. The big guy had also stopped one too many times to listen for a sound that Kopius had not heard. The two would look like a pair of guys playing red light, green light, if anyone were to have seen them.

    Finally, after almost an hour of slogging and paranoia, Cici put up a hand gesture to stop. He turned around as he was groping through his crotch bag. It was this world''s version of a fanny pack as best as Kopius could guess. Yet, every time Cici dove in there, it just looked¡ªwrong.

    He pulled out a few edible-looking items, picked one and popped it in his mouth. After a moment he looked like someone had thrown a bucket of ice water in his face. He shook his head in obvious disappointment, secured his hammer on his back, and then handed Kopius the same dry food he had just eaten.

    A moment passed for Kopius before the sounds of Escher Pass came crashing back into his mind. An empty window popped in his field of vision and was closed. He stopped to gather himself and shake off whatever needed to be shaken out. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Kopius complained.

    ¡°Which? The root-ball or the psionic?¡±

    ¡°Psi-whaty?¡±

    ¡°Mind magic, you know, thoughts and dreams and fears and all that. In our case, we stepped into a Dreary trap.¡± Kopius looked around for a string or a lever or anything that would have activated this trap.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t step in it, lad,¡± Cici said with a laugh. ¡°We¡¯ve been walking through it for a while now.¡±

    Kopius stopped his investigation and considered what the big man was saying. ¡°So, we are in the AOE?¡±

    ¡°AOE?¡± Cici replied with a stumped expression.

    ¡°Area of effect,¡± Kopus answered slowly. ¡°I can use a bunch of words you don¡¯t understand too.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Cici laughed.

    ¡°Is this part of the quest?¡± Kopius wondered aloud.

    ¡°It is part of something, that much I can assure.¡±

    ¡°Okay, well, what kind of travesty did we just avoid?¡±

    ¡°Hard to tell. Drearys are meant to slow us down if not put us to sleep altogether. The closer to its source, the more potent.¡±

    ¡°What kind of sources are we talking about here?¡±

    ¡°Most likely some kind of energy stone imbued with Psionic power. It will have a radius where we are vulnerable.¡±

    ¡°I get all that. Can, you know, humans have Psionic magic?¡±

    ¡°Of course, all people¡¯s can! Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Astrals¡ªall sentient beings, really.¡±

    ¡°Wizards, witches, warlocks? Like, do we have company? Is there somebody casting out there?¡±

    The two men took a brief second to scan their surroundings. Now without their previous afflictions, Kopius and Cici were as keen of mind as ever.

    ¡°We would have heard something following us by now. Is your mind clear?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that shit you gave me worked great.¡±

    ¡°Shit?!¡±

    ¡°Shit, as in stuff.¡± Kopius clarified. ¡°That stuff you gave me; that shit you gave me. It¡¯s all synonymous.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all synonymous,¡± Cici repeated with an air of disdain.

    ¡°Your food is great, man. It¡¯s my favorite place to eat in all of Metem,¡± Kopius asserted. He even cracked a smile when Cici looked his way. The big man¡¯s facial expressions implied an internal debate was occurring until a conclusion surfaced.

    ¡°Oh alright,¡± Cici said with a radiant smile. ¡°My food is good, isn¡¯t it? Never mind that though. That¡­ shit I gave you was hartshorn. It counters most sleep spells.¡±

    ¡°What were the others for, the ones you didn¡¯t eat?¡±

    ¡°One is for poison and the other for, ah, irritated skin.¡±

    ¡°Irritated skin? Like itchiness?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, I suppose that too. More for blemishes.¡±

    ¡°You mean rashes?¡±

    Cici, with a modicum of shame on his face, shrugged in a way that said ¡®¡¯at some point in my life I was old enough to know better but young enough not to care.¡¯¡¯ Kopius returned his own hands-up gesture to say ¡®¡¯who am I to judge¡ªlet¡¯s never share towels.¡¯¡¯ The unspoken words resonated with both men, and they were left with a comfortable silence.

    ¡°You know at some point I¡¯ll want to hear the stories behind all of that.¡±

    ¡°Actually, it''s all the same story. A night of depravity like none other, my friend.¡± There was an exhaustion in Cici¡¯s voice as though he had just experienced the brief memory all over again.

    ¡°You ok?¡± Kopius asked, worried that the hartshorn was wearing off.

    ¡°I¡¯m good, lad,¡± Cici said dreamily. ¡°I just took a walk with a memory is all.¡± A grin sat plastered to Cici¡¯s face. ¡°That was¡­ wild.¡±

 TBC Chapter 32

    CHAPTER 32

    After Cici came back to reality, the two made their way upstream at a much faster rate. According to the big guy, the hartshorn would keep them protected for about twenty-four hours or however long it took Metem to spin around one time. Cici hadn¡¯t whistled any tunes, but the mood was light as they journeyed up the Tessel. It was about an hour after they had stopped to eat lunch that they spotted some irregularities along the shores of the river.

    The two cautiously made their way towards it until they were close enough to see the blemishes. Three skulls, in varying states of decay, rested on the ground. Bones were scattered all over, many gnawed while others were half-buried in the soil.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the loot?¡± Kopius asked as they approached the skulls. Though he would have liked to have found new (used) equipment, the absence of anything just seemed odd to him.

    ¡°Is that all you think about?¡± Cici replied. He knelt down to handle one of the skulls.

    ¡°Look, there¡¯s¡­ nothing.¡± Kopius swept his arms about. ¡°No shreds of old clothing or a mangled boot or even, I don¡¯t know, broken armor.¡±

    ¡°You come across skeletal remains often?¡±

    ¡°In video games I did. They would have come to life by now and attacked us, though¡­ so there¡¯s that.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, well, I have seen enough walking bones to know you got that much right.¡±

    ¡°Am I wrong, though? It¡¯s odd, right?¡±

    ¡°No, you are correct. There should be some remnants.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they were part of a party?¡±

    ¡°And what, the party stripped them?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. If they were dead. Hopefully they were dead.¡±

    ¡°Possibly. Possibly. They could have been bait for all we know. I will have to reason with this for a while.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Do your thing.¡± Kopius replied.

    After a moment and because there were too many parallels between the world of Metem and every fantasy RPG Cory had ever played, he added, ¡±Just so you know, video game logic says we should find more of these soon. Maybe even a campsite.¡±

    Cici glanced up at the sun.

    ¡°That would be fortuitous. Let''s hope that the camp is defensible. We no longer have the luxury of an elevated position.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so dangerous about being on the ground?¡± Kopius asked before thinking back to the times he had camped as a child with only the sheer fabric of a department store tent separating him and his family from rummaging bears. For fuck¡¯s sake we weren¡¯t even safe in the car.

    ¡°It¡¯s a gamble. Skinwalkers are more active. Moonshots are stronger. Any fire we light becomes a beacon. If we nix the flame, we have to brave the chill of night. Good luck fighting in the dark if we are noticed.¡±

    ¡°I can see in the dark. Hell, I can even turn it off and on now,¡± Kopius stated with a bit of pride. He hadn¡¯t much else to do every night while he lay there awaiting sleep. At some point he started to guess at commands and gestures and twitches until he toggled the skill on and off.

    ¡°You have mentioned that,¡± Cici replied with his thinking, scratching of his beard pose. ¡°Let¡¯s go find this camp of yours. We can figure this out later.¡±

    Every now and then the Tessel would run directly up to a pillar, leaving no ground to walk on. The two would be left with the option of going around the hoodoo through the grass or going around the hoodoo through the river. Given the state of the Tessel and its inherent health concerns, the grass route was the only choice.

    With Kopius bearing slightly sharper swords, he took the lead, making short work of any grass or foliage in their path. Cici, with his hammer at the ready, kept close to Kopius in case something sprang through the brush.

    The two kept close to the base of the pillar as they circled it. Having one less side to defend was an advantage that they gladly accepted. Kopius, using his short sword like a machete, cut and sliced a way through. He switched between both hands so that the unused one could take a breather. Though his new and improved body was stronger and faster, his stamina rivaled that of a koala. At some point a blank window popped in his view. He closed it with a mental piss off, shaking his head all the while.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Roughly halfway around the tall pillar, Kopius cleaved through another section of grass and then paused.

    ¡°See something?¡± Cici asked quietly.

    ¡°There¡¯s a clearing,¡± Kopius answered, even quieter.

    ¡°Danger?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s find out.¡±

    Kopius stepped past the tall wall of shrubbery and into a small glen no bigger than Cici¡¯s garden. He kept close to the hoodoo and had both swords ready to swing. Cici followed, his giant hammer looming in the air like the thumb of a god ready to start smiting fools.

    The area looked like it had been tilled at some point in time. There were noticeable, parallel grooves dug into the ground, though time had tamped them down and smoothed them out. The small open area continued around the curve of the pillar, and the two companions made their way at a crawls pace.

    ¡°Well, there you go,¡± Cici said with a bit of awe in his voice. ¡±Now, where¡¯s the camp?¡±

    Kopius couldn¡¯t help but smile when he saw all the skeletons¨Csome clothed, some armored¨Cstrewn against the base of the hoodoo. His smile faded when he started to focus on the state of things. We have our torn clothing, Kopius noted, plenty of broken armor, and¡­ where is it? Kopius stepped closer and found what he was looking for: a gnawed boot. Though, this boot looked melted more than gnawed.

    Some of the remains looked like they had been half-dipped in acid. Armor and bone alike appeared in various stages of being melted or dissolved. Swords were reduced to half-blades, their tops like a candle too long burned.

    I need to get more specific when I am predicting loot, Kopius thought to himself as he scanned the scene. He counted five skulls, yet only two had the tell-tale signs of being human. One had a single eye socket, and it was the largest of the five. Another had either feline or canine features, reminiscent of the Khajiit from Skyrim. The third skull was small enough to be a child¡¯s, and it wasn¡¯t until Cici had assured him it was instead a halfling that Kopius had released a held breath.

    ¡°What do you make of all this?¡± Kopius asked as he used his sword to move bones around.

    ¡°Moonshots,¡± Cici whispered.

    ¡°I have been meaning to ask about those,¡± Kopius whispered back, unsure if the quiet was necessary or not.

    ¡°See these here,¡± Cici pointed at two sets of bones that looked like open bear traps on the ground. They reminded Kopius of the old chatter-teeth toys with the caveat that these had more of a shark jaws and teeth type vibe. ¡°Both of those come from moonshots. Looks like they took a couple with them. Poor bastards.¡±

    As Kopius listened he meandered around the group of bones looking for anything he could salvage. A few rusted knives, a belt buckle, and a couple of rings were the only notable items.

    ¡°Ow!¡± Kopius yelped as he felt his shin get poked. ¡°What the hell?¡±

    He kicked at the offending stick that was protruding from the ground, snapping it out of place. He then picked it up and broke it into several more pieces before throwing them into the brush.

    ¡°Asshole,¡± Kopius said under his breath. He rubbed at the wounded area and then sat on the ground to get a better view of it.

    ¡°You alright, lad?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s barely a scratch.¡± Kopius pouted, still mad at the stick for assaulting him. As he started to get up, he noticed several more sticks, the same as the one he had punted, also sticking out of the ground. Boobytraps?

    ¡°Watch your step, man. There¡¯s a bunch more.¡± Kopius said moving his line of sight to be parallel with the ground.

    Cici stopped strolling and knelt down for a better look too. After a moment of investigation, the big man pulled a stick from the ground. At its end looked to be a standard archer''s arrowhead. It was made of metal, and its triangular shape was all the evidence they needed.

    ¡°Not traps¡ªarrows,¡± Cici mumbled to himself. He looked around, but for what, Kopius had no idea.

    ¡°Do moonshots use arrows?¡±

    ¡°No, they throw balls of acid. See here, and here?¡± He pointed to several blemishes behind the skeletons that cratered the surface of the hoodoo. Kopius imagined that he could climb the pillar with enough of those holes that the acid made.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to know. But, ah, aren¡¯t all these arrows facing the wrong way?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Look. If these five are making their last stand against the pillar...¡± Kopius ended by making bow and arrow shooting motions away from the hoodoo.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. That is off, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The two stood in quiet contemplation, observing the mess in front of them and trying to piece it all together. With the sun moving into dusk, their time was limited. They searched the barren patch of land, along the rest of the hoodoo, and all the way to the river. No instance of any other skeletal remains could be found. They returned to the original scene to look for loot one more time when something occurred to Kopius.

    He checked the ground to verify that all the arrows stuck in the ground faced the same way. When that was confirmed, he checked the angles at which they entered the ground. The lines varied, but they were similar enough to keep Kopius going.

    From where he stood and as best as he could, Kopius drew an imaginary line from the back of an arrow to where it might have been shot from. At first, he reasoned that the arrows would have been shot in a volley from a distance, but that didn''t add up in his mind. He considered that the five warriors had stuck them in the ground in some kind of attempt at caltrops, but Cici said they floated. Kopius was in the process of trying to remember fifth grade math when Cici spoke up.

    ¡°There,¡± Cici said with a chuckle, pointing a short distance up the neighboring hoodoo.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Your campsite, you lucky bastard!¡±

 TBC Chapter 33

    CHAPTER 33

    ¡°Well, what do you see?¡± Kopius shouted up the hoodoo.

    With the help of pre-existing holes, Cici had scampered up the pillar like a squirrel on a tree. After twenty or so feet, he had disappeared from sight, somehow entering the stone tower.

    ¡°More bones,¡± Cici yelled back.

    A few quiet moments later and Kopius jumped back as a thick braid of rope seemingly fell from the sky. Cici popped his head out and made hand motions that told Kopius to get up there. It took him a moment of fiddling with the rope until Kopius decided to just climb up as Cici had. He wasn¡¯t a squirrel on a tree, but he moved at a decent pace. Once he was close enough, Kopius grabbed Cici¡¯s outstretched wrist, and the big man hoisted him inside the hoodoo.

    Kopius had expected some kind of hollowed out woodpecker hole, but what he found was more along the lines of half a crow¡¯s nest carved into the pillar. The space was large enough for just two people and a few belongings.

    A pair of skulls and a jumble of bones covered most of a slanted floor. The ceiling came in at a sharp angle, leaving little to no head room for the two tall individuals. Two weather-worn leather satchels lay half-open, their contents long withered and hardened. A few rusted and brittle weapons were the last of the noticeable items that remained in the hoodoo hole.

    At first glance, Kopius was thankful that it had not rained any time recently. Given the right downpour, the small pocket in the stone could easily become an impromptu bathtub. In both corners on the floor, tiny quantities of water were gathered as if to tell Kopius he was right to be thankful.

    Not all was decaying or decrepit. The bags were still usable, and they provided Kopius with an answer to a question that had been on his mind. After searching one of the bags for anything of value, he littered the contents over the side of their safe space. He removed three books from his inventory ring, then placed the books in the empty bag and then the bag into his ring.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Kopius said quietly, accompanied with a fist pump.

    ¡°Did you not think it would work?¡± Cici asked, having watched the entire process.

    ¡°I figured it would. Had to try though.¡±

    ¡°I could have told you.¡±

    ¡°I still would have tested it. I have trust issues.¡±

    Cici grunt-coughed in a way that said ¡®¡®tell me something I don¡¯t know.¡¯¡¯

    Kopius used the weathered bags to finish consolidating his inventory, and then the two of them began clearing out the small space. Everything went over the side. The bones went over the edge, crashing down upon the ground and scattering. Tattered remains of clothing and armor followed, as well as three swords and two long knives that Cici claimed were worthless.

    All the while, Kopius allowed a distant memory to invade his thoughts. A time an ex-girlfriend had liberated his belongings via a third-story bedroom window.

    Cory had, at first, employed the ¡®¡®you¡¯re cute when you¡¯re angry¡¯¡¯ approach, but that quickly collapsed. ¡®Begging forgiveness¡¯ also failed to slow down the onslaught of personal belongings sailing out the window. It wasn¡¯t until his Playstation10 Pro Titanfall3 Special Edition console had hit the open air when he had finally admitted to himself that there might have been some red flags missed along the way.

    With their small alcove clear and clean, they removed some of the clothing sacks from Kopius¡¯s ring. The pair set up two upright places to sleep. The space was cramped, and their feet would have some overlap. It had all the room and comfort of a window seat on an airplane.

    ¡°Should we bury the bones?¡± Kopius asked after they had finished. Cici looked over the side and scratched at his beard. They both knew dusk was quickly approaching, so whatever they needed to do on the ground, they needed to do it soon.

    ¡°You worried about ghosts, lad?¡± Cici said, a smile in his words that Kopius didn¡¯t have to see to know was there.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°You worried about ghosts?¡± Kopius replied mockingly, with all the cadence and maturity of a second grader.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go getting all broody on me,¡± Cici said with a hearty laugh, and Kopius couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get down there and make some food before the light fades altogether.¡±

    The sound of something like a whip cracking startled Kopius out of his sleep. The only reason he hadn¡¯t jumped over the ledge in surprise was for the uncomfortable, fetal-shaped sleeping position he had wedged himself into the night before.

    Awake enough to know he was some thirty feet off the ground, he remained seated while he waited for his other senses to catch up. With his bearings all figured out and his feet untangled from Cici¡¯s, he activated his Night Vision.

    SNAP!

    Another whip-like sound cut through the air, and Kopius instinctually ducked. After a few moments, he quietly leaned his head over the side to have a look. At first, he could only see about halfway down the hoodoo. He opened and closed his eyes a few times in an attempt to turn them off and then on again. He opened his eyes wide and squinted, but all he could see was a black pit of nothingness.

    SNAP! SNAP!

    It made Kopius flinch, but he remained focused on the darkness below. The sound had moved away from a whip and into a metal trap shutting noise. His heart had a noticeably faster pace to it, but he was confident in his concealment, as long as nobody made a sound. The clamping had come from the direction back towards the river, the way they had trekked in.

    Suddenly, a neon-green sphere, roughly the size of a softball, arced through the open space. The small, green comet streaked from his right to left in a glowing beam of light, covering a decent amount of ground before splashing into the pillar where they had found the skeletons. The slime ball hit the stone like an egg hitting a brick wall. Bright-green ooze trickled down from the point of impact. Splatter went in all directions, and the parts that did stick began to slide down the hoodoo.

    Even at this distance, it gave off the slightest sound of hissing and gave Kopius the notion that the green slime was eroding the stone.

    That extra bit of illumination dramatically increased what Kopius could see with his Night Vision; it was as though the sun was at high noon. As if someone had turned the brightness all the way up on their laptop, the scene below became clear. Two large circles came into view, and Kopius saw a moonshot for the first time. They were just as Cici had described them while they ate the previous evening:

    ¡°They float, so you won''t hear them coming,¡± Cici had begun between bites. ¡°Round in shape and as large as I am tall. They got some sideways chompers, no eyes, and throw balls of acid.¡± The big man had tilted his head ninety-ish degrees and bit at the air a few times.

    ¡°The acid is what then, magic?¡± Kopius had asked.

    ¡°No, they produce it.¡±

    ¡°Produce how?¡±

    ¡°They shit it out.¡±

    ¡°Nah.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, they shit it right out and throw it around with that tail-arm they got.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re messing with me. How¡¯s that even possible?¡±

    The conversation had devolved from there as they both attempted to demonstrate what a tail shaped like an arm would look like in order to catch and then throw poopy acid balls.

    Kopius had basically imagined the monster to look like a floating version of Mike Wazowski, minus the eyeball and after several rounds of steroid use.

    Who, besides its vertically situated sharp teeth and near soundless wandering, also threw deadly slime balls like a pack of howler monkeys. Now that he was looking at one, he took a moment to be impressed with Cici¡¯s accurate description. The arm wasn¡¯t an ¡®¡®arm¡¯¡¯ per se, but it was an appendage attached to the backside of a floating circle monster.

    Ekk, fuckin¡¯ gross. Why would you throw that? Kopius wondered. He leaned over only as far as he needed and watched the two monsters enter the small, tilled clearing. Another bright glob of acid hurtled through the air just as the first one had, only this time Kopius saw the whole process. The moonshot''s long, flat appendage had caught the ball of acid and then flung it across the small area like it had a Jai alai wicker cesta.

    The two floating creatures began to slowly circle each other, both chomping and throwing fecal acid at the nearby hoodoos. As they circled, they moved in and out from center, their chomps and throws happening with more unison and synergy. They turned their backs towards each other, wrapping their tails in the process, and then moved in an odd, gyrating fashion, making noises that sounded like poor-quality ASMR videos. Kopius involuntarily gagged as he caught on to what he was witnessing.

    He ducked out of sight, trying to remain quiet and push down¡ªas best he could¡ªthe bile escaping his stomach. In a half-baked attempt to make it all go away, he clamped his eyes shut and smothered his ears.

    It was all for naught.

    His imagination played moonshot porn on repeat while the sounds creeped in and echoed inside his mind. All he could do was wait it out and hope they performed like he had on prom night: quick and painless.

 TBC Chapter 34

    Chapter 34

    ¡°You look like death three times over, man! Did you even sleep?¡± Cici exclaimed when Kopius had finally made his way down from their hideout. He had not gotten a lot of rest, as the moonshots endurance rivaled that of a thoroughbred stallion. The cramped space didn¡¯t help with his comfort level either. He was in need of a spa day but would settle for a hot spring if one were close enough. Taking the offered bowl of steaming breakfast from Cici, Kopius sat to eat in silence.

    ¡°Here,¡± Cici said after a few judgmental glances. He leaned over and sprinkled a pinkish powder onto his food. ¡°This will wake you right up.¡±

    Kopius eyeballed Cici for a moment and then eyeballed the food. He considered doing his normal thing to ask and/or prod as to the nature, contents and desired outcome of the pink powder. A reasonable course of action, really, he grumbled internally. He considered himself very fortunate to not have had any major digestive issues thus far¡ªgiven his old fast food and gas station sushi diet¡ªand wanted to keep it that way.

    Ultimately Kopius chose to just eat his food. Not that he wholly trusted Cici or had a sudden lack of concern regarding food poisoning¡ªhe wanted silence. He needed sleep but would settle for silence. Like most mornings, Kopius felt consuming poison was a more appealing alternative to holding a conversation. Cici indicated that he would be over by the campfire and went about his business of snuffing it out.

    By the time Kopius finished his meal, his morning ritual of hating the world had concluded and his mood lifted. Quicker than most mornings, Kopius noted to himself. Though his muscles were stiff, his mind had cleared, and that didn¡¯t usually happen for a good hour or two after waking.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kopuis grunted through some morning stretches. ¡°What was the pink stuff?¡±

    ¡°That pink shit?¡± Cici joked.

    Kopius just shook his head and continued on with his basic calisthenics.

    ¡°It¡¯s called Night Owl. Comes from dehydrated chiliroot mixed with semen from a rowlcoon after they have eaten pepper seed for several days.¡± This all came out in a ¡®¡¯everyone is aware of this method¡¯¡¯ tone.

    Kopius stopped trying to stretch away the previous night''s sleeping arrangement and looked at Cici. There were so many things he wanted to say, but nothing came out. Questions upon questions wrestled for a turn to tumble out, but instead they were bottlenecking in his mind.

    All he could manage was a deep breath.

    Kopius placed his hand on his forehead like he was checking his temperature. After rubbing his temple a few times his hand slid down, spent an extra moment covering his eyes before gradually continuing over his nose, mouth, and then off his chin.

    In that brief sequence of actions, Kopius had considered many things. Internal musings aside, his final conclusion was that enduring a morning conversation may be more beneficial than previously thought.

    ¡°I have so many¡ªso, so many questions,¡± Kopius said with a dash of exhaustion. ¡°I¡ªI can¡¯t even right now.¡± He finished by throwing his hands up.

    After taking another round of hartshorn, they left their lofted hideout. Kopius and Cici trekked up the river with zest. Whether it was the known presence of moonwalkers or the invigorating effects of the Night Owl, the two moved with purpose.

    The journey took them past more piles of bones, worthless gear, and poorly executed last stands. It was impossible to tell if the various groups of skeletons were all a part of a larger group losing people along the way, or if it was a bunch of smaller groups, each failing to make it much further than the last.

    The Tessel, toxic as ever, had a smell that had grown from a passing fart to a steady flow of outhouse sewage. The rancid flavor of the aroma was tolerable if they kept their distance. With their noses held high, the two continued to power walk upstream.

    ¡°What do we have here?¡± Cici said with awe in his voice. The past several hours of vigorous walking were all but forgotten as the two spotted the headwaters of the Tessel and the lake that supplied it.

    A large open space laid out before them. Where there should have been at least five or six hoodoos was a body of water. Roughly the size of two or three side-by-side soccer fields; the water was just as tainted as the Tessel.

    The surrounding area had the same salted earth type look as did the Tessels shores. Plant life kept a healthy distance, leaving a wide space between the black, oozie water and itself. Besides large rocks scattered about, there were no signs of life¡ªor death, for that matter.

    A clear view of the daytime sky was more of a welcome sight than Kopius would have guessed. Having only seen the sky through the myriad of hoodoos for the last few days had given him a mild case of cabin fever. It really brought back memories of being in prison and only seeing daylight through bars for months on end. The reminder was never a sentimental one.

    ¡°It''s a pond,¡± Kopius stated and moved past Cici to get a better look.

    ¡°Ponds are not usually this big, though. It''s more like a small lake.¡±

    ¡°Small lake, large pond; potato,potatoe. It¡¯s all the same man.¡±

    They took their time navigating the waterfront, being sure to keep a safe distance from the contaminated ooze. The pond looks harmless enough, but so do most things right before they try to eat you! Kopius thought.

    He kept imagining a giant tentacle monster emerging from the depths, snatching both men like a pair of ragdolls before dragging them to certain death.

    ¡°What fills this thing up?¡± Kopius asked, gesturing to the pond.

    ¡°More river?¡± Cici answered with a shrug. ¡°Could be deep.¡±

    The two stopped patrolling.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Kopius started, looking around like he was missing something. ¡°We¡¯ve seen, what, five, six sets of bones today alone?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± Cici answered.

    ¡°Where are the monsters? All we¡¯ve seen is a bunch of skinwalkers, that sesame street looking mofo, and a couple of moonshots making out.¡± Kopius shivered at that last part.

    ¡°Making out?¡±

    ¡°Yeah man, you know, rounding the bases.¡±

    Cici shook his head. Kopius also shook his head at the reference.

    ¡°They were bumping uglies. Doing the damn thing. Hitting the high notes?¡±

    None of these terms registered with Cici, so Kopius made a few thrusting motions with his hips and everything became clear. Cici even giggled a bit as he put two and two together with the other terms Kopius had used. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°Wait,¡± Cici almost shouted. ¡°Did you see two moonshots mating?¡±

    Kopius nodded with a grimace.

    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Cici said with genuine intrigue.

    ¡°No. Not in the least bit¡­ I can still hear it.¡± Kopius ended in a whisper, pointing to both of his ears. ¡°It¡¯s never going to leave.¡±

    ¡°I bet they use their ass-arms for it. But how?¡± Cici trailed off, ignoring Kopius¡¯s paranoia.

    ¡°Does it really matter?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s like two hands shaking,¡± Cici said while trying to simulate a handshake.

    ¡°Why?¡± Kopius practically pleaded.

    ¡°Maybe this¡­¡± Cici made chugga-chugga motions with one arm.

    ¡°If I tell you, will you stop?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯d be no reason to guess then, would there?¡±

    ¡°I hate you.¡±

    Cici smiled.

    Kopius explained¡­ and then he gagged.

    ¡°Seriously though,¡± Kopius said after washing away the gag with some water. ¡°Has anyone ever mentioned this?¡± He gestured to the black fluid that made up the pond. ¡°Seems like something that would come up.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Cici answered with a thousand-yard stare, like he was thinking back on every conversation he had ever had about the quest.

    ¡°Had you ever heard anything about the Dreary?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Cici replied, dragging out the ¡®¡®o¡¯¡¯ sound for a while. ¡°But several stories I¡¯ve heard make much more sense now.¡±

    ¡°Any idea how long this quest has been around?¡±

    ¡°Several generations or more, I would guess. Some say that the Twelve Days¡¯ March was forged because the Tessel turned ill. Many others say the river turned dark after the path around was carved.¡±

    ¡°And the Twelve Day March is what?¡±

    ¡°Days¡¯, Twelve Days¡¯ March, and it¡¯s the long way around I mentioned a while back. It traces from the north, through Cawbachu to the lowlands beyond the Valley of Shadows in the south.¡±

    Kopius thought back before replying, remembering something about a safer path being carved around everything.

    ¡°Okay, weird. They couldn¡¯t come up with a better name?¡±

    Cici shrugged.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to tell me the story later. Back to the issue at hand, though,¡± Kopius said, getting things on track. ¡°My whole point is, this quest has been around a few hundred cycles, right?¡±

    ¡°Sure, why not?¡±

    ¡°Hold up,¡± Kopius said as his internal math failed to add up. ¡°How long is a generation here?¡±

    Cici shrugged.

    ¡°Any guesses?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, fifty, sixty cycles maybe. I know it varies by the race. Those damn Elves seem to live forever.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that doesn¡¯t help,¡± Kopius murmured to himself.

    By the time Kopius stopped being distracted by every other thing that Cici said, he managed to get his point out: that it had been too easy.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t others made it this far and then turned back to tell the tale of the black pond? If more people have attempted the quest, where¡¯s all the bones?¡± Kopius rambled.

    ¡°What would any of that do to ease your mind?¡± Cici asked loudly, breaking through the never-ending list of questions.

    ¡°It would tell me more people¡ªor Elves or Astrals or Ogres or whatever¡ªthat more people tried to figure this out.¡±

    ¡°More folks tried and failed, ya mean. We don¡¯t know that this is the end of the quest. Maybe there will be a pile of bones somewhere that will help you feel better.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the bones,¡± Kopius shot back.

    ¡°Then what, you need a fight? Adversity will find you whenever it has the fancy. Try enjoying the slower times. They come by less and less.¡±

    ¡°Cici, man, it feels like I''ve been on tilt my whole life. My brain, for better or worse, likes to sit at about a hundred. I know you don¡¯t know what any of that means, but basically, I don¡¯t even know what the slow times look like.¡±

    Before Kopius could dive down his personal rabbit hole of daddy issues, a singular bubble broke the surface in the center of the pond. The two stopped their incessant chattering, looked out at the pond, back at each other, and then returned their collective gaze to the ooze.

    A second and considerably larger bubble popped soon after¡ªfollowed by a third and fourth of similar size. They started coming in faster succession, now each a bit smaller than the last until their numbers were too great to track.

    More pockets of bubbles started to pop into existence across the large pond, creating the impression that someone had turned on jacuzzi jets. For the moment, the bubbles remained stationary like small kettles boiling in their own spaces. Kopius took a step back, while Cici returned his mighty hammer to his hands.

    ¡°Fuckin¡¯ tentacle monster, I knew it,¡± Kopius complained as he readied both of his own weapons.

    ¡°You know what this is?¡± Cici asked quickly.

    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°What does your video logic say?¡±

    ¡°That we¡¯re on our own.¡±

    The bubbles, as if hearing their voices, began to move towards the shore nearest the two men. The progression was slow but steady¡ªseven or eight groups in all. Kopius unconsciously started to shift weight between his feet, his nerves making him antsy. He felt like he was about to steal a base or lay down a bunt without getting the go-ahead sign from a coach. His anticipation grew, and he practically held his breath until the first set of bubbles reached the shore.

    As the closest batch reached roughly ten feet from the shore, a smooth, rounded object broke through the surface. More of the same broke through until a total of five had emerged. They moved together, almost in unison. As they stalked out and the pond scum fell off, what they were became clear.

    At first, covered in muck and pond funk, they looked like a child''s version of how a mud monster might appear. When the mud and slop fell away, bone shone through. Along with deep, soulless eye sockets, five scantly clad skeletons exited the pond.

    ¡°Here are all those skeletons you were looking for,¡± Cici stated, shifting his hammer between hands.

    A second set of bubbles made its way to the shore and four more skeletons came into view, each losing the goop, glop, and/or whatever else was tangled to the carcasses.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want more bones!¡± Kopius whisper-yelled. ¡°More bones made more sense.¡±

    With nine sets of walking bones in total, and what looked to be many more on the way, Kopius and Cici needed to get on the same page regarding their next moves. The half-stained, muck-laden skeletons gathered at the shore before spreading out single file, shoulder to shoulder. Armed with only the water-logged stench of contamination, the skeletons marched forward.

    ¡°Thoughts?¡± Kopius asked anxiously as the twenty or so feet that separated the two groups shrank.

    ¡°We should probably take care of this before we get outnumbered?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re already outnumbered,¡± Kopius replied, but Cici was moving, his hammer cocked back.

    With only a short distance to close, Cici brought down the weight of his astralsilicate on the nearest skeletons head. It crumpled like a tin can under a falling piano. Bone fragments flew in all directions as if the skeleton was made from thousands of popsicle sticks.

    As brittle as they seemed, the skeleton nearest Cici reached back and punched the big man square on the side of his head. Cici grunted and fell back but used the momentum to spin away from any more attacks. His motion brought him back around to face the skeleton, and his hammer quickly followed. The astralsilicate decimated the skull in a way that only a baseball bat going up against a gingerbread house would understand. The rest of the remaining bones crumpled in a heap on the ground.

    Cici touched the side of his head and winced. The big man growled in frustration, wiping a few red streaks down his pant leg. A third skeleton stepped forward only to be crushed like the first. Cici spun and swiped at a fourth but missed, as the hammer couldn¡¯t quite reach that far.

    Off-kilter from the overextended miss, he fell partially towards the rest of the marching bones before the weight of the astralsilicate pulled him back away from them.

    He stumbled in his awkward position and tumbled to the ground. He rolled away a few times¡ªon purpose it looked like¡ªpopped up to his feet and into a fighting stance. The commotion was such that the skeletons lost any interest in Kopius and all turned to Cici.

 TBC Chapter 35

    CHAPTER 35

    As the skeletons began to spread out on Cici, Kopius returned his short sword to inventory and joined the fray. He came in fast with a firm grip on his long blade, yet in the two bounding steps it took to reach the first skeleton, Kopius could have sworn he had time to reminisce about his entire life. The slow-motion continued as his sword came into view, arcing towards the small piece of spine wedged between the skeleton¡¯s shoulders and skull. In the moment before connecting with the bony neck, Kopius had the briefest sensation that he needed to pee.

    The world came racing back to full speed when his sword clanged off the hardened bone instead of passing through it as he had anticipated it would. Vibrations shot down the sword and rattled painfully in his hand, up his arm until he released the weapon.

    Baseball lexicon would tell you that Kopius had just experienced a ¡®¡¯stinger,¡± a common occurrence when a pitched ball is hit off the end or side of the bat, creating a violent vibration. At best they just hurt.

    ¡°Motherf¡ªgoddammit! That fucking hurts!¡± Kopius screeched as he tried to shake the numbing pain from his hand. Though he did not succeed in severing the head, he had managed to force two of the skeletons to collide into each other. The tangled pair did an impromptu pirouette before crashing to the ground, one on top of the other.

    Kopius, still shaking his hand like he should have used oven mitts and was now paying the price, stepped up and kicked at the two as they tried to regain their feet. His feet swiped at hands finding leverage and legs creating footholds. He stomped down repeatedly on the two, entangling their rib cages by accident. Just as he remembered that he could set them on fire, an abrupt pain exploded from the back of his head. He stumbled forward, tripped over the entwined skeletons, and crashed to the ground.

    Kopius rolled a few times but couldn¡¯t manage the focus to pop to his feet. Instead, he was able to get on one knee and hope he was far enough away to get his senses back undisturbed. He shook his head a few times, and it was his turn to wince when he touched the injured area. Kopius wiped away the small spots of blood on his clothes and looked up to make sense of what was happening.

    Two skeletons, like star-crossed lovers, rolled about the ground, failing in every attempt to get dislodged from one another. Beyond them were two other skeletons advancing on Cici. Most notably though, standing only a few feet to his side, was the walking set of bones that had sucker-punched Kopius in the back of the head.

    ¡°I see you over there, asshole,¡± Kopius grumbled. He located his dropped weapon and gave his stung hand a few flexes before retrieving it. Neither men had missed that the skeletons were slow by nature. Cici had already dispatched a fourth skeleton and was slow-walking the other two away from the ooze-filled pond. Kopius understood what he did wrong and used it to reevaluate his approach.

    ¡°You swung too soon,¡± Kopius mumbled to himself.

    You¡¯re out in front of it! He could just hear his old first- base coach yelling at him. Sit back! Let it come to you!

    In his life on Earth, Cory was a big proponent of ¡®¡®personal space.¡¯¡¯ He enjoyed keeping a healthy arm¡¯s length distance¡ªif not more¡ªfrom anyone, at any time, for every reason imaginable. Getting up close and personal was generally reserved for extreme measures, like violence or passion. No need to whisper in my ear when a head nod or hand gesture can do the trick, Cory would have to explain to his more extroverted acquaintances.

    Nevertheless, Kopius had experienced the stinger because he¡¯d clipped the bone at the end of his sword instead of further down on the sweet spot. He needed to move in closer.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Taking a hold of the sword with both hands, Kopius ended evaluation time and advanced. His sword came down from a high arc, breaking the skeleton''s arm midway up as it attempted to block the strike. The weapon continued its path and stopped with a THUD! as it stuck into the ground.

    He pulled at the sword once, but it only wiggled. A half-panicked, second yank pulled the sword free, but as he came to stand, Kopius caught a boney foot to his chest that sent him tumbling. He hit the ground hard, landing on his back, and was surprised he hadn¡¯t knocked the air out of his lungs.

    Thankful for small favors, Kopius returned to his feet and readied his sword. His second attack came from the same high arc, and this time the skeleton struck back. With its remaining arm, the boney combatant threw a haymaker. Their kicks and punches moved much faster than their walking speed.

    Kopius had to quickly tilt in order to slide under the strike. That slight adjustment put him in an even better position to level out his sword and shatter a bony leg at the kneecap. The skeleton flailed, trying to remain upright on its one tilting leg.

    Whether by luck or by design, as the skeleton began to fall, it also managed to pimp slap Kopius across the face before crashing to the ground. The thing might as well have spit in his face and insulted his mother too because Kopius snapped. Blood seeped from twin gashes on his cheek all while he untethered his rage.

    The ego¨CKopius¡¯s ego to be specific¨Cis made up of millions of teeny, tiny pieces all held together by a sheen of testosterone and a prayer on the wind. There are ways to strengthen it. There are ways to protect it, but at the end of the day¡ªfor all its bluster and bravado¡ªit is fragile, it is brittle and to many, it is fleeting.

    To an ego like this, there is a level of disrespect that a slap to the face reaches that a punch does not¨Cor even a spit since we are on the subject¨Ccannot. In fact, they are not even in the same realm of existence, but we digress.

    Now, the last time he had been slapped it had been by a woman, and if everyone is being honest, he deserved it. The last time he had been slapped by a man, he had also deserved it, but at least he could fight back¡ªeven if unsuccessfully. Being slapped by a skeleton was new and uncharted territory, and to truly understand the level of damage to Kopius''s psyche after being hit that way, we would need to quote the entire broadcast of Herbert Morrison during the Hindenburg disaster: Oh the Humanity!

    As irrational a reaction as it was, Kopius took the slap personally.

    At first, Kopius reverted to his baser instincts: repeatedly stomping down on the skeleton with ever-growing violence. As if discovering the weapon in his hand for the first time, he changed his tactics to a more Neanderthal approach: bludgeoning the bony creature with his sword. After breaking off the remaining arm and removing the other leg around the kneecap area, Kopius went full murderhobo.

    Grabbing what was left of both thigh bones, Kopius picked up the quadruple-amputee-skeleton and dragged it towards its two comrades still wrestling on the ground. The bones, still very much alive, wriggled in his grip, trying to get free. The skull made passing attempts to bite his ankles as it bounced and skid across the dirt. Once within range, Kopius used the disabled carcass like a carnival hammer and proceeded to create skeleton-on-skeleton violence.

    The blows came down as if Kopius was trying to crack the planet in half; he hoisted and hammered with speed and focus. Absent was the perpetual moaning and groaning that generally accompanied his fights. There was no ¡®¡¯stop that¡¯¡¯s or ¡®¡¯take that¡¯¡¯s or any other diatribe narrating the scuffle in a play-by-play fashion. He gave this fight the silent treatment, with but a singular purpose: to beat the motherfuckers on the ground with the motherfucker in his hands.

    Using the skull of his impromptu mauling device, Kopius pummeled the pair of skeletons. Their bones crushed and cracked, splintering off and flying in all directions. He never blinked, never flinched; hell, he barely took a breath during the whole ordeal.

    Kopius bashed them until the skull of the one he was wielding finally dislodged and flew off into the distance. The rest of the body became disjointed and fell apart to the ground. He was left holding two thigh bones like a drummer in search of a kit. He threw the bones to the side and stomped down on what remained of the two skeletons on the ground, eventually severing both heads from their respective spines.

    The tantrum ended when Kopius picked up the nearest skull and punted it.

 TBC Chapter 36

    CHAPTER 36

    ¡°Oye,¡± Cici shouted as he jogged over, a slight limp in his gait. His temple showed signs of swelling where he had been attacked, and one of his legs had several gashes in it. ¡°You alright, lad?¡±

    ¡°Hoping it''s just a flesh wound,¡± Kopus replied as he gingerly dabbed his wounded cheek with his shirt. A blank window popped up. He told that one and the one that followed it to piss off as well.

    ¡°I meant your head. You jumped on these boys with a unique type of fury. Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever seen anything quite like that,¡± Cici answered.

    ¡°One of those assholes slapped me,¡± Kopius complained. He turned to show Cici his cheek.

    Cici crinkled his face slightly.

    ¡°Is it bad?¡± Kopius asked eagerly.

    ¡°You know, some people find that sort of thing attractive.¡±

    ¡°What thing?¡±

    ¡°Scars.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to scar?!¡±

    Cici chuckled as he groped into his fanny-pack.

    ¡°Is it?¡± Kopius asked again with more earnestness. Another empty window popped up and it gave him a bad feeling.

    ¡°Yes, but just a little,¡± Cici replied. He pulled a few green leaves and handed them to Kopius. They were light in weight but stiff like untreated leather.

    ¡°Is it going to be bad?¡±

    ¡°Chew on those. Do NOT swallow them,¡± Cici said sternly, ignoring the pleas of vanity. ¡°Once it is flexible, place it there.¡± He indicated the injured cheek with slapping motions. Cici popped two of his own in his mouth, and the men took a moment to apply their facial wraps.

    ¡°How about we take care of this next set before we worry about your mating prowess?¡±

    Two more sets of moving bubbles had reached the shore with fourteen skeletons emerging from the toxic water this time. Kopius had the briefest flashback of when he used to play a round-based zombie co-op, where each new round spawned more¡ªand stronger¡ªzombies. The pond funk fell off and the group lined up¨Cjust like the first round¨Cshoulder to shoulder before advancing.

    ¡°Okay, there¡¯s more,¡± Kopius began as he finished applying the facial healing strips. ¡°Maybe we work together this time?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good, what do you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but my swords don¡¯t do shit. I need a bat.¡±

    ¡°A bat?¡±

    Kopius stopped short in replying as he recalled, basically, the same conversation with Oh-jin a while back. Damn, that seems so long ago.

    ¡°I need a club or mallet,¡± Kopius clarified.

    ¡°Well, all we got is Celeste here,¡± Cici said as he gave the massive astralsilicate a kiss. If it were not for the encroaching skeletons, Kopius was ready to sit down and get to the bottom of the relationship between Cici and his weapon. He understood that many people named their belongings and that there would be a sort of emotional attachment to said object. Cory named shit all the time. It just never came across as some kind of sultry love story.

    Yet there was no denying the devastation it created when hitting these walking bones.

    ¡°Maybe we can run a zombie train?¡± Kopius suggested.

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Kopius motioned for them to start backing up.

    ¡°It¡¯s from a video game I played.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°It¡¯s always from a video game you played.¡±

    ¡°It''s still applicable!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s have it then.¡±

    ¡°Okay, basically, okay, first we¡ªI¡ªfirst, I get them to all follow me,¡± Kopius stammered. He found himself mildly excited to explain a video game strategy and actually have an attentive audience.

    He took the briefest of moments to collect himself before continuing. ¡°I get their attention and then get them to follow me. Once they do, I start moving in circles around them¡ªtight circles. If I do it right, they will start to get bunched up in a tight group.¡± Cici nodded along, keeping one eye on the advancing skeletons. ¡°If I was able to get them all really close together, you think Celeste there could do something with that?¡±

    Cici¡¯s nodding was joined by some eyebrow raising and then a widening grin. As the big man saw the plan unfold in his mind, he patted Kopius on the back.

    ¡°Yes, yes she could.¡±

    Simple as the plan may be, there were still dangers involved. Kopius had to literally¡ªand physically¡ªwalk the fine line between the skeletons wanting to follow him and the skeletons being able to grab ahold of him. Too far away and they returned to their line formation, too close and he was a pin cushion.

    ¡°This way gentlemen!¡¯ Kopius shouted.

    Even though Cici had stepped a decent distance away, five of the skeletons couldn¡¯t resist following after him. Kopius had managed to coral nine, but if he stepped too far away to fetch the other five, well, things fell apart. He kept circling the nine while trying to coax the others.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t even like you!¡± Kopius shouted but to no avail. The skeletons just continued to shuffle along. ¡°He thinks you¡¯re all fat!¡±

    ¡°Is it because he¡¯s better looking?¡± Kopius yelled, changing tactics.

    ¡°Much obliged,¡± Cici shouted from way in the background.

    Kopius shushed Cici as best he could given the distance between them and then gave the big man hand motions to back up more. Cici went as far as he could, turned around and used two open palms pointing at his feet to ask ¡®¡¯far enough for you?¡±

    ¡°Okay, see, he left.¡± Kopius continued shouting at the skeletons. ¡°You don¡¯t want to eat him; you want to eat me!¡±

    A voice, ever-so-soft, as though it were carried on the wind, whispered, ¡±They¡¯re not zombies, lad!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s nothing but gristle and fat!¡± Kopius yelled at the skeletons.

    Another, ever-so-soft voice on the wind came whispering through: ¡±That was uncalled for!¡±

    Kopius gave the slightest chuckle before accepting that yelling wasn¡¯t doing the trick. He decided to take a more direct approach. Leaving his otherwise perfectly formed zombie train to unravel, Kopius ran up on the closest of the five.

    ¡±Sparta!¡±

    WHOOSH!

    The skeleton went up in flames like it had been soaked in lighter fluid its whole life. Fortunately for Kopius, he had kicked the skeleton away from him or else he may have gotten badly burned. Unfortunately, four more WHOOSHES!! sounded off as the assaulted skeleton bounced off his compatriots in an attempt to stay on its feet.

    Heat waves passed by Kopius, warming him considerably. Each went up in its own bout of flames before turning to face him. The five sets of burning bones advanced on Kopius, and he didn¡¯t have time to reprimand himself.

    If you were to ask him, he had no idea if human bones would catch on fire or not. It wasn¡¯t like he had an internet to search these things either. Besides, on Earth, he wouldn¡¯t have searched that shit anyways; that¡¯s how you get put on a list.

    Either the bones were flammable, or the contaminated water made them flammable¡ªor both. Any way you slice it, the advancing flamers showed no signs of slowing. He looked over his shoulder and was surprised to see that the other nine skeletons had not reformed their line but instead moved in a huddled, collective mass. Some appeared to be hooked together by a random rib or two while others had crossed their arms and/or legs.

    ¡°In for a penny, in for a pound, I guess,¡± Kopus mumbled.

    Unsure of the outcome and unwilling to think it through, Kopius brought the two groups together. Instead of nine individual WHOOSHES!! there was one massive, awe-inspiring WHOOSH!!!!.

    The collective ignition sucked in air before exploding into a glorious firestorm. The force lifted Kopius off of his feet. He had only enough time to bring his arm up to protect his eyes before he was flung through the air.

    Hitting the ground hard, Kopius rolled a few times before coming to a stop, face mushed in the muddy ground. ¡°That hurt,¡± Kopus groaned aloud like he just took a punch to the stomach.

    He could hear Cici¡¯s loud tromping as he got to his feet. Kopius dusted himself off and then felt around his head, face, and every other part of his being to see if he had gotten burned; or blown off. He let out an audible sigh of relief after finding no missing or crispy parts. When he looked up to see where the danger was, his jaw went slack.

    There were no skeletons to speak of. Instead, scattered across the entire shore were smoking, steaming, some still on fire pieces of shattered bones. It was like he had blown up a Burning Man statue or had exploded a coffin-sized box full of matches. The already dystopian-feel of the place was given the cherry-on-top it needed to really give the impression of hopelessness.

    A dank, sulfuric smoke hovered throughout the area smelling of stale incense mixed with burnt out firework shells. Several blank windows popped in his vision and just as quickly he closed them.

    Ding-dang.

 TBC Chapter 37

    CHAPTER 37

    ¡°That was amazing!¡± Cici exclaimed in wonderment. ¡°Celeste is none too pleased I¡¯ll have you know, but I am impressed.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t exactly what I was going for,¡± Kopius replied, still astonished by the outcome.

    ¡°But you got the same result by the end, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kopius answered begrudgingly. ¡°Went up a level, too.¡±

    ¡°Excellent! What¡¯s that now, level 5?¡±

    Kopius nodded.

    As he caught his breath, something dawned on him. Kopius opened his interface and looked at his status bars. His health and mana bars looked to be even and, to his best knowledge, full. His stamina on the other hand was well below the halfway area.

    Keeping his profile window open, he summoned a vial of stamina and quickly drank half of it. His body felt an immediate rejuvenation, his muscles loose and ready, breathing slow and steady. His stamina bar filled almost instantly, so he capped the vial and offered the other half to Cici.

    ¡°Come now, lad,¡± Cici said with a laugh. ¡°I¡¯ve got enough stamina for the both of us and then some. Anything you can do, I can do twice as long.¡± He started winking at Kopius, making obvious what he meant. His lips joined in with odd shapes as the winking grew more exaggerated.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Trying to get you to relax. You''re all tense, serious.¡±

    Kopius kind of gestured at the surroundings, wondering what he could possibly find peaceful about the scenery. He checked on his injured cheek, relieved that the pain had subsided.

    He slipped on his gloves and picked up one of the several skulls that had survived the explosion. It burned in his hands, but the gloves kept him protected for a short while. He dropped it back to the ground before he got to the count of twenty.

    Nice, something that works as advertised.

    Opting to leave the gloves on¡ªgiven the combustible nature of everything¡ªKopius pointed at the last three sets of bubbles and then raised his hands, gesturing a question.

    ¡°More of the same, I¡¯d wager,¡± Cici answered with a shrug.

    ¡°Same plan as last time?¡±

    ¡°Are you going to let us get involved?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep the ¡®¡¯Spartas¡¯¡¯ to myself.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good then.¡±

    Cici trotted off to the distance, and Kopius readied himself.

    At first only two figures emerged. A pair of skeletons wearing soaked, shredded cloaks stepped out of the pond. In their bony hands, each carried an illuminated orb; bowling ball-sized spheres requiring both hands to carry. Once fully exited, they stopped, turned, and faced each other. The orbs were basically the same size and both emitted a soft glow, but that is where their similarities ended.

    The right-side orb had a dense, deep-purple hue with another, smaller orb bobbing inside. The inner, semi-white orb played peek-a-boo with its visibility like the answer die in an old Magic 8 Ball. When Kopius could see the inner orb, it resembled an eyeball long deteriorated and horrendously bloodshot. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    The left-side orb, with its translucent mustard-yellow and puke-green swirls, looked as though it had inside it some kind of dark brown, plant-like, alien parasite. There was also a feces-type funk on the outside of the orb, continually dripping off in chunks to the ground. The blackened blobs slapped against the soggy dirt before puddling. The orb seemed to have an endless supply of this discharge, as it had been defecating since the moment it breached the surface.

    Three things happened to Kopius almost simultaneously. First, a blank window lined with blue crystals and white stone masks appeared. Then Cici woo-hoo¡¯d in the distance and lastly, by fractions of a second, Kopius heard the sweet, sweet sound of leveling up.

    Ding-dang.

    Kopius closed the window, and immediately another Ripple quest border popped into his field of vision.

    ¡°Here we go now!¡± Cici shouted from behind.

    Kopius tried to close the window, but it remained visible. Before he could think it over, he heard another yell from behind. ¡°Accept the quest, lad!¡±

    Yes.

    The window closed, and he looked over his shoulder to see Cici jogging back in his direction. Right before Cici reached him, a third Ripple quest window popped into existence, causing the big man to slow his gait. Kopius closed that window successfully and tried to remain unannoyed. Cici finally made it over and was shaking his head, a giant smile on his face.

    ¡°You won¡¯t like that one bit,¡± Cici said with a laugh.

    ¡°We finish the quest?¡± Kopus asked, wanting some clarity for all the fanfare.

    ¡°That we did.¡±

    ¡°Was it a chain quest? That¡¯s what I said yes to, right?¡±

    ¡°Sequence, yes.¡±

    ¡°Whatever. What was that last one? That third notification.¡±

    Cici''s smile grew wider, and he just kind of shook his head.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that now.¡±

    Cici motioned back towards the pond as a third skeleton breached the surface. Instead of a smooth rounded skull, jagged metal was the first thing they saw. When it became fully visible it looked like a medieval great helm except both sides had been bent back and away, exposing the entire bony face. The shoulders came next, shreds of chainmail evident. By the time it was completely out of the toxic sludge, a somewhat armored, shield-and-sword wielding mountain of a skeleton stood at the water''s edge.

    The massive set of bones stood almost twice as tall as the two holding the orbs, making it at least two feet taller than Cici, probably more.

    Not that size mattered, but Kopius still took a cautious step back. Its armor had seen better centuries, at least what was left of it. However long it had laid stagnant at the bottom of the funk did not do it any justice. The skeleton was missing a gauntlet and one side of leg armor. It had both boots on, a door-sized wooden shield, and a half-broken sword that was still the length of a pool cue.

    It took a knee in between the two orb holders, prompting them into action. They both raised their respective spheres in the air like soccer players ready to do a throw in. Turning to face their kneeling comrade, they drew back and then rammed their orbs into its empty eye sockets.

    ¡°I could have guessed that,¡± Kopius said under his breath. The two men stood there, unsure if they should attack or wait out the ceremony being performed in front of them.

    The giant skeleton stood and reared back, somehow letting out an ear-screeching cry. The sound ripped through the air and pierced Kopius¡¯s and Cici¡¯s ears like nails-on-a-chalkboard had a baby with the sound of metal being dragged across cement. Kopius¡¯s teeth felt like someone was using sandpaper on them all while Cici stumbled as though he had a few too many drinks. When the screaming stopped, the two men regained their bearings to find the two lesser skeletons pointing at them; at Kopius really.

    ¡°They¡¯re pointing at you, lad.¡±

    ¡°I can see that.¡±

    Kopius returned his weapon to his inventory and immediately felt naked.

    ¡°What¡¯s in your head?¡± Cici asked with concern, seeing his friend''s weapon disappear.

    ¡°They were useless against the ones I blew up,¡± Kopius replied. ¡°We need¨C¡±.

    The two dove away from each other as the larger skeleton spewed out steaming hot goop from its toxic eye orb. Kopius rolled away and then quickly got to his feet. He looked over and saw Cici in roughly the same position opposite him. Between them flowed a bubbling tar pit, a river of searing-hot lava-oil leading straight back to the three bony combatants.

    To his left, Kopius spotted three flaming skulls laying a short distance from each other. He moved over like he was fielding a ground ball, scooped up a skull, and sent it hurtling. It THAWKED! off the door-sized shield and then tumbled smoldering to the ground. Whatever Kopius had hoped for never materialized¡ªinternally, he ruh-roh¡¯d.

    The taller skeleton took a giant step in his direction as the smaller two took shorter steps towards Cici.

 TBC Chapter 38

    Chapter 38

    ¡°It¡¯s all fun and games,¡± Kopius mumbled nervously as he dipped under the first sword strike. ¡°Until someone gets stabbed!¡± he shrieked, dodging a leg kick. Kopius dove through the skeleton''s open stance when its sword came back around after the kick. Even though the enemy''s attacks were slow enough to evade, they came in such a succession that Kopius had to perform the ¡®¡®5 Ds of Dodgeball¡¯¡¯ on repeat.

    After picking up a pattern in the skeletal attacks, Kopius began to anticipate and get ahead of the strikes. This plan went well, until it didn¡¯t.

    Expecting a leg kick, Kopius was more shocked than hurt when the wooden shield smashed into him like a swinging brick wall. The pain replaced his shock once he hit the ground and rolled several yards away from the giant skeleton.

    He gasped for breath, and a mild panic set in when finding his arms were too fatigued to get off the ground. When his legs also gave him the wobbles. He quickly looked at his stamina bar in his user interface; it might as well have been empty.

    In the briefest moment of clarity, he summoned the half bottle of stamina. The rest of the panic kicked in when the summoned vial materialized under his glove, splitting some of the seams. By the time he removed his glove and drank the remainder of the fluid, the ten-foot skeleton was looming above. Kopius felt the shadow of the shield pass over him, and his potion kicked in with barely enough time to roll out of the way of a chopping blow.

    Wanting no more of this song and dance, Kopius jumped to his feet and took off to a safer distance. He chanced a look over his shoulder to find Cici making shorter work of the other two skeletons. With the possibility of help on the way, Kopius tried to formulate a plan. Yet running for your life and strategizing at the same time¡ªas discussed earlier¡ªcan be nearly impossible.

    His instincts were left with fight or flight; there were no clever tricks to be done, no ace up his sleeve. His swords¡ªuseless; his fire¡ªimpotent; his nerves¡ªshot. The only thing he had going for him was his quickness and four remaining vials of stamina.

    ¡°I got Cici,¡± Kopius mumbled as he brought his running to a stop. He had backup: the guy who had been there almost the whole time. A man of charisma and honesty, someone who had probably¡ªdirectly and indirectly¡ªkept him alive. He had grown to tru¡ª

    ¡°What the fucking fuck, man!¡± Kopius screeched as he watched Cici turn and run away. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    The big man had dispatched his foes and was making a beeline for the wall of shrubbery. He didn¡¯t even look back before disappearing. ¡°You think you know a guy,¡± Kopius seethed, his eyes darting around. He almost fell, stumbling backwards, as he finally noticed how close the giant skeleton was to him.

    After finding his balance, Kopius turned and made his own beeline towards the closest high wall of plants. Only a few strides into his flight and six bear-looking skinwalkers of various sizes and decorum emerged from the very place he was running towards.

    He put on his brakes, skidding to a stop. Two more skinwalkers, these like wolves, appeared and Kopius found himself reciting song lyrics, something about being ¡°caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.¡±

    He looked it over¡­ if he hadn¡¯t thrown caution to wind, he would now.

    Not that Kopius needed to catch anything¡¯s attention. He was the center of it all at the moment. He wanted their ire; he needed some recklessness. Kopius picked up the nearest flaming skull and hurled it at the skinwalkers, missing by a mile. He quickly picked up a second skull and still missed spectacularly¡ªlike he had never thrown an object in his life.

    No, seriously, it was that bad. The skull kind of sloughed off his hand, like a curveball slipping out. It arced high in the air before landing only a short distance in front of him and then rolled further than he had thrown it. Somehow it still managed to upset the group of monsters in front of him.

    With his heart running at full throttle, Kopius turned and sprinted back towards the ten-foot skeleton. He picked up his speed when he saw the skinwalkers physically nipping at his heels. The burst gave him the separation he needed to perform his next stunt.

    Heading straight at the bony creature while focused on the elongated blade in its grip, Kopius feigned towards the sword hand, and his enemy took the bait. As the weapon set in motion, Kopius took another step and again dove through the attacker¡¯s open stance. Once through the back, Kopius¡¯s world only knew pain.

    The giant skeleton, not to be fooled twice, had swept his shield back behind itself and caught Kopius square. He flew like a ragdoll, tumbled several times, and skidded to a stop. His face felt warm and numb, his mouth as though he had eaten a bowl of pennies.

    His right arm was unresponsive, and his vision hazy. He activated his healing ring, which only managed to clear up his fogginess. Unable to use his inventory ring on his right hand for more healing, Kopuis mitigated his pain by wishing for it all to go away.

    Blood dripped off his chin, staining an otherwise already heavily stained shirt. A sour taste swamped his mouth, and when he spit out a fount of blood, a tooth came with it. He barely had the mental capacity to close the blank window that popped up.

    From his semi-prone position on the ground, he struggled to get his bearings. The fact that he wasn¡¯t currently being ripped apart or sliced in half gave him the briefest glimmer of hope. He grabbed onto that hope and looked around to find his foes. Several yards away, Kopius found his quarry and watched his plan take shape. A sharp stinging sensation ripped across his lips when he cracked the slightest grin.

 TBC Chapter 39

    CHAPTER 39

    ¡°A plan is only as smart as the people executing it¡­¡±

    These were the opening words of the processing officer lecturing the new bus of convicts that had just arrived at his prison. The wannabe Cool Hand Luke warden had seen one too many prison movies. Having worked for that officer as a prisoner, Cory heard the speech on a daily basis. The guy''s point was that we all tried, failed, and were caught: boo-hoo.

    These aren¡¯t the brightest people.

    Since Cory often abused the ¡°no plan is the plan¡± plan it wasn¡¯t a surprise to Kopius when things started to turn sour. In an ideal world he would have slid through the legs of the tall skeleton, gotten to his feet, bounded over the stream of eye funk, and ended it all by chasing down Cici¡¯s punkass. The skinwalkers would focus on the new target and while all those assholes did a tango, Kopius would be splitsville. Easy-peasy, right?

    At first, putting the door slamming to the side, things went well. The skinwalkers, having the skeleton between them and Kopius, opted to pounce on the large set of bones. There was a struggle as the skinwalkers attacked with fervor.

    The large skeleton, at first, had dropped its shield as the skinwalker latched onto its bones. It attempted to pry them off but to no avail. The skeleton dropped its sword when things got really bad and would pull one off while two others grabbed hold.

    In the midst of this whirlwind, Kopius cradled his injured arm all while scooting away from the madness like an inchworm.

    An animal''s worth of bones fell and scattered on the ground. What Kopius had thought was a slain skinwalker couldn¡¯t have been further from the truth. Two more sets of bones fell before he could start to smell the cooking.

    That¡¯s not good, Kopius summarized as he watched them trade one set of bones for another. Instead of the skinwalkers dying, they had reworked themselves on the structure of the giant skeleton. In a matter of moments, all the skinwalker skins were crawling, wrapping or otherwise attaching themselves to the tall warrior. In a very short time, the skinwalkers overtook and fully covered the skeleton, morphing into a giant, skinwalker monstrosity.

    The new and improved monster took the form of some feral, diseased ridden, STD carrying Furry. It had more acid-burned, splotched skin than it did hair, and the thing looked like nightmare fuel. From the ground, the beast appeared even taller and more menacing. Kopius stopped his feeble attempt to scoot away and breathed through his dense pain. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    A stillness passed through Kopius as he lay crippled on the dirt¡ªit wasn¡¯t quite an epiphany, more of an acceptance. If he could fight, he would. If he could run, he¡¯d do that too. The fact of the matter was, he knew. The strange part of it all was the absence of fear. It had plagued him one way or another for so long, he had no idea what it felt like to be free of it. In a moment that he should feel hopeless and weak, he felt oddly at peace and in control.

    Once the beast had situated itself, it turned its ire back to Kopius. The first step the monster took towards him, Kopius mentally thanked his mother for never giving up on him. Its second step, he apologized to his family: I could have been better. On its third step, he forgave himself, a feat he rarely, if ever, performed. A single tear carved a valley through the blood and dirt and funk that made up Kopius¡¯s face.

    A shadow passed over Kopius before the giant monster came into his vision. It looked down upon him with its pulsing orb eyes as if to study him. Globs of orb funk, dripped from the skeletons eye as if it was a permanent infection.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Kopius said in a ¡®¡®lets get this over with¡¯¡¯ fashion.

    The skeleton simply cocked its head to the side to get a better look.

    ¡°Come on!¡± he shouted, unwilling to wince at the pain it caused.

    The creature straightened a bit, seemingly unaware or unfazed by the taunting.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, asshole,¡± Kopius hissed through gritted teeth. He then grabbed a handful of dirt with his good hand and tossed it up at the monster. ¡°I ain¡¯t got all day,¡± he whispered.

    The creature bent down halfway and let out another mind-bending screech. It then reared back and kicked Kopius in the side, sending him sprawling across the ground. If his ribs were still intact, some of them were most certainly broken now. Kopius wheezed in short gasps, spiking pain coming with each breath. He rolled to his back to see his foe further away picking up its dropped sword.

    As the skinwalking skeleton turned and headed back to finish him off, Kopius noticed something over the monster''s shoulder. It was nothing at first, a tiny, bright light in the distance like a faraway sun. For all he knew, hallucinations had kicked in. Yet with each large step the skeleton took towards him, the light followed. It not only followed, it got bigger and the light more intense.

    I guess in Metem, the light comes to you?

    Kopius had to shield his eyes as the brightness began to consume the entire horizon. With the monster only halfway to him, he wondered which would kill him first: the skeletal mass of skinwalkers or the miniature sun hurtling right at them.

    One more bony step closer and Kopius heard the faintest whistling sound. It was like an arrow zipping through the air or a tennis ball canister opening except the sound continued, growing with each passing moment. The light shone with an intensity that became too much, making Kopius clench his eyes shut and turn away. Moments before the whole world exploded, Kopius felt the all-consuming heat of a shooting star.

 TBC Chapter 40

    CHAPTER 40

    Kopius awoke, head pounding, body in pain. The palms of his hands met his eyelids as he tried rubbing it all away.

    ¡°Worst. Death. Ever,¡± Kopius groaned from the ground.

    His side felt like he had rolled over a fire pit and his mouth, like someone had chiseled in there without novocaine. He tried opening his eyes, but they burned when exposed to the air. There was a perpetual throbbing on his entire right side but with one saving grace: he could move his arm again.

    Gingerly¡ªif you can even do it like that¡ªKopius summoned a healing potion. The weight of the vial, not really heavy at all, sent waves of pain up his arm. He quickly grabbed the vial with his other hand, and the pain started to dissipate.

    ¡°Ayo, you want some help with that?¡±

    Two strong but gentle hands gripped Kopius and lifted him to a sitting position. He heard the vial being opened and then felt something else placed in his good hand. He lifted the object and felt sloshing; he found the spout and lifted it to his nose.

    ¡°It''s water,¡± the familiar voice said.

    Kopius coughed out the first few sips, almost passing out from the ache it caused. Once he was able to get the liquid down, Cici took the waterskin and replaced it with what felt like the vial. Kopius, still bitter, brought the vial to his nose.

    ¡°It¡¯s healing potion, lad. Come on now.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t be too sure these days,¡± Kopius grumbled, sounding like a carton-a-day smoker. ¡°Shit just up and leaves sometimes.¡±

    Cici gave no verbal responses, and Kopius couldn''t tell if he had gestured or not. He drained the vial in his hand, lay back on the dirt, and passed out.

    When he woke up again, Kopius came to a sitting position. His body was very sore but manageable. His ribcage was the most tender, and he stretched his previously injured arm like it had fallen asleep. It wasn¡¯t until he stood that he began to take stock of his surroundings.

    The pond was still black as ever, smoldering pieces of bones still littered the entire shore, and Cici leaning on the handle of his weapon next to a massive pile of skinwalker dust. Seeing the grin on the big man¡¯s face that screamed ¡®¡®I have something to tell you¡± Kopius went with his gut instead of his ego.

    ¡°You could have told me something,¡± Kopius started with the slightest hint of scorn.

    ¡°Ahh,¡± Cici replied with a wave of his hand, ¡±you knew I was coming back.¡±

    ¡°Did I though?¡±

    ¡°Well, you do now.¡±

    ¡°That light,¡± Kopius said after a pause, rubbing his still sensitive eyes. ¡°What the hell was that?¡±

    Cici brought his hammer head out from behind the dust pile and placed the astralsilicate back on the ground. The opal stone hissed when it touched some mud, and Kopius noticed that the iridescent rock had a soft, pulsing light deep inside it.

    ¡°Nothing shines brighter, my friend.¡±Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Just know it will be a while before I can do that again.¡±

    ¡°Do what again?!¡±

    ¡°Proxima¡¯s Wake,¡± Cici answered, which explained nothing.

    Kopius just shook his head and took a long drink from his waterskin. He still felt this residual, dreamlike state that he couldn¡¯t shake. The overall shock from the events, mixed with an adrenaline rush the likes of which he had never experienced, all coalesced into this ¡®¡¯I¡¯m okay; you¡¯re okay¡¯¡¯ trance. He needed to walk it off.

    After a short rest and some food, Kopius returned to Cici with a clear mind. The big man was still meandering by the pile of dust which was as tall as the skeleton had been and almost as wide. If it had been a pile of autumn leaves, Kopius would have already jumped into it.

    ¡°Alright man, what we got?¡± Kopius asked as he waved his hands at everything.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got good, and we¡¯ve got great. Which first?¡± Cici spoke with the excitement of a child about to open presents. Kopius¡¯s mood lifted slightly. ¡°Good news¡± and ¡°great news¡± were not his normal options. He would have raised a single eyebrow if he were capable.

    ¡°Umm,¡± Kopius chuckled, his ribs not appreciating the jostling. ¡±Good first.¡±

    Cici briefly stepped behind the dust pile and came back with the defecating orb, rolling it with his foot. Once it was in plain view, he stepped back and presented it.

    ¡°I give you the Orb of Contamination.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that this hemorrhaging ball of shit was the source of pollution?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°And now what?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. We were tasked with destroying it.¡±

    ¡°Finishing the Ripple quest isn¡¯t the great news?¡±

    ¡°Not by my mind.¡±

    Cici stopped his presentation of the orb and shifted his arms over to the pile of dust on his other side. Beside the impressive size of the mound, Kopius wasn¡¯t sure why this would be the great news. By his best guess¡ªgiven the size of the skinwalkers and the fact that there were eight of them¡ªKopius assumed there to be maybe one-hundred-ish pieces of grafeen. From what he could recall, that wasn¡¯t enough to do much of anything, beside maybe a week of debauchery.

    ¡°Did they drop gear or something?¡± Kopius asked.

    Cici shook his head and then rammed his fist through the dust. He gave Kopius a smirk and then pulled his hand back out. In his large fist were a countless number of grafeen bits, many slipping out of his grip and falling to the ground.

    Kopius¡¯s eyes widened a bit, he too stepped forward and pulled a wad of grafeen from the dust pile. He couldn¡¯t help but smile. It was like reaching into a haystack and pulling out a gold brick. The two looked at each other like children about to dive into the largest ice cream sundae of their life.

    Once they figured out how to shave the dust away instead of plowing through it, they made short work of removing it. What was left was a waist high pile of tiny, glittering pebbles; like someone had dumped out several wheelbarrow loads of shiny, gray Nerds.

    ¡°Are we rich?¡± Kopius managed to get out of his mouth, to which Cici chuckled.

    ¡°Maybe in Cawbachu. You can barter it for a number of things there. Outside of that, you¡¯d have to find a skilled blacksmith or a Mage¡¯s Guild to turn any kind of profit. Covens; witches love this stuff.¡±

    ¡°And this is better than completing the Ripple?¡±

    ¡°Probably not, but as far as what we have in front of us¡ªyes.¡±

    Kopius tried to reconcile this in his mind. He concluded that Cici was the type of person to bid on their Showcase Showdown and not even bother to see what was behind the other curtain. Shame.

    ¡°Okay then,¡± Kopius conceded. ¡±How should we split this?¡±

    A few moments of strategizing later and Kopius took almost all grafeen into his inventory. First, they had filled two small pouches for easy access to currency once they reached Cawbachu, and then everything else went into a single inventory slot in his ring. They agreed it¡¯d be best to split up their loot once they were in safer spaces.

    After it was all said and done, the two men were left with the Orb of Contamination.

 TBC Chapter 41

    CHAPTER 41

    ¡°Just grab my shaft. It¡¯s not that hard,¡± Cici said encouragingly.

    ¡°It¡¯s heavy, man.¡±

    ¡°I lug it around all the time. Don¡¯t yank at it. Pull.¡±

    ¡°I am pulling.¡±

    ¡°You need to use both hands!¡±

    ¡°I think one is enough. I just need to hold it.¡±

    ¡°It will be quicker with two.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to slap me in the face if we do it your way!¡±

    ¡°How then?¡±

    ¡°Just up and down.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Cici lifted his large hammer off the ground, and Kopius held on for the ride.

    There had been a brief discussion regarding the best way to finish the Ripple quest. Even though Cici had insisted that the quest knew they had both completed it, Kopius didn¡¯t want to take any chances. The solution was simple enough: both would grab ahold of Cici¡¯s giant weapon and use it like an upside-down sledgehammer.

    Where Cici wanted to do some wild chopping motion as if he were exploding watermelons, Kopius felt they just needed a more ¡°smashing empty soda cans¡± approach. He did his best impression of the ladies at Hotdog-on-a-Stick prepping the lemonade to demonstrate.

    The large, rectangular astralsilicate hovered over the orb like an anvil ready to fall. In one swift motion, the hammer rose and rained down into the orb. The ball of defecation fractured but remained whole. The pair hoisted the weapon again, and this time Kopius added to the downward momentum. The orb cracked and splintered, its funky green and yellow colors leaking through fissures. One last strike and the orb collapsed, sending a spray of funk across their pants and exposed legs.

    The two quickly stepped back from the crumpled orb as it began to make strange suction sounds, like vacuum cleaner chugging to life. The green and yellow liquid lifted off the ground and spun in the air. Then the two colors merged and coagulated together, creating an inverted pyramid. It hovered above the ground before it started to spin rapidly. The two companions each gave each other a nervous look, both wondering if they really had finished the quest.

    Before their thoughts could lead to panic, the upside-down pyramid shot out to the center of the pond. If the sounds were any indication, the object¡¯s spinning was picking up significant speed. It spun until it was just a blur and then entered the scum.

    Thousands of tiny bubbles emerged from the center of the pond. It was quickly followed by a gentle whirlpool motion taking over the entire body of water. The gentleness did not last long as the rotation became faster and more violent until a maelstrom started to form.

    Where Cici and Kopius stood, there was nothing but sunlight and soft breeze; on the pond there was chaos. Just as a vortex formed in the pond, the whole thing lifted, creating a cyclone of black, oily funk, gunk, and mess. The two men did take a step back when the black began to suck the scattered and broken bones of all the downed skeletons into the whirlwind. When enough of the burning skulls reached the cyclone, the thing lit on fire like a dried-up tree soaked in kerosene. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Once the heat passed by, Kopius and Cici looked in time to see the burning tower of an inverted pyramid blink out of existence. All that was left was crystal clear blue water.

    ¡°That was amazing,¡± Kopius exhaled.

    Even Cici seemed to be at a loss of words yet when Kopius glanced over at the big man, there was no awe in his stare. It was the briefest of moments, so quick that Kopius wasn¡¯t quite sure if he really saw what he thought he saw. There was a worry in Cici¡¯s stare that was so uncharacteristic that Kopius had to ask. ¡°You alright?¡±

    Cici shook his head in the affirmative.

    Before Kopius could prod further, the ground shook and the sounds of stone grinding on stone filled the entire space. The ground continued to vibrate, and in the middle of the pond, a large flat stone emerged. Many more smaller stones breached the surface of the water until there was a walkable path to the shore. Two stone benches appeared on the large central stone, practically inviting them out there. They both looked at each other and shrugged.

    Before they crossed the pond, Cici knelt down and took a test sip. As if discovering water in the desert, he started to eagerly drink the fluid. Kopius¡¯s stomach lurched as the big guy took in gulps, knowing he would have boiled the water several times before even using it on plants.

    Cici dragged Celeste in the water as they made their way to the center. It hissed from under the surface and produced millions of bubbles as the big man tried to cool off his weapon. The astralsilicate steamed in the open air when the two finally reached the benches and Cici had pulled it out. They gladly took a seat, and that¡¯s when the theatrics began.

    First, bright green and yellow sashes appeared at each end of both benches. The material felt similar to velvet on one side and soft silk on the other. There were buckles on the ends, and Cici (being Cici) had no issue strapping himself down to the bench. Kopius, feeling alone in his trust issues, gave the pieces more examination before begrudgingly latching it¡­ loosely.

    A transparent bubble formed around them, and then the platform jerked slightly. With an immediate fear of living the rest of his life in a snow globe, Kopius reached out and touched the barrier. It popped like a bubble, misting both men with residue. Cici gave a scolding look, and Kopius shrugged and mouthed ¡®¡¯sorry.¡¯¡¯

    A few moments later, the bubble reformed. A slight jerk to the side happened again before they felt like they were sinking. Water pushed up against the magical barrier, but nothing seeped through. Kopius felt no relief. As the water level kept rising on the outside, Kopius felt his nerves escalating on the inside. Cici broke through to Kopius before he could dive headfirst into the paranoia.

    ¡°Pssst,¡± Cici psst-ed. ¡±Aye, you swim?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kopius replied. ¡°You?¡±

    Cici nodded.

    I¡¯m more worried about the bends, Kopius thought as their descent took them deeper and deeper. When the stone platform came to a stop, they could see they had reached the bottom.

    Above, like some great sports arena closing its dome, the ground slid shut, taking the sunlight with it. Kopius had to wrestle with the urge to break out of their bubble and make a swim for it. He managed to remain sitting, but Kopius unfastened his seat belt. A moment later and darkness took over.

    ¡°What do you see, lad?¡± Cici whispered.

    ¡°Nothing really,¡± Kopius answered as he scanned the entire place.

    A bright light made Kopius flinch and turn off his Night Vision. When he opened his eyes again, a pedestal was rising out of the floor with a glowing image of a hand on top of it. The small stone column stopped at about waist height, and the soft light was enough to illuminate the entire area. The image shifted from one picture to the next, each depicting¡ªCici later confirmed¡ªthe hands of different races throughout Metem. The big man released his velvet belt, stepped up to the pedestal and placed his hand on it.

    Bright, circular outlines began to spin on the pond wall. With four circles in total, their lights whipped around like a comet chasing its tail. They merged with each other, creating one giant circular outline with four comets all chasing one another.

    The light raced faster and faster before it shot away from them at a breathtaking speed. Water flooded the new tunnel. The platform they were standing on lifted like a raft, and the current swept them away.

    Sitting quickly and strapping in, Kopius felt like he could puke at any moment. It was like going on a topsy-turvy rollercoaster right after eating an undercooked chili cheese dog from your local liquor store.

    A glance over at Cici and one would have thought he was having the thrill of his life. With both hands gripping the pedestal, the big man ¡®¡¯oohed¡¯¡¯ and ¡®¡¯ahhed.¡¯¡¯ He screamed like a schoolgirl as they sped down the tunnel on class five rapids.

 TBC Chapter 42

    CHAPTER 42

    The thrill ride came to end much like a hangman¡¯s noose: a slight drop and a quick stop. The stone raft continued to drift forwards until it reached an open alcove, reminiscent of the first cave Kopius had to climb out of. He closed a blank pop up window and kept a watchful eye.

    The space opened up like a grand theater, a giant dome under the ground. A single beam of light shone down from high above, illuminating a decent sized altar in the center of the large area. On it glittered countless pieces of gear, gold, and grandeur. There were as many candlesticks, goblets, and cutlery items as there were swords, shields, and rings. Gems, coins, books, and jewelry occupied the spaces in between all of it. The stone table looked like a large hodge-podge of loot that pirates had failed to separate and hastily left behind.

    The protective bubble dome on their raft popped, spraying the two men. Their floating rock dry docked as the last of the remaining water seeped into the soil. Drawn to the loot, both men exited their craft and approached the altar. A blank window with Ripple quest borders popped into Kopius¡¯s vision, and he reactively closed it.

    ¡°What does it say?¡± Kopus whispered. There wasn¡¯t an immediate answer, and for the first time in Kopius''s entire life, he didn¡¯t get annoyed. He just looked out at the hundreds of glittering, sparkling and well-maintained pieces of gear. It was a small dragon¡¯s trove of weaponry and decadents. A really, really small dragon; but it was ,¡®more loot than you can shake a stick at¡¯ as his Papa would have said¡ªat least that last part.

    ¡°Says we get to pick one, only one,¡± Cici finally replied. ¡°Leave the rest.¡±

    ¡°Leave the rest,¡± Kopius complained. ¡°That''s some Cave of Wonders bullshit.¡±

    There was a longer pause in the conversation as the two men examined the loot. They circled the table, both mumbling to themselves about what they were seeing.

    ¡°Can we get a description before we choose?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Not by my skills¡±

    ¡°So we don¡¯t¡­ we have, like, no idea if what we are picking is any good?¡±

    ¡°That seems about right.¡±

    ¡°Lame. Does it know if I¡¯m moving something to the side versus trying to take it?¡±

    Cici shrugged.

    ¡°Look at it this way, lad: we completed the quest. Anything we grab will be good. What do you think you are in need of most?¡±

    Kopius looked down at himself, and his first thought was a working user interface so that he could Tidus of Kon his way outta here. Then he briefly reflected on the past few days, reminding himself that he wasn¡¯t in a game. It was often a sobering thought, usually accompanied with pangs of loneliness.

    ¡°I need everything except boots and gloves,¡± Kopius finally answered with a huff. ¡°What I really need is a way to identify all this shit. Like, let''s say I take that sword there and it says ¡®oh yay, I''m +100 strength but can only be wielded by a garden gnome.¡¯ What then? I could say the same thing about every item up here. Seriously though, this shouldn¡¯t be complicated.¡±

    ¡°Risk and reward often embrace each other.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s sweet and all, but we already did the risk.¡± Kopius used both hands to point, vaguely, in the direction of the pond. ¡°Now is the reward time. Me likely the loot. Could you imagine finishing a quest and the chest of riches is actually a mimic?¡±

    ¡°Mimic meat is very rare¡ªtasty, too. The things I could do with that meat¡­¡±

    ¡°Focus, please,¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°It would be unfortunate, but that is not what we have here. If things happen as you say, with the sword I mean, that¡¯s just some bad luck.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should ask the table?¡± Kopius suggested sarcastically. ¡°Hey stone table altar thingy, you got any suggestions?¡±

    Something happened and Kopius didn¡¯t even notice closing a pop up window.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    A small item on the table seemingly twinkled at Kopius. His attempt at lightening the mood took a backseat as he looked over at Cici, confirming they had both seen it. It twinkled again, and Kopius focused on a plain, glass ring.

    The transparent nature of the small object would have made it near impossible to see, even if looking directly at it. At a closer inspection, the inside of the ring had a fogginess to it that helped to further displace the light and camouflage it.

    ¡°My boy,¡± Cici breathed over Kopius¡¯s shoulder as he too leaned in for a better look. ¡°You¡¯ll want to take that. If nothing else, it will stop your incessant nagging.¡±

    ¡°You know what it is?¡± Kopius asked, twitching away from Cici like he had bad breath.

    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, and mind you I have only heard of them, that¡¯s some kind of identification ring,¡± Cici laughed. The big man cupped a hand and did a breath smell test before shrugging and then continuing. ¡°Besides, even if it''s not, you''re really going to ignore the answering of the gods.¡±

    ¡°Is that what just happened?¡±

    ¡°Can never really tell with them. The new gods seem to be more caretakers than anything else.¡±

    ¡°New gods?¡±

    Cici gave him a look that asked if now was really the best time to have this conversation, to which Kopius conceded. Kopius leaned forward and took the clear glass ring. A small window popped into his vision, one he had not come across before. It was roughly the size of an index card and situated itself vertically. Its border was plain, with only a beige light defining the edges. He closed it.

    Holding the ring up to the light, Kopius was impressed that¡ªeven though in his hand¡ªat certain angles it disappeared from sight altogether. He placed it on the pinky of his right hand, and it shrunk to fit. A Ripple quest window popped up, except this time there looked to be miniature fireworks happening in the background. He closed the blank notification.

    Ding-dang

    ¡°Nice,¡± Kopius said to himself.

    Ding-dang

    ¡°Okay then,¡± he nodded in appreciation.

    Ding-dang

    Ding-dang

    ¡°Holy. Shit.¡±

    Ding-dang

    Ding-dang

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Kopius shouted, his words echoing off the domed ceiling. He double-fist-pumped and opened his interface. Next to his name was the number 12. Blank notification windows started to pop up. Kopius would close one and two more would appear. He played his own mental game of whack-a-mole until the windows stopped assaulting him.

    ¡°What are we celebrating?¡± Cici asked earnestly. The big guy had started to hop along with Kopius, but he had no idea what they were happy about.

    ¡°I went up six levels,¡± Kopius answered, still a bit shocked by the jump. ¡°I¡¯m level 12.¡± Cici¡¯s eyes widened, and then his grin did too.

    ¡°Well now, that is worth celebrating!¡± Cici patted Kopius on the shoulders so hard that he almost fell forward onto the altar. Kopius managed to dodge any of the items as he skirted to the side.

    Usually Cory would take these feelings of joy and accomplishment and push them way, way down inside so that he wouldn¡¯t get used to them. With his body battered and Cici¡¯s genuine smile, Kopius allowed himself to savor the moment for a few seconds longer than normal.

    ¡°I guess it''s my turn then,¡± Cici said excitedly, rubbing his hands in anticipation. He looked at the table like a professional chess player planning their next five moves. When he finally did make his selection, Kopius didn¡¯t get a chance to see what it was as water began to seep out of the ground.

    ¡®¡®Seep¡¯¡¯ might be an understatement as the water reached knee height in a matter of seconds. The two men quickly waded their back to the floating stone they had rode in on, now soaked from the waist down. Kopius looked back at the altar in time to see it consumed by the water.

    The raft rose with the tide and shifted its position to be directly below the light source above. Squinting his eyes to get a better look, Kopius could see that it was not a light affixed to the ceiling but rather the sun shining through a crevasse. Cory had spent a good portion of his life digging himself into one hole or another, Kopius couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the irony of it all.

    He looked over at Cici. ¡±This is the third time, you know,¡± Kopius said, gesturing at their exit.

    ¡°Third time what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had my exit up there,¡± Kopius replied, pointing to the hole above them.

    ¡°On a floating rock?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Kopius chuckled. ¡°First time I had to climb, and the second time I had a rope pulley.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like life is getting easier for you, lad.¡±

    They both looked at each other before laughing so hard that Kopius had to grab Cici by the wrist lest the big man belly laugh into the watery abyss. They each used one another to maintain their balance, and roared some more until tears ran down their faces.

    There were tears from laughing, there were tears from relief, and there were tears for just how far away from the truth that statement really was.

 TBC Chapter 43

    CHAPTER 43

    Cici pulled Kopius out of the crevasse, and the two men took in the sweet, sweet feeling of open spaces. The good times kept rolling as they looked about their surroundings. To their right were the tall hoodoos of Escher Pass; to their left were sky high cliffs with a stone village carved straight into it.

    The cliff dwellings, reaching as tall as four stories, looked to be pulled right out of the history books. Not that he had ever been, but there were a countless number of these on Earth, each artistically different. This one looked like it was both finished and abandoned on the same day. Most of the structures were erected, while about a quarter of the dwellings had wooden scaffolding in various stages of stability.

    ¡°It goes further back,¡± Cici mentioned, seeing that it had caught his traveling companion¡¯s eye. Cici pointed to an area just off center. ¡±Just through there.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Kopius asked as he continued to gaze about the impressive architecture.

    ¡°People call it the Kickshaw Project. They say it was a petty man¡¯s attempt at revenge,¡± Cici said with a huff. ¡°One of the founders of Cawbachu claims he was swindled from his share of the town. Built this to divert the travelers¡¯ business as they made their way through the pass. This was before the Tessel went ill, mind you.¡±

    ¡°Nobody lives here? Not even the local Thieves Guild?¡±

    ¡°I am sure they have tried. Skinwalkers and ghost stories have made this place a bit inhospitable. Sunlight is minimal and with the Tessel as it were, no water supply. At least, nothing close. It was a nice idea until it wasn¡¯t. Want to have a look?¡±

    Kopius had to look back to see if Cici was serious, and when it looked like he was, responded, ¡±Yeah, let''s check it out.¡±

    ¡°Might even suit us to get inside one of those for the night,¡± Cici said, pointing up towards the top floors. ¡°Seeing as Cawbachu is not even a half-day walk from here.¡±

    The news that they were close to their destination gave Kopius a mixed bag of emotions. He was closer to getting the items he needed but also closer to people¡ªhuman or otherwise. He had been called ¡®¡¯friend¡¯¡¯ enough back in Feral Crossing that he was not looking forward to more of the same.

    The fact that his interface hadn¡¯t fixed itself when he reached level 10 was another source of massive disappointment. Yet with the prospect of amenities that may include, but not be limited to, hot water and a pillow, Kopius¡¯s mood remained lifted.

    They walked down the off-center path wide enough for two buses to drive through. The tall archway came to an end at a well-lit courtyard flush with stone tables and seating. In the center looked to be the beginning of an elaborate fountain. Beams of sunlight lit up the place, and Kopius admitted to himself that with a little water and a lot of plants for greenery, the place would be livable. Cici approached the empty fountain and shook his head. As Kopius followed along, he watched the big man pull a coin from his person and place it next to another inside the fountain.

    ¡°This is my way of checking if anybody has come through this way,¡± Cici said over his shoulder as he stood up. ¡°I place one each time through.¡± Six coins sat in plain view for anyone to see if they were close to the dry fountain bed.

    ¡°When did you put the first one down?¡±

    ¡°Many cycles ago. I don¡¯t come by this way often.¡±

    There was a pause in the discussion as Kopius began to wander around. The open space looked like it could have been an exclusive country club if the place was cleaned and decorated. The balcony had a fantastic view of high, arching cliffs and the hustle and bustle that could have been below. Two tunnels veered off, smaller than the one they had walked down but still a decent size. They both ended in darkness, the light only reaching so far.

    ¡°What are down these?¡±

    ¡°Oh, a collection of businesses and whatnot. Shops and boutiques, that sort of thing. Some even had signs up, like here.¡± Cici walked over and pointed to a dusty sign with red and black writing. It took a moment, but Kopius was able to read the words written in Common: Afton¡¯s Apothecary. Below the words was a symbol of three vertical lines with a V superimposed on top of it. Cici pointed at another further down, and the two went to look.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Racers Actuary and Undersigning: Insuring Adventures since 13207um

    More store fronts lined the tunnel like some back alley, black market, knockoff brand swap meet. The abandoned strip mall continued down the darkened tunnel, sunlight fading as they made their way farther into the dark. About the same time Kopius turned on his Night Vision, Cici had started to complain.

    ¡°I will need a torch or the like to follow you any further,¡± Cici said as he came to a stop. ¡°Not much else down there¡ªtwo more signs and that covers it. A place for clothing and one for potions. I forget the names. I¡¯ve been a time or two with some fire light. More of the same.¡±

    ¡°Is the other tunnel basically the same, too?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much, more food signs down that one.¡±

    ¡°Want to show me?¡±

    Cici led the way out of one dark tunnel and into the other one. While there was still light to see, many of the storefronts had illustrations of food, of gathering of food, or even preparations of food. It had all the hallmarks of a mall food court except for a missing coffee shop and bathrooms. There were words etched into the stone like graffiti with words like ¡®¡®Fresh,¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Tasty,¡¯¡¯ and ¡®¡¯Best in all Metem.¡¯¡¯

    As they journeyed further down the tunnel, light fading with each step, they came to a shop with a painted sign. It wasn¡¯t anything special except for the fact that this store had a door still loosely hanging on its hinges. A sign above the door had seen better days. It hung sideways from a single spike, having fallen off another.

    Kopius stepped forward, reached up and took the sign down. He dusted off the buildup and then held it up to read: The Blind Chemist. Below the shop''s name were a bunch of scribbled symbols that looked nonsensical at first but became legible once Kopius focused on them: Your guess is as good as ours!

    Kopius laughed a bit at the humor and then tossed the sign to the ground. It clanked and clattered before flipping over and landing flat. They were about to move on when Kopius noticed another carved symbol on the back of the sign. He paused, looked at it, and looked at it again before his mouth went a bit dry. He began to rub his thumb against one of his rings, smacking his lips for some saliva.

    ¡°What ah¡­ is this place empty, too?¡± Kopius asked hesitantly, nodding through the half-open door.

    ¡°This place has a few things inside. Bunch of empty shelves and cupboards. A few old pots and other things these chemists use to make their concoctions. Lots of pipes. Too many if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°Pipes?¡± Kopius perked up. He stepped past Cici and pushed the door the rest of the way open.

    An array of pipes branched out around the small shop, creating a vast system throughout the room. Empty shelves and cupboards, just as Cici had said, took up much of the space, but Kopius could still picture it. He could see a large cauldron in the center of the room and the makings of sciencey-looking stations along the back wall.

    ¡°You been here before, lad?¡± Cici said with a laugh. ¡°I''ll be outside.¡±

    Kopius stood examining the small shop for a few moments longer then also stepped outside, closing the door behind him. He picked up the sign and looked at it again.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Cici said to himself. He had a look on his face like he was reading something.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Kopius asked, taking his attention off the symbol.

    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one to level up, my friend. I jumped two levels.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great, man. What level are you anyways?¡±

    ¡°Level 29 but I¡¯m only telling ¡®cause I know yours.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll keep it to myself,¡± Kopius replied, and he returned his attention to the symbol.

    ¡°I¡¯m allocating my points, so I will be a moment,¡± Cici said with his thousand-yard reading stare. Kopius absently waved his hands at Cici, and the two ignored each other.

    Spinning the ring on his finger, Kopius cycled between the carved symbol, his ring, and the door. It took some brainstorming, some head scratching, and some unnecessary math, but Kopius eventually gave his idea a shot.

    First he stepped up to the door and closed it, the door''s latch still functioning. He took a deep breath, grabbed the door handle, and opened it again. A long exhale followed by a shit-eating grin and Kopius stepped into a familiar surrounding.

    Instead of an empty and abandoned shop, Kopius walked into an classroom-sized space with full shelves, a boiling cauldron, colorful sciencey stations, and a short old man wearing a thick leather apron and goggles.

 TBC Chapter 44

    CHAPTER 44

    ¡°Back so soon, my boy?¡± peeped a pleasant, high-pitched voice. Oh-jin stepped out of the shadows and greeted Kopius with a wide smile. ¡°You are looking good, healthy! Please come in, come in. We¡¯ve been through this before.¡± Kopius couldn''t help but smile in return. The welcoming and attentive nature that Oh-jin continued to shine on Kopius was enough for even the most useless of men to feel an ounce of importance.

    ¡°Are you still broken?¡± Oh-jin asked as he pulled a tray of cups from a cupboard.

    ¡°In more ways than one,¡± Kopius replied.

    ¡°You know what I mean. Your interface, your profile¡ªwhat of it?¡± Oh-jin''s voice chimed in the most harmless huff a person could huff.

    ¡°I still can¡¯t see it,¡± Kopius said, stifling a laugh. ¡°But I am level 12 now.¡±

    Oh-jin almost dropped the hot tea-kettle-looking thing in his hands as Kopius delivered the information.

    ¡°Already? That is¡ªI¡¯m shocked.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I have had myself a little adventure.¡±

    ¡°That seems to be an understatement.¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°And the supplies, you returned with the list I gave you?¡±

    Kopius scrunched his face a bit and shuffled his feet.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t started that part yet.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°You came back all this way to tell me you are level 12 then?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Kopius answered, seeing this was going nowhere fast. ¡°I have someone with me. Can he come in here?¡±

    ¡°You brought someone back to the valley with you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not in the valley.¡±

    Wrinkles formed on the old man''s head as Kopius continued to surprise Oh-jin.

    ¡°Where are you?¡± There was so much wonder in his high-pitched voice. ¡°No, let me look. It¡¯s been quite some time.¡±

    Oh-jin stepped towards the open door, peered out, and immediately harrumphed.

    ¡°Kickshaw,¡± Oh-jin spat.

    The old man eventually stopped looking around and locked in on Cici still engaging with his interface.

    ¡°An Astral Lumen,¡± Oh-jin said with a hint of reverence. ¡°You do not see them in the wild very often.¡±

    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

    ¡°They usually keep to their own.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s half-human, like me.¡± Kopius found himself getting a little defensive.

    ¡°Ah, I see. Then there is a story there.¡± Oh-jin stroked his goatee.

    ¡°We all got stories. Like the story about me walking through two different doors in two different places and ending up here.¡±

    ¡°An oversight on my part, Kopius. I do apologize. Does he have a name?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Cici. Cici Beo.¡±

    ¡°Do you ¡®owe him¡¯ in some fashion?¡±

    ¡°Nothing official. But yeah, there''s probably a good chance I¡¯d be dead if not for him.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating.¡±

    ¡°Not how I would categorize the last few days.¡±

    ¡°Of course not, I am sure it was harrowing, challenging. Level 12, that''s astounding. I very much want to hear your tale. And yes, Cici can come in too. Maybe he will tell me about that curse he¡¯s holding.¡±

    THE END

 TBC Epilogue

    Epilogue

    Kopius woke for what felt like the tenth time that night. It was his first time in who knew how many days of sleeping on a cot rather than stone, yet he couldn¡¯t get comfortable. He was sore and exhausted¡ªboth mentally and physically. He would have been struggling to keep his eyes open, except he was trying to sleep. Different positions didn¡¯t help, nor did facing new directions. More blankets, less blankets; it didn¡¯t matter. Resigned to the cruel fate of a sleepless night, Kopius sat up. He looked across the room to see Cici¡¯s large figure laying atop a cot of his own a short distance away.

    Oh-jin had made the two men feel right at home. The only thing missing from his hospitality was a hot shower. They had all eaten, cleaned themselves as much as possible, and then hit the sheets. Cici had knocked out the second he hit the pillow. Now that there were no longer the ambient sounds of nature, Kopius could hear the big guy snore. When he¡¯d first laid down, Kopius had melted into his cot, letting it embrace him as he drifted to sleep.

    Kopius had been awakened by a bad dream, a loud noise, a soft repetitive noise, Cici gagging throughout the night, and one time by the need to pee. He wasn¡¯t sure why he was awake now.

    His feet searched for his boots on the floor, unwilling to let his exposed skin be shocked by the cold, hard ground again. As he leaned down to finish pulling the boots on, the feeling of a bubble popping happened in his mind. It was like when his ears adjusted to elevation changes, releasing pressure like a slow, leaky tire.

    Kopius pinched his nose closed, shut his mouth and tried to speed up the releasing process. A moment after his ears popped a virtual window appeared in front of him.

    ¡°What the fuck?¡± he whispered.

    ¡°Basic gear?¡± Kopius said with an air of confusion. He closed the window out of reflex.

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Kopius said to himself, leaving this window open. His pulse picked up a beat, and his mouth, though dry from sleeping, was completely arid now. He licked at his lips in an attempt to create saliva and closed the window. Before he could think on it further, another window popped in view, then another and another until they started to cascade on top of one another, each blocking the one under it. It was like a computer falling victim to some adware virus that spews out pop-ups and error messages after error messages, reducing the computer to nothing more than a paper weight.

    He watched the pop-ups materialize like he had just won a game of online solitaire. Once the parade had stopped and Kopius was able to control his breathing, he tried to open his profile page.

    ¡°Seriously!¡± Kopius complained. His profile had opened, and for the briefest of split-seconds he¡¯d spied a fully authored profile page before it had gotten buried behind the avalanche of notification windows. Cici grumbled something inaudible and rustled in his cot.

    Kopius grabbed a shirt and headed out to the hallway. With no place to sit in the long, narrow hall, Kopius quickly made his way to Oh-jin''s lab and out the door to Kickshaw. He anxiously found a place to sit and began to pore over his functioning interface. First, apparently, he had to go through his notifications.

    ¡°Obviously,¡± Kopius mumbled to himself.

    That¡¯s not ominous or anything, Kopius thought before moving on.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not do that again,¡± Kopius protested as he rubbed at his forearm.

    ¡°Loot everything, brotha,¡± Kopius said to the wind. He felt a bit awkward replying to every pop-up but that was his way of keeping his nerves in check.

    Healing will be just fine, Kopius thought with a short laugh.

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting one,¡± he admitted to himself.

    ¡°Climbing? That¡¯s what it means?¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡±

    Should I be writing this down? Kopius absently patted himself down as though he had a pen on his person.

    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t kill you¡­¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    Kopius nodded along.

    He nodded some more.

    ¡°I get XP for that?!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡ªfuck.¡±

    Okay.

    Okay, Kopious thought with growing annoyance.

    ¡°Be nice to have a number next to the XP man.¡±

    Mm-hmm.

    Good to know.

    Yuuuuup.

    Mm-hmm.

    Kopius spun the ring with his thumb.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Here we go,¡± he said while rubbing his hands together.

    ¡°I like that.¡±

    ¡°That feels like years ago.¡±

    ¡°Well shit. Was it really a dance? I could have done that.¡±

    Indeed.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ twisted.¡±

    His eyes went wide. Unique? That better mean what I think it means!

    Kopius shrugged. He didn¡¯t have a head count.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave foot fetishes to Carl and the A.I..¡± Kopius mumbled.

    ¡°Be nice if I could cast it from somewhere other than my fucking shoes.¡±

    ¡°Sweet.¡±

    ¡°Quinn? Dude, F that guy.¡±

    ¡°We are only at the Ripple quest? There¡¯s like five million more windows.¡± Kopius exaggerated, quickly growing weary of his functioning interface. He took some deep breaths, reminded himself to be patient, and continued on.

    ¡°Is this supposed to be funny?¡± Kopius wondered how intentional the quotations were.

    ¡°Welcome to the party, pal,¡± Kopius chuckled.

    ¡°Here is some XP for you.¡±

    ¡°And some XP for you.¡±

    ¡°And so on¡­¡±

    ¡°And so forth¡­¡±

    ¡°Hello, Patty.¡±

    ¡°Trigger.¡±

    ¡°Oh, brothers. Nice.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a tongue twister,¡± Kopius admitted as he tried to say the name five times in quick succession.

    Mmmhmm.

    ¡°Dual-wielding pistols would be great,¡± Kopius noted, reminiscing on Mustang & Sally.

    ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± His words echoed off the many walls that made up Kickshaw.

    Yup.

    ¡°It did leave a mark,¡± Kopius complained.

    ¡°I am pretty sure it was more than that.¡±

    Though, I hadn¡¯t stopped to count.

    ¡°Better lucky than good, right, Papa?¡±

    ¡°You know, I had chosen fire magic¡­¡± He shook his head like a disappointed parent.

    Okay.

    I did.

    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Kopius yelled at the abandoned town of Kickshaw. He stood up and sat several times, his tired body jolting back to life. If it weren''t for the fact that it was the butt-crack of dawn, Kopius would have gone to wake up Cici and Oh-jin to demand answers.

    After a few stern warnings with the subject line regarding ¡°personal space¡±¡ªissued to the Universe or the Gods or whatever made these damn pop-up windows¡ªKopius let the emotions stew in his stomach and returned to his notifications.

    ¡°It¡¯s not on fucking purpose,¡± Kopius mumbled.

    I wonder if Cici got this too, Kopius wondered.

    ¡°We followed the instructions.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s weird,¡± Kopius said as he gave the window several reads.

    ¡°That explains a lot.¡±

    ¡°Okay, last stretch here.¡± Kopus got up and walked a couple circles to loosen his beat-up body. Eight more windows blocked him from his profile. He gave his aches and pains a few more stretches before continuing.

    ¡°Wha?¡±

    ¡°Nice.¡±

    Kopius instinctually tongued the space where the tooth once sat.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the way that sounds,¡± Kopius whispered to himself.

    Mm-hmm.

    Nope.

    ¡°Am I being geo-tagged or some shit?¡±

    ¡°No! Good thing I can see it now!¡±

    Kopius closed the last of the notifications and shut his eyes to collect himself. He was about to look at his fully functioning profile for the first time and he was going to try and savor it. He was admittingly nervous, like opening college acceptance letters while desperately hoping you have been accepted.

    He opened his eyes and there it was. His name and level, a breakdown of his stats, active and passive. There were his health, mana and stamina bars, several tabs labeled Magic, Abilities, and Map. It had all the hallmarks of any VRMMORPG HUD he had come across dozens of times before.

    Kopius smiled nervously.

    ¡°Tidus of Kon, log out.¡±

 Book 2 BCB Chapter 1

    ¡°... Maybe he can tell me about that curse he¡¯s holding.¡±

    (Our story picks up right where we left off)

    BOOK 2

    The Ballad Of Cici Beo

    Chapter 1

    Kopius relaxed comfortably in a cot, gazing at his profile page for the millionth time while Oh-jin and Cici played a card game.

    ¡°...you need to understand lad, they offered a free Elsener Blade for anyone who participated!¡±

    ¡°Remember when I was talking about ¡®reading the fine print¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes. I don¡¯t sign every ledger shoved in my face boy.¡±

    ¡°You know I¡¯m probably older than you right?¡±

    ¡°Do you even know what the Elsener Blade is?¡±

    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a rather pricey item. Much like your pugil staff, except for cooking. It changes into anything you would need to prepare a meal!¡±

    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Oh-jin interjected.

    ¡°Don¡¯t encourage him.¡±

    ¡°It was almost too good to be true.¡±

    ¡°It was too good to be true. You basically put up your soul as collateral.¡±

    ¡°I do admit that if it were a Calibrit Stone, now that would be worth a soul.¡±

    ¡°I doubt it.¡±

    ¡°Not only does it store the ingredients, it serves portions for you, it can be upgraded. That¡¯s just the tip of the snowcap my friend, let me tell you it¨C¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t, I have enough to remember as it is.¡±

    ¡°Fine. I recall the first time I discovered my profile too. I just played with it all the time.¡±

    ¡°There needs to be more numbers!¡±

    ¡°Are we going to talk curses or profiles?¡±

    ¡°Curses.¡± Oh-jin and Kopius answered in unison. The latter let the moment of jinxing pass as the two glanced at each other. Kopius sat up and swung his feet to the floor. After so many nights sleeping on unforgiving stone, the cot felt like resting on memory foam. His ribs were still tender but the majority of the pain had been reduced to sore muscles. The lesson he learned here was that the healing potions weren¡¯t feel-good juices. They would stop the bleeding and mend the wound but it did not remove the residual pain associated with the healing process.

    ¡°Just so I am all caught up,¡± Kopius started, ¡±You were traveling through a town when you saw a sign, not like a ¡®sign¡¯ sign, an advertisement or billboard or whatever. It offered that blade thing just for signing up?¡±

    Cici nodded as he drank from his mug.

    ¡°What was the prize for the winner?¡±

    ¡°Ah, something of significance. I¡¯m sure it was impressive.¡±

    ¡°Was? I thought you still had to sing.¡±

    ¡°I have sung. At her estate. In her amphitheater. I gave her one of my most potent performances. Honestly, I was even impressed with myself.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°And nothing. It was like serenading a statue!¡±

    ¡°How do you even win?¡±

    ¡°She has to cry.¡± Cici answered slowly, as one does when they have replied to this same question a few times already. ¡°You compete against the others, for sure. But if she sheds no tears, well, nobody wins.¡±

    ¡°You know what,¡± Kopius said as he stood up, ¡±obviously I haven¡¯t been listening at all and for that I apologize. Can you just start from the beginning¡­ again¡­ please?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll start at her estate, before I sang. Agreeable?¡±

    Kopius gave a nod of thanks and found a place to lean.

    ¡°The estate of Parolly Sistain is tucked back in the hills just before reaching the Kaliboz Swamps. It¡¯s a beautiful piece of land, hidden from sight but easy enough to get to. In a small valley, her property sits like an unblemished jewel. The grounds are perfectly manicured, clear water in flowing fountains, structures looking as though they are painted daily. Large bushes in the shape of animals, sprawling lawns and an amphitheater fit to entertain the gods themselves. Truly, the place is magnificent.¡± Cici paused his re-telling to contemplate. ¡°Thinking on it now, that should have brought some whistles to my mind. Warnings, ya know?¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°We call those ¡®red flags¡¯ where I¡¯m from,¡± Kopius offered.

    ¡°Nevertheless, the place looked like it had been plucked right out of a story or a painting. The manpower required to maintain the whole lot was equally incredible. Hundreds of men worked tirelessly everyday to keep the place primed and polished. Nary a woman on site though, another whistle missed.¡± The big man gave an innocent shrug and finished his morning drink.

    ¡°Mind you, I am not alone in my arrival. This is a competition after all and us Bards do enjoy ourselves a Smorgasbard. That¡¯s a formal challenge¨CBard to Bard¨Cbefore you ask. For another time. Where was I? Yes, not alone. There were many others like myself; singers, entertainers, duos¡­ even a troupe! Twenty or so in total; all of them talented¡­¡± Cici trailed off, shaking his head.

    The big man would often get animated whenever he told a story; really getting into the characters. Almost like a short theatrical play. He had the ability to bring the tale to life, even if it was just some mundane, remedial task like preparing applewax. It was like listening to audiobooks, where you really enjoyed a series but are left wondering if the story really was that good, or did the orator make up for poor penmanship. Any way you cut it, Cici was not acting like Cici.

    ¡°You alright my man?¡± Kopius asked with some concern.

    ¡°I beat each one of them¡­ even the troupe.¡± Cici spoke as though he were kneeling before a grave.

    ¡°So, you won?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no.¡± Cici took a deep breath before breaking away from whatever far off place had his attention. ¡°None could pry a single tear from her ice cold pours, not even yours truly. Some of these lads had me practically sobbing, their performances were so moving. Yet, one by one they were dismissed until only three of us remained. We had all performed our hearts out already and she treated them like, I don¡¯t know, we were warming up.¡±

    ¡°You performed twice?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°That I did. Two songs that even a god in ear shot would have stopped and listened to.¡±

    ¡°Did you at least get your tool?¡±

    ¡°No! You get it at the end but that¡¯s a bunch of humbuggery.¡±

    ¡°Please explain Mr. Scrooge.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t win you can never leave! Even after death. So piss on that tool.¡± The words cut through the air with a windchill factor. Goosebumps made a wave through Kopius¡¯s body as if he were the one facing eternal servitude. Cici went to spit to really emphasize his point but a quick look at Oh-jin and he thought better of it.

    ¡°How are you with us then, boy?¡± Oh-jin¡¯s high pitched voice asked.

    ¡°Well, I charmed her,¡± Cici said, collecting himself. ¡°I tried to charm her, I should say.¡± There was another pause and Cici looked like he was calculating some large number in his head. ¡°She was charmed by my attempts to charm her, not because I charmed her. I suppose that''s what got me into this whole mess. Ugh, I was like a small boy asking a woman to wed¡­¡± Cici paused for a further moment of reflection. ¡°Damn it, why must I be so charming?¡± This last part Kopius took as a more rhetorical question and left it in the air.

    The whole story sounded like some kind of sham real estate venture where you get lured in by this magnificent ¡°free¡± item or thing and then your bank account somehow gets sucked dry. There were still some holes in the story and Kopius wanted to get those filled. It wasn¡¯t clear how the charming backfired, especially if it happened after he had performed. To Kopius¡¯s mind, it sounded like Cici¡¯s charm bought him more time.

    ¡°Did you charm her before or after you sang?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Before, after, during; I¡¯m charming in general, my friend. It isn¡¯t always about the spells.¡± Cici answered with a smirk. ¡°Before you ask an endless amount of questions let me just say it like this: For whatever her reasoning, I have one more chance to make this happen¡­ or else.¡±

    ¡°They say the third time''s the charm, so you have that going for you.¡±

    ¡°Why do they say this?¡± Oh-jin asked with the same curiosity he had given the F word.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know actually,¡± Kopius answered. ¡°Superstition, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Superstition, eh?¡± Oh-jin repeated as he stroked his long, wispy goatee. ¡°That makes for a lot of turmoil in the mind.¡±

    ¡°Wait til I tell you about conspiracy theorists and flat-earthers. Those are some mental gymnastics, let me tell you.¡±

    ¡°Gymnastics?¡± Oh-jin half-asked.

    ¡°It''s a sport.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Like your, what was it now, like your baseball?¡±

    ¡°Kind of, but no. It¡¯s way different. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Kopius said, waving his hands to stop any more questions. ¡°Cici, what''s your deadline? When do you have to report back to her?¡±

    ¡°She gave me one hundred rotations,¡± Cici answered. After doing some internal math, he continued. ¡°I have twenty-one left to go.¡±

    A silence sat in the room as the three men contemplated Cici¡¯s predicament. Unless they could come up with some kind of groundbreaking song and/or dance, the big man was twenty-one days away from an eternity of entrapment.

    Twenty-one days, Kopius repeated in his mind. Why does that sound important¡­

    He racked his brain for a few moments before remembering: his O.B.S.E.. If Kopius was wrong about Metem being real, he would be dead before Cici had his chance to perform. It gave him a nervous pang but he wasn¡¯t going to dwell on it, at least, not right now. Seeing that Cici had been counting down his own days, he asked him a question.

    ¡°Do you know how long we¡¯ve known each other?¡±

    ¡°Well now,¡± Cici replied, ¡°I would say we have been acquainted for twelve, thirteen rotations. Somewhere around there.¡±

    ¡°So I have about ten days or so¡­ ¡°Kopius mumbled to himself.

    ¡°Ten days till what now?¡± Oh-jin asked.

    ¡°Uh, ten days to get this man a song,¡± Kopius lied. ¡°So he can practice.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to drag you into this, my boy. This is an errand for fools and dreamers. After Cawbachu I was planning to start making my own way.¡±

    For what had to be the first time, Cici¡¯s voice had the resignation of a man already defeated. It was so out of character that Kopius felt a tinge of anger. He knew that if he was the one to uphold a positive attitude there was something certainly wrong. Maintaining the line, Kopius could handle. Keeping the team positive was more of a last resort. Additionally, the prospect of wondering about Metem alone did not sit well with his stomach. It wasn¡¯t so much the loneliness he wanted to avoid, that was something he had come to terms with long ago. Not that he enjoyed it either, but that he was used to it. Cici had helped him and at a minimum he needed to repay the favor.

    ¡°You can¡¯t get rid of me that easily.¡± Kopius said with a smirk of his own. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t let a level 3 princess wander off all by herself right?¡±

 BCB Chapter 2

    Chapter 2

    After explaining to Oh-jin¡ªin detail¡ªwhere the ¡®level 3 princess¡¯ came from, it was time to explore his profile. Kopius was not for certain, but he swore he had gotten weaker even with the jump in levels. Oh-jin had gone off to his lab to find the parchment he had written down Kopus¡¯s information on and Cici was skimming through books that were written in Common.

    At present, Kopius was trying to recall song lyrics from his past. Lyrics that took up a large portion of his memory even though he would have preferred to be able to recall things that were a little more important. He had a fount of useless knowledge. Knowledge that was really of no use on Earth and on Metem, even less so. He lamented that his movie quotes and/or reference went unnoticed, a part of Cory¡¯s personality that would get him a few laughs on occasion. Now that he actually had a purpose for this large chunk of memory, he was coming up blank. Cory wasn¡¯t musically inclined in the least bit. He could dance, for the most part, but singing, playing an instrument or even writing a song was a trait he did not possess. His hope was that he could hum something and Cici¡¯s musical prowess would cover the rest.

    Half of a verse into Ain¡¯t no sunshine, by Bill Withers and Oh-jin came back into their room, his normal smile and glee coming with him. He carried several pieces of paper in one hand and in the other was what could only be described as a charcuterie board. On the board were a few pieces of meat, a pile of greens and what looked like cheese cubes. Does this guy have a refrigerator somewhere or something, Kopius wondered. After tasting the food, he no longer cared whether or not Oh-jin had a full blown kitchen; it all tasted wonderful.

    ¡°You have quite the skill there, Oh-jin,¡± Cici complimented after eating a few pieces. ¡°You have to tell me your secret, or at least, the ingredients!¡±

    ¡°No secret my boy,¡± Oh-jin replied pridefully. ¡°Dried meat from a flammerdoddle, seasoned with rock salt, junipeppers and then soaked in fermented berry juice. The cubes are cheese and the greens are a type of cabbage. Together they make for an excellent lunch.¡±

    ¡°My cabbages!¡± Kopius blurted out and then immediately shook his hands to ward off any questions. The two men gave him a quizzical look but made no attempts to prod.

    ¡°It¡¯s fantastic, my friend,¡± Cici gushed as he ate more. ¡°Next time I am here we will have to exchange recipes!¡±

    There was an enthusiasm in the big man''s voice as though the past hour of explaining his predicament was all but forgotten. Food had that effect on some people. They could have all the worries in the world, but when they sit down and have an exceptional meal, especially with good company, the time can pass in relative peace and comfort. While the three men ate, Oh-jin gave Kopius the paper that had his original profile dictated on it.

    Having looked at his profile several hundred times since it became visible, Kopius knew immediately that his assumptions were correct: he was weaker, slower and yet smarter¡ªall at the same time. ¡®Smarter¡¯ was a bit misleading, his Intelligence had gone from a ¡®0¡¯ to a ¡®6¡¯. He shook his head like a disappointed father, mentally pulled up his profile and held the paper out for comparison. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± Kopius grumbled as he looked at the information side-by-side.

    There were the numbers, plain to see. Oh-jin, when he had first documented Kopius¡¯s profile, had mentioned something along the lines that the numbers would self-correct. Where Kopius originally had numbers that were roughly those of an older teenager, were now that of a pre-teen. He decided to gloss over the fact that he¡ªa thirty-two year old¡ªhad been equivalent to a highschool senior because he had none of the energy or optimism that come with such a young age. It was also a testament to how far he had fallen off from maintaining the most basic of health standards. As Cory, going up a flight of stairs too quickly could practically put him on an oxygen machine for an hour. Kopius, with his new and uncontaminated body, still had endurance issues.

    He looked over his profile ad nauseam, as if going over it multiple times would change it somehow. During the course of his investigations he noted that the STR, INT, and DEX were in a bolder typeface than the other bolded words. When he concentrated on any of the three, they would grow slightly larger and would shrink back to original size when ignored. It reminded Kopius of hyperlinks on web pages and articles. He tried to test his theory with several different attempts to ¡®click¡¯ the letters but nothing happened.

    ¡°Oh-jin,¡± Kopius said, ¡°Is there more information behind these stats?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°When I am staring at the STR, or any of these three Attributes, it moves a little. Like it wants me to click it.¡±

    ¡°Click it?¡±

    ¡°Press it, you know,¡± Kopius paused to think of a better way to say it, ¡°like a button or a switch.¡± He made poking gestures with his fingers and the combination of it all cleared up any confusion.

    ¡°Yes, my boy,¡± Oh-jin began. ¡°If you focus on the Attribute and will it to expand, you will find a second and third tier of Attributes. Those do not generally activate until level 20 but, like your Intelligence, once you show an affinity for it, it will come to life.¡±

    ¡°I just stare intently and open it like my profile?¡±

    ¡°More or less.¡±

    Kopius returned to his profile and focused on the STR. After a few adjustments to his gaze his profile page turned fuzzy and a smaller window stood out.

    He skimmed over the chart, making passing guesses as to what the letters stood for. Confident that the STR was ¡®Strength¡¯ he mentally closed the small window and his profile returned to normal. Questions ran afoul of logic in his mind. Kopius still struggled to reconcile with this new world and its video game functions. Every now and then he would get the slightest of inklings and try to log out. It wasn¡¯t easy for him but he was used to that. If life on Earth wasn¡¯t beating him down he would always find a way to do it himself. It was hard to tell if Cory was truly unlucky or if he was just a glutton for punishment. Yet, just like Cory, he had survived. He shook off the intrusive thoughts and opened his other two Attributes.

    I¡¯m not even going to guess, Kopius thought.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kopius announced with a loud clap of his hands. ¡°Who¡¯s going to explain all this shit to me?¡±

 BCB Chapter 3

    Chapter 3

    ¡°Strength to protect, Dexterity to move, Intelligence to understand. Do you remember this? These are the building blocks to further Attributes.¡± Oh-jin had immediately stepped up and into his role as an educator. Kopius gave a noncommittal shrug before the old man continued. ¡°There are two tiers beyond these first Attributes. Strength leads to a higher Constitution and Endurance. Constitution leads the way to your Resistances and Physique; Endurance to Fortitude and Willpower. All these together manifest in your ability to protect yourself from external threats.¡±

    ¡°What about the other two? What do Intelligence and Dexterity lead to?¡±

    ¡°Well now, you can pick up a book and discover that in your free time!¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Kopius half laughed. ¡°I saw a bunch of the ones you mentioned when my notifications went all crazy. Are they all active now?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Oh-jin answered carefully. ¡°There is no noticeable difference if the numbers are not solid, not whole. Where a ¡®1¡¯ in Resistance will stave off basic snake venom, a .25 or .5 in the same Attribute will have little to no added benefit. Keep in mind, growing an Attribute too quickly has its disadvantages as well.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Kopius stated.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take this one Oh-jin,¡± Cici said, cleaning his mouth of any residual food or drink. ¡°There was this one time I had leveled up while also finding a few Senteney Accelerators¨Cthat''s a rare stone used to advance an Attribute by plus one¨Cand got the bright idea to place all my points, four total, into Strength. I figured, the stronger the better, right? But then I went to swing Celeste and I was so off kilter I landed on my ass after one swipe!¡±

    ¡°That doesn''t explain much,¡± Kopius pointed out.

    ¡°I wasn''t used to the weight lad! Celeste felt lighter, more fragile. When I swung her about I had difficulty keeping her on target. It took almost twenty rotations before it all felt normal again.¡±

    ¡°Muscle memory?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°If by that you mean my muscles lost theirs, then, yes. They treated my poor girl like some willow reed with a skipping stone at the end.¡± Cici picked up his hammer from its resting place and stroked it like they both just got over the whole ordeal.

    This all reminded Kopius of a time when he had gotten into a fist fight in the parking lot of an old 24-Fitness. Cory, still in his baseball years, had worked out for the better part of two hours and was making his way to his car after a shower in the locker room. Another fellow, leaving as well, took offense to Cory not holding the door open for him on the way out. They jawed at each other until the testosterone had kicked in and the two started throwing blows. Cory had felt like he was moving through water and the few times he landed a solid hit it felt like soft tap. When he had received a few in return, they felt the same. They would have been better off slapping each other.

    Another time he had lifted weights prior to a ball game and the results were no better than the aforementioned parking lot. Because he had not warmed up with a baseball bat weight, commonly known as a ¡®donut,¡¯ he had failed miserably at the plate. The donut would have given him a slightly faster swing, a swing that he could control. The extra weight from the workout had thrown off both his balance and his timing. Those were two things that Papa had held in high regard.

    ¡°Balance and timing,¡± Papa used to say. ¡°That¡¯s all you need¡­ for everything.¡±

    Kopius came to terms with this new information, that by adding a large amount to Strength on Metem did not instantly produce more powerful hits. Well, it did, but the ability to hit the target to inflict any kind of damage was partially negated due to the lack of experience with said strength. Ugh, slow and steady wins the race or however that goes, Kopius lamented internally.

    Incremental growth had always been a hard pill to swallow. Cory, like most Americans, preferred instant gratification over slowburn progress. Everybody wanted to leap and bound their way to success; they overlooked the importance of baby steps. Guilty as the rest of them, he would look for shortcut after shortcut even when all that looking took significantly longer than just completing whatever the task was. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    With the prospect of dumping all his accelerator points into one stat quashed, his mind moved on to other questions. He reprimanded himself for not writing down or at least remembering the increases he had received during all those pop-ups.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kopus exhaled. ¡°When one of these new Attributes activates, do I get additional accelerators?¡±

    ¡°You do not,¡± Oh-jin answered regrettably. ¡°You can add one of the three points to the active Attribute or apply it to the top level.¡±

    ¡°How does applying it to the top level help?¡±

    ¡°The points will trickle down to the other Attributes; active or not.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know man, in my experience ¡®trickle down¡¯ is a bunch of bullshit. That''s what the rich tell the poor to keep them poor.¡±

    ¡°It is a slower progression, that much is certain,¡± Oh-jin admitted. ¡°Yet, it is the most balanced approach.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it. Do you know how the trickle down is distributed or is it just some fancy theory?¡±

    ¡°Of course I know!¡± Oh-jin replied with a huff. ¡°You would too if you did the minimum amount of reading!¡±

    Kopius felt like he blushed a bit, his face and hands growing warm like he just got caught doing something less than ¡®good¡¯. He had only read as far to understand how the magic boots worked and not much more. His persistence to put things off was nothing new. Cory would have won all kinds of awards and accolades had procrastination been held in any kind of reverence. Thinking about it now and he cringed at his past lack of action. There were too many instances to reference at the moment. Too many times, where doing just the bare minimum would have saved himself from himself.

    ¡°I will read the books,¡± Kopius finally replied, a bit of shame leaking through.

    ¡°Please do, it will only be to your benefit. Now, trickle down works by adding one accelerator to the top level Attribute. A point in Strength will grant .50 to both second tier Attributes and .25 to all third tier items.¡± The old man paused to let the information sink in. ¡°Applying a whole point to either the second or third tier will only benefit that one Attribute. Those are the basics, do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I get it.¡±

    ¡°Good, now have you applied your accelerators already?¡±

    ¡°I thought the Universe, or whatever, did that for me?¡±

    ¡°Only through level 10, you are level 12, yes?¡±

    Kopius nodded along until a lightbulb went off in his mind. His eyes widened and he cracked the thinnest of smiles. He opened his profile page and searched through all the Attributes but didn¡¯t see anything that looked like or referenced unused points. He mentally clicked through the available tabs on his profile but still came up with nothing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see any points to use,¡± Kopius finally admitted.

    ¡°It will be in the upper right, lad. A number 3 should be there.¡± Cici instructed.

    ¡°I see a number 9,¡± Kopius replied after looking at his profile. ¡°I was wondering what that was.¡±

    ¡°Nine? That¡¯s right, you''re level 12.¡± Cici said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re old enough for a job, my friend!¡±

    ¡°High enough for your Practices, that much is certain. Have you chosen them?¡± Oh-jin asked.

    ¡°I have not. There was a window that popped up and asked if I was ready to pick but I said ¡®no¡¯ and it went away.¡±

    ¡°We should address your Practices first and then your accelerators, just in case.¡±

    ¡°How do I do that?¡±

    ¡°Do what,¡± Oh-jin asked.

    ¡°Select my Practices.¡±

    ¡°You accept the invitation from the notification.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I can retrieve closed notifications?¡±

    Oh-jin gave him a look that reiterated his past point about reading. Kopius could see that, even behind his thick, ever present goggles, Oh-jin was disappointed. The head shaking also indicated that he was also not surprised.

    ¡°With your profile open,¡± the old chemist said slowly, ¡±Concentrate on your Summary window and you will find a section labeled ¡®Unresolved¡¯. That is where you will find unfinished or unaddressed items. Let¡¯s get this done before level 13, you will want none of that, I promise.¡±

    Kopius made short work of locating the Unresolved tab and opened it. Only two items sat in this section: the Ripple quest Public Announcement and the Practice notification. He gave the Ripple quest a considerable amount of side eye before he opened the Practice window.

    Yes, Kopus answered.

 BCB Chapter 4

    Chapter 4

    A sense of disappointment washed over Kopius as he looked at the window of information. There¡¯s only 6? he wondered in surprise. Confused, he waited for more Practices to populate as though his interface had a slow internet connection and the rest were going to present themselves shortly.

    ¡°Is something amiss?¡± Oh-jin asked as Kopius¡¯s facial expressions prompted the question.

    Kopius shrugged.

    He had no idea. He wasn¡¯t from here and he was getting systematically annoyed that both Cici and Oh-jin, more often than not, forgot that fact. How was he supposed to know what¡¯s what? Given the world of Metem that he had experienced so far, he had expected a myriad of choices; a litany of Classes, Sub-Classes and other creative deviants. The kind of list that takes several hours to pour through, another hour to filter and then the rest of the day narrowing down to a few precious choices.

    ¡°Is this it?¡± Kopius eventually asked, raising his hands to point at a list the others could not see.

    ¡°Is what it?¡± Oh-jin asked in his high pitched voice.

    ¡°There¡¯s only six choices.¡±

    ¡°For Combatives, yes, six. The Non-Combatives has a much more extensive list.¡±

    ¡°Non-Combatives?¡± Kopius inquired with a shake of his head.

    ¡°Yes, Non-Combatives. The people that actually do things beside adventure and war. The scholars and sailors; blacksmith, merchants, chemist! The innkeeper and brew master; the weaver, the carpenter and farmer. The list goes on.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t need any of that stuff.¡± Kopius complained. ¡°I¡¯ll just pick four of these, that''s easy enough.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works lad,¡± Cici''s deep and accented voice added to the conversation. ¡°You only get to choose one of those Combatives. The other three go to the Non¡¯s.¡±

    Kopius shook his head as he looked back and forth between the two men. He didn¡¯t like the information he was being fed and somehow hoped if his head ¡®noped¡¯ long enough things would change. Part of him felt that if he could just talk to the Universe¡¯s manager, things could get straightened out. Part of him wanted to curl up in a ball and wish it all to go away. The rest of him was still pouting about the bow and arrow thing. With the only silver lining being that one of the Practice¡¯s was a Ranger¨Cand he loved himself some Ranger¨CKopius mentally prepared himself for a lecture.

    ¡°Ok,¡± Kopius said as he sat down and got comfortable. ¡°Explain to me what I am about to get into here.¡±

    A smile briefly placed itself on Oh-jin¡¯s face and the old chemist composed himself like a professor in front of a classroom. He walked over to a nearby bookshelf and surprised both Cici and Kopius when he spun the top part around with little effort. As if it were on some unseen lazy-susan device, the shelf spun around to display a flat, smooth surface where countless chalk like scribbles could be seen all over. The old man placed both hands atop the self, pulled a lever and all the chalk-like writing disappeared in a small puff. He then grabbed a white stone from a basket and began to write on the smooth black surface.

    On the top left, the word ¡®Combative¡¯ was written, followed by a long vertical line down the center of the impromptu chalkboard. The word ¡®Non¡¯ was then written to the right of the line. On the Combative side, Oh-jin wrote: Fighter, Rogue, Ranger, Mage, Bard, Druid. He left the right side blank.

    ¡°Does this look correct?¡± Oh-jin asked, gesturing to the list he wrote.

    Kopius nodded as it was the same list of Combatives he was looking at on his interface.

    ¡°Excellent.¡± Oh-jin tapped the side of his head like he was giving his brain a high five for remembering the list.

    ¡°Upon reaching level 10,¡± Oh-jin began, settling into teacher-mode, ¡°the powers of the Universe bestow all sentient beings with a list of Practices. The list is split between two categories: Combative and Non-Combative. From there, you are able to choose one Combative Practice and three Non-Combative Practises. Each Practice comes with meager boons and/or enhancements. An example would be by selecting the Fighter Practice: you would gain plus one to your Strength, Constitution, Endurance and Dexterity, as well as a Skill called Mark; you will have to read up on the details of that one. A Non-Combative Practice, like Merchant, would apply a plus one to Charisma. It would also grant you a Skill called Silver Tongue, allowing someone, among other things, to better negotiate prices or barter goods. Do you understand this?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I get it,¡± Kopius answered with a nod.

    ¡°Good,¡± Oh-jin stated and then gestured at the chalkboard. ¡°First you will choose one Combative Practice from this list. There are these six; no more, no less. Once that is selected¨C¡± Oh-jin paused when Kopius raised his hand. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Why only one?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Oh-jin answered with a hint of annoyance. ¡°I imagine there are only so many ways to attack something. These six are just the top of the snowcap Kopius. They may seem generic¨Cbasic¨Cbut I assure you they each have significant advantages.¡±

    ¡°I get all that,¡± Kopius replied, trying his best to not sound like a pompous ass. ¡°I¡¯m not complaining¨C I just don¡¯t want to be forced to learn¨CI don¡¯t know¨Cunderwater basket weaving when I should be learning how to swing a blade or throw lightning bolts.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°I understand your perspective Kopius. It is not lost on me that yours is not the normal path. I am glad your Intelligence is active as I fear you would not have understood this before. There are things you can learn from non-violent actions that you can use when you are acting violent. Though I would advocate for less conflict, the way forward will require some force.¡±

    ¡°Some force?¡± Cici interjected with a laugh.

    ¡°Some significant force,¡± Oh-jin corrected himself. ¡°You have an arduous path ahead Kopius, there is no denying that. A path with no certain ending. You could become Metems greatest clubsman to ever live and we may never get you back home. And then what? Do you continue on your warpath? Seeking violence for the sake of violence because it is all you know or cared to learn? There comes a time when the sword becomes too heavy; both physically and spiritually.¡±

    A lecture, Kopius could endure but truth bombs falling from high hit a little different. Though Cory, and Kopius by extension, was more of an ¡®anger for the sake of anger¡¯ guy, the analogy still gave him pause. How many times had he¨Con Earth or Metem¨Cfed into the anger instead of trying to alleviate it? How many times had that worked out in his favor? Never. That last thought gave Kopius a chuckled sarcastically.

    All things considered, he didn¡¯t even like the violence. He didn¡¯t seek it out in order to avoid some other issue¨Cinternal or otherwise. He found no pleasure in winning¨Cor losing for that matter. Hell, he threw-up half the time afterwards regardless of the outcome from the adrenaline dump alone.  Oddly, the fighting would make him angry. Angry that he had to get violent, which, in turn, fueled the violence. There was a circular nature to the process, so much so that during an actual fight he was really engaged on two fronts. An external physical threat of pain and an internal threat of spiraling. Needless to say, battles were lost.

    Kopius cleared his throat and his thoughts before replying. ¡°If there is a way forward where I don¡¯t have to worry about dodging swords or having my face melted off, I am all ears. But you told me to get stronger and to level up. I don¡¯t think you said that just so that I could walk through a park quoting poetry or something. Violence is already on the table, let¡¯s just focus on how to get me through this with all my limbs attached, okay?¡± He let his words hang in the air as he tongued the voided recess that was once a tooth.

    ¡°I am happy to hear you are open to a less violent approach.¡± Oh-jin replied after a moment. ¡°You are correct, though, that the way forward will require a considerable amount of aggression.¡±

    ¡°Find a way or make one, man.¡± Kopius said with mustered enthusiasm.

    ¡°What¡¯s that now?¡± Oh-jin asked.

    ¡°Nothing. It''s just something I say.¡±

    ¡°Find a way,¡± Cici said slowly, ¡°or make one. You know, I quite like that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you use it. It was better than: oh shit, oh shit I¡¯m fucked.¡±

    ¡°Are the two synonymous?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm,¡± Kopius said with a shrug. ¡°Maybe a little. I guess it would depend on your level of panic.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Oh-jin said as he stroked his whisky gray goatee, unimpressed. ¡°If we can return to the matter at hand, gentleman? The side chat is neither finding or making a way.¡±

    Like school boys caught gossiping, Kopius and Cici had the same knee jerk reaction to sit up straight in their respective seats and place their hands on their laps. Oh-jin¡¯s goggles bore into both men for a moment, a disgruntled substitute teacher weighing the trouble these two were worth. His body turned slowly back towards the chalkboard and his head followed shortly after.

    ¡°After the Combative has been selected,¡± Oh-jin continued where he had left off, returning to his lecturing cadence, ¡°the Non-Combative list will populate; from that list you will choose three. Once that is complete, a fifth Practice will be chosen for you. Now, on this fifth Practice, it will be one of three categories: Combative, Non-Combative or Variant. How this all comes to be is a question for the scholars. As for the process, it''s well documented. Between Cici and myself, we should be able to explain most, if not all the Practices. Eh Cici?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Cici said enthusiastically.

    ¡°Are you going to explain the Variant or is that just lazy foreshadowing?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Yes, yes I was getting to that,¡± Oh-jin replied, shooing away the question with his hand. ¡°This is the more complicated part, so pay attention.¡± Kopius gave his customary ¡®I¡¯ve been listening the whole time¡¯ facial expressions and hand gestures as Oh-jin continued. ¡°Ideally, whatever Practice is chosen for you, you would have already picked it yourself. Being realistic about your capabilities has value here. There are additional boons and benefits when this occurs. It¡¯s a concurrence with the Universal powers that you have chosen wisely. If you choose Fighter and then are given the same, instead of the plus one I mentioned earlier, it¡¯s a plus three; among other advantages. The same would apply to the Merchant. This is true for both sets of Practices.¡±

    ¡°Bard gets a plus three to Charisma and Endurance,¡± Cici managed to slide in with a wink and a nod to both men.

    ¡°Clearly,¡± Oh-jin replied. ¡°We can discuss the specifics in a few moments. In general, most will receive a Combative Practice.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Because everyone wants to be a Fighter before a Lover,¡± Cici said wistfully, ¡°It should really be the other way around.¡±

    ¡°Is¡­ Lover an option? Like, a Non-Combative?¡± Kopius asked discreetly for some reason.

    ¡°No.¡± Oh-jin said flatly. ¡°It is not.¡±

    ¡°Should at least be a Skill if you ask me,¡± Cici complained.

    ¡°The actual reason,¡± Oh-jin spat, his goggles clearly focused on Cici, ¡°is that people¨Cmostly young teens¨Cwant to be a Mage or Rogue because those are the Forms glorified in lore and legend. They see only those two paths as the way to honor and riches.¡±

    ¡°They should be picking a Druid but they pick a Mage, that type of thing?

    ¡°In a sense, yes.¡± Oh-jin paused to consider. ¡°A Mage and a Druid have similarities enough that the difference would be manageable. A Mage and a Fighter however, that is a gap too wide. Keep in mind, most people will not lead combative lives. They think they will, yet for one reason or another, they will not. They will rely on their Non-Combative learnings to make their way in the world. For this reason, the Universe tends to hand out the Fighter Practice more often than not. It is useful for its Strength enhancements, Willpower and a low threshold of Intelligence. For the majority of the population that use their bodies as tools, these Attributes are very useful. Since you are most likely unaware, most of the Metemites use their bodies as tools. When you,¡± Oh-jin pointed directly at Kopius to show he meant him specifically, ¡°are making your selections, try to put aside what you think you are and choose what you know you are.¡±

    Kopius suppressed the Morpheus references in his mind and sat with the new information to process.

 BCB Chapter 5

    Chapter 5

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kopius murmured. ¡°So where does the Variant come into play?¡±

    ¡°When neither your Combative or Non-Combative choices align with the Universe, you will get a Variant. It consists of both of the aforementioned.¡±

    ¡°That kind of sounds like you get an extra Practice. Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡±

    ¡°Once the Practices are selected and given,¡± Oh-jin returned to lecturing, ¡°the trials begin. You are given trials¡ªchallenges for both the Combative and Non-Combative Practices, starting with the Practice that was given to you. Instead of the Fighter example, let us use the Merchant. Let us say Cici here picks Merchant as one of his three Non¡¯s and the Universe picks it as well. Cici will be given his extra boons and a set of challenges for Merchant. He will have to finish those challenges before he can start any challenges for the other Non¡¯s. Meanwhile, he can also work on the challenges for the Combative side at the same time.¡±

    Oh-jin paused in his lecture to let it all sink in. Cici had dozed off at some point and was half way sloughed in a chair, his thick beard resting on his chest. Kopius had a thousand-yard-stare going as he parsed more information. There were a lot of ¡®if-then, and-or¡¯ statements that could play out and at first Kopius was overwhelmed. Sometimes gathering his thoughts was more difficult than the problem at hand. After he brushed the dust off the logical side of his mind he realized there were really only four outcomes:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">He and the Universe agree on the Combative Only</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">He and the Universe agree on a Non-Combative Only</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">He and the Universe agree on the Combative and one of the Non-Combatives</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">He and the Universe do not agree on anything, gets Variant</li>

    </ul>

    It took several moments until Kopius made a sour face, like someone had flatulence issues, and then asked for clarification. ¡°So if I get the Variant, I have to finish both of those before I can do the ones I picked?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°But in order to get a Variant I would have to miss on both Combative and Non-Combative?¡±

    Oh-jin nodded in agreement.

    ¡°If most of us are going to live a peaceful life then why is a Combative given out most of the time?¡±

    ¡°I did not say peaceful,¡± Oh-jin said sternly. ¡°These are people who do not seek out violence nor would it be their first recourse of action! They are still defenders, protectors of what they hold dear¡ª at least, some of them are.¡± Oh-jin straightened out his shirt and brushed off a few chalk marks before continuing. Kopius kept his mouth closed for the moment, unsure as to if he had hit a sore spot. ¡°Why so often the Combative? My guess would be that when choosing the Non-Combative Practice, people pick the ones they are familiar with, ones they already know they know. A person picking Carpentry probably works with wood already, or they choose Sailor because they already spend much of their time on boats. They are familiar, comfortable with the Practice. Someone that sews will likely not choose Blacksmithing, just as someone deep into books would likely not choose Guardsman. Does this clear your mind?¡±

    Kopius nodded his understanding, opting to remain quiet.

    ¡°Good,¡± Oh-jin replied and then quickly raised his hand with just the pointer finger up. ¡°IF, the Universe were to match you on a Non-Combative Practice that is a strong indication that a life of violence should mostly be avoided. That, if you pursue a Combative life, that life will most likely be short and painful. Is that part clear?¡±

    ¡°Crystal.¡± Kopius replied like an exhausted student.

    ¡°Crystal?¡±

    ¡°Crystal clear,¡± Kopius replied with some more umph, this time giving a thumbs up.

    Oh-jin shook his head.

    ¡°I understand, I get it,¡± Kopius clarified with some attitude. ¡°You guys don¡¯t have crystals here or what?¡±

    ¡°We have crystals, plenty. The Covens adore them; hoard them even. There is nothing ¡®clear¡¯ about them though, even the colorless.¡±

    ¡°Well, where I come from we have clear crystal. Someone asks you if something is ¡®clear¡¯ the person they are asking would reply ¡®crystal¡¯. It''s crystal clear. ¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Cici rumbled in his chair, distracting the two men. His head started to sway side to side and then it shook aggressively before he woke with a jolt.

    ¡°Sorry lads,¡± Cici half coughed, wiping away any drool that may have formed. ¡°Nothing like a quick nap,¡± he said with a groggy smile.

    The big man smacked his lips a few times before standing and making his way out of the small office space, presumably to relieve himself somewhere in Kickshaw. The two men watched as Cici, in a rare moment of gracelessness, stumbled his way out of sight. The pause gave Kopius a moment to collect his thoughts and consider the things that Oh-jin had said so far.

    The message Kopius was hearing was that just because someone can adventure doesn¡¯t mean they should. However the system worked here, it gave indications on what the realistic path should be. At least, it gave strong hints on where to focus your energy.

    According to Oh-jin, no one was bound to be what the Universe suggested. You were only required to complete the challenges associated with its choice, then you could move on to your own selections. Once you were done with what the Universe was talking about, you could all but forget it ever happened. This way forward is not for the faint of heart though. Oh-jin gave some examples of successes but cautioned that these were and are very rare in their occurrences. When Kopius said, That''s some ¡®diamond in the rough¡¯ bullshit right there, Oh-jin had nodded his head in a ¡®let¡¯s just move on¡¯ wobble.

    ¡°You''re spending a lot of time explaining the Variant, you know.¡± Kopius finally commented.

    Oh-jin nodded his head in agreement.

    ¡°Almost feels like you think I¡¯m going to get it.¡± Kopius continued, as Cici returned from his brief adventure and sat back in his chair. ¡°It seems like you are setting me up for that.¡±

    ¡°What are we setting up, lads?¡± Cici asked with a clap of his hands.

    ¡°I was just explaining to young Kopius here the Universal system of Practices. We were discussing Variants¡­ and crystals.¡± Oh-jin peeped.

    ¡°Ahhh, yes.¡± Cici replied, adjusting his seat. ¡°Know thyself and the way becomes clear.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard that recited in eons!¡± Oh-jin said with a hearty laugh.

    ¡°My mum used to sing it to me for sleep,¡± Cici said with some solemnity.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she had a lovely voice,¡± Oh-jin replied respectfully.

    ¡°That she did, Oh-jin,¡± Cici said with a genuine smile, as if he could hear her words now. ¡°She had a voice that could entertain the stars and bring light to the darkest of dungeons. She could also sound like the crashing thunder if you got unhinged. So, you had to keep that in mind.¡± There was a pause in the discussion, though it appeared Cici was at first stung by the memory, he now sat in a comfortable silence. Oh-jin and Kopius let him have the moment.

    ¡°So,¡± Cici said after the moment passed, clearing his throat. ¡±Have you chosen your way forward yet Kopius?¡±

    ¡°Like I was saying,¡± Oh-jin interjected, ¡°I was explaining, in detail, the Variant. Kopius was pointing out that I have spent a lot of time on the subject. So much so that he feels I am readying him for that outcome.¡±

    ¡°Sounds about right,¡± the big man said with a beard scratch.

    ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Kopius said, entering the conversation defensively.

    ¡°You lack a sense of decisiveness, my friend,¡± Cici replied with his hands up like, ¡®I¡¯m just calling it how I see it.¡¯

    ¡°I can make decisions!¡± Kopius countered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he meant it that way Kopius,¡± Oh-jin said, ¡°Resolute might be a better way to say it, I think?¡±

    ¡°Resolute!¡± Cici practically shouted with a snap of his fingers, ¡°Thank you, Oh-jin! You have said it yourself Kopius, you second guess yourself; make mistakes when you have time to think.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t play shortstop,¡± Kopius said absently. His mind had wandered off to a baseball game where his coach had switched him from third base to shortstop because Cory had better range than the other guy. Cory preferred third base, also known as ¡®the hot corner¡¯ because of the substantial speed the ball travels when hit there. Well, the ball felt like it took twice as long to get to him at shortstop and in those extra moments he had time to think. Long story short; errors were made.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kopius said, breaking himself from his memory. ¡°So you both think I am going to get the Variant?¡±

    Cici gave an emphatic nod while Oh-jin seemed more sympathetic but still nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Really?¡± Kopius spat out. ¡°You guys think I am so far out of touch with myself I won¡¯t even get the Non-Combatives right?¡±

    Cici had never really stopped nodding from the first question so when this one came out the big guy just nodded a bit faster. Oh-jin gave a non-commital shrug.

    ¡°Fine. Whatever. You know what? Fuck it. Nevermind. Like¨Clike, did you guys just pick your shit correctly?¡±

    The two men looked at each other before both slowly nodding in the affirmative.

    Sometimes the honesty was a bit much. He hadn¡¯t even made a selection and he was already feeling several steps behind. Kopius was teetering on a level of immaturity that he usually tried to avoid. Aside from acting like an uninformed, ill-tempered teenager, he also dropped a few levels in the vocabulary department.

    ¡°Swearings easy. There¡¯s nothing special about it.¡± Papa would lecture when Cory would drop an accidental f-bomb. ¡°Anybody can do it. I can teach a baby to swear. You have to be bigger than that; smarter than that. Call someone a smug prick instead of an asshole and you¡¯ll understand what I mean.¡± Papa would wink, Cory would giggle; the world was right for a moment.

    ¡°Alright guys,¡± Kopius said as he tried to breathe through the budding anxiety. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this show on the road, okay?¡±

 BCB Chapter 6

    Chapter 6

    ¡°But how do you already know you want Ranger?¡± Oh-jin fumed at Kopius, his arms raised in mock fury. ¡°We have not gone over a single detail. Surely, after all we have discussed, you would in the least have a listen to each.¡±

    ¡°Because Rangers are a little bit of everything¡­ well, except for Bard.¡± Kopius answered. ¡°They fight from a distance, they get a little bit of magic, a little bit of stealth and a little bit of friendship with wildlife. It''s like a catch all Class, well, here it¡¯s a Practice.¡±

    Oh-jin sat in frustrated silence. Kopius was certain that behind those goggles the old chemist was staring daggers at him.

    ¡°Notice how I didn¡¯t even bring up the bow and arrow aspect of the Ranger?¡± Kopius said, throwing in one more dig.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± was Oh-jin¡¯s only reply. The grooves in the old man''s forehead had distinct lines in them that suggested a scowl to be forthcoming. Kopius wasn¡¯t sure what a triggered Oh-jin looked like and he wasn¡¯t ready to find out.

    ¡°Okay, fine,¡± Kopius said with raised palms. ¡°You win. Let''s read the descriptions.¡± Kopius pulled his interface back up with the Practice tab showing. He looked at the list of words, tried to focus on the first Practice¨CFighter¨Cbut no description appeared. He stayed focused on the word and tried a few other ways to highlight or activate the description prompt but it was to no avail. ¡°So, uh, how do I get the description to show?¡±

    ¡°Focus on the word, lad,¡± Cici instructed, ¡°and then think; define.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Oh-jin interrupted, ¡°That is how you do it. I have them written down and their benefits, so don¡¯t bother. Focus here.¡± Oh-jin finished by pointing at the chalkboard and the written Practices. Kopius did a quick peek at the Fighter Practice, per Cici¡¯s instruction, to verify it worked before closing the window and giving his attention to the chalkboard.

    ¡°I will write down the affected Attributes for each Practice¡± Oh-jin began, ¡°and the Skill unlocked with it. Each Attribute receives a plus one, so I will leave the numbers off. Afterwards, I will read the description. Is this clear?¡±

    Kopius nodded, avoiding the obvious ¡®crystal¡¯ answer that Oh-jin wanted and the possible explanation that Cici would need. The old chemist began to write and the two men sat quietly. The sound of the chalk sliding across the board was oddly satisfying. Once complete, the left side of the chalkboard read like this:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Fighter STR CON   WIL   DEX   {Mark}</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Rogue DEX AGL   PRE   STR   {Stealth}</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Ranger STR INT   DEX   STB   {Traceroute}</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mage INT   WIS   DUC   DEX  {Bind}</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Bard INT   END   DEX   CHA   {Swoon}</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Druid INT   WIS   DEC   STR   {Snare}</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°You will find this exact table in one of those books you are carrying,¡± Oh-jin began. ¡°The Fighter receives plus one to Strength, Constitution, Willpower, and Dexterity.¡± He pointed at each of the corresponding, three-letter combinations as he read them. ¡°Your Ranger substitutes Constitution for Intelligence and Willpower for Stability. The rest you can reference as you read.¡±

    Kopius nodded along. He needed to listen and wanted to learn. The goal was to move away from his recent mood of being a whiny little bitch and into a realistic frame of mind. A positive attitude would be great, but he would settle for a disgruntled or jaded demeanor too. However he sliced it up, his current behavior was holding him back and he knew it.

    ¡°Okay, now pay attention!¡± Oh-jin lectured. He pulled up a sheet of parchment and started to recite from it:

    Fighter- Skilled in weapons, hand-to-hand combat and tactical methods.

    Rogue- Skilled in stealth, speed and sabotage.

    Ranger- Skilled in tracking, ranged weapons and traps.

    Mage- Skilled in the arcane energies, area attacks and mana manipulation.

    Bard- Skilled in influence, infiltration and hand-to-hand activities.

    Druid- Skilled in elemental magics, shapeshifting and communing with nature.

    ¡°Do you need any of that repeated?¡± Oh-jin said over the top of the paper he was reading.

    ¡°No,¡± Kopius replied. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± He was somewhat proud that he didn¡¯t make any snide comments about the length of these descriptions. Oh-jin had spoken like each Practice would take an hour to discuss and dissect. Here, the descriptions were apt but short¨Cvery short. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Good, good,¡± Oh-jin said, handing the written notes to Kopus for reference. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss them.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Kopius began, ¡°Rogue sounds the best, I can see why it¡¯s popular. Mage too, but it''s a bit vague. What¡¯s arcane energies and mana manipulation?¡±

    ¡°Arcane energies are what a young Mage is equipped with until their Branch Magic is determined,¡± Oh-jin answered. ¡°The trials you experience would eventually decide which Branch of magic you are best suited for. As for mana manipulation, that revolves around how the magic is used, channeled or summoned. It also deals in mana potency and concentration.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Kopius responded. ¡°I¡¯m still leaning towards Ranger. I already have that Skill though. What happens there?¡±

    ¡°It would level it up,¡± Oh-jin answered plainly.

    ¡°Sweet, it¡¯s already leveled once.¡± Kopius said, perking up a bit. As he scanned over the list and descriptions several times, Ranger became more and more cemented in his mind. They were loaners-for the most part-with, he assumed, high Stamina, they could live off the land and were skilled with a bow. If Stealth wasn¡¯t a Skill he could get from the Practice, he guessed it could be acquired other ways. He could get weapons training from Quinn so that if it came to close-quarters, he was somewhat prepared.

    ¡°Honestly,¡± Oh-jin spoke up, breaking Kopius from his analytical breakdown of the Ranger. ¡°In my mind, Rogue suits you best. Though it only lists the three, there is more to being a Rogue that will give you advantages on your journey. That or a Druid, given its elemental leanings. It would be a significant enhancement to you as an Air Elemental¨C¡±

    ¡°Fighter,¡± Cici said firmly¨Cinterrupting the discussion¨Cwith no further explanation. The two men waited a few seconds to see if there was more to it but Cici remained comfortably numb to their staring. Seeing as the big man had nothing else to say, they returned to their debate.

    ¡°I see what you''re saying,¡± Kopius placated. ¡°I like what Rogue has going on. Ranger just sits better in my mind. It¡¯s like you were saying about the Non-Combatives, knowing what you know. I know how to be a Ranger. They practically call me Strider.¡± He joked.

    ¡°Fine, my boy,¡± Oh-jin conceded. ¡°We will make it work.¡±

    ¡°Perfect, Ranger it is!¡± Kopius said with a clap and a smile. ¡°Unless, you want to add anything Cici?¡±

    A shake of the big man''s head in the negative was all they got.

    Not waiting around for anything else, Kopius returned to his Practice interface screen and mentally selected Ranger. Ranger highlighted and bolded while the other five Practices disappeared in a blink. After a moment, Ranger also disappeared and a new text scrawled at the top of the screen. It read: Non-Combatives. Two columns of text poured onto the interface with such speed that it was unreadable, like scrolling a wiki page at lightspeed or watching the computer run sudo chown -Rv in the command line.  Once the wall of text stopped populating, words started sliding to the left and right from both columns. Any word that moved would disappear as it hit the boundary of the interface window. All the words below any moved word would move up into the new vacated space and every word below that would follow. This all happened at the same breakneck speed as it had when it first started, leaving Kopius with no way of reading the words. After several moments, the whole circus slowed down and settled on roughly twenty Non-Combative choices.

    ¡°Whew,¡± Kopius exhaled, ¡°That was kind of cool to watch.¡±

    ¡°Has the list settled¡±? Oh-jin asked, all business.

    ¡°Yeah, looks like¡­ I don¡¯t know, twenty or so.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Oh-jin said, turning to the chalkboard. ¡°Let¡¯s have it!¡±

    Kopius listed off what he saw as Oh-jin scribbled them down:

    Tracker  Artist  Craftsman Civics

    Negotiator Communications  Acrobat

    Chef Supreme Enchanter Merchant Custodian

    Herbalist Guardsman Scout  Spy

    Larceny Outlaw  Clergy  Sailor

    Fishermen Entertainer Farm Hand

    Once Kopius had finished the list Oh-jin began to strike out words. Acrobat was the first to get scratched, next was Artist, followed by Farm Hand, Entertainer, Chef Supreme and Clergy; all in quick succession. After a moment of reflection, the old chemist nixed Civics, Guardsman and Enchanter. Finally, as if for nothing else than good measure, Oh-jin took down Merchant and Custodian. With Custodian off the board, Kopius breathed in a bit of relief. He didn¡¯t want to have to clean ten latrines or whatever other bathroom challenges might come along with that Practice. Cory had already done his time in the Service Industry and Kopius was pretty sure there were no OSHA standards here.

    ¡°Here we go,¡± Oh-jin said as he dusted off the chalk from his hands. ¡°This is a more manageable list. I do not think those others were suited for your journey.¡±

    ¡°No complaints here,¡± Kopius agreed.

    ¡°Good, good,¡± Oh-jin said, turning back to look at the remaining Practices. ¡°Tracker, Scout and Spy seem like a proper trio for you. What are your first thoughts?¡±

    ¡°Those are good for sure,¡± Kopius answered, stalling for time to read the list again. ¡°Herbalist and Fisherman might be useful for traveling. I already have tracking¡­ Spy is probably a must. I see you left Larceny and Outlaw there. What happened to: good way to lose a hand?¡±

    Oh-jin nodded and gestured in a way that basically said, ¡®you gotta do what you gotta do.¡¯

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. What do you think, Cici?¡± Kopius said, looking over to see that the big man had returned to his chair and sleeping position.

    ¡°Communications.¡± Cici grumbled without so much as cracking an eye open. Both Kopius and Oh-jin chuckled at the suggestion but Cici remained stoic. Kopius needed to pick three, so even if Communications was a laughable choice there were still two more to go.

    ¡°I need three, bud,¡± Kopius finally said, reminding Cici of the process. The big guy made a few inaudible noises, jerked his hand up to his face to scratch an itch on his face and then returned to the immovable object that he was. Kopius waved his hand in Cici¡¯s face and then returned his attention to the conversation.

    ¡°Do you have a list for this too, the descriptions?¡± Kopius inquired.

    Oh-jin pulled a book from one of his many leather pockets and began to read off definitions as he found them:

    Communications- A Skill to bring people together or tear them apart, it¡¯s all how you say it

    Craftsman- A Skill to create anything from trinkets to towers

    Fisherman- A Skill to know where and when to catch your prize

    Herbalist- A Skill to know which plants can be eaten, which will poison and which that have application.

    Larceny- A Skill to help with petty crime; because nobody wants to work these days

    Negotiator- A Skill that could allow you to sell fire to a forge, or trade the dragon for the damsel

    Outlaw-  A Skill much like Larceny, except it''s more of a job at this point¡ªand violent

    Sailor- A Skill to navigate waters, fight tides and live a life aquatic

    Scout- A Skill to navigate the unknown to see what you can find

    Spy- A Skill to observe and gather information¨Cdiscreetly

    Tracker- A Skill to find that which has wandered off

 BCB Chapter 7

    Chapter 7

    ¡°What about these three?¡± Kopius asked, using the chalk the underline Herbalist, Scout and Spy. Oh-jin took on a contemplative demeanor making a few whirling motions with his hand, obviously having an internal discussion. Cici had found his own comfort level, making soft sleeping sounds in the chair. Kopius couldn''t tell if the big man was bored or just tired.

    ¡°Those work well together,¡± Oh-jin agreed after the short pause. ¡°Spy and Scout, I think we both agree, will be most valuable.¡±

    ¡°Do we know what comes with those?¡± Kopius asked. ¡°You said Merchant came with something. Some kind of tongue thingy¨Cthing.¡±

    ¡°Silver Tongue,¡± Oh-jin inserted.

    ¡°Yeah, that one,¡± Kopius said with a point of his finger. ¡°Do these two have anything?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Oh-jin replied, returning his nose to the book in his hand. ¡°If you select Spy, you will receive the Tread Lightly Skill as well as the Lockpicking{CHANGE} Skill. With Scout, you would receive a plus one to Perception and Stability, as well as the Skill .¡±

    ¡°Is Tread Lightly a Stealth Skill?¡± Kopius asked with some eagerness.

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± the old man with a shake of his head. ¡°It is similar though. Where Stealth grants a measure of both visual and audible camouflage, Tread Lightly only deals in suppressing sound.¡±

    ¡°I can be seen but not heard?¡± Kopius inquired, mentally batting away a memory of the time Cory had randomly and briefly courted an Ambassador''s daughter. She was a bit demanding¨C¡¯spoiled¡¯ is applicable here¨Cand for one reason or another thought Cory made a nice trophy. He may have only said ten words that night¡­

    ¡°Precisely.¡± Oh-jin said, helping to further break Kopius from the distant thought.

    ¡°I see,¡± Kopius replied. ¡°But I have to complete the challenges first before I get any of that, right?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    Oh-jin shook his head, confirming the negative.

    ¡°Then what?¡± Kopius said, holding his frustration in check. His arms did slightly jerk in a WFT fashion but had settled quickly.

    ¡°You receive them all!¡± Oh-jin scolded. ¡°How is this not clear? You receive the base value of the Practices you choose. If you wish for those Skills to grow stronger or be more versatile, you will have to put in the work that is required!¡±

    Cici jolted in his chair, opened and closed his eyes a few times attempting to get them to focus before sitting up straight in his chair. ¡°What did I miss?¡± Cici said barely audibly enough to be understood.

    ¡°I am being yelled at for some reason,¡± Kopius answered first, using both hands to point at Oh-jin.

    ¡°We are choosing Non-Combatives at the present,¡± Oh-jin added as though no shouting had occurred.

    ¡°Still, eh?¡± Cici mumbled.

    ¡°Still,¡± Oh-jin replied with a sympathetic nod and shrug, like some helicopter parent walking their child through a ¡°strenuous¡± daily chore.

    ¡°I see,¡± Cici cleared his throat. ¡°Might I have myself a snack there, Oh-jin?¡±

    ¡°Of course, my boy! Two doors down to the right when you exit.¡±

    Cici bowed his thanks with a nod, rose from his sleeping arrangement and left without another word. Oh-jin watched the big man leave and once he was gone, picked up right where he had left off. ¡°Yes, you receive the boons for each; the one Combative, the three Non¡¯s. You should keep in mind that a level 1 Lockpick{CHANGE} can hardly crack a simple knob lock securing the door to a latrine. If you are scheming for some way to loot the procedure, I can assure you it has been tested and tried!¡±

    ¡°Hold up,¡± Kopius interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to work the system man! I¡¯m just trying to clarify, you know, to make good decisions. And if you¡¯re getting all pissy because whatever I am asking is in the books I haven¡¯t read yet, well, you already know I haven¡¯t read them. So getting your panties all bunched up every time you are reminded helps no one! I will try to read them before I come back next time¨Cokay?¡±

    ¡°It is only to your benefit my boy,¡± Oh-jin replied in a firm but caring fashion.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kopius fumed, letting the frustration go with the word.

    ¡°What are panties?¡± Oh-jin eventually asked.

    ¡°Wha¨Coh, um, womens underwear,¡± Kopius chuckled.

    ¡°But I am not wearing anything or the sort?¡±

    ¡°If you were wearing them they would be bunched and you would be in a bad mood.¡± Kopius tried to explain. Oh-jin¡¯s head slowly moved back and forth, clearly trying to understand the statement but¨Cnot. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it''s a saying from my place¨Cmy world. Earth.¡±

    ¡°Earth seems to have many of these, um, euphemisms.¡±

    ¡°That we do.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°It is no wonder that your Earth is still using Common.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that now?¡±

    ¡°Not for us to stray from our current project, but Common is a rudimentary language. It is basic; a step up from Goblin speak or Orc speak, but a far shout from, say: Astral, Elvish or even Jinovian. Common is simple to understand and distribute, lacking the elegance and complexity of higher languages.¡±

    Kopius was a little shocked by the information. Oh-jin was insinuating that English, or more universally known as Common, was the Kindergarten level of spoken words. He brought to his mind love languages like French and Italian before thinking about how they had been derived from Latin. Kopius felt his face turn a bit sour as he followed the dots, realizing that Latin might have been a ¡®higher language¡¯ and the road to English was several steps backwards.

    ¡°Words are words though,¡± Oh-jin continued, oblivious to Kopius¡¯s inner strife. ¡°It is how they are used that matters¨Cfor the most part.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Kopius exhaled, only slightly insulted. ¡°To get back on track though; Herbalist, yay or nay?¡±

    ¡°You will not starve, at least not in the traditional sense.¡± Oh-jin began to lecture. ¡°With this Skill you will be able to discern between the plants you can eat¨Cand the one that will eat you.¡± The old man laughed, animated by his own humor. ¡°Advanced levels will guide you to the many other characteristics of plants in order to concoct salves, potions and elixirs for healing, poisons and other useful functions or remedies. I am myself an Expert in the Skill.¡±

    ¡°Soooo,¡± Kopius let the ¡®o¡¯ hang for a moment,¡±Is that a yes or a no?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Oh-jin finally answered. ¡°There is a subtlety and patience needed to be a Herbalist.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm,¡± Kopius grunted, insulted this time.

    ¡°What else?¡± Oh-jin prodded. ¡°What other than Herbalist?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Kopius fidgeted, ¡°If I am not concerned about food or eating then I would go with¨CI don¡¯t know¨Cit¡¯s a tossup between Craftsman and Outlaw.¡±

    ¡°Let us have a look at their boons,¡± Oh-jin said as he flipped the pages of the book in his hands. ¡°For Craftsmen, you will receive a plus one in Akimbo and Accuracy, as well as the Skill, Measure Once. Outlaw will grant you a plus one to your Charisma and a Skill called Sleight of Hand. Before you ask; Measure Once deals in accurately judging distances and measurements without the use of tools. Sleight of Hand deals with casting speed, arming speed and reload speed for projectile weapons.¡±

    ¡°Arming speed?¡± Kopus asked with a half-raised hand.

    ¡°How quickly you can put a weapon in your hand.¡± Oh-jin answered and Kopius nodded. ¡°Outlaw is enticing but too much of that lifestyle and you will be branded for it.¡±

    ¡°They burn it into my skin?!¡± Kopius asked with some alarm.

    ¡°No, no, no,¡± the old man waved his arms frantically. ¡°Though that is effective, this is not so  vulgar. Your profile will show the mark and anyone with a Peep Skill or the like will take notice.¡±

    ¡°Can the mark be removed?¡±

    ¡°The mark, yes. Memories though, well, that is a matter for the Psionics.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    ¡°Craftsman is a fine choice,¡± Oh-jin said, moving on. ¡°Measure Once does not sound enticing, but given the proper application, it can be extremely useful. It also has many paths; metal, stone, wood, crystal, gems¨Cintricate and mundane; massive and miniscule.¡±

    Two things were running through the mind of Kopius; long ago he had excelled in shop class¨Cwood and metal¨Cwhen the electives were offered and¨Cthough Sleight of Hand was very alluring¨Che hadn¡¯t enjoyed prison on Earth, so by extension he didn¡¯t want to get that first hand knowledge on this medieval, wannabe dystopian rock called Metem either.

    A tiny light bulb went off in his head. In what may have been a first in his adult life, he made an adult decision and chose manual labor over a smash and grab lifestyle.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kopius finally said, ¡°I think I¡¯ve got it.¡± He used the bottom part of his shirt to erase the marks on the chalkboard. Halfway through his awkward swiping, Oh-jin reached up and pulled the lever, like he had done before, and the remaining marks poofed away. Kopius gave a harumph and wrote the following:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Ranger</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Craftsman</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Spy</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Scout</li>

    </ul>

    The two looked at the board for a moment and then Oh-jin wiped off and switched Craftsman and Scout.

    ¡°Challenges are offered in the order you pick your Practices.¡± The old man explained. ¡°With it ordered like this, you will complete the Scout challenges first before moving to Spy and then Craftsman.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense, I guess. Sucks, I can''t complete them at the same time.¡±

    ¡°These aren¡¯t tasks to get through!¡± Oh-jin spat. ¡°These are learnings; guidance. Tangible knowledge in an intangible world! Be an expert in a few things instead of a novice in all. We have enough dullards as it is, be better than that!¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Kopius said with raised, placating hands. ¡°Fuck man. You need some fresh air or your meds or something?¡±

    ¡°Nothing of the sorts, my boy,¡± Oh-jin said in a giant exhale. ¡°Long nights is all.¡±

    The old man rubbed at his face and head like someone too tired to sleep. With the goggles permanently blocking the chemist''s eyes, it made using that obvious ¡®I am exhausted¡¯ cue visible.

    Kopius had no way of knowing what a proper night of sleep looked like to Oh-jin, but apparently he wasn¡¯t getting it. A familiar sour pang of selfishness settled in his gut. That feeling that comes when you realize the world doesn''t revolve around you. That, other people¡¯s lives are not on pause until you re enter their frame. He had, per usual, only considered how things¨Clife¨Chad been affecting him; not anyone else.

    ¡°¡±Hey man,¡± Kopius said kindly, clearing his throat. He placed a gentle hand on the old man''s shoulder. It dawned on Kopius that they were in Lexore¡¯s space, going through Lexores books and Lexores notes; and that maybe this had something to do with it. Not that Cory could ever be accused of being a softy, Kopius supposed he could¨Cat least¨Cif only for a moment.

    ¡°You want to talk about him? Your friend, Lexore?¡± Oh-jin twitched at the sound of the name. The old man held his head up and sniffed in what sounded like a person fighting allergies or holding back tears.

    ¡°He was the best of us,¡± Oh-jin said with a slight crack in his voice. ¡°I miss him.¡±

    The old chemist cocked his head at an angle before reaching up and slightly lifting the bottom portion of his ever present goggles. A store of welled tears rushed down his cheeks and he used a thin white cloth to dab it all dry. He did this for both eyes until the drying was no longer needed. He wiped his nose twice, placed the tissue in a pocket and gave a brave smile. On instinct¨Cbecause Kopius hadn¡¯t learned empathy overnight¨Che opened his arms and offered Oh-jin a hug.

    Not even the awkward pause before Oh-jin embraced him did Kopius himself feel, well, awkward. It was almost like doing the right thing felt, well, right. Though Kopius wasn¡¯t ready to go and start handing out hugs to everyone he saw, he was going to take this as a win.

    ¡°Group hug!?¡± Cici exclaimed as finally returned to the room, his arms opened wide and ready to embrace. Kopius and Oh-jin unlatched and looked at the big man and then looked back at each other before laughing some of the pain away. They simultaneously waved Cici over and the three shared in a brief but much needed moment of emotional comradery.

 BCB Chapter 8

    Chapter 8

    ¡°Alright,¡± Kopius said as he squirmed out of the three-way hug. ¡°Get off me sissy¡¯s¡± He joked, throwing a few shadow boxing punches to remind himself of his manliness. Oh-jin took a seat and Cici opted to lean against the wall next to the open door.

    The two looked at Kopius as if in some anticipation of a speech. Cory had no issues getting up in front of a crowd to spew his nonsense about one thing or another. Where most people feared public speaking more than death, Cory took a weird pleasure in it. So much so, that he briefly fancied a career in PR, essentially getting paid to be a bullshit artist. As it turned out, he wasn¡¯t that clever. At least, not at the time. Even though he could¨Cmildly¨Cwork a crowd, the only person he ended up BS-ing was himself.

    That¡¯s not what they¡¯re waiting for, Kopius admitted. Wanting to get the show on the road, Kopius opened his interface window with the Non-Combatives and selected the three Practices in the order that he wanted to achieve them:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Scout</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Spy</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Craftsman</li>

    </ul>

    Much the same as the Combative selection the three he picked bolded and enlarged while the unchosen items faded quickly and disappeared. The virtual window changed back to his profile page and a new tab appeared: Practice. He looked back and forth between his companions in anxious anticipation. Even though he and Oh-jin had already covered the boons and benefits it all still felt like opening an unexpected present. He rubbed his hands together and mentally selected the Practice tab.

    The moment he ¡®touched¡¯ the tab his forehead felt a quick zap, like an electrical shock. It was followed by the sensation of that same currant rushing through all of his extremities before disappearing as quickly as it had occurred. Residual goosebumps ran up both of his arms and legs like he had been hit by a cold breeze. It tickled and felt odd but the overall experience had him feeling¨Cbetter.

    ¡°What you just felt right there, my boy,¡± Oh-jin spoke from his chair, likely noticing the change in demeanor. ¡°That was your new boon¡¯s taking their place.¡±

    Kopius glanced away from his virtual profile window to give Oh-jin an appreciative nod. When he returned his gaze to the new Practice tab his face went a little sideways, mildly shocked at what he saw. He wasn¡¯t disappointed¨Cper se¨Cnor was he surprised, given the length and depth Oh-jin had gone to explain the whole thing to him. He had honestly thought that Ranger was the right choice and that of the three Non¡¯s, Craftsman was more realistic than any of the others. What he wanted and what he, apparently, needed were at odds. SNAFU¡¯s aside, his overall shock wasn¡¯t that the Universe had given him the Variant, it was that Cici had suggested both. At the top of the Practice window in large bolded typeface read the following:

    VARIANT

    Fighter/Communications

    ¡°Told you he was a slash,¡± Cici joked to Oh-jin.

    ¡°I never disagreed,¡± the old man shot back.

    ¡°Slash?¡±

    ¡°A name for someone that has the Variant is all,¡± Cici replied with a grin, making a diagonal chop with hand like he knew karate or the like.

    ¡°It¡¯s derogatory!¡± Oh-jin scolded. ¡°Besides, he is working with limited knowledge.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± the big man said, raising his hands innocently. ¡°Meant no harm, lad. Variants have an advantage my boy, don¡¯t let no one tell you different.¡±

    ¡°For those with focus and determination,¡± Oh-jin added. Cici gestured at Oh-jin and nodded in agreement. Before any other side chat could take hold, the chemist erased the board again and continued. ¡°Recite the full list so we can be clear as to your new enhancements and Skills.¡±

    Kopius obliged and the following was written:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Fighter: STR, CON, WIL, DEX Mark</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Ranger: STR, INT, DEX, STB Traceroute</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Communications: PUR, DEC</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Scout: STB, PER</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Spy: Tread Lightly, Lock Picking</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Craftsman: AKI, ACR, Measure Once</li>

    </ul>

    The three men gathered around the chalkboard like a new car in a neighbors driveway. Absent was the oh-ing and ah-ing, but they all took a few moments to understand what was in front of them. Kopius could see how a person with a fire up their ass could really take advantage of the Variant Practice. Initially, it could come across as overwhelming but as long as none of the challenges were time sensitive it could all be accomplished. This also hinged on not dying or otherwise being maimed for unforeseeable reasons or circumstances. With all this in mind, Kopius made a mental note to start reading up on how this all worked. Oh-jin was acting frazzled and Kopius didn¡¯t want to push the man over the edge when he could just pick the book up and read it later.

    ¡°This is a solid base my friend,¡± Cici said in all earnest.

    ¡°Solid indeed,¡± Oh-jin added.

    ¡°You know, lad,¡± Cici said while lightly jostling Kopius, ¡°You are more like a tactical level 3 princess now.¡± Kopius just shook his head while Oh-jin stifled a laugh. The comment further removed any of the negative juju that had been stagnant in the room. Kopius couldn¡¯t help but chuckle a little as well. They all enjoyed the moment until a window popped into Kopius field of view, startling him like a jump scare:This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Fack!¡± Kopius yelped. ¡°When the hell do I get used to that?¡±

    ¡°The time will come soon enough Kopius, soon enough,¡± Oh-jin answered as he wrangled in his laughter.

    ¡°I still get a startle every now and then, my boy,¡± Cici added encouragingly.

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Kopius replied, ¡°but seriously though, Cici, how in the Sherlock Holmes did you know what Practices I should pick?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Eh, what? You sat there and told us both to pick Fighter and Communications,¡± Kopius looked over to Oh-jin for verification that he wasn¡¯t making all this up. The chemist nodded in agreement and they both looked back to Cici for an explanation.

    ¡°Oh that?¡± Cici admitted. ¡°Well, I do have a high value in Perception but, really, Communications because of the Speakeasy. I thought that was obvious.¡± Cici looked back and forth to see they had both missed that one. Kopius felt the common sting of his ego being bruised as the obviousness-ness became clear.

    ¡°And the Fighter?¡± Oh-jin prodded.

    ¡°I told you about this lad beating skeletons to death with other skeletons, right? You could almost taste the rage.¡± Cici answered deadpan, in another ¡®I thought this was obvious as well¡¯ tone. ¡°You remember that Kopius, yeah?¡±

    Kopius gave him an open palms ¡®how can i forget the violent thing that just happened to me¡¯ gesture and Oh-jin shook his head. Kopius had first regarded Cici¡¯s predictions as a sort of divine power of foresight or something grand like that. In reality, the big guy had just been paying attention. Turns out that Cici would probably make a great recruiter on Earth, a real Susan Bridges.

    ¡°Let us focus back here,¡± Oh-jin suggested, repeatedly tapping the chalkboard with his chalk. ¡°Now that we have completed the easy part, the real work is ready to begin! Practice challenges will vary from one individual to the next. Where one Fighter might need to focus on strengthening their bodies another may need work on their technique; things like that. The first three are always the same though, for any Practice. The other seven will be more tailored to the individual. Is that clear?¡±

    ¡°Only ten per Practice?¡± Kopius answered.

    ¡°Ten will be plenty, I assure you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it. Where do I find these challenges?¡±

    ¡°With your Practice window open, you will see an empty square at the top to the right.¡± Kopius followed along by opening his page and locating the object. When he found it off in the upper corner he focused on it and a translucent word came into view: Challenge.

    ¡°I see it.¡±

    ¡°Good, good. Now, make the square whole¨Cimagine it is a solid color instead of an outline.¡± Again, he followed the directive and after a few attempts was able to essentially ¡®click¡¯ on the box to fill it in. Once full, the window blinked and came back in a different arrangement. This new Practice window, with CHALLENGE boldly displayed at the top, was split in half horizontally. The top half had Fighter highlighted at the top left with three numbered sentences: the challenges. Below that, the lower box situated the same as the upper, was written Communications also followed by the three numbered challenges.

    ¡°For your Fighter,¡± Oh-jin spoke before Kopius read the challenges. ¡°It should say, in no particular order: Stance, Movement, Striking. Completing these will set the parameters for the rest of your learnings.¡±

    ¡°Set the parameters?¡±

    ¡°The first three are more trials than challenges,¡± Cici answered, probably in an attempt to keep his eyes open. ¡°They gauge your abilities, feats to determine what path suits you best.¡± Kopius shook his head, not understanding the explanation. He looked to Oh-jin and the chemist saw the confusion in his stare.

    ¡°Think of it this way Kopius,¡± Oh-jin started, ¡°Currently, I believe, your strongest Attribute at the moment is Dexterity, yes?¡± Kopius opened his profile quickly to check and the old man was correct, so he nodded his assent. ¡°Excellent, you will likely perform well with the Flow and Speedrun. So much so, that the challenges that follow will plausibly be absent of heavy armor or weapons usage. It¡¯s not to say you couldn¡¯t use them, it is just to say you are better suited elsewhere.¡± Oh-jin finished with a motion of his hands asking if this was a better answer.

    ¡°It¡¯s like a placement test or something?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°In a sense, yes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Kopius contemplated before mumbling to himself. ¡°Standardized testing is bullshit.¡±

    ¡°What''s that now?¡± Oh-jin peeped.

    ¡°Nothing, nothing,¡± Kopius waved the question away. He pulled up his Practice tab and read the descriptions:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Stance- Perform the Flow.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Movement- Complete a Speedrun</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Striking- Jab, Cross, Hook, Kick</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400"> </li>

    </ul>

    ¡°What is the Flow and a Speedrun?¡±

    ¡°The Flow,¡± Cici began, keeping himself in the conversation, ¡°is a series of 18 movements while standing in a single spot.¡± He then pushed himself off the wall and started a performance of sorts. The movements had a strong resemblance to tai chi, or some other slow moving martial art. The big man stopped after a few moments but continued speaking. ¡°The Speedrun, those are a mixture of danger and excitement; a course of obstacles of varying difficulty and skill.¡± Cici¡¯s accent more present than it had been on their trek. ¡°There are several natural Speedruns and many more in cities all over, made by hand. I don¡¯t think it matters which one is used?¡± He ended with a question to Oh-jin.

    ¡°You are correct my boy, it matters not which you complete, just that it is completed and in a timely manner. In earlier times,¡± Oh-jin directed his attention back to Kopius, ¡°Speedruns were a rite of passage. Entire villages would make the pilgrimages to watch their newest groups of Fighters complete. They were performed in specific, tumultuous terrain; filled with countless nooks, tunnels, ledges and more.¡±

    ¡°What about the ones that are in the cities?¡±

    ¡°Pfftt,¡± Oh-jin scoffed. ¡°Those will complete the challenge but it''s all¡­ it¡¯s all¨Cfluff! It¡¯s performative at best, they set¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not Corundu, my friend,¡± Cici interrupted. ¡°That course; it¡¯s a killer. In every sense of the word.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes; true enough. It is the one exception. The rest are designed to look the part but they do not act the part.¡±

    ¡°Soooo,¡± Kopius said, ¡°which one should I do?¡±

    ¡°Do them all, starting in Cawbachu,¡± Cici replied. ¡°It¡¯s not much but it will give you a taste of what¡¯s in store, yeah?¡±

    Kopius gave a noncommittal shrug.

    ¡°Just be sure to complete one. Do you understand?¡± Oh-jin practically scolded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can, thats about all I can tell you,¡± Kopius answered, rubbing his temple. The massive info dump, starting all the way back with the Combatives, was beginning to take a toll on his brain. He hadn¡¯t tried to stuff this much knowledge into his mind in a long time and a lowkey headache was forming behind his eyes. He tried to squeeze-massage the muscle between his thumb and pointer finger. He wasn¡¯t sure if it worked but had read somewhere that it helps with headaches. At a minimum, if he squeezed hard enough, the pain would distract him from the ache.

    ¡°Guys,¡± Kopius said with a deep breath and body stretch, ¡°I need a break. Some fresh air, maybe a walk; something outside though. Whose with me?¡±

 BCB Chapter 9

    Chapter 9

    Kopius returned from his solo trip outside to find Oh-jin and Cici milling about in the lab. The chemist was mixing fluids at the Stamina colored station while Cici was picking up and smelling various items around the shop. Candle light and fire pit flames took turns dancing with the shadows as if they were fighting to be the only source of luminance in the room. Kopius was all for working in dim or dark areas but Oh-jin¡¯s lab came across as bi-polar. It either looked like a raging Hell of flames or that one struggling hall nightlight that gave just enough to navigate while half asleep. Neither man noticed his arrival and Kopius made his way to the back of the shop. Oh-jin finally saw him and motioned across the space where Kopius saw a modest plate of food. He looked back at the chemist, informally bowed in thanks and then made his way to the meal.

    ¡°You know guys,¡± Kopius chimed between bites, ¡°I still have nine Attribute points to assign.¡± He pulled his water skin to his lips and took a long swig. ¡°But I was thinking on my walk, about what Cici said-putting too many points at once. Won¡¯t I have the same issue? How many points did you use for Strength that one time?¡± He said pointing over at Cici.

    ¡°Five in all. I jumped two levels and found three Senteney Stones.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s rare enough to come across one Senteney Stone, let alone three,¡± Oh-jin inserted.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t found a one since! I¡¯ll tell you all about it on my next stay though,¡± Cici teased with a wink.

    ¡°And Kopius,¡± Oh-jin added, ¡°I believe you will be fine. Even still¨Cif you have a similar experience¨Cbecause you have had a relatively short time to learn your body, you will have little to compare the difference to.¡±

    This was another thing that Kopius had considered on his stroll and he thought about it in gaming terms. Cory was a sucker for a console First-Person Shooter, commonly known by its shorter name: FPS. In the beginning, leaving all settings at Default, he went about his business of having fun and learning the game(s). Eventually, through various trials and tribulations, he adjusted some settings to be more competitive. When he changed the movement stick sensitivity from a medium of 5 to a high of 8, his gaming experience was much the same as Cici¡¯s story. He would try to look to a side and would practically do a 360 on the screen. When he looked up or down it was either sky or dirt, nothing in between. To resolve this issue in future FPS¡¯s, Cory opted to start games on high sensitivity as to avoid that particular struggle. Anyhow, that¡¯s what Oh-jin was getting at, at least, that¡¯s the way Kopius took it.

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Kopius finally replied. ¡°How do I get this party started?¡±

    ¡°What party is this?¡± Oh-jin countered.

    ¡°Do I just focus on the Attribute to add the points?¡±

    ¡°Pull up your Attributes and I will use my Peep. Let¡¯s have a look before you start assigning the points.¡±

    Kopius opened his interface and navigated his way to the Attribute tab. He looked over it while Oh-jin took on a contemplative demeanor. Cici continued to root around the shop in the background, placing different items on a shelf like he was going to purchase them or something.

    ¡°Well,¡± the old man huffed, ¡°there is a lot of room to grow here. Normally I would stress balance until you reach your Form. At the very least your Intelligence should be at ten. I suggest you bring them all even at thirteen.¡± Kopius did a double take before looking at Oh-jn¡¯s math.

    Well shit, Kopius thought, I could do that. He liked the symmetry of it; the simplicity. It was easier to keep track of the one number.

    He needed to figure out how damage worked here but also didn¡¯t feel like reminding Oh-jin he hadn¡¯t read something. As far as basic damage dealing was concerned in traditional RPG games, his STR value would be added to his weapons damage value for total damage score. There were, of course, other mitigating factors but that was the jist. Bracing himself for a lecture, he explained all this to Oh-jin and Cici.

    ¡°No,¡± Oh-jin stated bluntly as if insulted. ¡°God¡¯s no! Weapon sharpness, weapon speed,¨C¡±

    ¡°Type of weapon, where the strike lands,¡± Cici added enthusiastically. ¡°Is there armor or shield, is it metal or wood or stone¡­ ¡°

    ¡°Using a weapon has an exponential striking value when compared to using your hands or feet,¡± Oh-jin picked up the conversation. ¡°For you, Kopius, striking with eleven Strength will do more than eleven damage given your speed, leverage, angle, etc. Let¡¯s say you can do a maximum of twenty-five damage on a perfect strike. Those dull blades of yours turn that twenty-five into¨CI¡¯m guessing here¨C two-hundred or so damage. Keep in mind that we are speaking of blunt force; this is not taking into account if you were to pierce or slash.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Okay, I get it. I get it,¡± Kopius groaned, feeling kind of silly for the question now. He decided to think about how to distribute his points rather than the mechanics of it all. Intelligence to ten was a must. The single digit there was stripping away at his pride in an irrational, unexplainable fashion. He knew that learning the dynamics of how Intelligence was applicable was a future headache he did not want. Kopius simply knew he would feel better by getting that number into the double digits and at the moment that was enough.

    ¡°Cici,¡± Oh-jin said, ¡°do you have any input?¡±

    ¡°Nah. What someone does with their points is no one''s business. At least, as far as I am concerned.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Kopius hmm-ed. ¡°I could just save the points until I need them. You know, like an emergency?¡±

    ¡°A foolish and blatantly irresponsible idea,¡± Oh-jin retorted.

    ¡°That it is, Oh-jin. That it is!¡± Cici said with a laugh.

    Cory was never one to save Skill points for future use. It was, as Oh-jin had elegantly said¨Cfoolish and irresponsible¨Cbut Kopius wanted to see their reaction to the idea. From time to time, people would have their particular reasons for stashing the points. Yet, it seemed like this was a case where video game logic didn¡¯t add up. There was a grace period, a learning curve for each Attribute on Metem that made hoarding a really bad idea. Kopius wasn¡¯t going to be able to slap fight his way back home and he knew that.

    ¡°Ok guys, it was just a thought,¡± Kopius said with raised, I surrender hands. ¡°Everybody calm down.¡±

    ¡°It just would not work out well, my boy,¡± Oh-jin advised.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine,¡± Kopius asserted. ¡°Maybe I should just put them all in Strength and Dexterity, I mean, my build is already leaning in that direction.¡±

    ¡°I understand why you might want to do that,¡± the old man began, ¡°put all your points into Strength and Dexterity. The need to run and punch things. But your Intelligence is low, almost superficially. If you were to invest in that Attribute you would be able to run more efficiently, know where/when to attack more strategically. Understand this; you can pound a nail with a rock but you¡¯ll get consistent results with a hammer.¡±

    Is he saying I¡¯m a neanderthal? Kopius wondered.

    ¡°At the beginning of the day,¡± Oh-jin continued, ¡°It is your choice; your path to decide.¡±

    Kopius leaned against the cabinet and started to debate himself. He was thankful that the topic up for discussion was all for his benefit. Things could get rather uncomfortable when his internal thoughts came down to blows. Here, instead of choosing between paying rent and his baseball card collection, Kopius found himself in a rare ¡®Treat yourself¡¯ moment. It was like walking into a candy shop with grandma or grandpa, knowing damn well you could get at least one item. He considered everything Oh-jin had said, as well as Cici¡¯s indifference. Of all the things that had been mentioned, Kopius kept circling back to the first thing Oh-jin had advised. Well, what he normally would have advised: balance until he reached his Form.

    Kopius looked over his numbers a few times to double check the math. With balance in mind, he focused on his Strength Attribute and added three points. His body twitched slightly, small spasms randomly erupting across his body, like all his muscles were burping. It was over as quickly as it started and after a short pause Kopius placed three points into Dexterity. This time his joints all performed their own knee-jerk reactions as if being all hit by a reflex hammer. The moment of unsteadiness passed just as quickly as the burping muscles had.

    Lastly, with more caution than he had an explanation for, Kopius tentatively placed his remaining three Skill points into Intelligence; bring it into the double digits. At first, his eyes began to feel a slight pressure similar to a morning after a night of crying. That was followed by the sensation of his head being pierced by the world''s worst brain freeze. It ran from the back of his pupils and cut a swath right to the start of his spinal cord before it disappeared as well.

    ¡°Fucking ouch!¡± Kopius groaned, as he rubbed at his whole head and face. ¡°A heads up would have been awesome!¡±

    ¡°It only hurts the first time lad,¡± Cici said with a friendly pat on the back. ¡°As long as blood doesn''t start coming out of your ears, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°That, uh, that¡¯s not reassuring.¡± Kopius said as he gave his head one last waggle.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have a look at your Attributes Kopius,¡± Oh-jin asked, ignoring the rest.

    ¡°I thought you could only see my Profile with Peep.¡±

    ¡°Most will only see your Profile,¡± Oh-jin lectured. ¡°I have long Mastered Peep. I can see whatever you are looking at.¡±

    ¡°Okay, fine,¡± Kopius complained. He too often wished he had such a short and vague answer for his powers. Instead, he was stuck learning life on the go; something he was now thankful he had experience in.

    ¡°Very nice,¡± Oh-jin observed, adjusting the goggles on his face. ¡°Though, if you do come upon a Senteney Stone, I advise growing your Intelligence.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you seem to be harping on that point pretty hard.¡±

    ¡°It is only¨C¡±

    ¡°For my benefit. Yeah, you¡¯ve been a broken record about it. So, I get it.¡±

    ¡°Broken record?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a¨Cit¡¯s¡­ ,¡± Kopius paused, a stumped look taking over his face. wtf is a record and how does it work if it''s broken, he wondered. ¡°I actually don¡¯t know where that comes from. I know what it means, so we have that going for us.¡±

    ¡°Well what does it mean lad,¡± Cici implored.

    ¡°Repeating stuff. Things that do or say the same thing, but like, over and over again.¡± Kopius made hand gestures as though he had some device and the device was making repetitive motions as an example. ¡°It¡¯s something my Papa, my grandfather, would say.¡± Kopius felt the smallest inkling of pride passing on his grandfather''s witticisms. He risked cracking a smile as he realized that this wasn¡¯t the first time he had done it here.

    ¡°I rather like the other one,¡± Cici raved. ¡°The one about being a swinger.¡±

    ¡°No, not a swinger!¡± Kopius quickly corrected. ¡°Go down swinging. It¡¯s a¨Ceuphemism.¡± He gave Oh-jin a look.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Cici clapped, ¡°that¡¯s the one. Go down swinging.¡±

 BCB Chapter 10

    Chapter 10

    ¡°I don¡¯t know man,¡± Kopius protested, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure ¡®written¡¯ communication is in the ¡®verbal¡¯ communication department.¡±

    ¡°We can debate the nuance all you like,¡± Oh-jin was pointing out, ¡°As far as your quest is concerned, they are different!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too caught up in names, lad,¡± Cici insisted. ¡°A wizard is a mage is a warlock, it''s all the same.¡±

    ¡°No. No it is not!¡± Oh-jin groaned. ¡°A wizard wields their power through an item, like a wand or a staff! Mages draw their magic from manifesting their mana. Warlocks,¡± Oh-jin scoffed, ¡°well, they are given power through possession or some other bartered item¡ªlike their soul.¡±

    ¡°They all fight with magic though,¡± Cici added, trying to salvage his comment.

    ¡°Clearly then, anyone who can throw a piece of meat on hot metal is a cook? Hmm?¡± Oh-jin retorted.

    Cici started to say something but thought better of it. He raised his hand halfway to make a point but quickly dialed that back too. The big man had a face that was busy reflecting on something and when it was all over he gave Oh-jin a big shrug with a shake of his head.

    ¡°Very well then,¡± Oh-jin said, getting back to the original topic. ¡°Your first three quests for Communications will be the following: Verbal, Non-Verbal, Written. Much the same as with Fighter; once you complete these three, seven more will be tailored depending on how these were finished. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I think so,¡± Kopius grumbled. He had little to no enthusiasm for these quests. It most certainly involved talking or interacting with others, a chore he avoided where he could. ¡°Hopefully these aren¡¯t, you know, judging a fish on its ability to climb a tree type stuff.¡±

    ¡°Not your best euphemism lad,¡± Cici joked.

    ¡°It''s more of a metaphor, I think,¡± Kopius answered.

    ¡°Analogy.¡± Oh-jin stated. ¡°Focus boys. We need to get through this last part before you make your way to Cawbachu. You do not have to do this now but with your Practice tab open, any visible Challenges can be completed. If there is a description for the Challenge, it can be completed along with any other detailed Challenge. Is that clear?¡±

    ¡°Crystal,¡± Kopius replied, not wanting to pull open the window at all.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Oh-jin replied, ¡°My hope is that Cici will be able to provide guidance if you have any questions.¡± The old man made obvious he was talking to Cici and the big man nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± the chemist clapped. ¡°What do we have remaining¡­¡±

    His words faded as he looked around his lab. He eventually focused on the small pile of goods Cici had collected and his pointer finger shot up in the air like he had just had an epiphany. ¡°Goods!¡± was all the old man shouted and he shuffled out of the room. The two remaining men gave each other a look and a shrug, opting to remain in the room.

    Kopius ducked under various pipes and made his way through the maze of shelving to have a look at what Cici had gathered. Nothing remarkable stood out at first or second glance. There were two small empty vials, similar in size to blood vials at donation centers; a leather pouch large enough to store the vials; two wooden spoons with deeper than normal bowls; and assorted candles. Normally, Kopius would inquire about such an array of items but he had already spent the first half of the day getting slammed with information, so he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to add to it.

    Oh-jin returned to the lab with a tray filled with his own sundry of items. He had a few familiar looking empty potion vials as well as what looked like dried out food. Also on the tray was a small leather pouch with two vertical bulges, a rolled up scroll with a thick, red colored ring holding it bound and another book.

    Kopius gave the book a scowl. He wasn¡¯t against reading, he was against the act of reading; the monotony of it. That¡¯s why Cory had embraced audiobooks; especially Fantasy and LitRPG genres. Some of those talk jockeys could really bring a story to life. At one point, he even thought he might write his own but that never happened.

    ¡°No,¡± Kopius mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m living it instead.¡±

    ¡°Living what now?¡± Oh-jin peeped as he sorted the items out so they were separated.

    ¡°Living the dream,¡± he replied as dryly as possible.

    ¡°I like the positivity,¡± Oh-jin beamed. ¡°You will need that for your Communication quests!¡±

    ¡°I bet I will,¡± Kopius said with all the glee of someone about to clean a concert outhouse with a moldy sponge. He washed his mind of that visual and tried toning down his normal doom and gloom. Fake it til you make it, advice from an old mentor, was going to be the best way forward regarding these quests. At least, until he found a better way forward.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°What do we have here?¡± Kopius finally asked.

    ¡°Rations,¡± Oh-jin said, pointing to the dried food. ¡°Refills for your potions, hammer with chisel in the pouch, further reading, and this.¡± Oh-jin finished by holding up the scroll with the thick red ring. ¡°A map of every door that leads here.¡± He held out the scroll at arms length, much like he had with the pugil staff, before continuing. ¡°Like this and then imagine pulling it into your mind. Once you have the proper focus, think of the word ¡®import¡¯.¡± He handed the rolled parchment to Kopius.

    Giving himself some space, Kopius stepped closer to the center of the room and followed the instructions. First he grasped the scroll by the red ring, its smooth surface chill against his palm. He then imagined pulling the scroll into his mind but found it difficult unless he closed his eyes.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to close your eyes, Kopius,¡± Oh-jin whispered.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told him that!¡± Cici also whispered.

    ¡°I need them closed!¡± Kopius snapped at the two. ¡°Shhhh!¡±

    Placing his attention back to the item in his hands, Kopius closed his eyes again and focused. A few deep breaths and several attempts later he felt a sensation push into his hands and race all the way to his brain. In the split-second this occurred, the scroll in his hand disintegrated and he opened an eyeball in time to see the dust flutter to the ground. He opened both eyes once he saw the plume was no longer a threat. With the coast clear, he opened his map before Oh-jin could say something.

    ¡°I only see the two,¡± Kopius said after his inspection. Two green triangles had added themselves to his map, a map that was heavily covered in the Fog of War¨Cthe blurred out areas meaning he hadn''t visited any of it yet. The only parts of his map that showed actual terrain were the places he had been already. Just like all the video games he had played in the past, the map only showed where he had traveled.

    ¡°More will show themselves in time,¡± Oh-jin claimed. ¡°Once the Blur clears, more will appear.¡±

    ¡°How close do I need to get?¡± Kopius asked, assuming the ¡®Blur¡¯ was the same as ¡®Fog of War¡¯.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Oh-jin said as his fingers did some math. ¡°A few thousand paces or so?¡±

    ¡°A thousand feet?¡±

    ¡°Feet? No,¡± Oh-jin spat, ¡°That would be terribly inconsistent.¡±

    ¡°What then, are you guys on the metric system or something?¡±

    ¡°Units are a better source of measurement than body parts my friend,¡± Cici chimed in.

    ¡°Well, what¡¯s a pace then!?¡±

    ¡°It''s a generalization, is what it is Kopius,¡± Oh-jin lectured. ¡°The length of taking a step forward. It is not exact.¡±

    ¡°Can you at least give me an idea where I might find them? In some other city or towns, a mountain range or a river? Anywhere?¡± Kopius pleaded.

    ¡°Certainly, my boy,¡± Oh-jin offered. ¡°I was going to get to that. There are thirteen in total. Six are here on the western edge of Metem, one in the Deep Southern Mist, three in Greater Metem to the east, two that you will likely never come across and the last one inside the Maca Dami.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen the Maca Dami, Oh-jin? It¡¯s¨Creal?¡± Cici inquired, practically in awe.

    ¡°I have my boy.¡± Oh-jin admitted solemnly. ¡°It was only one time and a time too many if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°So the stories are true?¡± Cici asked like a child hearing the monster under his bed might be real.

    ¡°It is more likely that the stories are not true enough,¡± the old chemist grimaced with a shake of his head.

    ¡°Have you ever seen the Val-jin?¡± Cici queried.

    ¡°Unfortunately, I have. A pale bunch of hairless, spiteful souls with red, glowing eyes like embers. Their bald heads grow elaborate bones¨Clike horns or antlers¨Cthat arch back over their skulls. I have often tried to forget it all¡­¡± Oh-jin trailed off. He only let the memory haunt him for a moment. ¡°But they are an obstacle for another time my boy. To my knowledge, the Val-jin have not been this side of the Torrent in ages.¡±

    Every time the Val-jin came up, Kopius felt a bit nauseated. He didn¡¯t feel queasy or anywhere close to throwing up but he did get the icky¡¯s. Not that the subject had come up often, just that the original story Oh-jin had told him was not very pleasant. Now that the chemist had offered a brief visual description of them, the icky¡¯s were a little stronger than before. If all was to be believed, they were the ones who dragged him here in the first place. He should be pissed.

    ¡°Amazing,¡± Cici expressed, ¡°I¡¯ve met a lot of people in my day, many indeed. I¡¯ve even spent some time east of the Torrent, you¡¯re the first to have met one.¡±

    ¡°I hope to be your last,¡± Oh-jin replied curtly. ¡°Now I have allowed us to stray from our path. We need to replenish your goods and get you on your way.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Cici replied. The big man groped in his fanny pack and pulled out his own dried, skunk smelling wad that looked like someone had taken crushed leaves and cobwebs and then mashed them together. ¡°Would you be interested in some snickerleaf for these goods here?¡±

    ¡°Ha,¡± Oh-jin laughed, his worries gone in flash. ¡°I haven¡¯t had that in a very long time. You know, I think I will.¡±

    ¡°What''s snickerleaf?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s the plant you tried to steal from me lad!¡± Cici bellowed.

    ¡°You grow this?¡± Oh-jin pressed.

    ¡°I do!¡±

    ¡°I did not try to steal your plants.¡± Kopius tried to insert but was ignored.

    ¡°Are you an Herbalist too?¡±

    ¡°I am!¡±

    The two blathered like school girls gushing over the new boy in class. They talked of plants and soils; watering cycles and night blooms. Kopius was going to interrupt to get things back on track but paused instead. He watched them for a moment, their excitement over the subject mildly infectious.

    Man, I wish I could get half this excited¡­ about anything.

 BCB Chapter 11

    Chapter 11

    Kopius and Cici exited Oh-jin¡¯s lab to Kickshaw without any further fanfare. The remaining time indoors had been spent refilling and/or replacing the potions, reorganizing his inventory ring and some minor house cleaning. They left the extra kindling and rations with Oh-jin, mostly because Cici ate a lot in the short time they were there and Cawbachu would have supplies a plenty. As they strolled back to the central plaza area of Kickshaw, Kopius double checked his inventory ring.

    Of the sixteen slots available he was surprised that fifteen were taken up. Three slots were occupied by potion bottles, showing a stack of five each. Another three were taken up by the extra large sacks of clothes he was carrying and he wondered why the wood or rocks stacked in inventory but the large bags did not. The rest had only one slot taken by each: the bag of books with the new one added to it, the chisel set to help with mining optical quartz, the fire gloves, a food sack, a waterskin, applewax, a seemingly metric ton of grafeen, the pugil staff and some baseball sized rocks.

    He decided to strap on his poor excuse for a sword sheath instead of playing peek-a-boo with his weapons and the inventory ring. Though Cici had insisted the likelihood of fighting was minimal, Kopius felt safer with the jumbled mess of straps and the quick access to his weapons. He had at least come up with a consistent way to wear it even though it was obviously incorrect.

    The two men stepped out of the dim side tunnel and into the sun filled plaza. One giant beam of light shone on most of the wide open space, the unfinished fountain taking center stage. Other places were illuminated by their own light that had cracked through the surface above. The emptiness of it all made the place seem bigger and him feel smaller; all at the same time. Kopius couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that at any moment an entire city of people would all pop out like a well planned surprise party. Sounds were amplified; normal clinks and clanks echoed more than he felt they should.

    ¡°If there¡¯s no danger, why don¡¯t people live down here?¡± Kopius asked as he followed Cici through the sunlit plaza.

    ¡°From what I have been told,¡± Cici began, ¡°When the Tessel first turned, there was plenty of danger. Once folks learned there was no more access to clean water¨Cwell, that all but sealed Kickshaws fate.¡±

    ¡°Why not pump water down from above with pipes or, I don¡¯t know, an aqueduct or something?¡±

    ¡°I was never one for engineering, lad. Once you see the stairs we¡¯re climbing, it might make more sense.¡±

    Kopius remained quiet and kept up with Cici¡¯s pace. As they moved to the opposite side of the plaza, dodging a variety of stone tables and other sitting arrangements, the big man pointed at a pair of mahogany doors reaching at least twenty feet in the air; adorned with various symbols and artsy flair. Though the doors had seen better days, he could still make out the ornate fashion in which they were carved and painted. As they approached, the cracked and faded nature became more evident; as did the oversized chains entwined around the large door handles.

    ¡°Normally, I go around the other way,¡± Cici said, pointing off in a different direction. ¡°This was the official passageway into Kickshaw. I¡¯ve always used the service corridor but I thought I¡¯d show you this first.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t go this way,¡± Kopius asked, pointing at the doors.

    ¡°We could,¡± the big man shrugged.

    ¡°I mean, is there a reason we shouldn¡¯t or can¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t would be my guess.¡± Cici scratched at his beard in contemplation. ¡°I was always told they tried to block the path through once everything was abandoned. You know, keep the creepy-crawlies down here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never looked, obviously,¡± Kopius said, pointing to the still intact chains.

    ¡°Nah. Not worth the trouble just to come to a dead end.¡±

    ¡°Dead end? How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly, but the service side was sealed off so I assumed this side was too.¡±

    ¡°But we still go that other way to get to Cawbachu?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s smaller, more enclosed. Plus it has some gates to keep the beasts out. Both of the paths lead to a circular staircase, The Coil of Cawbachu¨Cthat¡¯s the way up.¡±

    ¡°Okay then. Which way is the corridor?¡±

    Cici threw a thumb over his shoulder in basically the same direction he had gestured a few moments before. He scratched at this beard as he gave the doors more examination. The big man stepped up to it and grabbed the vertical handles on each door. He tried to jar the doors but they did not budge. He tried grabbing just one handle with both hands to give it a jerk but it remained unrattled. Using the head of his hammer he tapped at one of the large chain links and smiled, though Kopius had no clue as to what the big man was up to.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°No vibration,¡± Cici said over his shoulder as if could feel Kopius¡¯s wtf stare. ¡°Whoever locked this up left no slack, no give.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Kopius replied, still unclear about it all.

    ¡°That makes it easier for Celeste, my friend,¡± Cici declared, looking back at Kopius with an infectious grin. ¡°If the chain is loose, it makes things a bit more challenging. Doable but challenging.¡±

    ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t use your weapon for a while,¡± Kopius asked as he recalled the miniature sun that had exploded right next to him and the pond of funk.

    ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s Proxima Wake I can¡¯t wield for a while. A good while actually. In the meantime, I¡¯ve got this beauty to protect me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just going to, like¨CHulk Smash¨Cthe chain?¡± Kopius said in his best Hulk-voice and smash.

    ¡°It¡¯s not always about brute force, if that¡¯s what you mean.¡±

    Cici continued tapping the astralsilicate on the chain link. It clinked in even, rapid succession like a cook chopping vegetables. He moved the hammer all around the link until there was a noticeable change to the sound. Cici immediately stopped when he honed in on the area and placed a single finger on the top part of the large chain link. He looked back at Kopius with a bigger smile and a wink. With his hammer in the other hand, he raised it just above his head and brought it down in a lazy fashion, right where he was pointing. It made a dull plink sound before the entire link crumbled like a Las Vegas alibi under scrutiny of security footage.

    The doors bowed forward as the chain was relieved of its pressure. The two large pieces would have flung wide open had the chain not been looped through a few times. A sliver of space appeared where the doors had started to open but beyond was only darkness. Kopius took a few steps away from the doors as Cici began to jangle and cajole the rest of the chain free. When a few links of the chain ripped through the handle¨Cbefore jerking to a stop¨Cone door had opened fast enough to knock Cici back several yards.

    Rock, stone and dust poured out of the small gap that had been created. The sound of falling debris and boulders could be heard on the other side as things settled. A mighty THUD! cracked against the top of one of the doors, pushing that portion out like a giant boulder had just smacked into it. More sounds came from behind the door, loud enough that both men started to back away to a safer distance. As they retreated, loud creaking started to make its rounds accompanied with more rock shifting noise. By the time they were forty¨Cor so¨Cfeet away, the remaining chain lost its grip and the giant doors flung open.

    A small avalanche spilled through the opening, distributing itself in no discernible pattern all over the edge of the plaza floor. The two men backed up faster, dodging random boulders as they skipped and bounced out of the darkness. A final crashing of large rocks was heard before a source of light shot out from the doorway, followed quickly by a wall of dust. The short sand storm shot out random pebbles, pelting the two men. Once everything settled, each door hung ajar with their top hinge broken off as though an explosion had burst them open.

    Inside the new opening, it indeed looked like a bomb had gone off. Countless rocks and boulders¨Cranging from golf ball-sized to golf cart-size¨Clittered the area. Once Kopius was able to get a closer look it appeared that the ceiling had fallen in too. Beyond the initial rubble was a long hallway large enough to fit tour buses side by side, much like the tunnel he had walked through to enter Kickshaw.

    A smell that was faint at first, started to make its way out of the doors opening. The scent of stale and stagnant air changed to a more puke inducing tang.

    ¡°Gawh!¡± Cici coughed. He pulled a handkerchief from a pocket to cover his nose and mouth.

    ¡°What the hell is that!¡± Kopius complained as he pulled his shirt over half his face. The odor was rancid with a little bit of putrid sprinkled in. No amount of incense or bleach was going to  remove the stain from the air.

    Kopius started to get a sour spit taste and his stomach was preparing to lurch. He turned away from the doors and jogged until he was a safe distance away.

    ¡°Bloody Gnomes!¡± Cici said as he followed Kopius. ¡°Pull out that shirt sack you got in that ring of yours.¡± Kopius absently removed the sack from his ring. ¡°We¡¯ll need one of those throwing rocks too.¡±

    He supplied the requested items and watched Cici get to work. First the big guy rummaged through the bag until he found a particularly damaged shirt. He then took the rock and wrapped it in the rag, creating something close to a softball-sized wad. Once that was complete, he groped in his fanny pack and pulled out a flask. Is that bag like my ring? Kopius wondered. Cici opened the flask, took a swig, offered a drink to Kopius(he declined) and then splashed the item he had just made.

    ¡°You¡¯ll want those fancy gloves for this last part,¡± Cici implored, to which Kopius donned his gloves.

    Once the big guy saw Kopius was ready, he brought the rock wad to his lips and¨Cessentially¨Cblew it a kiss. A small jet of flames escaped Cici¡¯s mouth and set the item on fire. He quickly placed the fire in Kopius¡¯s waiting hands moments before the alcohol ignited. He nodded in the direction of the open door, so Kopius reared back and threw the fireball.

    As the wad of rock, cloth and fire hurled its way towards the doors opening Cici gestured to take a couple more steps back. At first the ball of flames looked like it was snuffed out as it passed the threshold. A moment later and the dust particles still circulating in the air looked like they were sucked back in the door frame before an eruption of flames exploded from inside. Even at more than fifty paces away, a wall of heat hit the two men, rustling their clothes and pushing around Kopius¡¯s hair. It was over in seconds leaving behind a stench of burnt dog urine mixed with week old cat litter muskiness.

 BCB Chapter 12

    Chapter 12

    ¡°Bloody Gnomes,¡± Cici whispered to himself as the two gawked at the wreckage.

    After several minutes of waiting the two men were able to approach the door without being overwhelmed by the stench. They stood at the threshold and looked into the wide open space as if they were assessing a burned down home. Cici¡¯s big head looked up and down and all over the place, while Kopius looked on indifferently. While the first part beyond the entrance was littered in debris, farther down was the hallway they had seen before being assaulted by the smell.

    ¡°Why ¡®bloody gnomes¡¯?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°At best they¡¯re a nuisance,¡± Cici answered as he continued his inspection.

    ¡°And at worst?¡± Kopius prodded.

    ¡°See these here,¡± Cici explained, pointing at several large, smooth stones closest to the entrance. ¡°Those were used to seal this gate. See those ones further on,¡± he said pointing to the jagged, much larger stones. ¡°That¡¯s what they do. They dig and dig with no regard for what is above or below them.¡±

    ¡°I think I missed something,¡± Kopius interrupted. ¡°Oh-jin said nobody likes Gnomes but never really expanded on that. So, that¡¯s basically all I know.¡±

    ¡°A Gnome by itself is harmless¨Cfor the most part,¡± Cici began. ¡°They are tiny, aggressive and practically indestructible.¡±

    ¡°How¡­ how is that harmless?¡± Kopuis asked.

    ¡°When I say tiny, I mean ti¨Cny,¡± Cici responded, taking his hands to indicate the things being no more than a foot tall. ¡°They have two front teeth that they use to gnaw through everything; dirt, wood, stone¨Cdamn near everything.  Now, one of those biting at an ankle can be dealt with by even a small child. But, if you have a few hundred of them, they will chew through you before a thirty count.¡±

    ¡°Where does the harmless part come in?¡±

    ¡°Maybe ¡®harmless¡¯ was the wrong choice of words. ¡®Avoidable¡¯ is a better way to say it.¡±

    Kopius shrugged and gave a look that said ¡®please explain¡¯ but without the ¡®please¡¯.

    ¡°They stay underground and are known to be nocturnal. We would only encounter them under particular circumstances, like being underground or in a cave. Everyone hates them because they excavate without regard. If your crops sit above a vein of ore, they will excavate the ore and possibly collapse your crops.¡± He pointed back to the jagged rocks and then up at some of the open spaces where the sun leaked through.

    ¡°Gnomes were here digging out the ceiling, looking for something. They can smell it, you know, the veins of ore. Anyhow, they found some up there and as you can see, this is how they left it.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure this didn¡¯t just collapse from above?¡± Kopius wondered out loud.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that foulness in the air we had to burn away, I would be inclined to agree with you. Imagine your home was up there and now it''s down here because they were digging.¡±

    ¡°I would be upset.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d likely be dead my friend, they work at night when you''re sleeping. That¡¯s why folks are less than keen about them. That and they are thieving little bastards¡­ ¡± Cici seethed out of nowhere.

    Kopius tried to get more information about the personal nature of the big man''s ire but Cici insisted that it was a story for another time. He ended it by saying not to bury your valuables but wouldn¡¯t elaborate. When Kopius suggested they head towards the service tunnel Cici declined and assured Kopius that the path forward was safe. He insisted the gnomes had long been gone, leaving behind only the mess and the smell. There were several lingering questions but at the moment, Kopius didn¡¯t really care.

    They navigated past the rubble, squeezing between a few larger boulders until they reached the large posh hallway. The pathway was covered in paving stones with an intricate design that was both artistic and functional. It clearly indicated that the right side went to Cawbachu and the left to Kickshaw. Every few hundred feet there was a beam of sunlight to keep the long walkway illuminated. Every fifty feet, or so, an unlit torch was attached to either side of the wide arcing passage.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Kopius resisted the urge to hear his echo, though their footfalls did satisfy that itch to a small degree. He was impressed by the overall design of both the passageway and Kickshaw itself. Even with Oh-jin scoffing at the place, Kopius felt it was well planned and laid out. If this were an abandoned town in any of the RPG games he had played, he would be able to claim it as his own. There was nothing like having your own village to help with earning XP and some passive income. Some games, that¡¯s all a player did was build and maintain a village. The tediousness of those types of games was a real turn off to Cory, who needed some virtual violence for therapeutic purposes.

    Roughly ten minutes later the two men came to a dead end¨Csort of. A wall of smooth stone masoned together blocked their path. Cici pulled a torch off the wall, blew it a fire kiss and then stepped up to the wall. Though it was built well it was never completed. Missing at the top were the last few rows of stone to officially seal the tunnel.

    Without a word, Cici¨Ctorch clenched in his teeth¨CNinja Warrior-ed his way up the wall, through the small gap and over to the other side. Kopius laughed at the nimbleness of the big man before he followed Cici¡¯s lead and did his own version of getting over the warped wall.

    Once over the blockage they stepped out of the remaining tunnel and into a large enclosed circular area. To their right was a tall smooth surface encircling all the way around before returning on the left. There, to the left, were two doorways. The smaller of the two openings was more gate than door. It had the whole rot-iron, jail cell type feel to it that gave Kopius an unpleasant memory. The opening next to that was just as tall as the hallway they had strolled down but about half the width. This pathway was sealed off by stone and mortar and stood unblemished.

    At the center of it all was the beginning of a circular staircase. The steps looked like marble or quartz with a mixture of black, white and blue mineral composition. The white balusters had a waviness to them and gave the illusion that they were moving as you approached it. A clear handrail raced a top the balusters, circling its way up and out of sight. Wide enough to walk a few elephants side-by-side, the staircase rose until it reached the ceiling and disappeared above.

    ¡°Service gate right there,¡± Cici mentioned, pointing to the set iron bars.

    ¡°And this one?¡± Kopius asked about the sealed tunnel.

    ¡°Service lift,¡± he answered.

    ¡°An elevator?¡± Kopius mumbled, impressed.

    ¡°Is that a transport of sorts?¡± Cici guessed.

    ¡°Yeah, moving stuff up and down.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, this¨Celevator¨Cgoes up to the surface of Cawbachu.¡±

    Kopius chuckled at the description. Cici made it sound like they were going to be landing on a new planet or moon or something. It briefly reminded him of some people on Earth who inexplicably insert ¡®the¡¯ in front of inanimate things; like freeways for example. Cory would give directions by saying something like, ¡®take 101 to 85 south¡¯ vs ¡®take the 100 to the 85 south¡¯¨C it made no sense but I fucking digress.

    ¡°Here is something I discovered my last time through,¡± Cici said with enough enthusiasm to break Kopius from inner strife. He had a wide grin and beckoned Kopius over to the base of the stairs. ¡°This is how they knew when the lift was moving.¡±

    He took the torch in his hand and placed it in sconce just below the clear handrail. The effect was instant, like flipping a power switch. One moment the crystal clear handrail was minding its own business and the second the fire light came close the rail lit up like a beacon. The light raced all the way up the staircase and gave Kopius his first indication of how far up it was.

    A magnificent spiral appeared, creating a type of synchronous celtic knot made up of tubes of fire light. Kopius was in awe of both the complexity and magnitude of it all. The white parts of the stair treads further lit up the large stairwell while the black and blue besmirched the walls with purposeful characters; most of which looked like wild animals.

    ¡°Beautiful isn''t it?¡± Cici said with the same reverence that Kopius felt. ¡°Rivals anything that you might find in Corundu.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ brilliant,¡± Kopius said absently, ignoring the forming crick in his neck as he gazed up.

    ¡°Brillant,¡± Cici repeated to himself. ¡°I rather like that.¡±

    ¡°What,¡± Kopius chided, finally giving his neck a break. ¡°You guys don¡¯t have that word here?¡±

    ¡°No, no, we do. I¡¯ve just not heard it poised like that is all. It¡¯s clever. You¡¯re clever, my friend. Will you ever cease to amaze me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Kopius answered the rhetorical question in all seriousness. ¡°I¡¯ll stop amazing you soon enough.¡±

    ¡°Somehow I don¡¯t believe you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll know when we move from the oooh¡¯s and ah¡¯s to the oh-no¡¯s and why-me¡¯s.¡±

    Cici just laughed and patted him on the shoulder. He swung his arm in an ¡®after you¡¯ fashion and the two started the arduous chore of climbing the stairs.

 BCB Chapter 13

    Chapter 13

    ¡°Lad, at this pace we are better off heading back to Oh-jin!¡± Cici scolded Kopius after he insisted on another break. They had been walking the spiral staircase for at least thirty minutes with no end in sight. The beauty of it all faded with each step once it turned into a grueling march. ¡°If that flame goes out before we reach the top, you¡¯ll have to guide me. Hold my hand and what not.¡±

    Kopius ignored the threats while he had a snack and a sip of water. While he was at it, he pulled up his profile page and looked at his Stamina bar. To his dismay, it was full. With that, the hopes of drinking his problems away poofed out of existence. He was grumpy¨Cprobably hangry¨Cand hoped the small bite to eat would give him the push he needed to get to the top. Once they reached the top, the two still had to walk a short distance to Cawbachu.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready man.¡± Kopius stated after a few minutes. ¡°No more stops. Let¡¯s do this.¡±

    Roughly twenty minutes later and Kopius collapsed in dramatic fashion as they finally reached the surface. He rolled to his back and¨Cmuch the same as when he had first climbed out of that first cave¨Creally took in the open space. For the first time, in what felt like forever, Kopius had an unobstructed view of the sky. His calves ached and thighs had a pretty steady burn going until they had finally stopped. He sat up to give his leg muscles a massage when he was hit with an achievement window that popped in his field of vision.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know if that was worth it,¡± Kopius complained to himself, closing the window. He most certainly had to push himself that last ten minutes or so but he felt this achievement was easy, like anybody could get this.

    ¡°What¡¯s worth what?¡± Cici asked from his sitting position on a nearby stone bench. Now that Kopius was sitting up he actually looked around to get his bearings.

    The stairs they exited had a large gazebo type structure covering the opening and the immediate area around it. Worn and unmaintained stone benches lined the three sides of the stairs: some broken, others covered in a foliage. Beyond the covered area was a well trodden road, a large tattered shack with more chains keeping it closed than needed and a short wooden fence¨CKopius guessed that was to keep small children or animals from wandering off the cliff.

    The opposite side of the road was the beginning of another forest, various trees of size and color rose off into that distance while only bushes or barren land ran along the side of Escher Pass. Kopius decided to give his vertigo some stimulation and made his way over to the cliff.

    ¡°I got an achievement for climbing the stairs.¡± Kopius answered over his shoulder as he approached the low fence.

    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Cici chuckled. ¡°One of the longest sets of continuous stairs in all of Metem, or so I¡¯ve been told.¡±

    Kopius gave a shrug, girded his loins and looked past the fence to the great valley beyond. Escher Pass expanded well off into the horizon littered with hundreds¨Cif not thousands¨Cof hoodoos. The tall pillars were scattered in no particular pattern and their tops looked like hundreds of lily pads, resting on a giant pond. The place appeared peaceful, serene; like gazing down on Earth from a plane in the sky. Kopius imagined building a network of bridges to cross the Pass rather than the trek through it; he knew too well the dangers below. His shadow stretched over the edge of the cliff as the sun shifted to more dusky attire and Kopius didn¡¯t want to spend the night outdoors.

    ¡°Which way are we heading?¡± Kopius finally inquired.

    ¡°Up the path this way,¡± Cici pointed. ¡°North by west a bit. It¡¯s a short walk from here, we will reach the gates by dark, just in time to eat.¡± He finished with a smile and a rub of his belly. Kopius noticed that Cici¡¯s accent had returned, though he wasn''t certain: it could be that he was just used to it. It wasn¡¯t important at the moment so Kopius just chalked it up to hearing things.

    ¡°That must be the elev¨Cthe lift?¡± Kopius mentioned, pointing at the decrepit shack.

    ¡°Indeed it is!¡±

    ¡°Can we use that next time?¡±

    ¡°Doubtful.¡±

    ¡°Alright, worth a shot.¡± Kopius groaned. ¡°The road there, Is that the Twelve Days March?¡±

    ¡°Indeed it is!¡± Cici said excitedly. ¡°You¡¯ll know your way about Metem in no time, my boy!¡±

    The Twelve Days March¨Cor the long way around Escher Pass¨Cwas level, well beaten and curved along the side of the cliff at a safe distance. The forest to their right had all the makings of a fairy tale in its mixture of colors and small wildlife. A few times Kopius half-expected to see a random woman singing to the audience of squirrels and birds. The trees were neither dense or sparse; instead they resembled spacing one might find in an orchid. They weren¡¯t in rows or any kind of pattern, just comfortably enjoying their personal space. Cici whistled along as they made their way to Cawbachu.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    The ¡®short¡¯ walk came to an end well after the sun had gone down. With two and a half moons in the sky, they were able to stay safely on the road and navigate without issue. Kopius had caught glimpses of the lunar surface while they were crawling their way through Escher Pass though he hadn¡¯t realized it was actually two moons¨Cwell, two and half moons. There were two normal gray moons¨Ctwo intact moons¨Cthat orbited relatively close to each other, while a third busted one trailed a good distance behind.

    The ¡®busted¡¯ moon, with its purple hue, looked like someone had packed it full with TNT and blew one side off. Half of the thing was still intact, a semi circle floating in space. Trailing the floating half-dome was the makings of a comet tail fit for a sci-fi spectacle. It looked like a god had painted a giant jellyfish with long tendrils in the sky that was chasing the other moons across the universe. Kopius spent much of his time gazing up at it, mesmerized by the DigitalBlasphemy grandeur.

    ¡°Here we are,¡± Cici said, breaking Kopius from his moon gazing. He pointed down the long path to the sight of torch light peeking through the trees. ¡°Just up there. Shouldn¡¯t be a hassle this time of night.¡±

    ¡°Hassel for what?¡± Kopius asked, slowing his pace down a little.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, lad. Procedure is all,¡± Cici answered assuringly. ¡°We¡¯ll have to pass through a gate. A checkpoint.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Kopius replied.

    ¡°This ain¡¯t Feral Crossing, my friend. They¡¯ve got walls, a functioning authority and a modest amount of wealth.¡± Cici pointed out. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, they have scum a plenty inside. Hard to have one without the other. Anyhow, day time it¡¯s busy. Right now, we¡¯re the only fools out at this time. Follow instructions and we¡¯ll get us a bite to eat after.¡±

    The two turned the final bend and came to a high gray stone wall that began at the edge of the cliff and arced out through the well spaced trees. A large wooden gate, very similar to the one in Kickshaw, stood closed, blocking the path. In front of that was another gate made of iron. This was made up of equal sized, large squares. Big enough that a person could squeeze through but not comfortably. It seemed to be designed to slow down rather than stop something from entering. A smaller, regular sized metal slab of a door stood off to the side¨Cdirectly under a large cauldron looking thing twenty feet above it. Torches blazed at three different heights in a number of different places, lighting up the space where Kopius and Cici stepped into.

    ¡°State your purpose,¡± someone yawned from the top of the dark parapet.

    ¡°We¡¯re here to eat, sleep and barter with Weaver come morning,¡± Cici shouted up the gate.

    ¡°I ain¡¯t no see nothing to bargain with.¡± The voice yelled back, annoyed this time.

    ¡°Right you are sir,¡± Cici replied respectfully. ¡°My mule here can produce the goods.¡±

    Cici looked over at Kopius and made a few hand gestures. Kopius shrugged in a wft way. The big man proceeded to make head nods and swirls with his finger.

    ¡°What?!¡± Kopius finally spat.

    ¡°Show them a bag,¡± Cici finally said.

    ¡°He¡¯ll know I have an inventory ring.¡±

    ¡°Mules are paid transport lad, you¡¯re supposed to have one?¡±

    Kopius obliged even though it all seemed pretty obvious by now. He produced a large sack and the two men held it up to show the prodding guard.

    ¡°We have three in total, sir.¡± Cici shouted.

    ¡°Stay where you are.¡± The voice threatened. Cici gave Kopius a thin smile as they both suddenly looked to see if they were surrounded. The wide open path they had walked down remained as empty as it had ever been. Kopius almost leaped out of his shoes when a loud metal clang came from the small metal door. A few more clicks and clangs were heard and when the door swung open, six guards poured out. They didn¡¯t surround the two men but they had their weapons out, not at the ready but out still.

    ¡°Hold on now boys,¡± Cici said with his hands up. ¡°We can come back in the morning if that works better for you lads, hmm?¡±

    The six men, almost in unison took an aggressive step back and into fighting stances.

    ¡°Kopius,¡± Cici said slowly without looking back at him. ¡°Sheath your weapon friend.¡±

    Kopius looked down at his hand to discover that he had pulled his sword out. He looked at in surprise and then up at the waiting weapons of the guards in front of him. He cautiously raised his free hand and grimaced as if to say ¡®my bad¡¯ and then used the same caution to return his sword to its sheath. Once that was complete he raised both his hands up.

    ¡°Sorry guys, I don¡¯t even know¡­ ¡± Kopius tried to explain but just trailed off.

    ¡°I told ya it''s them,¡± one of the shorter guards said, using his long spear to point at them.

    ¡°Pull it up and look!¡± a taller guard shouted with the same voice that told the traveling pair to stay put.

    ¡°It¡¯s them,¡± the spear guy confirmed.

    ¡°Yes, it''s them,¡± a gruff but feminine voice agreed and with that the regime relaxed.

    ¡°Can I put my arms down?¡± Cici asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± the familiar voice replied. ¡°Which is who of you? From the Tessel?¡±

    The two men both breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief as the reality of the situation set in.

    ¡°Cici,¡± Cici said with a thumb to his chest. Pointing over at his companion, ¡°Kopius.¡± They both gave a nervous laugh that helped to relieve their tension.

    ¡°Captain Nock and the night guard.¡± The man said as he stepped forward and did a salute of sorts. ¡°Brint here is keen on his eyes, swore it was you and I lost five coins now that he¡¯s right.¡± He reached into a chest pocket, pulled out five coins and handed them to the waiting hands of Brint. Brint, whose ear-to-ear smile lasted only until making eye contact with the Captain, retreated to his position in line.

    ¡°Before I can let you in gentlemen,¡± Captain Nock began, ¡°you will need to answer one question.¡± He then turned to his small brigade like a band conductor. ¡°All together now: What was the source of contamination of the Tessel?¡±

 BCB Chapter 14

    PART II

    Chapter 14

    Kopius awoke from what may have been the best rest of his entire life; Earth or Metem. After they had gained entry to Cawbachu the night before, Cici had made a straight line to, what he claimed, was one of the ritzier places in town. Not a place he would normally stay¨Cor afford¨Cbut for a variety of reasons he wanted higher end accommodations and had the currency to make it happen. Accommodations like: a hot meal, clean water, laundry service and¨Cas Kopius was appreciating now¨Ca comfortable bed to sleep in.

    His back made a series of cracks and pops as he stood and stretched away the previous day''s journey. A few twists, a couple of lunges, and a neck crack helped Kopius wake up further. The room they had slept in was large enough for two cots, a chair and a covered balcony that doubled as a bathroom. Cici was still asleep in his own bed, one leg dangling out over the floor. There were no windows except for the back porch and the candle that had been snuffed out the night before remained dormant.

    Kopius made his way to the bathroom and slid the door closed. Beyond their room, roughly twenty feet away, was a large wall resembling the same color and shape as the gate walls they had come through. The forest lay on the other side making for a pleasant view from the bathroom. It was not the picturesque scenery he had experienced on Cici¡¯s toilet a while back, but it was a nice way to get the day started. He located a small dry basin on the side and another smaller sliding door above the stone sink.

    After opening the door there was, as advertised, a container of hot water. A metal pot the size of a salad bowl quietly sat in the dumbwaiter. Kopius tested the temperature before pulling out his gloves and then moving the pot to rest in the basin.

    A piece of highly polished metal sat about head height above the sink, an honest attempt at a mirror. Though he knew it was his reflection that he was seeing the thing had one too many smears on it to be useful. He removed the gloves and then rested both hands in the hot water.

    ¡°Oh man,¡± Kopius cooed, the water soothing his submerged parts and sending chills to the rest. He closed his eyes and savoried it for a moment. He rubbed his hands together and massaged the meaty parts too. Once over the euphoria of it all, he started to splash the water around until he had given himself an impromptu splash bath. By the time he was done, between the cool morning air and the steaming water, Kopius was wide awake and alert.

    ¡°Don¡¯t use it all, lad!¡± Cici groggily yell-mumbled from inside.

    ¡°There¡¯s plenty left,¡± Kopius answered, returning to the room.

    Cici stood and did his own version of morning stretches before heading to the bathroom to handle his business. Kopius took the short time to situate his belongings, account for anything left out and attach his sword sheath to his body. Once everything was ready, he sat back on his cot and waited for the big man so they could go eat breakfast.

    Food was served in the back of the inn, under a canopy, within a well manicured garden. It looked like the poster child for a Bed and Breakfast nook on Earth. There were several stone tables spaced out privately and a maze of different cobblestone paths leading to each. Flowers and plants of different sizes and spectrums were on healthy display all over as Kopius continued to admire the peaceful ambiance. Cici tasted his food before groping in his bag to add some seasoning. He offered the same to Kopius but that was declined on the merits as it was time to eat food that Cici had not prepared.

    Silently, while Cici dove into his own meal, Kopius examined the plate of food in front of him. It looked appetizing; for the most part. It smelled nice, which was motivating. He paused only because he was wondering, if perhaps, Dr. Suess had been to Metem before.

    The resemblance of green eggs and ham was uncanny enough that he gave it a thought or two before, tentatively, taking a bite. It¡¯s okay, Kopius shrugged and tried some more. It¡¯s not the most flavorful thing in the world though. He glanced over at Cici who had stopped assaulting his breakfast and was holding the two small vials of spices¡­ and a grin.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot better,¡± Kopius had to admit, nodding as he chewed. The two ate in relative silence, enjoying the small luxury of a quiet meal. Whatever steaming brew came with the food was akin to having a cup of black coffee. Though the aroma and taste were not exact, it was close enough that Kopius had two cups.

    While he was enjoying round two Cici had gotten up and was having an animated conversation with the owner of the small establishment. Nobody seemed angry but the owner guy did have a kind of distraught, concerned look about him. Cici kept up his smile and general jovialness but even a reassuring hand on the owner''s shoulder didn¡¯t help the guy''s mood. The innkeeper kept gesturing over at the closed entrance like the tax collector was out there, ready to shut him down. Every time he did, Cici would look at the doors and his smile would grow.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with him?¡± Kopius asked when Cici returned. The big man laughed a bit and shook his head.

    ¡°Apparently there¡¯s a crowd outside that¡¯s been trying to get in.¡± Cici started, making sure he got every last drop of his drink. ¡°They want to hear about the Tessel.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Kopius replied, the smallest bit of a bad day forming in his gut. ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°Fifty or so, he wagered.¡±

    Kopius was going to have to talk to people whether he liked it or not; whether he had completed the Ripple or not. Socializing, though a terrifying thought, was not terrifying. Kopius could talk, banter, barter, jar, flirt¨Cwhatever. When he had to; if he had to.

    What Cory had discovered was that it was exhausting. The constant bullshitting, small talking, and P.C. walking had, at some point, been too much of an energy drain. It was a candle-burning-at-both-ends overextension of an introvert masquerading as an extrovert. Now, given his current set of dilemmas, he needed to dip into whatever well of extrovertism he had left in him.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kopius replied slowly. ¡°So¨Cis there a way out the back or something?¡± He looked around the nook for a possible exit.

    ¡°We left out the back the last time we had company, lad.¡± Cici griped. ¡°Probably shouldn¡¯t make a habit of it. At least these ones aren¡¯t looking for trouble, eh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, fine,¡± Kopius sighed. ¡°Are we done here?¡±

    ¡°That we are. I paid but I have to say we hit a bit of bad luck, nothing outrageous, just bad timing.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to expand that.¡±

    ¡°Our grafeen, that pile worth of gold we pulled from the skinwalkers; it''s more a pile of copper at present.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Remember back when you asked if we were rich and I said ¡®maybe in Cawbachu¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not true anymore.¡±

    Kopius stared at him.

    ¡°A Sweeper team came this way not too long ago, or so I¡¯ve been told,¡± Cici continued. ¡°That might explain the shortage of beasties we saw in Escher.¡± He was paused in thought for a moment. ¡°Sweeper teams, a group of five high level combatants¨Cusually short on coin or a tickle in their assholes¨Cbrave Escher in search of grafeen deposits. If they are successful, or survive, they come back here and trade their findings in. Well, if they bring in a lot of grafeen¨Clike they have here¨Cit¡¯s not worth as much for a while.¡±

    ¡°Economics 101,¡±Kopius said absently. ¡°Supply and demand.¡±

    ¡°Fret not though, we still have plenty for what we need.¡±

    A low rumbling of crowd noise could be heard as the two men approached the front exit. Though the sound was muffled to a large degree, being the doors were latched shut, it was still noticeable. They had left the innkeeper back in the breakfast nook where Cici had assured the man that the crowd would disperse shortly. However much of the noise the doors wooden planks kept out, the roar of the crowd sounded a lot more than just fifty. With a long smile and deep breath, Cici opened the door wide to a shouting and yelling mob.

    The two stepped out onto a brick porch that led to a short set of brick stairs. Beyond the stairs, where a street might be, stood a gathered crowd of people in a variety of different moods. The morning sun had yet to cast its rays directly and the chill in the air clung to the heavy jackets and hoods of the people below. They collectively paused when the door had opened but began to yell with more vigor then they had before.

    ¡°Look! They sending out the muscles!¡± One man shouted.

    ¡°Wake those turds up! I¡¯ve got a job to get to!¡± Another yelled.

    It wasn¡¯t mayhem or even chaos for that matter, it was a hodgepodge of people all clamoring to get their reward. Most of the folks gave off working class vibes with their spock marked clothes and general unkemptness. They carried tools and sacks instead of swords and shields. Kopius was certain that many of them would clean up nicely given the chance but were all obviously off to their jobs.

    There is a power that a crowd can cast over an individual when their collective gazes all look at the same person. It¡¯s an imaginary weight that first presses down on your shoulders and is heavy in your chest. Then, the heart rate picks up as if trying to distribute the weight across your body to stabilize the emotions through breathing. The fight or flight instinct kicks in about right here and for those that can regulate their breath, they can endure; and in many cases, they thrive. For those whose bodily functions become erratic, unreliable¨Cthey get off stage, so to speak. As Cici stepped forward to address the crowd, Kopius noped back inside and shut the door.

    Kopius only chastised himself for a moment. It had been a long time since he had gotten in front of a crowd and spoke. Cory would practically jump at the chance to stand in front of people and show off how ¡®intelligent¡¯ he was. He had even gone as far as to take all the offered Speech classes in college, which made his reaction just now even stranger. He had spoken in front of parties, weddings, graduations, one time in Cancun and another addressing an entire company of more than six hundred people. Why he was encumbered now was a mystery.

    The outside noise returned to muffled sounds of a crowd and the booming retorts of Cici. For a minute or two there was a lot of rapid back and forth, an occasional ¡®eh!¡¯ or ¡®boo¡¯ sneaking its way in. Eventually the sound of Cici was heard for longer instances; the crowd noise became minimal until it sounded like sporadic laughing. A single voice would shout something, Cici would counter and the crowd laughed collectively. A few more minutes of this was followed by what could only be a chant. A steady duh-duh, duh-duh, duh-duh making its way through the door until the sound became louder and more distinct. Kopius all but shook his head when he figured out they were chanting ¡®Ci-ci, Ci-ci, Ci-ci.¡¯

    More laughter spread amongst the people and then silence. Cici spoke for a minute or two before Kopius clearly heard him shout, ¡®Ready?¡¯. In a sing-song fashion, the crowd chorused the question and Cici answered. An exponentially louder roar came from the crowd as all of them leveled up.

 BCB Chapter 15

    Chapter 15

    Cawbachu was alive and sprawling. People of all shapes and sizes squeezed out of every nook and cranny to start their day. Kopius tried his best not to gawk and lamented the absence of sunglasses to hide his prying eyes. So far, with less than five minutes on foot, he had seen a group of dwarves, an elf, a cyclops, two centaurs, a lizard face guy and an anthropomorphic feline. He hesitated to ask about the races, holding off until a more private conversation could happen. As Cici was approached¨Cseemingly¨Cevery five seconds to be asked about the Tessel, privacy was a ways off

    The main road through Cawbachu, Twelve Days March, was neatly cobbled and well maintained. The wide street had an open view of the sky with just as many trees and plants as there were people. It gave the feeling of HomeTown, USA where a single mother owning a local coffee shop can still afford a four bedroom house with a pool. The kind of place the American Dream was sold on but sorely, sorely under delivered.

    The town was built in, and had the look of, an old French village. Whitish buildings with black trim, asymmetrical windows and steep A-frame roofs resided on both sides of the street. Clean windows by the entrances were clear enough to show the contents inside the shops. The two-story store fronts lined the curb, while structures behind those rose as high as four floors. Other smaller, less maintained streets connected to Twelve Days March, leading off to different textile districts or neighborhoods. They passed by every matter of goods, services, and food establishments until turning down a side street.

    The path was shaded as it led between two buildings with a connecting overhang. The fresh air of the open road was quickly replaced with personal sewage and discarded items. It wasn¡¯t over bearing or even nauseating, just noticeable like a zit not ready to pop. Before any complaining could be done, Cici motioned to a large hut of a building and headed that direction. The big man stopped a few paces from the entrance and turned to Kopius.

    ¡°Lydian, my weaver friend inside, she can be, um¨Cwhat¡¯s the best word here¡­ domineering.¡± Cici warned. ¡°She can be a prickly one, just so you know. It¡¯s not you¨Cthis time. It¡¯s her¡­ it¡¯s most certainly her.¡±

    ¡°I can always keep my mouth shut, you know, be the paid mule that I am?¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Cici declined. ¡°You may want to come back and do some dealings here. Just be yourself, she¡¯ll be keen about you in due time.¡±

    ¡°Is she like the only weaver in town?¡±

    ¡°She is the best in town,¡± Cici stated with ironclad certainty. ¡°Her quality is only out-paced by her hubris.¡±

    ¡°Sounds lovely,¡± Kopius said dryly.

    ¡°She is just that! Shall we?¡±

    Cici led the way into the establishment, moving through the door opening that was covered in heavy cloth shades. They swam their way through several cloth barriers before stepping foot into an open space that looked like a cross between a sewing shop and a cobbler''s workspace.

    To one side there were machines like one that resembled a sewing machine with a myriad of linen laying all about. String rolls of different sizes and colors decorated the wall behind that station. A second large device appeared to cut things given its bladed lever design, like the old green paper cutters in elementary school. The third contraption had some kind of loom or knitting function and finally a fourth machine was designed like a giant press for getting wrinkles out.

    On the other side of the shop were piles of thick leather sheets waiting to be put to use. The stations on this side had more tables than machines; more tools too. Some leather was getting stretched while another was in a half finished state of being transformed into a boot. Molds of all kinds lined the back wall.

    There were head molds of different shapes, foot molds wide and thin, hand molds ranging three digits to six. Kopius¡¯s gaze lingered on the six fingered mold and a smile was brought to his lips as he was reminded of the timeless classic The Princess Bride. It only lasted until the movie reminded him of Quinn, so the smile dispersed.

    While Kopius took in the whole scene, Cici stepped up to a short desk and started hammering an object that did not sound like a bell but functioned like one. It looked like a rock from where Kopius was standing but it made an odd brass wind instrument sound as if blowing through a large conch shell. Between the awkward honking and general banging, a melody formed as Cici orchestrated a short song before the door at the back of the shop swung open.

    ¡°Cici Beo!¡± A sharply accented, gruff voice proclaimed from beyond the open door. An older woman of medium height confidently stepped out of the shadows and into the shop. Her salt and pepper streaked hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail and she wore a form fitting leather apron similar to Oh-jin''s but with no pockets. Her buttoned shirt was folded to the elbows and tucked into a utility belt around the waist that hosted various tools like a hammer, chisel and overly large sewing needles. Lydian¡¯s pants were as tight as Cici¡¯s where it all came to an end at her feet that were protected by comfortable shin-high boots.

    There was a gravity about her as she entered the room, Kopius would have noticed her arrival even if his eyes had been closed. She walked as though things would get out of her way instead of needing to go around them. Her curved face looked worn but refined as her black, almond shaped eyes adorned crevices and wrinkles. The only feature that seemed off were her shoulders that looked as if she were wearing football pads beneath her clothes. Her gaze was locked on Cici as she strode right up to him and gave him a big hug.

    ¡°What-the-fuck,¡± Kopius involuntarily spat out as not two, but six arms, squeezed the big man and lifted him slightly off his feet. Cici chuckled and they both turned to face him. Kopius wasn¡¯t sure if he was surprised by the multiple appendages or that she picked up a guy almost twice her size.

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    ¡°Who your friend?¡± Lydian inquired, her voice sounding like the mean Filipino dry cleaner lady down the street from Cory¡¯s apartment. She looked over Kopius like a piece of meat.

    ¡°Lydian, my sweet,¡± Cici replied, ¡°this is Kopius. I don¡¯t recall your last name, lad.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really have one,¡± Kopuis answered cautiously, starting to wonder if these two were going to sacrifice him to one god or another.

    ¡°Kopius fine,¡± Lydian asserted.

    Whether that meant no last name was needed or that Kopius was attractive, neither men knew. She let go of Cici¡¯s hand, stepped forward¨Calmost toe-to-toe with Kopius¨Cand put one hand to her lips so that she could examine him more closely. He flinched when two of her arms moved to grab him.

    ¡°Trust issue; I like,¡± Lydian smirked in response.

    She grabbed Kopius with two strong hands at his shoulders and started to lightly jostle him. Her iron grip moved up and down his arms and then started to awkwardly pat him down as though it was a police checkpoint. The inspection got particularly handsy when all six of her appendages got involved, to the point that he thought he would have to stop any cavity type searches. She avoided his manhood but was sure to give him a look that translated she would only be polite for so long.

    When Kopius looked to Cici for help all he got was a wave of his hand that essentially said: just go with it. Thankfully she stopped before any orifices were tainted; so to speak.

    ¡°Pretty and soft,¡± Lydian giggled and smacked Kopius on his ass. He couldn¡¯t help but give her the best ¡®how dare you¡¯ stare he could muster. ¡°Moody too?¡± Her smile grew exponentially as if it were the cherry on top. ¡°Remind me of princess.¡±

    This got an immediate laugh from Cici until he caught a look from his friend.

    ¡°Level three to be precise,¡± Cici couldn¡¯t help but to add. ¡°That¡¯s a story for another time though, love. We come bearing goods.¡±

    Two of her hands were still holding onto the jumble of leather straps that made up Kopius¡¯s sword sheath. She ignored Cici, focusing on the mess around Kopius'' waist. ¡°You wear this wrong,¡± Lydian stated while she continued to probe at the multiple knots and tangles.

    ¡°Uh,¡± Kopius replied slowly, ¡°do you know how it goes on?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she answered sharply. ¡°Not like this!¡±

    Does anybody know how this fuckin¡¯ thing works? Kopius internalized.

    ¡°Give to me.¡± Lydian ordered with one of her hands out.

    ¡°The goods?¡± Kopius guessed, unsure what she was referencing.

    ¡°No,¡± Lydian clipped and then pointed to his sword sheath. She used her other fingers to snap in quick succession indicating that he was not moving fast enough. With no objections or defenses coming from Cici, Kopius gave in and started the process of untying his sheath. He removed the swords, placing them on the desk and untied the thing. Once unraveled he gave Lydian the jumble.

    She took the sheath and stepped back to the leather station side of the shop. Placing it on the workbench and donning a thick, magnifying type monocle on her right eye, her inspection began. She examined the pile of leather as if it were a Rubix cube competition; lifting and twisting parts here and there to get the full picture. It was like she was performing an autopsy using tools to move leather around, stop to examine a knot, and then move on.

    ¡°How you pay?¡± Lydian demanded at the end of her inspection.

    ¡°What?¡± was all Kopius could answer.

    ¡°Pay! He born last week?¡± Lyian scolded Cici but continued before he could reply.

    ¡°I do; you pay,¡± she made the¨Capparently universal¨Cmoney gesture of the thumb rubbing the tip of the middle and pointer fingers; except with all six hands. ¡°I do, you no pay,¡± was followed by acting like she was grabbing a cherry and aggressively plucking it off a tree; except she didn¡¯t mean a cherry. With all six hands performing the same neutering gesture, Kopius felt his crew shrink back like they had just been dunked in ice cold water.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to do anything,¡± Kopius shot back defensively.

    ¡°We have grafeen and three large totes of goods.¡± Cici interjected, finally joining the conversation.

    Kopius took the cue to move the conversation on and withdrew the three large bags of miscellaneous items. For good measure, he also removed the small pouch of grafeen from his pocket and emptied it on her desk. She glanced over the loot and cracked a smile, her face lighting up enough for Kopius to put his foot in his mouth.

    ¡°You have a pretty smile,¡± he said for some reason.

    ¡°Should I smile more?¡± Lydian scoffed back without hesitation. ¡°Am I prettier when I smile?¡± She said, cocking her head sideways with an exaggerated grin. Oh shit, Kopius gulped. She¡¯s going to kill me.

    ¡°I, I, didn¡¯t mean any of that,¡± Kopius stammered. ¡°I was just trying to be nice.¡±

    ¡°Nice get you go nowhere! Speak truth; only have to tell one story!¡±

    ¡°You want truth?¡± Kopius started to yell back defensively but stopped as he thought about her words.

    He wasn¡¯t expecting to be hit in the face with life lessons from the six armed lady in a hut but here he was. Had he entered the hut, like any other space in his life, assuming he was the smartest person in the room? Probably. Had he told himself to knock that shit off? Countless times, but it¡¯s a lot easier to preach than practice; that was part of his problem.

    ¡°You want the truth?¡± Kopius repeated in a calmer, more collected manner. ¡°You are pretty when you smile but do it whenever the hell you want, lady. I¡¯m not your boss.¡±

    ¡°He like that all time?¡± Lydian asked Cici with a hint of concern.

    ¡°Mornings mostly,¡± Cici confirmed. ¡°Usually wears off by midday.¡±

    ¡°What am I even paying for?¡± Kopius asked loudly, trying to cut through the nonsense.

    ¡°This!¡± Lydian declared.

    She picked up the pile of sheath in all six hands, rotated it to the right and then got to work. It was all a blur, her hands moved quickly in, out and around the entire jumble. Pulling one strap here, while holding another there and loosening two other pieces all the while. The sheath flipped and spun, twirled and folded like a spider designing an intricate web. Within a few moments she was done and held the sheath with her top two hands and let it unravel towards the ground. What she displayed looked more like a flight suit body harness instead of a sword sheath.

    A light bulb went off in his mind and he resisted the urge to chastise himself for not doing it sooner. Stepping up, he reached out to touch the unwound harness and used his identification ring for the first time out in the wild.

 BCB Chapter 16

    Chapter 16

    ¡°It¡¯s Epic,¡± Kopius managed to say with his jaw hanging half open. ¡°This is¡­ awesome.¡±

    He marveled at the item. An item that he had lugged around, wore uncomfortably and almost threw away several times. It would mold to his body, as would any sword placed in the scabbard, all while sharpening the housed weapon. It was like a sleek sci-fi military special ops harness that melded to an individual, all while hosting an armory¡¯s worth of weaponry. For this one specifically, Kopius could house up to five weapons in the contraption, as well as adjust the angle and placement of each weapon.

    He looked like a flamenco dancer as he pretended where to place and which way to unsheath his weapons. He only had the two swords at the moment so the dancing was brief.

    At first he went with the swords crossed on his back but as he mimicked the motion it was clearly unrealistic. It just took too long. It looked bad-ass but in an actual fight he would get skewered before his weapons were fully drawn. After a few more cha, cha, cha¡¯s and step-one-two-threes, Kopius opted for his short sword on his left hip and his longer sword diagonal across his back with the hilt visible above the right shoulder.

    Frustration set in when, given his current set of clothes, he resembled a body suit made of thin, plastic grocery bags all strapped down to a tall mannequin. The loose and ragged clothing pushed out in some spots while others were held tight. Once he decided that he looked more like a marshmallow being squeezed through leather netting, he took the harness off and pouted internally.

    ¡°You¡¯ll want some tighter fitting gear, lad,¡± Cici commented. ¡°There¡¯s a place we can attend to find you the right fit. In the time before that, let¡¯s empty these bags, eh?¡±

    Kopius took a last moment to be annoyed before the two started to empty the sacks like pirates home from a successful plunder. Out poured the various clothes of both size and occasion, as well as the flags, tablecloths and towels they had packed in before they first started out. They separated like items until Kopius came across the dark black-purple banner he had eye-balled back at Cici¡¯s cave.

    Depending on the angle of light, deep blue and green streaks ran across the black-purplish fabric. It was soft, animal-fur like on one side; the other, a muted gleam that briefly reminded Kopius of the Gortex material found in a lot of rain jackets. It was large enough to cover a twin size bed but weight practically nothing. There were no markings or seams, as if the piece had grown into the rectangular shape.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to hold onto this,¡± Kopius announced as he enjoyed how the material felt against his hands. Before he could return it to his ring, Lydian snatched it from his lazy grip.

    ¡°Hey! What the fuck?!¡±

    ¡°What the fuck, you!¡± Lydian countered with a surprisingly appropriate use of the F word. She continued to examine the fabric, stretching and poking it before handing it back. ¡°What you want for it?¡±

    ¡°I want to keep it,¡± Kopius answered, quickly returning the item to his ring.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to buy it, lad,¡± Cici intervened. ¡°She wants to know what you plan to use it for.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kopius shrugged, having given it little to no thought. ¡°A blanket or something.¡±

    ¡°I make cape with hood,¡± Lydian decided for everyone. ¡°Lace with grafeen to hold charge.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Kopius protested with a quick laugh. ¡°I¡¯m fine without a cape, but thanks.¡±

    ¡°NO?¡± Lydians locked in on Kopius.

    ¡°No,¡± Kopius replied tentatively. He looked to Cici for guidance and got a different hand gesture than last time. These movements seemed to indicate danger ahead.

    ¡°NO!¡± She responded with a shrill.

    ¡°NO!¡± Kopius shouted, trying his best to hold his ground.

    ¡°Leave fabric! Come back morning!¡±

    ¡°Sorry lady. It¡¯s already in my inventory,¡± Kopius apologized with raised hands, like there was nothing he could do about it.

    Her face changed from a crinkled scowl to a knowing grin and Kopius didn¡¯t know which was worse. Not that she was bad to look at, he just had no clue what he had stepped into. It felt like the sticky trap from Cici¡¯s garden but without the stick.

    She retreated back to her leather station all the while smirking at Kopius. Leaning against the bench she stared at him in a way that was both ¡®come hither¡¯ and ¡®I¡¯lL FiNd yOu¡¯ wrapped up into one. She motioned with all of her hands for him to do something and¨Cbeing the petulant adult that he is¨CKopius essentially signaled ¡®you first¡¯ in response.

    Lydian nodded her head and flicked one of her five wrists. One moment she held nothing and the next she displayed a banner with a precise resemblance to the one he had just put back in his inventory. It took a moment to register¨Chis Intelligence was below normal after all¨Cbut when it did, his face flushed with red hot embarrassment.

    He pulled the banner from his own ring only to find a darkened excuse for an oversized beach towel. At just a basic inspection the rag looked and felt like a used towel, found under the bed of a teenager¨Cnext to a nudie tablet. Kopius dry-heaved and dropped the item. He Sparta¡¯ed the soiled garment out of disgust leaving only the smell of burning toilet paper in the air.

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    ¡°Leave fabric,¡± Lydian said sweetly, caressing the banner on her bench. ¡°Come back morning.¡± She reached over and swept all of the grafeen bits into an open draw and then shut it. Before Kopius could protest the blatant, broad daylight robbery, Cici thanked her profusely and corralled his friend out into the streets.

    ¡°What the hell was that, man?¡± Kopius nagged as the two made their way back to Twelve Days March.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, she did seem a bit off.¡± Cici acknowledged.

    ¡°Off how? Like normally she wouldn¡¯t rob me?¡±

    ¡°Lydian will rob you one way or another,¡± Cici said with a hearty laugh. ¡°She took kindly to you, lad. Sized you out and everything.¡±

    ¡°That was liking me?!¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah! She enjoys the strong, moody type. Especially when they''re soft and pretty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it. I¡¯ve been called worse,¡± Kopius admitted.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have. And don¡¯t worry over the grafeen, she¡¯ll put it to use.¡±

    ¡°How am I going to buy anything else with no money? I can¡¯t dump the rest of it out of the ring, it¡¯ll go all over the place.¡±

    ¡°I have plenty, lad. Let¡¯s get some food down the way and then we¡¯ll get you fitted properly. The Princess of Shadow Valley needs to maintain her reputation after all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s level three princess, asshole.¡±

    The two enjoyed a good laugh and any residual animosity flushed out of Kopius¡¯s system. They turned down the now bustling Twelve Days March in the direction they had come from, falling into the proper lane of foot traffic.

    Mineo Allon, a shop Cici spent the entirety of the meal talking about, was located off a different side street in a more affluent area. The store front sat in a cul-de-sac that was outlined with multiple tailor type shops. The streets deadend hosted a farmers market of sorts with all kinds of different foods to purchase or sample. The shop itself was neither large or small and had a modest, cursive etched sign bearing its namesake.

    Inside the establishment were piles upon piles of garments. Whether they were separated with a purpose¨Csuch as color or material¨Cor not was difficult to discern. The air was stagnant and they both caught whiffs of something close to mothballs mixed with the lingering odor of the sweat left on all the previously worn clothing. It was less intrusive and more a dense, petty, stale musk; like a rotting oak tree. A muted conversation could be heard somewhere beyond the moguls of material.

    ¡°Savil!¡± Cici¡¯s voice boomed ¡°Where are you at lad?¡±

    There was a pause in the muted conversation but it picked up again. The voices grew louder as they heard a few sets of footsteps make their way across the dark wooden floor and into view.

    A man of medium height in a well pressed suit escorted an attractive younger lady through the piles of garments.

    ¡°Lord Beo,¡± the man beamed and bowed slightly. ¡°Your presence is always a boon on my day, sir. A boon indeed.¡± His voice had an arabic rhythm to it. Not a heavy middle eastern accent; but noticeable enough to give it a dash of character. The well dressed, well manicured man curtsied to the young miss, kissed the top of her offered hand and escorted her out the door.

    ¡°Lord Beo?¡± Kopius inquired with a smirk.

    ¡°Ah, he says that to everybody. He¡¯s a charmer.¡±

    Savil returned a moment later and walked the two men to the back of the building. Once past a final mound, a proper shop presented itself fully equipped with chalks, tape measures, thimbles, tracing wheels, drafting squares and a multitude of cutting shears in different shapes and sizes. Along the walls were countless sheets of colorful material and spools of thread. In the center, surrounded on three sides by legitimate, full body mirrors was a standing space for fitting customers.

    The tailor himself, now standing in better light, had a staunch professionalism about him. He didn¡¯t come across as arrogant but definitely exuded a particular kind of confidence. Probably the kind of confidence that comes with knowing your purpose in life and then doing it, Kopius lamented.

    Savil, with nary a wrinkle or arrant hair in sight, stood at his workstation, his long slender hands steepled. He had a clean shaven face with his thick black eyebrows and a flawless head of hair that looked like millions of tiny, tightly compacted corkscrews. His eyes were accommodating like a person ready to serve.

    ¡°How might I serve you this day, Lord Beo.¡± Savil inquired.

    ¡°Ah, Savvy,¡± Cici said with a wave of his hand and the noticeable cringe from Savil at the nickname. ¡°How many times do I have to say the Lord isn¡¯t necessary?¡±

    ¡°Once more, as always,¡± the tailor answered respectfully.

    ¡°I¡¯m just joking, Savvy. Call me whatever you like lad! This here is my friend Kopius. Kopius; Savil Roe.¡± The two stepped forward and greeted each other with a hand shake; Savil¡¯s long fingers curling around Kopius hand.

    ¡°Any friend of Lord Beo is honored here, sir. Welcome to Mineo Allon, Lord Kopius.¡± Savil presented the shop to Kopius as though he was revealing a magnificent prize hidden behind door number 2. The tailor over emphasized the ¡®o¡¯ sound when speaking, making everything even more fancy. There was a split-second of awkwardness that occurred after Kopius was called ¡®Lord¡¯. It was unnecessary and felt sticky-gross on a karmic level. He wasn¡¯t one to pass on an ego boost here and there, but for whatever reason, ¡®lord¡¯ was a title too far.

    ¡°Can I pay you to drop the ¡®lord¡¯?¡± Kopius offered in all seriousness.

    ¡°Well, sir, that would put me at odds with my upbringing.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, okay,¡± Kopius replied. ¡°Can we use something else? Something less¡­ snooty.¡± Savil smirked at the comment. Probably the closest I¡¯ll get to a laugh, Kopius guesstimated.

    ¡°I am not limited to the word, sir.¡± Savil advised. ¡°If you have a more suitable or official title, I would abide to it.¡±

    ¡°How about pr¨C¡± Cici began to say.

    ¡°Shut it!¡± Kopius barked with a sharp look. Cici just laughed. ¡°Just¨Cno. Anything but nobility, how about that?¡±

    ¡°Would ¡®honorable¡¯ suffice?¡± Savil offered.

    ¡°Ha, no. That¡¯s¨Cnah-ah.¡± Kopius chuckled. ¡°Master Jedi would be cool. There might be some copyright issues if this ever becomes a book or a movie or whatever¡­ ¡± He trailed off.

    ¡°Count Kopius?¡± Savil was trying his best to accommodate but there was struggle in his voice.

    ¡°Alliteration aside, that does have a nice ring to it¨Cbut it sounds like a knock-off brand of vampiric cereal.¡± Kopius took a second to formulate a thought before continuing. ¡°Tell you what Savvy, this is an official title where I come from. I didn¡¯t want to use it because it has a special meaning but I see I have no other choice.¡±

 BCB Chapter 17

    Chapter 17

    ¡°Well, what does it mean lad?¡± Cici insisted as they made their way back to the inn.

    After Kopius had been measured and grilled as if Edna Moe were making him a super suit, the two left with the same instructions Lydian had given them: come back tomorrow. The sun was setting, revealing the two and a half moons starting their run across the expanding night sky. Less people roamed the streets as many made their way home after a long day of laboring.

    ¡°It basically means ¡®my friend ''.¡± Kopius finally replied. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, honestly. We say it but it''s not as special as I made it out to be. It sounds better, right?¡±

    ¡°Anything''s better than Lord, uhck¡± Cici complained. ¡°So¡­ pretentious.¡±

    ¡°What''s the game plan here?¡± Kopius asked, changing subjects. ¡°What¡¯s after the inn?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Cici responded, a bit surprised. ¡°We just spent more than a few days in the wild, Kopius. Three good nights of rest are better than two anyhow.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve only been here one night though.¡±

    ¡°And we will have another in the northern part of town.¡±

    ¡°So, just back to eat and sleep?¡±

    ¡°Nah.¡± Cici responded. ¡°First we bathe, then dinner, then drinks. Sleep will come on its own, my boy!¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too bad.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s that flicker of hope I love to see! Come on, we have to beat the crowd.¡±

    ¡°What crowd?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry none. The place we are staying doesn''t let the likes of Brizzl in.¡± Cici assured. ¡°Higher class folk there. We can catch up on any gossip!¡± He finished with a wink and contagious smile.

    Bathing consisted of two large wooden caldrons, steaming hot water, and a bath balm reminiscent of freshly sawed wood. Kopius floated in his small capsule like a child experiencing their first hot tub. It was soothing to the point that Cici, with only a towel about his waist, had to drag his friend out of the water in order to move onto the drying room.

    This room had individual booths, allowing more modest travelers a portion of privacy as they air dry. The booths were set up as though money was about to be dropped in for a whirlwind cash grab. Once inside and the back door closed, a hot, consistent flow of air rushed up from the floor and then back down from the top. This cycled a few times before the occupant left through a front door, to a fitting room with their laundered clothes.

    ¡°Meestear KoPEEoose,¡± a heavily accented, feminine voice greeted Kopius as he entered his changing area. He paused at the entrance to see a short, fur-covered, cat-faced lady. He had yet to get the names of all the different people¡¯s races he had seen and he tried to not stare awkwardly.

    She wore light colored pants and a dark blue shirt tucked at the waist. Several facial piercings glimmered when hit by the light while her nervous eyes looked anywhere but Kopius.

    He guessed she was a she, because¨Cwell her voice¨Cand she had breasts. Not exposed breast, or overly large this-is-about-to-turn-into-a-harem set of breasts either. She was semi-attractive, in a developed furry fetish type way and proportional to her height. Not that any of this mattered, he was still coming to terms with video game/fantasy type characters coming to life.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Kopius finally asked, having stared too long.

    ¡°Yoore bigloggins wiz dystoyed, pliz talk thiz as rekumpenz,¡± the cat lady garbled. She held up a set of folded clothes in her hands that had the same look and color scheme of the attire the lady had on herself.

    ¡°What?¡± Kopius said with a scrunchy face.

    ¡°Yoore biglog¨C¡± she cut short as Kopius waived his hands to make it all stop.

    ¡°You understand Common, yeah?¡¯

    The lady nodded.

    ¡°But you speak something else better? Probably?¡±

    She nodded again.

    ¡°Cool. Go ahead and speak your language,¡± Kopius assured the attendant. ¡°I¡¯ll use Common.¡±

    ¡°Forgive my speech, sir,¡± the lady replied, her eyes fixated on the ground.

    ¡°Nothing to worry about, I promise,¡± Kopius tried his best to sound genuine. He himself, as Cory on Earth, had several years of service industry experience. It always infuriated Cory, how people could treat others with such little regard for having a job like that. Like, did you feel like a big man by yelling at the twenty year old barista because you¡¯re the one running late? If the job is so easy, why don¡¯t you make your coffee at home then, asshole? You¡¯re paying for quality and convenience, not a dictatorship. Cory had done some slimy things in his life but he would be damned if he¡¯d stoop to the level of berating a service line worker.

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    A job, is a job, is a job, Papa would dictate after all.

    ¡°Your belongings were destroyed, sir,¡± she answered, finally meeting his eyes.

    ¡°How¡¯d that happen?¡±

    ¡°I was told they came apart during the drying, sir.¡± Her mouth moved like she was constantly stretching her jaw or had a perpetually exaggerated yawn. The general shyness the girl had entered with looked to have faded away and she stood a little straighter now that she was speaking her own tongue. ¡°I have brought you these as recompense.¡±

    Again, she lifted the bundle of clothes and Kopius took the offering. The cat lady did a courtesy and Kopius watched her as she left the changing area with no further comment. He held the items at arms length for examination.

    The pants were beige and felt like they were made of a ship''s sail. The dark blue shirt was slightly more comfortable, material wise, but it sat on him like a large garbage bag. Once he had gotten fully clothed, he looked at himself in the mirror.

    ¡°I look like I''m a flight attendant for a shitty airline.¡±

    Dinner for two was seated in the same outside nook they had eaten breakfast in. The other stone tables were all occupied with guests or customers but the owner had made a point to save one table for Kopius and Cici. Candlelight illuminated the space as night had almost taken over while they were bathing. A comfortable fire was blazing in the far corner of the eating area while an older gentleman strummed a guitar-type instrument next to it.

    The meal was excellent. So much so that Cici hadn¡¯t even seasoned his food. Conversation was at a minimum and the guests were spread out so that someone would really have to strain in order to eavesdrop.

    Kopius started his second ale as a team of waiters came in and began clearing out finished and unused crockery. Their table was cleaned, leaving only their two mugs. A few of the staff gave Kopius a double-take noticing his attire but none of them said anything.

    For the guests who had eaten and then left, their stone tables were broken down and removed. A few other groups of people were escorted to tables in the back, closer to Cici and Kopius and then their respective tables were relieved as well. Roughly ten stone settings were excavated in all creating a large, open space.

    Two heavy service doors that led to the kitchen swung open as a tiki-hut bar on wheels rolled outside. Being pushed by two large men, the wooden wheels creaked as they rested the elaborate lemonade stand so that it was centered against the wall, the fireplace and the open space.

    Two different individuals took their place behind the bar and started the process of opening for business. In another corner, doors that would normally be an exit opened to a small crowd of people waiting on the other side.

    ¡°Is that for us?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Maybe a few,¡± Cici acknowledged. ¡°Most of them are here to have a few drinks for one reason or another.¡± As if on cue, a small group of people were gesturing in their direction. Cici smiled and gave them a wave. ¡°Like those folks there.¡±

    The new arrivals were kept outside for a few more minutes as the staff finished altering the setting from a quaint atmosphere to that of an upscale tavern. The man playing the instrument sat by the fire and began to turn up the volumes of his songs. Kopius took turns between people-watching the staff get ready and the folks in line.

    The employees were purposeful and efficient having performed this task on a nightly basis. Some of the crowd were growing rambunctious and nosey, craning their necks to peek inside but there was really nothing to see. If the place were to add some colorful lasers and a strobe light it would all but transport Kopius back to his mid-twenties when he was in peak alpha-male-ism mode. Ahhh, the good old days, he thought sarcastically.

    Shaking off the cringe from his younger days he watched as the crowd was allowed to pour in. Most made their way to the bar area while a few secured the last of the open seating. It wasn¡¯t the variety of races he had seen walking the streets all day. Here the split had a heavy leaning of humans with a small portion of races mixed in.

    These people were in clothes that were a little cleaner, less marked up and more form fitting. They were manicured in the sense that their hair had been combed recently but not done up. The night sky had fully embraced the dark making it harder to see the minute details.

    ¡°Sir Cici?¡± A younger man asked respectfully. He was one of the five they had seen at the door before the bar had opened.

    ¡°Aye.¡± Cici answered with a tip of his mug. The group all smiled nervously, patting one of the smaller ones on the back collectively.

    ¡°May we inquire as to the Tessel¡¯s pollution?¡± The young man requested.

    ¡°Are all you lads here for the same?¡± Cici lifted himself off his chair a bit to get a good look at each of the nodding heads. ¡°How bout all together, eh?¡± The boys all looked at each other until an unspoken agreement was made, to which more nodding ensued.

    ¡°You want to take these boys?¡± Cici leaned over to ask Kopius.

    ¡°Nah,¡± Kopius laughed, with a waive of his hand. ¡°You¡¯re doing great.¡± At this pace we can be done with the Ripple in no time, Kopius thought to himself. He leaned back and let Cici continue to chip away at the two-thousand-plus people they had to hand the answer out to.

    ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s have it boys.¡±

    An incoherent stream of words spilled out of the five boys as none of them asked the question in the same way. Bits and pieces of each could be heard, but collectively it was akin to listening to multiple live streams at the same time. Instead of trying to quell the chaotic synergy, Cici smiled and waited for them all to finish.

    ¡°It was an Orb of Contamination!¡± Cici declared with some flare.

    The boys cheered and darted off after thanking the big man. Cici made little finger jabs at the air like he was popping bubbles, which was odd but Kopius was not in the mood to care. Things had gone well the last two days. His belly was full; his mood was light. Between the hot steam bath, the full body hair dryer and the hearty meal; Kopius was close to entering a dream state.

    ¡°To a good night!¡± Cici boomed, holding his wooden mug of ale high.

    ¡°A good night,¡± Kopius toasted.

 BCB Chapter 18

    Chapter 18

    It was not a ¡®good night.¡¯

    Things were cheerful in the beginning, but once the crowd settled in, the only topic on everyone¡¯s mind was the two sightings of Val-jin envoys. One was reportedly seen entering and leaving both the Kingdom of Corundu and Stoneclaw. It was easy to tell who had already heard the news and who hadn¡¯t; random gasps erupting throughout the crowd. The smiling and general jovialness that the people had entered with had turned a bit sour and sullen. If Kopius needed a second opinion as to the nature and overall attitude towards the Val-jin he need look no further than the collection of concerned faces throughout the whole tavern.

    The only thing that anyone knew was that two small groups of Val-jin delegates met with the leaders of the two largest kingdoms this side of the Torrent. That didn¡¯t stop speculation from running amuck:

    ¡°I heard they arrived by night and left before the sunrise.¡± One lady was talking to a group.

    ¡°They drink the blood of their young, you know!¡± Another man addressed his drinking buddies.

    ¡°Mind controllers they are,¡± an elderly man warned his table.

    ¡°Friends with the shadows and deep dark,¡± someone remarked from the nervous crowd.

    The wild hearsay spoken with rock solid confidence was enough to drive Kopius up a wall. The array of opinions made these guys out to be the Boogeyman, Candyman, the Purple People Eater and all other childhood monsters rolled up into one.

    Kopius had pictured them to be vampire looking types with deformed ram horns; minus the blood sucking and their general aversion to the sun. At least, that¡¯s how Oh-jin had made them sound. Listening to the people speak now made them out to be ten-foot tall, six-eyed, baby eating, hairless, albino lizard people.

    Every new and different description or hypothesis pressed its weight on Kopius¡¯s stomach until he felt sick. Each person that came to inquire about the Tessel continued to ask Cici. Given his queasiness he didn¡¯t care as long as it was getting done.

    Eventually he realized he probably had his new clothes to thank for being ignored. Besides the few individuals asking him when the place closed or where the bathrooms were located, he was left alone.

    Maybe they think I¡¯m his private attendant, Kopius wondered as he watched the big guy soak up the attention. It wasn¡¯t until Cici wandered over to the musician did people start to leave their empty mugs, goblets and napkin rags with Kopius on the table.

    Cici and the other musical guy did their best to lighten the mood, send people home with a smile. It worked for the most part. When they were done entertaining, the crowd thinned out and the two men had retired to their room.

    Now, Kopius lay in his cot staring at the ceiling. Had he slept; he thinks so. It felt more like a blink. The type where he would close his eyes and feel like he had immediately opened them to find the morning waiting for him. He had also gone into the blink-sleep dooming over the Val-jin and came out of the blink glooming about them. Are they looking for me? Had a nice, consistent drumbeat in his head all night long.

    ¡°You think they¡¯re looking for me?¡± Kopius asked when Cici exited the balcony/bathroom.

    ¡°The two young missus from last night?¡± Cici inquired as he rummaged through his belongings.

    ¡°What?!¡± Kopius sat up in a hurry. ¡°What two¡­ oh. No. They were letting me know their drinks had been made wrong. I meant the Val-jin.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that. I have no clue. Maybe both our days are numbered, eh?¡± Cici answered with a laugh.

    ¡°Maybe they are,¡± Kopius mumbled. He exited his cot and started the process of waking up.

    They separated the remaining mound of grafeen in their room but Kopius still held onto Cici¡¯s bag. Breakfast was tastier than the previous morning and the big man was kind enough to supply Kopius with some Night Owl to help counter the blink-sleep haze. Once they had paid and left the streets were eerily quiet. Shops were open, people were out but it was nowhere near the hustle and bustle from yesterday. After a few questions Kopius guessed it was Metems''¨Cor maybe just Cawbachu¡¯s¨C version of a weekend.

    ¡°Oh, look,¡± Cici almost shouted as they were making their way back to Mineo Allon. A medium procession of people were being led down Twelve Days March by a troupe playing a lovely melody. The crowd was throwing flower petals at a couple in the center as they walked. ¡°A wedding!¡±

    The big man escorted Kopius out of the way and then yanked, basically a guitar from his groin and marched out to meet the troupe.

    I knew it was a storage bag! Kopius silently patted himself on the back.

    Cici picked up the tune right away and started to fall in line with their cadence. He sang along and cozied up to some guests trying to get everyone involved. At one point he even improvised a lengthy melodic rift to the joyful surprise of one bandmate and a chagrin from another.

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    Cory hadn¡¯t been a big fan of the whole love thing; not that he had given it a fair shot. Showing too much emotion in general had long been a no-no. He¡¯d never admit it but he was jealous and scared¡­ mostly scared. Standing at the back of emotional events, shedding a tear for unknown reasons and hiding it in fear that people would think he was soft or weak. Real healthy stuff; real toxic masculinity at work. Cory had let too many other people define for him what a man was and wasn¡¯t. Kopius didn''t want any of that noise. He had done the whole bottle-it-up thing and that turned out poorly.

    He stood now and watched as his friend created joy. Kopius took in the song, clapped along and smiled until they had passed by; a brief moment of peace. As he waited for Cici to make his way back Kopius thought of the various weddings and engagements he had been to on Earth. They all kind of merged together in his mind, like a giant party where everyone was married at the same place and time. Playing that same fucking song, Kopius paused. ¡°What was the name of that song?¡±

    Duh-duh duh duh¨Cduh duh duh¡­ Dammit.

    ¡°I could sing it to him,¡± Kopius reasoned with himself.

    ¡°Sing what now?¡± Cici said, catching his friend by surprise.

    ¡°Goddamnit! You can¡¯t sneak up on me like that,¡± Kopius scolded. ¡°Especially when I¡¯m talking to myself!¡± He added.

    ¡°You¡¯re always talking to yourself. Mumbling about one thing or another.¡±

    ¡°Just¨Cmake some noise or something.¡±

    ¡°Only if I have to,¡± the big guy said with a wink. ¡°You were saying something about a song?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. All that reminded me of one. A wedding song¨Cor is it called the wedding song?¡± Kopius searched in the air as if the name might materialize. ¡°I can¡¯t remember right now cause I swear some called it something else; like a weapon. I¡¯ll let you know when I know.¡±

    ¡°The name or the tune lad?¡± Cici inquired as he slowly removed his guitar again. ¡°I can¡¯t do much with a title. Be a shame to have a title but no melody.¡±

    ¡°The best I can do is hum it.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s have it.¡±

    ¡°Here? Now?¡± Kopius looked around as if he was suddenly being watched and scrutinized.

    ¡°On the way to Savil, lad. Busy day ahead. Pickup your new clothes, that cloak from Lydian and to the northern gates by sunfall.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Alright, it starts like this¡­ ¡°

    By the time they had reached the doors of Mineo Allon, Cici was getting dangerously close to the beginning of that wedding song. Kopius was nowhere near remembering its actual name but he was sure it would come, eventually.

    ¡°Savil,¡± Cici shouted over the mounds of clothes and was rewarded with the sound of shoes clicking against the wooden floor. The well-dressed, well manicured man strode into their path.

    ¡°My Dude Kopius. My Dude Cici,¡± Savil greeted with his subtle accent, bowing to both men. Kopius couldn¡¯t hold back his wide smile as Savil delivered the title to each of them. He felt ¡®dude¡¯ might have been a bit immature but it was the best he could come up with in the short time he had. All-in-all, it was a win.

    Kopius was led back to the mirrored platform in the center of Savil¡¯s shop. The tailor wasted no time getting Kopius undressed, fitted, adjusted and tailored with three sets of pants, shirts and what looked like brown tighty-whitey¡¯s. The pants felt like a mixture of wetsuit material and blue jeans. They were snug but flexible with several scattered pockets. For his upper body, the shirts wore like three-quarter length baseball undershirts with heavier material.

    It all fit perfectly. Savil added at the end that the gear would fit under any type of armor and that items could be repaired at any of the three Mineo Allon locations at no cost.

    When the subject matter of payment was brought up, Savil balked at the grafeen. He would take the offered payment but countered to barter in exchange. He needed a bag of goods brought to his brother''s shop in Stoneclaw and if they could deliver the goods before winter¨Ca long way off¨Che would consider our debt settled.

    Kopius lingered in the farmers market outside of Mineo Allon while the men caught up on personal stories. The fresh food was scarce with only two vendors open at the moment. Others were getting set up but you could tell most of them were on slow mode. He remained far back enough so that people wouldn¡¯t address him but close enough to get a look at the offered goods.

    As his gaze meandered he noticed two particularly attractive women walking with what looked like morning bread and maybe other food items. They turned away when he looked but glanced back within seconds. The two talked in each other''s ear in a way that made it much too obvious they were chatting about him. He brushed his hair to the side, looking down at his new and improved attire.

    The clothes do make the man, Kopius smirked.

    He waved at the two and one of them, the cute, short-haired brunette in a green dress, waved back. Her friend reacted in a way that was part embarrassment, part surprise. The short-haired girl brushed off her friend and started to walk straight at Kopius. She approached him with the kind of confidence that would make a weak man stutter.

    His initial reaction was the same one he felt as he stared down charging skinwalkers in Escher Pass: run. With his heart suddenly pounding and a mouth drying as if he had just smoked a joint, Kopius tried to avoid appearing like deer in headlights.

    ¡°Hi,¡± she beamed. ¡°I¡¯m Masonex.¡±

    ¡°Hey¡­ gurrrl?¡± Is what came out of Kopius¡¯s mouth and his ego was immediately devastated. She just smiled like nothing happened.

    ¡°Hey¨Chi. Hello,¡± he attempted to recover. ¡°I¡¯m¨CKopius.¡±

    ¡°I knew it was you,¡± Masonex replied in what he could only take as flirting.

    ¡°Did you now?¡± Kopius answered, trying to match her vibe. He attempted to run through all the faces he had seen the night before but it was useless.

    ¡°You wanna tell me?¡± she smiled.

    ¡°Tell you what?¡± he smiled back.

    ¡°What happened to the Tessel?¡±

    ¡°Wha?¡±

    ¡°Why was it dirty?¡± she brushed her hand across his forearm.

    ¡°It¨Cuh,¡± he cleared his throat. ¡°It was an Orb of Contamination. But enough about me¨C¡±

    ¡°Thanks Kopius!¡± Masonex cheered, booped him on the nose and then sprinted off back to her friend.

    What the fuck was that? He wondered, confused.

    As he watched her disappear into the distance a playing card sized, red negative one(-1) floated in the air in front of him. It only stayed a moment before popping like a water balloon, vanishing.

    ¡°What the fuck is that!?¡±

 BCB Chapter 19

    Chapter 19

    ¡°You late!¡± Lydian scolded in her with a heavy accent. She unlocked her hut and let them in.

    Three male Habianim, the name of Lydian¡¯s race, exited the back door of the shop as Kopius and company entered. They were much shorter than Lydian but had the same number of armed appendages she did, so it wasn¡¯t a giant leap in logic for Kopius.

    The Habianim, Cici had explained the previous night, were a race of six-armed humanoids with an uncanny, almost instinctual ability to weave. They hailed from the far east, well past the waters of the Torrent and beyond the dark lands of the Val-jin. Dense, shrouded forests are their preferred environment, which partially explains why Lydians shop was found in the deeper, darker off-shoots of Cawbachu.

    ¡°We made a stop by Mineo''s love,¡± Cici explained. ¡°Finally got this boy some proper fitting attire.¡±

    Lydian gave a derisive harumph, pointed at two empty chairs and then placed herself at the sewing station in her shop. They took their seats per instructions and watched the weaver start to place items on her workbench. She set two blackish-gray spools of thread to one side and the finished cloak on the other. Several strips, that looked to be leftover pieces of the material Kopius had provided, were put down in a pile.

    ¡°Do you know the beast?¡± Lydian asked by staring intently at the two men. When no answer was forthcoming she picked up the cloak and shook it at them. ¡°The beast! I¡¯ve never seen. Had to ask elder.¡±

    Both Kopius and Cici shook their heads in the negative.

    ¡°Of course you no know!¡± She said, jabbing a finger into Kopius'' shoulder.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Kopius complained.

    ¡°Where you find?¡± She asked Cici directly. He gave off the look of a man deep in his memory. A few shakes of his head and an occasional hand wave later, he shrugged.

    ¡°Lamazil, maybe,¡± he finally guessed.

    ¡°Before there. In dry ground,¡± she said.

    ¡°The desert?¡± Cici inquired. ¡°Sands of Shirlavene?¡±

    ¡°That.¡± Lydian confirmed.

    ¡°Alright, I still don¡¯t know what our little beastie is¡ªwas.¡± The big guy admitted.

    ¡°Cloaked noir,¡± she stated, letting the words hang in the air.

    ¡°A cloaked noir?¡± Cici repeated to himself with a speck of awe, his eyebrows raised in appreciation. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one.¡±

    ¡°Most don¡¯t!¡± Lydian lectured. ¡°Travel by night. Hidden by moon. Beasts of old age¡±

    ¡°Noir¡¯s are like large wolves, lad¡± Cici started to explain. ¡°Huge. Said to be fierce but loyal.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a really big dog,¡± Kopius added.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is but,¡± he turned to address Lydian. ¡°Is it true their skins are only used after a natural death? I never quite understood that.¡±

    ¡°Natural only. Skin strong, durable. Here we have walking secret.¡± She smiled wide.

    ¡°Walking secret?¡± Kopius wondered aloud.

    ¡°Stealth, lad,¡± Cici replied. ¡°A cloaked noir has hiding capabilities rivaled by few.¡±

    ¡°So, what, I¡¯ll be invisible when I have it on?¡±

    ¡°At night only, no move,¡± Lydian clarified.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Kopius responded, noting the limitations.

    ¡°Try now,¡± she demanded. ¡°Harness too¨Cfirst.¡±

    Kopius removed his untangled sword sheath from his ring and put it on with relative ease. When he was done strapping the thing to his body, it adjusted and melded to his frame. The leather type material slightly contrasted against his new clothes but thankfully did not give off oldman overall vibes. His black pants and dark gray three-quarters length sleeve shirt fit snuggly with the harness as if all of it were all a giant onesie.

    Only his fire boots looked off, at least, he would have chosen a different color given the outfit. He momentarily sprinted in place and then did a few quick quasi-yoga poses to get an idea about how flexible he could be. Which turned out to be a lot.

    ¡°You done?¡± Lydian asked sharply with her normal annoyance. She approached him with the cloak in hand as if she might black bag him, drag him off for interrogations. He let the paranoia pass through him and Lydian placed the cloak on his back. Her six arms adjusted and straightened the material.

    The piece fit perfectly. It was snug but loose, reached down to his knees and was reversible. The dull side was waterproof and the fur side, because it had been a cloaked noir, would allow for him to remain hidden in the dark¡ªfor the most part. There was a slit sewn so that the hilt of the sword on his back was still exposed and accessible. The hood was deep, cavernous and yet, no matter how he rested it on his head he felt it would stay that way and not slip in either direction. He tested his theory by running in place again. He was right, it didn¡¯t move.

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    After the cloak was confirmed to fit, Lydian went into great length to describe the complexity and focus required to create such an outstanding garment. How, through willpower and skill alone, she was able to mold and design a thing of such elegance and utility. That only a weaver of her ability and vision could create such a magnificent item. Her crowning achievement, in regards to the cloak, was the hood itself.

    Picking up the two spools, Lydian droned on about how transforming the bits of grafeen into usable thread was a miracle all on its own. Her men had spent countless hours molding all the grafeen together and many more hours creating and spooling the dark, metallic string. Once the grafeen thread was complete, she sewed intricate, purposeful patterns all throughout the hood. When it was all in place, she infused the grafeen thread with her magic.

    ¡°It will block psionics,¡± Cici marveled when she had finished explaining.

    ¡°Only if on,¡± Lydian replied with some sass in her voice, obviously proud of her creation.

    ¡°That¡¯s the mind magic, right?¡± Kopus asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Cici confirmed with a pat on his back. ¡°You know who likes the mind stuff right?¡±

    ¡°Val-jin,¡± Lydian answered, staring directly at Kopius. A chill ran through him, goosebumps came and went. He wasn¡¯t sure how to react. He was Jinovian after all, though those other assholes never failed to give him the creeps.

    Maybe seeing one would take the edge off, Kopius thought to himself.

    One who, Jinovian? Lydian''s voice suddenly echoed inside his mind. It whipped at him the same way it did when she spoke aloud. He was jolted by the sudden intrusion. Val-jin? You no want to see them, they ugly. Beside, you soft but still pre¡ª¡± Kopius, on instinct, yanked the cloak over his head and the barrage of angry-yelling-filipino-lady stopped. She smiled at him as if to say ¡®you¡¯re welcome.¡¯

    Once Kopius was moved past his personal space being violated, things went down like a checklist. The two spools were left over grafeen thread to be used for future endeavors. The extra scraps of material were actually additional wears, meant to be slipped on the boots and arms for total coverage if needed. Kopius removed his waterskin from his ring and attached it to a loop on his new functional fatigue type pants. Now with enough room, everything else went back into the ring and for the first time it was full.

    Kopius inquired about the optical-quartz but was left with only suggestions. She had explained it was becoming harder to come by. Not due to the scarcity but that a hive of monsters, locally known as redwhips, had moved into the area, making things more dangerous than it was worth. ¡°You get; I buy,¡± she had claimed.

    Lydian also suggested a blacksmith, Squeeze, might have the material but also complained about him like a jealous ex-girlfriend spilling the beans and personal items from the relationship. It was all related to the quality of his work, not his personality but still, she was brutal. It was like every ¡®it¡¯s not you it¡¯s me¡¯ break up conversation that ultimately made the point that it was me, brutal. They exited before her ire could be directed at them.

    As the two returned to Twelve Days March, Kopius was thankful to exit with his pride intact. They had spent more time than they had planned with the weaver and the sun was almost at its peak, shadows being where they were. Tummies were grumbling and they needed to get to the northern part of town before the shops closed. It wasn¡¯t a terribly far journey, just that they had a tendency to lollygag. Kopius generally looked about in wonder as they walked, taking in the town and its occupants. Cici would window shop and linger to chat with various folks. They were like two teenagers strolling the mall with no money, just to stay out of the summer heat.

    Roughly fifty minutes of meandering later and they arrived at a long wall and gates reminiscent of their entry into Cawbachu a few days back. There were two gates next to one another, two separate paths in and out of what Cici had said was the original Cawbachu. At some point the city had expanded and the more affluent area was created along Twelves Days March. Just walking through the gates and the street transformed from 5th Ave luxury to Canal Street swap meet.

    Folks flowed freely into oldtown. The open gate had guards to each side but they seemed bored at best, one using his spear to lean on. Getting into the nicer part was a little different. Questions seemed to be asked and purposes needed to be stated. Some unruly and unkempt people were turned away but it was difficult to see if there was a reason other than their look.

    Apparently Cici had treated Kopius to the nicer part of town and they were going to be entering the not so nicer part now. On this side they could purchase more unique items, questionably acquired items and other tidbits that the upper-class folks didn¡¯t need or didn¡¯t want.

    Here the stone buildings were tightly cramped together, leaving little room for side alleys to sneak down. Some structures leaned against each other in an attempt to stay erect. The whole place felt like a gloomy, exaggerated version of any Hollywood medieval town where it rains all day, every day in perpetuity. Though it wasn¡¯t raining at the moment, the place could use a quick shower.

    The two opted to eat from their rations instead of pressing their luck with a local diner. Though the place was run down the people went about their business just the same. The further they walked down Twelve Days March the more the mixture of races became noticeable. The ratio of humans to other races flipped and Kopius got his first glimpse of wealth imbalance.

    There were more children in the street, running from or to one thing or another. The people themselves were gaunt, their eyes showing less gleam or wonder. They had an almost robotic, this is my everyday life until I die, type look and cadence to them. Not that everyone had the same hum-drum appearance, there were just significantly more of them.

    Street vendors of all types were scattered along the street, many of them adding to the cacophony of noise as they pitch their goods or services. It was more difficult to navigate the yelling than the impromptu flea market that occupied both sides of Twelve Days March.

    Beggars, many of which were old and distraught, began appearing; as did the drunk and disorderly. Local authorities were on patrol in the area, thankfully the place didn¡¯t feel like it was ready to explode or get violent. There was a fair share of unsavory looking people and Kopius was sure he could get in some trouble if he really wanted to. Still, people went about their business and it was just another day.

    ¡°We¡¯ll stop up here, lad,¡± Cici said over his shoulder, gesturing up the street a way. ¡°It usually has the supplies I need. Quality stuff, just can¡¯t understand the bastard that runs the place.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t speak Common.¡±

    ¡°They?¡±

    ¡°Husband and wife own the place. They¡¯re satyrs, they speak that damn jibber-jabber, screaming nonsense.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be able to understand,¡± Kopius reminded Cici and the big man gave him a friendly pat in the back.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, lad, maybe not this one.¡±

 BCB Chapter 20

    Chapter 20

    The shop didn¡¯t have a name, only a sign above it¡¯s door like someone attempted to paint a geometric shape but stopped after outlining it. The space inside rivaled the organization of Oh-jin¡¯s lab minus the hundreds of connecting pipes. There were shelves full of clothing, traveling luggage, excavating equipment and other outdoor survival type gear.

    Used metal armor laid stacked in piles in the corner next to several barrels with leather gear pouring out of them. Weapons were stacked, unorganized leaning against one wall, while the opposite wall was covered in books, scrolls, and wizardry type bobbles. The entire back of the shop had one long counter with what looked to have the ¡®good¡¯ items just beyond reach of customers on the other side.

    When Cici had said ¡®satyrs¡¯ Kopius had imagined the bottom-half goat, top-half human person-thing. What came to stand on hooved feet behind the long counter was basically a full on goat except for the human looking arms and hands. Upon seeing Cici the goat-man raised his arms, in what Kopus hoped was joy, and bleated in the air. He waved the two over enthusiastically before yelling over his shoulder.

    ¡°JULZ,¡± the goat shouted, ¡°WE HAVE A CUSTOMER! FETCH THE BOARD!¡±

    Cici smiled as they approached the man and they all waited, presumably for Julz and whatever the board was. It wasn¡¯t long until another goat-person emerged from the back room, this one with strong feminine leanings, and handed the goat-man a small chalkboard with chalk.

    ¡°HERE YOU ARE!¡± She yelled at her husband.

    ¡°THANK YOU!¡± He shouted back.

    The lady satyr smiled and nodded at the two and then left the way she came in. The man started to write on the board creating the only sound in the shop. When Kopius looked at Cici, the big man smiled and nodded as well. The chalk scratched and tapped at the board until he had finished writing and turned to show the two men. It read:

    A welcome return, Mr. Beo. A pleasure. Please introduce your companion and how I may be of service this day.

    The penmanship was fluid and precise. The letters were evenly spaced and written as if by a printer or typewriter. Kopius would need several rulers and some stencils in order to even come remotely close to what the man had simply freehand. He let Cici do the talking, which had been the best approach so far.

    ¡°Faunz,¡± Cici said with a big smile, ¡°this here is my friend Kopius. He¡¯s not quite sure what he needs but I am here to replenish a few items. I¡¯ll need to restring Luna,¡± he patted his fanny pack as if to check if it was still there. ¡°I¡¯ll take some lemonsuckle and camiloot. Two extra bowls, a short spoon and something to get this grime off my teeth.¡± Cici exposed his teeth to show where he was talking about. ¡°I¡¯ll have a look around too,¡± he added, his finger twirling.

    ¡°JULZ,¡± Faunz started to shout again. ¡°SUN DRY HORSE TAIL, LEMONSUCKLE, CAMILOOT!¡±

    Julz screamed the list back to him and then everyone got to work. Faunz collected the non-food items: two metal bowls and a wooden stirring spoon. He placed them both next to a toothbrush looking item. His wife emerged from the back and left her list next to her husband''s pile. Faunz picked up the tablet, erased it and started to scribble again. Cici had wandered off to flip through the scrolls and books, while Kopius was looking over at all the used weapons on the other side. Faunz held up the sign to face Kopius:

    What can we help you find?

    Kopius stared at him for a moment. This was odd. It was all odd. The yelling, the writing, goats personified; just weird. He¡¯s not deaf, Kopius tried to reason. He¡¯s obviously not mute either¡­ He paused to look around before pulling his hood over his ears.

    Can you hear me? Kopius thought as he stared at the goat suspiciously. I don¡¯t need any more voices in my head! Okay!? He slid the hood off completely and stepped towards the goat, who retreated slightly. Can you hear me now? Kopius lingered for a second before taking a step back and then pointed to the weapon rack.

    ¡°I could use a weapon or two.¡± He finally answered. ¡°Some arms and legs protection, nothing heavy though.¡± Glancing over at Cici, then at the countless books and scrolls made him wonder. Every game he played and every LitRPG he had ever listened to had a shop in the beginning where a person could buy some spells. Mostly low level mind you, but spells nonetheless. ¡°Do you have books to learn magic?¡±

    Branch? Faunz replied on the board.

    ¡°Air,¡± Kopius nodded. Faunz gave off a semi-mischievous, we-probably-have-something-for-you smile.

    ¡°Air Elemental,¡± Cici clarified from a distance. Faunz face turned semi-cross, like a person who had just notice the rash they had was getting worse, not better.

    ¡°Is it that big of a difference?¡± Kopius pleaded.

    ¡°JULZ!¡± Faunz screamed. ¡°DO WE HAVE AIR ELEMENTAL TOMES?¡±

    Kopius jerked back at the sudden loud sound, Cici continued to lull around oblivious to it.

    ¡°THERE IS NO SUCH THING!¡¯ She boomed back through the doorway.

    ¡°NO THING? HOW?¡± Faunz seemed perplexed.

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    ¡°IT¡¯S A HIGHER LEVEL. HE WOULD HAVE TO READ IT! DOES HE LOOK LIKE HE CAN READ?¡± Julz responded. Faunz looked him up and down by only moving his eyes.

    ¡°IT¡¯S HARD TO TELL WITH THE DARK AND MOODIES. I¡¯D SAY NO!¡± Faunz shouted.

    ¡°THIS ONE?¡± Julz asked, pointing at Kopius, after emerging from the backroom.

    Faunz nodded.

    She looked him up and down as if she was about to bid on him. Her expression didn¡¯t change much. It had started around ¡®slightly impressed¡¯ and just stayed there; plus an eyebrow raise or two. When she was done with her inspection she turned back to her husband.

    ¡°THIRD SHELF FROM THE LEFT. TOP SHELF. THERE SHOULD BE A FEW.¡±

    ¡°THANK YOU,¡± he yelled at her.

    ¡°THANK YOU,¡± Kopius yelled at her as well, making both goat people turn in confusion. Faunz picked up the writing tablet and started to jot down what his wife had explained.

    ¡°I got it, I got it,¡± Kopius waved at the goat-man. ¡°Third from the left, top shelf.¡±

    Faunz stopped his task but didn¡¯t immediately look up. Julz, who was just about to disappear to the back room, paused in the threshold. Kopius strode over to the shelf and started to look for titles. Nothing was written along the spines of the books so he had to remove them individually and look at the cover. After he placed the third book back, Kopius had the strange feeling that someone was lurking around him.

    ¡°Dude!¡± Kopius flinched back after looking over his shoulder. Faunz, through some act of total stealth, was standing close enough that Kopius could smell his breath. ¡°Can I help you?!¡± Kopius asked, taking another defensive step back. Faunz sniffed at him as if he were a familiar odor, like gangrene.

    ¡°ASK HIM.¡± Julz shouted from behind the long counter, her hands on her hips. They both looked over at the woman and then back at each other.

    ¡°DO YOU SPEAK CAPRIC?¡± Faunz asked.

    Kopius shook his head in the negative. Looking over to Cici for assistance but the big man was too preoccupied toying around with various gems or crystals; holding them up in the sunlight streaming through the store windows. Kopius was startled, again, when an achievement window popped in his field of view.

    He closed the window to keep focused. Though he had entered the shop under the guise of using his Speakeasy, he had quickly forgotten about it. It all sounded normal to him no matter where they had gone. He had not thought about, much less figured out how to discern between people using Common versus their native language. Now that he was thinking about it, it would have to sit on the backburner for now.

    ¡°HE DOES NOT SPEAK CAPRIC.¡± Faunz hollered back at his wife.

    ¡°I COULD SEE THAT.¡± She responded. ¡°I MUST HAVE BEEN MISTAKEN. I APOLOGIZE.¡±

    ¡°NO APOLOGY NEEDED.¡±

    ¡°AND I THINK YOU ARE CORRECT,¡± Julz added. ¡°HE DOESN¡¯T LOOK LIKE THE READING TYPE.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡± Kopius complained. ¡°I can read, okay! I just prefer not to.¡±

    ¡°YOU UNDERSTAND!¡± Julz yelled.

    ¡°HE DOES!¡± Faunz agreed and clapped his hands together, a big grin on both their billy goat faces.

    ¡°Yes. I do. I can.¡± Kopius admitted. ¡°I can¡¯t speak it though.¡±

    ¡°SKILL?¡± Julz inquired.

    ¡°MAGIC!¡± Faunz proclaimed.

    ¡°Skill.¡± Kopius nodded, doing a lazy double-gun finger point at Julz.

    ¡°HOW WONDERFUL!¡± Faunz beamed. ¡°I DON¡¯T KNOW THE LAST TIME WE HAD A GUEST THAT WE COULD SPEAK WITH.¡±

    ¡°NEVER.¡± Julz answered. ¡°IT IS A DIFFICULT LANGUAGE. HARD ON THE THROAT.¡±

    ¡°Because of all the yelling?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°WHAT YELLING?¡± Faunz yelled yet still managed to come across deadpan.

    There was a pause as the two goats gave Kopius inquisitive, borderline uncomfortable looks. The couple''s veneer soon crumbled and they both started to laugh like bleating farm animals; a well timed joke they had long waited to use. Once Kopius caught up, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as well.

    The wife came from behind the counter once the laughter had subsided. She elbowed her husband out of the way, looked at Kopius and then up at the bookshelf. She scanned the blank spines for a moment before removing three books. With the texts under her arm, it was Kopius¡¯s turn to be elbowed out of the way as Julz rifled through a barrel of random scrolls he was standing in front of. Eventually, she summoned everyone back to the counter with her and the gathered items.

    ¡°SCROLLS AND TOMES,¡± Julz began to lecture. She held up a rolled parchment scroll in one hand and a pamphlet-sized book in the other. ¡°TO LEARN YOU MUST ONLY IMBUE WITH A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF MANA. THE SPELL IS ABSORBED, ITEMS DESTROYED, AND THEN YOU CAN USE IT; NO READING NEEDED. SPELL BOOKS,¡± Julz picked up one of the three large text books, ¡°THEY REQUIRE MORE ATTENTION. A HIGHER POSITION OF UNDERSTANDING.¡±

    She flipped through the pages and they caught a glimpse of different charts, diagrams and written word. To Kopius it looked like someone''s scientific dissertation that they had spent a few years writing and detailing. The size of these books made the ones that Oh-jin had given him look like serialized comics. He picked up one of the magic books and felt like he could use it to assault someone given its heft. Only his college textbooks rivaled what was in his hands now and Cory had only picked those up the night before any major exam.

    ¡°SCROLL, TOME, SPELL BOOK,¡± Julz said as she laid down one of each on the counter in front of them. ¡°ALL OF THESE ARE BRANCH MAGIC; FIRE SPELL. SAME SPELL. THIS ONE IS CALLED ¡®FLARE.¡¯ THE SCROLL WILL GRANT YOU ¡®WEAK FLARE¡¯; START CAMPFIRES OR IGNITE A SMALL FORGE. TOMES ARE A STEP HIGHER THAN THE SCROLLS; A CASTER CAN SET ABLAZE FROM ACROSS A ROOM. BOTH HAVE LOW INTELLIGENCE THRESHOLDS AND ARE LIMITED IN GROWTH POTENTIAL AND POWER.¡±

    Kopius was listening but found it hard to concentrate. Being lectured wasn''t anything new. He had never enjoyed the experience but also understood there was some value to it. He was learning something after all; it was the shouting. The yelling had not only been the straw to break his back but it also beat at him with the type of authority only the LAPD could get behind. Cory had endured countless yellings from his family, coaches, fellow road-ragers, cellmates, CO¡¯s, customers, pets, ex-girlfriends, girlfriends before they were ex¡¯s¡­

    Holy shit, man. Kopius had a sudden realization. I could keep going¡­

    Cory had yelled back in many of those incidents but the situation here was a lot different. To begin with, the yelling wasn¡¯t fueled by anger or frustration or any other negative position. It was more like being at a family BBQ where everyone is having conversations at higher than normal volumes because your cousin is testing the limits of his speaker system. Enduring the noise had reached its limit. As much as Koius tried to mask the flogging his brain was taking, he began to involuntary wince at each spoken word.

    ¡°You guys have earplugs or anything like that,¡± Kopius eventually interrupted. He made cupping gestures on his ears to further explain what he was requesting.

    ¡°OF COURSE, SIR!¡± Faunz responded and started to look through various shelves before producing an item that had a strong resemblance to earmuffs. The headband with two fluffy circular ends was too small and may have been designed for a child. Kopius adjusted it so that it sat on his face like a football helmet chinstrap.

    ¡°Does this suffice?¡± Faunz inquired.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Kopius replied with some relief and two thumbs up. ¡°Thanks.¡±

 BCB Chapter 21

    Chapter 21

    ¡°Spell books,¡± Julz started right back up, ¡°You will need an Intelligence of fifteen to even comprehend the inner workings of higher magic.¡±

    ¡°Fifteen?¡± Kopius repeated in frustration.

    ¡°Fifteen what, lad?¡± Cici asked, having finished his rounds about the store.

    ¡°I have to have a fifteen in Intelligence before I can start learning my Branch magic.¡± He replied in annoyance. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re saying, right?¡± Kopius asked the goat lady.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Julz confirmed.

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Cici agreed a second later. ¡°I never had to learn the higher magics. There should be something about that in one of those books you got. That¡ªManabolism.¡±

    ¡°Yes. That is the best book for beginners,¡± Julz added. She looked over Kopius again but this time was more discerning.

    ¡°I¡¯m new here,¡± Kopius said before Julz could start to ask questions.

    ¡°I am starting to understand that.¡±

    ¡°Where do you hail from?¡± Faunz asked.

    ¡°Earth.¡± Kopius responded. ¡°Heard of it?¡±

    ¡°Like dirt?¡± Faunz inquired.

    ¡°No, but, well yes,¡± Kopius stumbled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter. SO, if the scroll is weak flame and it sounds like the tomes are medium strength; what do you get from the spell book?¡±

    He wanted to keep things on track and was rarely in the mood to think about home. The focus needed to be on the present and that was difficult in its own right. Any reminiscing about the place he was trying to get to just made it seem that much farther away. There were enough distractions; he didn¡¯t need to add to it.

    ¡°With Flare, you could cast a concentrated beam of fire as far as your mana pool will allow,¡± Julz replied in a matter-of-fact tone. ¡°One would have to level the spell through use and practice, but there are little to no limitations.¡±

    ¡°Wow. Okay.¡± Kopius responded, impressed. ¡°You¡¯re saying that, if I had an infinite supply of mana I could cast a beam of fire across all of Metem?¡±

    ¡°Setting aside the impossibility of a never ending reservoir,¡± Julz began, ¡°there is more to mana than just the amount you have. You really should read that book. I will say this though; mana can be purified, concentrated, and condensed.¡±

    ¡°More bang for your buck,¡± Kopius said absently.

    ¡°Higher potency for less volume,¡± Faunz clarified.

    ¡°That¡¯s basically what I said.¡±

    ¡°We have one Air Elemental spellbook,¡± Julz interrupted, holding up one of the other large books. ¡°Shock Treatment has a few applications, all requiring touch. I also have an Air magic spellbook bundle for Push, a defensive spell that knocks back anyone within a certain radius.¡±

    Kopius¡¯s current frame of mind had him leaning towards any magic spells he could get his hands on. He was unsure what Shock Treatment was but he would take it. Push sounded really cool yet, he wasn¡¯t going to get giddy about it until knew its limitations. Cool things were usually restricted somehow, like they could only be used once a day or every twelve hours or something in that vein. It was designed to stop someone from spamming their magic. Like in this case, Kopius would be able to create a permanent shield that would jettison anyone that got too close.

    ¡°What do you mean by bundle?¡± Kopius inquired.

    Julz removed the fire items from the counter and replaced them with a similar set and another large book. She laid them out as if to display them like jewelry.

    ¡°For our customers under the minimum Intelligence for spell books, which is most,¡± she added with a sympathetic nod. Faunz also gave him a look of knowing sincerity. ¡°There are still options. For a reasonable price, you can purchase the Scroll of Push to learn the weak version. Next you use the Tome of Push so that it can reach level five. Then, when you have achieved a personal level of fifteen you can absorb the Spellbook of Push to which you are the only limitation of its power.¡±

    ¡°And start off at level five?¡± Kopius asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s Air magic.¡± Kopius protested, looking between the two.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Julz answered, ¡°an Air Elemental can wield both where an Air mage can only consume Air magic. Elementals are niche, rare to a certain degree. You¡¯re lucky.¡± Kopius coughed as though he had gagged on saliva. Lucky wasn¡¯t his thing, at least not traditionally.

    ¡°This would be the same for, like, a water mage and a water elemental?¡± Kopius asked after he gathered himself.

    Both of the goats nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Okay. What about that one, Shock Therapy?¡± Kopius asked, pointing at the solo book.

    ¡°Shock Treatment,¡± Faunz spoke up to correct him.

    ¡°For that,¡± Julz picked up, ¡°You can read that ahead of time. You will have to wait until level fifteen to be able to cast it though and it will be at level one.¡±

    ¡°But there is no cap?¡±

    ¡°No what, sir?¡±

    ¡°No limit, no max. I can just keep making it stronger.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir, of course you are correct,¡± Faunz answered. ¡°Again, mana plays a role as well.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± Kopius concluded, not caring for any further explanations. ¡°You guys will show me how to zap it in, right,? How to learn it, imbue it or whatever?¡± Kopius made gestures at the scroll while whistling and humming sound effects to drive his point home. The two shop owners bleated with glee and agreed to help in any way possible. Kopius appreciated the enthusiasm but attributed it to his Speakeasy and the large purchase he was about to make.

    The wall of weapons was not as impressive as the wall of books and scrolls. There were a myriad of spears, swords, axes and warhammers yet they all looked well worn, beaten, rusted; or all three. Dented shields were to one side leaning against the barrels of leather goods and to the other side was a large table filled with a multitude of knives. Most of it looked like it needed a good smelting.

    Kopius, who read somewhere that one could never have too many knives, stepped up to the table and examined the blades. The weapons came in all shapes and sizes. Some looked like hilted metal talons while others had needle and/or spear points. The more he looked the more shapes presented themselves and the harder it was to focus on any one knife.

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    He felt fine with his two swords, now that they were going to get sharpened, so he largely ignored the store''s inventory. With three more slots available on his harness, he wanted a blade or two for day-to-day purposes as well as some added offense.

    Cici had struck up a conversation with Faunz in the background and Kopius could hear the chalkboard being put back to use. Eventually, he stopped trying to guess at what everything was and started to use his brain i.e. his ring of identification.

    Most of the blades just came up as ¡®Blade¡¯ with no other information. It wasn¡¯t until he picked one up that looked straight out of a ninja''s armory¨Ca kunai¨Cthat a more traditional information box appeared. Though Kopus didn¡¯t try to remember the name of the weapon itself, he recognized it nevertheless.

    He paused at the description and looked on the table until he found its twin. The top half of the weapon was a thin, elongated pyramid or miniature obelisk. The bottom half had a slender, cylindrical handle wrapped in dark leather. The whole thing was capped off at the end by a ringed-pommel, large enough that Kopius could twirl the weapon on his finger. It all measured ten inches in length and one inch at the widest point.

    Where normally a kunai was a multi-use item, meant for anything from digging holes to being a crowbar to killing folks, the one in front of him had well defined edges that were meant for cutting and slicing; not blunt force. Though the two blades were as sharp as dull humor, he could picture them very useful after spending some time in his Harness of Sharpening.

    It checked off a lot of boxes for Kopius: they were light weight; the knives felt strong, durable; fit in his grip comfortably and¨Cif someone could teach him¨Cthey were designed to be thrown. He twirled one on a finger and fancied himself as Doc Holiday for a moment. They gave him a sense of versatility so he picked up the pair.

    Welcome to the party guys, Kopius thought to the knives. He moved the twin blades next to the magic books and then pointed to an item behind the counter that had first caught his eye when they had entered the shop.

    It was another pyramid shaped object. This looked like it had been created by four thin, equilateral triangles all connected on the inside edge of their slender width. Inverted grooves ran the length of each connected side and all of the four tips looked like the nose of a football instead of a single sharp point. Each of the four, triangular-planned sides were different colors of crystal or gem¡­ or glass maybe, Kopius couldn¡¯t tell.

    All of them had the same inner design of a small centered circle with three connected lines drawn to each tip of the respective triangle. When Faunz held it to the light, the inside looked hollow, but that could have been an illusion. It gave him strong Magna-tile vibes from his youth.

    ¡°That¡¯s an adventure for fool¡¯s, lad,¡± Cici remarked when Faunz placed the multi-colored crystal pyramid on the counter in front of them. Kopius had removed his earmuffs due to Cici sounding like he was far away.

    ¡°How so?¡± Kopius asked, picking up the item for a closer inspection.

    ¡°That there is only one half,¡± Cici huffed as if the subject had hit a personal sore spot. ¡°You need the other half for it to work! And let me tell you, that is no small feat. Not only do the colors have to match¨Cexactly, mind you¨Cbut that little symbol on the inside needs to be the same as well.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you have a story there,¡± Kopius said with a smirk. Cici just shook his head back and forth but everything else about him said ¡®yes.¡¯

    ¡°THIS IS A CONCENTRATED OCCULT METAPHYSICAL APPARATI,¡± Julz announced.

    ¡°C.O.M.A?¡± Kopius said after reattaching his earmuffs and then repeating the title of the device in his head a few times.

    ¡°You have heard of this?¡± Julz asked enthusiastically. Her glee was short-lived after Kopius answered.

    ¡°C.O.M.A. is the common name,¡± Faunz added. ¡°It¡¯s too long otherwise.¡±

    ¡°How does it work?¡± Kopius asked, his eyes transfixed on the item.

    ¡°As Mr. Beo was alluding to,¡± Julz jumped in, ¡°these are created as two identical halves. To have one without the other is of no use. They are without purpose alone.¡±

    ¡°I take it you don¡¯t have the other half?¡±

    ¡°They never have the other half, lad,¡± Cici spoke up. ¡°Not these folks, per se,¡± the big guy clarified, ¡°shops in general. There are people who would pay a barrel of coin to have both halves.¡±

    ¡°Can I just get a thorough explanation about this thing?¡± Kopius looked between all three of them with some eyebrow raising. When it looked as though Julz would continue the role of teacher, Cici blurted something first.

    ¡°Use your ring, lad,¡± Cici reminded him. Kopius mumbled something under his breath and used the ring.

    This information window had slight differences from the likes of any weapon or item he had identified so far. Instead of a written out description there were two bolded words the same way that a hyperlink might be on a wiki page. He focused on the first of the two bolded words, ¡®Load,¡¯ and much the same with the Attribute chart, a smaller window popped up with more information:

    ¡°This C.O.M.A. consists of four, single use yields. Type of yield is determined by the color of the crystal. Color is representative of the infused Branch magic. This C.O.M.A. is housed with the following colors: light green, purple, blue, pink. Must be retrieved after each use.¡±

    With no further explanation of the colors forthcoming, Kopius moved to the next bolded word, ¡®Usage.¡¯ A window popped into his field of view. With another twist to the virtual displays, instead of text explaining something, there were animated, step-by-step illustrations as though he were about to assemble some Ikea furniture.

    The first panel showed two identical, pyramid-shaped halves of a C.O.M.A. rotating to show all sides. The next panel had a nondescript person holding a piece in both hands, the same color¨Cred¨Cbeing highlighted. The third instruction showed the individual joining the like colors, the pieces appearing to glue together into a kids-sized football shape of sorts.

    Directly next to the third panel was an almost exact duplicate, except this one they were trying to join two different colors together and it had a giant line running through as if to indicate, ¡®not like this.¡¯

    The fourth panel had the person twisting the device until all of the other colors aligned. Second to last had the device glowing like a bright sun and the final window of instruction looked like the item was being thrown a far distance.

    ¡°This looks pretty cool,¡± Kopius admitted, turning the geometric shape in his hand. He guessed that, if he had the other half, it would be just under six inches in length and two and a half inches at its widest. That is some pretty specific info there buddy, Kopius noted to himself. That¡¯s the Measure Once asshole, remember that? He nodded to himself and appreciated the possibility of another throwing weapon in his arsenal.

    ¡°What does it do though?¡± Kopius finally asked, breaking his attention from the object.

    ¡°It depends on the colors.¡± Faunz offered.

    ¡°That¡¯s what the description says,¡± Kopuis followed up. ¡°Do you know what the colors mean?¡±

    ¡°There are many,¡± Fanz replied, shaking his head.

    ¡°Have you been to Stoneclaw?¡± Julz butted in.

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    ¡°If you get there,¡± she warned, ¡°look to the eastern peaks; there used to be four.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°Ask Mr. Beo of the Fourth Claw,¡± Julz said with a smirk. He looked at her for a moment and then over at Cici.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the, uh, the Fourth Claw?¡± Kopius asked the big man.

    ¡°The Legend of the Fourth Claw?¡± Cici said with a chuckle. ¡°The story goes that one of those fancy items right there crippled the eastern peak of Stoneclaw during a great battle. A battle involving some parties you may be of interest in. To shorten this, it is said that the peak was brought down by a purely Earth infused C.O.M.A. to ensure a massive retreat.¡±

    The slight chill that ran through Kopius¡¯s body was enough to give him the hint that the Val-jin were one of those parties. His pessimism also concluded that the retreating party were not the Val-jin, all while marveling at the destructive power of the C.O.M.A. The two goats nodded their agreement to Cici¡¯s assessment, adding to its wow-factor.

    ¡°Pure C.O.M.A. ''s are very unique; very rare,¡± Julz added hastily to reset expectations. ¡°Most are four colors, which dampen the yield.¡±

    ¡°Still significantly powerful,¡± Faunz contributed.

    Julz nodded in agreement.

    ¡°But,¡± Kopius started to protest, ¡°without the other half, it is basically a paper weight. Yeah?¡±

    ¡°This is true,¡± Faunz replied with some concern.

    ¡°We have a map,¡± Julz announced, holding up a rolled parchment.

    ¡°Is that a map?¡± Cici perked up.

    ¡°A map paired to the other half,¡± Julz offered with a head nod.

    ¡°That seems awfully convenient,¡± Kopius added sarcastically.

    ¡°Is it a map, lad?¡± Cici asked more eagerly.

    ¡°She says it''s a paired map, whatever that means.¡±

    ¡°Did she now? How long have you had this, loves?¡±

 BCB Chapter 22

    Chapter 22

    As it turned out, a ¡®paired map¡¯ meant that it was a legitimate treasure map, for lack of a better descriptor. The item that the map said would be there, would in fact be there. After a brief explanation, Kopius came to understand it as a magical version of the old Apple Airtag trackers. There was a binding process involved but at the end of it, the paired map would lead an individual to the general vicinity of the thing the map claimed would be there.

    Faunz and Julz had just recently come into possession of the item. A mangled adventurer, no longer wanting any part of the C.O.M.A., had bartered it for gear and provisions. They had only agreed to purchase it because of the paired map but knew relatively little about it. The Legend of the Fourth Claw had been a well known story and their only frame of reference; other than general gossip.

    By the time they had left, Kopius had to purchase a backpack due to his inventory ring being full. He had spent more than half his grafeen buying the spells, throwing knives, leg and arm protections, and the glittering half of the C.O.M.A. He had no way of knowing if the price he paid was fair but he was satisfied with his new belongings.

    The throwing knives went into sheaths that ran along the small of his back, one on both sides. From behind it looked like he had two ripcords above his hips, ready to pull. The process to tell the harness where he wanted the weapons to go was pretty simple. He just had to place the weapon along any of the straps in the desired direction and will it into place. The rest of his purchased items went in the new backpack and it all sat hidden under his cloak.

    The closer they got to the northern gates the more the town cleaned up. The streets were less hustle and homeless and more fruit stands and bookshops. The buildings had a bit more gleam to them but it was equivalent to putting lipstick on a pig. Though this was, apparently, the nicer part of oldtown, it still gave off slum vibes when compared to their first day impressions.

    Dusk had begun its process of lowering the lights as Cici led the way to their next lodging. People of all different races made their way through the streets, some stopping to buy goods, others in a rush for one reason or another. Now that Kopius understood that he had to participate in the Tessel inquiries¨Cbe a little more approachable; only a handful had stopped them.

    Kopius had also started to notice that there were more weapons to be seen than shovels or other tools. More of the folks had hard looks and prominent scars than he had remembered seeing in the rest of Cawbachu. They didn¡¯t dominate the crowds but were noticeable enough that Kopius kept a sharper eye.

    ¡°A lot more fighters on this side of town,¡± Kopius finally noted.

    ¡°How can you tell they¡¯re Fighters?¡± Cici wondered.

    ¡°Not like their Class or Practice,¡± he clarified. ¡°Like they¡¯ve been in a fight or¡­ twelve.¡± He gestured to a particularly menacing looking man with more swords on his person than teeth in his glare.

    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Cici chuckled. ¡°Northern Cawbachu is a common place to prepare for the wilds. Or, return from the wilds I suppose.¡±

    ¡°Are ¡®the wilds¡¯ a place or are you just being generic?¡±

    ¡°The wilds are anywhere the beasties roam or the monsters call their home,¡± Cici sang aloud as he swung one arm around Kopius¡¯s shoulder and the other he used as if he were displaying the horizon. They got a few odd looks at the sudden melody but Cici just jostled Kopius a bit and laughed.

    ¡°If we stay on Twelve Days March,¡± Cici continued, ¡°from the northern gates of Cawbachu to the pristine waters of Lake Gisborne, we could travel in relative safety. BUT, to venture far from the road is at your own risk.¡±

    ¡°What kind of risk are we talking about?¡±

    ¡°Nothing two lads that just took down a Ripple couldn¡¯t handle,¡± Cici said with a wink and a smile.

    ¡°Are we going to the lake?¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Cici replied with a hint of melancholy. ¡°It''s beautiful, Lake Gisborne. Especially at night, when the moons are high and full. It looks as if it were plucked from the mind of a dreaming god.¡± Cici¡¯s head shook like he was trying to break from the image. ¡°No, we head west shortly after leaving the city.¡±

    ¡°Are we leaving tonight?¡± Kopius inquired.

    The big guy laughed and lightly patted Kopius on the back as if to thank him for the joke.

    ¡°Where are we staying then?¡±

    ¡°The original Jabit¡¯s. Just up the way here,¡± Cici answered after the humor subsided. ¡°Not quite the lodgings we¡¯ve had but the cots are off the floor and the ale is bearable.¡±

    Jabit¡¯s¡ªrather, the original Jabit¡¯s as Cici kept calling it¡ªwas located in the center of what would be considered a wide modern roundabout. It was the only building occupying the inner space, stood three stories in height and had two tall wooden doors with the same intricate carving style as the chained doors in Kickshaw. Twelve Days March looped around the large building in both directions, presumably reconnecting on the other side.

    The inside lobby of Jabit¡¯s was surprisingly small given the building''s outside appearance. Big enough to let four people stand with a bit of personal space, the area looked like a hunter¡¯s den; jam packed with long deceased wild and exotic animals. Every last inch of wall was littered with taxidermied creatures ranging from cute and cuddly to nightmare fuel, I-feel-like-something-is-crawling-on-me scary time stuff. Thankfully, Cici was quick about securing a room and the two left with the swiftness of young boys being spared the rod.

    ¡°That place always gives me the jitters,¡± Cici admitted after they reached their room. The space was half the size of their previous night''s lodgings. It did not have its own bathroom or balcony and the beds were thinly cushioned cots.

    ¡°Dude,¡± Kopius complained. ¡°How are you supposed to walk in that lobby and know it¡¯s a hotel¡ªmotel¡­ Holiday Inn?¡±

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Say what?¡± Cici asked over his shoulder while he cleaned up his sleeping area.

    Kopius just shook his head at Cici and then at the lyrics to that random song before starting his own process of unpacking for the night. He opted to use his new cloak as the top cover of the cot instead of whatever garment they had left for that purpose.

    Eventually, the contents of his backpack were emptied on top of the cloak along with several items from his inventory ring. He removed the two sets of clothes, the chisel set, rocks, fire gloves, and the bag of noir peripherals. After giving everything a once over he decided to also remove the bag of books from his ring.

    ¡°At least you know what to expect in the wild,¡± Cici remarked from his cot.

    ¡°All that shit in the lobby is out there?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, and more besides that! Those are the ones they can get through the doors.¡±

    ¡°Those are some pretty big doors, man.¡±

    ¡°That they are, lad. That they are.¡± Cici mumbled as he assumed his napping position.

    With snores forthcoming Kopius returned to his consolidating ritual. He had long enjoyed compartmentalizing things. Cory had been handy in warehouse environments and other vocations where he could utilize his spacial awareness skills. Here he wanted to clear up space in his ring. He put the clothes with the clothes, the books with the books, and the other stuff with the other stuff.

    After this was completed he put each pile of goods in as many bags as he had. Kopius was left with a bag of books, tome and scroll; a bag of mixed clothing; and a backpack with the rest. First, he returned the bag clothing, which consisted of the two matching sets of clothes and the extra noir gear, to his ring. He removed the C.O.M.A. from the backpack and placed that in his ring as he recalled that backpacks had a tendency to get ditched or stolen depending on the circumstance.

    Next he tried to place the bag of books back in the ring but nothing happened. He tried several times, very sternly, to mentally force the bag into the ring but all was for not. Having partially anticipated this, he removed the scroll from the bag and tried again. When that produced the same result he removed the tome.

    ¡°What. The. Frack.¡± Kopius whined. He looked over his ring as if the thing were broken. As if, he¡¯d be able to see the problem and then fix it. He stopped looking and then removed the spell book from the bag.

    ¡°Seriously?¡± Kopius grumbled when the bag disappeared.

    He looked over at the backpack and its hodge-podge of items all stuffed inside. There was the chisel set, fire gloves, leather arm bracers, leather shin guards, and his rocks. It was no surprise when the backpack failed to enter the ring. He emptied it out on the cloak again.

    Assuming one of his thinking positions, this one similar to the nervous-breakdown-in-the-shower look, Kopius gave it some thought.

    Some time later, he took the arm and leg protection and put those to the side. He reasoned that he¡¯d be wearing them, so no need to store them anywhere. With the same logic in mind he placed the gloves with leather gauntlets and shin guards. The last remaining item, the chisel set, went into the backpack.

    ¡°Dude!¡± Kopius practically yelled, startling Cici but not waking him. The backpack remained in his hand.

    He emptied the pack again. This time he turned it inside out, opened every side pouch and stuck his finger down every crevasse he could find. Once he had thoroughly dissected it he used his identification ring to see if he was missing anything.

    Kopius shook his head. For the sake of understanding, he tried to will the empty backpack into his ring. It worked. He shook his head some more. Removing the pack, he placed the rocks inside it but failed to get it to enter the ring.

    That¡¯s¡ªlame, Kopius thought in disappointment. But, at least I get to keep my rocks, he countered.

    There had been a moment when, for the sake of inventory space, he felt that he would have to get rid of the baseball-sized rocks. Now that the magical nature of the ring had thwarted his Plan A, he no longer had to be creative. Everything returned to the backpack; rocks, scroll, gear, tome and chisel set. The spellbook went back to inventory.

    All in all, he cleared two measly slots in his ring. He placed the pack on the cot as a really uncomfortable pillow and laid down. Unable to nap, Kopius stared at the ceiling for a while, his thoughts wandering from topic to topic.

    I should probably start reading that book, he admitted but made no attempt to retrieve it. Freetime had a way of sucking out all motivation to do the thing you should do but won¡¯t because you really don¡¯t have to¡ªyet. He fought the urge to do the right thing and found success.

    Sitting up so he could rummage through the backpack, he removed the Scroll of Push. Julz had been helpful in guiding Kopius through imbuing the C.O.M.A. map and had mentioned that the process for the scroll was the same.

    Once he had, essentially, uploaded the C.O.M.A. information to his own map he realized the process was also similar to when he used the pugil staff. Where the pugil staff only needed mana infused to activate it, the scroll needed the same activation process followed immediately by pulling the infused¨Cimprinted¨Cmana back in.

    When done correctly, the information on the scroll is basically printed on the infused mana. When that imprinted mana returns to the casters system, the spell is learned, and the scroll poofs out of existence. Done incorrectly and the scroll burst into flames¡­ Kopuis had worn his gloves.

    Now sitting on his cot with no gloves and scroll in hand, he took a few calming breaths before he gave it a shot. Holding the parchment out at arms length he began to concentrate and lightly flex the muscles of the outstretched appendage. It didn¡¯t take long for the mana to move down his arm, the sensation still awkward, like someone trying to lightly squeeze out the last bit of popsicle taste from the elongated plastic wrapper.

    Once the feeling exited his fingertips he reversed his will and tried to pull the mana back in, much like placing items in his ring. There were a few tense moments when the scroll looked like it was starting to shine and smolder but he managed to take it in without any pyrotechnics.

    ¡°Awesome,¡± Kopius whispered to himself. He wanted to give it a try but given the small space, the inexperience, and the individual sleeping a few feet away; he did not.

    Faunz had told him that the tomes were the same in process except both hands were needed. Kopius was proud of himself when he skipped past the ¡®that''s what she said¡¯ commentary and kept the conversation in line. Holding the tome in both hands now; he tentatively started to infuse it with mana. Instead of a shine like the scroll, the tome heated like a toaster element from within. He was actually impressed with himself when he got it on the first try.

    Once he was over the initial awkwardness, imbuing mana into the scroll felt like water running off your hand in the shower. It was a gentle flow; present, noticeable but not pressurized. A tome is a bit more intense; the mana moves faster and in larger quantities. With both hands holding the small pamphlet-sized book he was able to imbue more mana at a higher rate. The sensation gave him a stream of adrenaline.

    The book eventually glowed bright before blinking out of existence as the mana raced its way back into Kopius¡¯s system. The imprinted mana burned like that first shot of tequila as it made its way through his body. It all coalesced in his mind with enough warmth to create a few beads of sweat. Kopius was suddenly parched and retrieved his waterskin from its loop.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± Kopius exhaled after taking a second drink. ¡°Good thing I was sitting down.¡±

    "Bounce?" Kopius wondered absently.

 BCB Chapter 23

    Chapter 23

    Cici ended up sleeping for the night, while Kopius managed to dodge his responsibilities of reading. They rose early with the sun, awakened by nearby noises and angry belly¡¯s. Breakfast was rough, to say the least, but given the two had basically skipped dinner, they were famished. So when the stale bread, luke-cold mush and something that resembled an over charred chicken leg arrived, they dove in.

    The eating space inside Jabit¡¯s¨Coriginally a longhouse¨Chad been upgraded to part cafeteria, part tavern hall. It had a high ceiling, at least twenty feet in height, covering three long tables that stretched all the way to the other end. That side was capped off by a grand fireplace and lounge area.

    There were a variety of customers from all ranges of professions. Many had worn faces, long abused by the outdoor elements. Others wore cleaner belongings, shaper hair cuts and air of superiority. Most went about their morning rituals with a droning efficiency.

    Once outside; northern Cawbachu was in full swing. People were coming and going like they were living that New York, New York lifestyle. The pair kept to their lane of traffic and navigated towards the gate. Fifteen minutes later, Kopius found himself in a moment of awe.

    The northern gates stood twice as tall compared to the other entrances they had walked through in town. The wall spanned tall and wide in both directions, with flanking towers every one-hundred yards. Two tall gates sat to each side of one ginormous, central gate; currently closed. It looked like people leaving town stayed to the right and those entering were coming in the other side to his left.

    Just like entering oldtown, there were only two guards watching the exit. There was a semi-steady flow of people heading out of town with only a few trickling in. The two men stopped at the water well to top off their fluids before rejoining the crowd to leave town. While passing through the gates, Kopius noted that the walls were twenty feet thick and the ceiling had hundreds of holes drilled in it.

    The outside area, just beyond the gates, was a dusty trail version of Twelve Days March. Cobblestone streets were for the town only, apparently. Clear and open were the spaces to each side of the well beaten path.  No trees, bushes or any type of boulder could be found. It had long been cleared of any potential cover an enemy could use during an attempted siege.

    For at least four-hundred yards, the lands to each side of Twelve Days March were grass covered fields. To the left, just beyond the lawns end, the lush ground fell off into Escher Pass. To the right, the grass plains eventually ran up against a treeline. The way ahead was barren as well with only the wide dusty brown path cutting through the proliferating greenery.

    ¡°We¡¯ll walk north a bit,¡± Cici started to explain, ¡°until we reach Katayama Ridge. We follow that to the

    Spires of Joatsu, go around those jagged peaks, cross the Dinson, and then wander off to stomp out that sweet lass of mine.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a one day trip,¡± Kopius noted.

    ¡°No,¡± Cici replied with a chuckle, ¡°it will take at least seven days on our feet. More if we find any distractions.¡±

    ¡°Where are we going to sleep?¡±

    ¡°Here and there, lad,¡± Cici waved the question away. ¡°There are a few places along the way.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Kopius responded. ¡°I need to keep an eye out for cyanins and optical-quartz.¡± He paused for a second because he realized he didn¡¯t know what either looked like. ¡°You know what they look like?¡±

    ¡°That I do.¡±

    ¡°Okay, cool,¡± Kopius replied. ¡°Any chance we come across those on our way?¡±

    Cici scratched at his flawless beard before replying.

    ¡°We can find some optical-quartz if we go the short route through Joatsu. Might be able to barter cyanins from a farm along the way. Not too sure about that though.¡±

    ¡°Why are we going around if there is a shorter way?¡±

    ¡°Safety,¡± Cici said flatly.

    ¡°From what, monsters?¡±

    ¡°There are monsters everywhere, my friend,¡± Cici posited. ¡°I¡¯m sure we even met a few back in town, if you catch my meaning. The path through the Spires of Joatsu is on shaky ground. The mountain throws boulders at all who travel through¡­ and there are monsters.¡±

    ¡°Like earthquakes?¡± Kopius asked to clear up Cici¡¯s explanation.

    ¡°Ground tremors,¡± the big man corrected.

    ¡®Throwing rocks¡¯ must be an avalanche or landslides or something, Kopus guessed.

    ¡°You would be able to walk the Hall of Dashwrath,¡± Cici added. ¡°That is worth the journey.¡±

    Kopius shook his head and gave Cici ¡®please explain¡¯ gestures.

    ¡°The Hall of Dashwrath is a well known tale,¡± the big guy started. ¡°Before Twelve Days March, the path along Katayama Ridge¨Canother good tale, but for another time¨Cwhere was I? Ah, yes, the path along the ridge: that was the way south. At least; the best way south. To reach Cawbachu from the waters of the Dinoson, you had to travel around Joatsu.¡± He pointed off to the distance, across Escher Pass.

    They were momentarily distracted by a group of Grizalkin¨Cthe cat looking people¨Cwalking towards town. Dressed in a form-fitting, gypsy-leaning style, with multiple piercings and bright colored attire; they all looked like variations of the attendant lady that had given him the replacement clothes in Cawbachu.

    These women¨Cas determined via the same logic as before¨Clooked upon Cici with a bit of fascination. One was motivated enough to playfully growl and swipe at him as she passed by. The big man turned, blew the lady a kiss¨Cwhich jetted a small spout of flame¨Cpleasantly startling the young woman given her laughter. He threw her a wink and a smile and then turned back around, all without missing a step.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Do you know them?¡± Kopius asked, glancing back at the group.

    ¡°Nah,¡± Cici laughed. ¡°They like my belly.¡± He wrapped his arms about his stomach as if he were trying to cuddle it. The way he hunched over made him look fat.

    ¡°Seriously?¡± Kopius asked, not sure if the big guy was trying to fool with him.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Cici answered, ¡°they prefer the pillow to the pouches.¡± Again, he patted his belly.

    ¡°Pouches?¡±

    ¡°Pouches, lad,¡± Cici repeated. He reached over and lifted Kopius¡¯s shirt up.

    Instinctually Kopius hi-yahed his hand, dropping the shirt back down. Cici gave him a ¡®what are you doing¡¯ look, while Kopius stared back with a ¡®don¡¯t fucking do that¡¯ scowl. A miniature martial arts slap fight broke out when Cici tried a second time to reach for his shirt. They only caught a few awkward glances; the big man''s laughing calmed anyone¡¯s thoughts of imminent violence.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got the pillow,¡± Cici finally said after their battle was over. He lifted his own shirt and jostled his belly with his free hand. ¡°If you¡¯d stop with the shy act¨CI¡¯ve seen you naked, lad¨Cyou have the pouches.¡± He pointed at Kopius¡¯s midsection and feinted a few times like he was going to grab at him again.

    Kopius, taking an exaggerated step away from Cici, lifted his shirt to display the beginnings of well-defined six-pack abs. I don¡¯t see where they get pouches from, he thought while examining. He admired them a moment, recalling the last time they appeared like this was in his early, early twenties.

    By comparison, Cory¡¯s belly¡ªthe night before getting trapped on Metem¡ªwould have been flat and flabby; reminiscent of a gelatinous breadbasket. Where Cici had the active dad-bod look, Cory would have displayed the traditional, I-have-given-up-on-exercise-bod look.

    With the personal kinks of the Grizalkin settled, Cici had gone on to explain the Hall of Dashwrath. It was a story of a man, his chisel and a love eternal:

    Dashwrath, a young and talented sculptor, was set to wed the love of his life. While collecting raw materials in the Spires he would often talk to himself aloud to pass the time and sometimes calm the nerves. Dashwrath often spoke of his love and her ways.

    Unbeknownst to him, an angry earth spirit called the mountain its home and it did not like the ramblings of the sculptor; not in the least bit. On a particularly hot afternoon Dashwrath''s fiance brought him extra food and refreshments. She was stolen by the spirit and whisked into the heart of the mountain.

    For many months that followed, Dashwrath mourned at the base of the mountain begging the spirit for her release. The spirit enjoyed the sculptor''s misery and did nothing. Time passed by until the crying and begging stopped; the man opting to sit in joyless silence.

    One day the man shows up with his chisel set and starts to chip away at the side of the mountain. First he had to clear space. This took months of hard manual labor but Dashwrath was working as if a man possessed. Day-after-day he returned to physically chisel away at the mountainside until he had created a small cavity with a central block of unblemished stone.

    With space clear the real work began. Dashwrath started to create life-like statues by methodically chipping away at all the surrounding walls and ceiling. Months passed by and then years until, eventually, Metem made twenty-two trips around their sun before the great sculptor had finished. What started off as a small alcove had carved into a cavernous space, where every piece of art was still firmly a part of the mountain.

    The cave was filled with stone replicas of all her favorite items, furnishing, and cherished things. Stone statues of animals she had loved stood all over in various stances; all in exact detail and proportions. He even made it look like she had a variety of clothes to choose from, a beautician station and elaborate bath. It was a gift to her spirit of all the things she may be missing.

    The dedication and detail was enough for the evil spirit to come forth in the form of a rock golem and present the man with a challenge. If the great sculptor could create an exact duplicate of his love from the central piece of still untouched stone, he would release her.

    Dashwrath ran home, collected all of his equipment and began the project by fire light. Forced to rest only due to fear of the slightest blemish, the sculptor worked with a focus and determination that only the most dire of situations can bring out of a person. His hands moved in and around the stone as if guided by divinity. In what would take most artists years to create, Dashwrath had finished his flawless replica statue in under a month.

    The angry spirit was speechless. It examined every trace of her leg, every curve of her neck, and every one of her wild strands of hair. The spirit was true to its word and released the woman. When the two returned several days later to thank the spirit they discovered a long hallway cut straight through the mountain with hundreds of stone statues lining the way. It was like the spirit had crafted the hallway as a homage to the original carved alcove. One of the stone statues was said to be the same rock golem that the spirit had presented himself as. For the remainder of their lives, the couple brought offerings of thanks and to keep his greatest work as pristine as the day he carved it.

    The story had taken a decent chunk of the morning to recount and Cici was just finishing as they were approaching their turn. Twelve Days March continued to weave its way north but they were going to make a left and head west-ish; following an older path along the ridge.

    Kopius pretended to be driving a car and¨Cusing only one hand on the steering wheel¨Cmade his ¡®vehicle¡¯ cut drastically across on-coming¡ªbut also non-existent¡ªtraffic. There were also sound effects.

    ¡°Is that it? That''s the end?¡± Kopius asked after getting his automobile''s imaginary fishtail under control.

    ¡°Well, yes.¡± Cici huffed.

    ¡°Those things usually end with someone dying; or losing an eye or a hand or something,¡± Kopius clarified. ¡°If it didn¡¯t end in travesty or an angrier spirit, why the danger up there then?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that.¡± Cici replied, pausing to take a drink of water. ¡°Some fool desecrated the statue and the spirit exploded in rage. Brought down some of the hall. Tremors ever since. Drink?¡± He offered but Kopius declined.

    ¡°We can still get through the hall though?¡±

    ¡°I have passed through it twice,¡± Cici proclaimed. ¡°As long as nothing has drastically changed, it would save us a few days of travel.¡±

    ¡°Only if we have to,¡± Kopius stated with the universal hand chop indicating he had spoken and it was final. The idea of playing chicken with a bunch of falling boulders was not high on his to-do list.

    They walked in relative silence for a while. Cici had pulled out Luna strummed at it for a bit until he began to practice the first part of the wedding song. Kopius hummed along while taking in the overall scenery.

    Once they had turned down the ridge a more natural landscape had formed. There were trees and bushes; the makings of a forest. Boulders lined the road on both sides and the farther they moved down the path the more the wilderness came alive.

    Off to their left, depending on the angle, looked like a giant sea with countless and incredibly large water lilies all across. It was remarkable to Kopius that the hoodoo¡¯s littering Escher Pass were all the same height. The spacing between them was erratic but again, Kopius imagined building hundreds, possibly thousands, of bridges to cross the great expanse instead of struggling through its valley. As he looked out across the open space he couldn¡¯t help but consider something.

    He pulled up his map to confirm his hypothesis. After zooming out enough to get the right look, he nodded in agreement with himself. Now that they were following the ridge along Escher Pass, they were essentially making a giant U-turn. At least, the way the Blur was clearing on his map, it was starting to take the shape of the letter.

    Another item he noted on his map was a tiny purple obscured dot hidden behind the same blur. It showed the known location of the other half of the C.O.M.A. Now that they had turned west, the purple smudge looked to be straight ahead of them but off at a significant distance.

    Until they stopped to eat lunch, Kopius spent the remainder of his walk guessing as to what each color on the C.O.M.A. meant.