by Paul Bellow
Rathgar smiled and rubbed his hands together.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” he said.
“Can you help us on our quest?” I asked.
“I certainly can.” He turned to a man sitting at the table. “Go fetch Sam for me. Hurry up.”
The soldier grumbled but got up, taking his plate of food with him.
“Sam the Cartographer can help you,” he said. “If you give him the list, he’ll make a map of where you can find each ingredient.”
“He can make a copy of the list,” Sarah said. “We’ll be keeping the original. If you don’t mind, of course, Captain.”
Everyone turned as a tall, thin man dressed in an ill-fitting white robe wandered into the room. He had several scrolls tucked under his arms.
“This is Sam,” Rathgar said. “He’s the best map maker in the land.”
“Oh, I don’t know about all that,” Sam said meekly.
He set the maps down on the table.
I walked over and stuck out my hand.
“They call me Drex,” I said. “Nice to meet you.”
Though he shook my hand with a semi-firm grip, I didn’t squeeze too hard.
“Can you write out these ingredients?” Sarah asked, handing him the list. “And use that to make a map?”
“Do you have blank parchment?” he asked.
“I don’t think so,” I said, removing my backpack. “Oh, wait, I do.”
Sam’s demeanor changed as I pulled out one of the free maps we’d gotten back in Fishguard. He snatched it from my hands.
“Where did you get this map?” he asked.
“Back in Fishguard,” I said. “Why?”
He snorted then said, “I hope you didn’t pay too much for it.”
“We got it for free,” Sarah said. “Why?”
“This is a cheap, mass-produced forgery by Claudio, my old apprentice.”
Sam’s thick eyebrows pointed inward. “He stole some of my maps and went off to work on his own. I’ll kill him if I ever find him.”
“You can still write on the back of them, right?” I asked.
“I can, but...”
His voice trailed off.
“But what?” Sarah asked.
He took a deep breath, shaking his head back and forth.
“Would you three hunt him down and steal back my original prints?” he asked. “If you did, I’d be forever thankful and in your debt.”
“And you’d be doing something good for humankind,” Rathgar added.
I glanced over at Sarah who took a deep breath, then to Bernard who only shrugged.
“We’ll keep our eyes open,” I said. “But our current quest is more important. We need Dawn Acid to destroy the cursed pendant.”
“I understand,” he said. “Thank you.”
You have a new Side Quest: Case of the Counterfeit Cartographer
If you find Sam’s original map prints and return them to Castle Casteel, you will receive a reward and 1,500 xp.
I wonder what the rewards will be.
Sam copied down the ingredients for Dawn Acid.
“I’ll have your map ready in the morning,” he said as he peered over the list. “This will take some time, but I can do it.”
“Thanks,” I said. “You’re the best cartographer we’ve met yet.”
He smiled then turned and left the great hall, carrying everything.
Rathgar stepped forward and crossed his arms over his chest.
“You’re welcome to stay here before you continue your journey,” he said. “It’s not safe to travel at night.”
“Are you going to send troops to Esterhollow to help them rebuild?” I asked. “They could use your help.”
Rathgar tilted his head back and narrowed his eyes.
“You let me worry about politics,” he said. “And you finish your quest.”
“He’s right,” Bernard said. “We’ve got enough to worry about.”
“If you need anything,” Rathgar said, “don’t bother me.”
He laughed then walked out of the room and into a hallway.
“OOC,” Bernard said. “I hate to lose the xp, but you guys need to know Rathgar used to be a PC named Ivan. He’s power mad and determined to become the most powerful NPC ever in the game.”
“How did so many messed up people get in the game?” Sarah asked.
Maybe that’s why my father told me to stay away?
Why did I disobey him and hack into the game? Is it really a prison?
“You can level as an NPC?” I asked.
“Not really,” Bernard said. “You can become experienced, but it’s not the same as leveling like a character. Believe me, I tried everything.”
“I hate to break up the party,” Sarah said. “But I want to study these new spells I found in the ruins.”
“Good idea,” I said. “We might need them.”
She smiled then walked toward the far end of the room to find a place to study. I watched Bernard as he watched her leave.
“She’s something else, huh?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “Why? Do you like her?”
Bernard laughed.
“You’re kidding, right? I’m all about getting out of this game.”
“Good,” I said. “Me too. We’ve got too much at stake to be messing around with romances in here.”
“Do you like her?” Bernard asked, taking me off guard.
“That’s not the point,” I said.
He grinned and nodded in a knowing way.
“You two would make a cute couple,” he said.
“Do you miss the real world?” I asked to change the subject. “After twenty years in here, I imagine you would.”
“Yeah,” he said with a sadness in his eyes. “A lot. Not knowing how much time in the real world has passed or why they’ve literally locked us in here drives me crazy. I’ve got so many questions.”
“Me too,” I said. “Me too.”
“I should get some sleep,” he said.
“You took the words out of my mouth.” I glanced around. “Not much else going on anyway.”
Together, we walked toward the interior of the building. After going down a short hallway, we found a room with over a dozen cots.
I saw Sarah laying on one against the far wall. Her spell book was open on the bed next to her. She had fallen asleep reading.
Bernard sat down on a bed right inside the door.
“Goodnight,” he said then yawned as I kept walking.
“Yeah, goodnight…”
I climbed into the bed next to Sarah’s.
After watching her a few minutes, I fell asleep.
Game-dreams flooded my mind.
2
On the Road to Fort Bliss
Sarah
* * *
After waking the next morning before the other two, I added the new level one and two spells from the scrolls to my memory. The new magic only served to draw me even deeper in the game.
I walked back to the dining hall. A yawn overtook me as I walked.
“You’re not getting enough sleep,” Charlotte said.
“I’ll be fine. The party needs me to be ready,” I replied.
“Okay, Kali. I trust you. And I love you.”
I smiled. Funny how a virtual spider loving me could lift my spirits.
I sat down at the long, wooden table to wait for the others. Eric walked in a few minutes later, arms stretched above his head.
“Good morning,” he mumbled on his way over.
His pale face had puffed up during the night.
“Morning,” I said. “Are you still poisoned?”
“Nope,” he said. “It’s all better. They have a healer here.”
“Great,” I said, not sure if I believed him. “We should eat.”
“I’m starving,” Bernard said as he came into the room.
Behind him, a dozen soldiers talking loudly stomped in. A man wearing a white apron followe
d with a huge metal pot.
“Breakfast is served,” he said gruffly.
He set the cast iron pot down on the table while another man brought in two stacks of dark green ceramic bowls. By the time I got one and made my way to the pot, only some of the watery porridge remained. I scooped it up.
While Bernard and Eric got theirs, I sat down. They joined me at one end of the long table. I stared down at slop.
Should I skip a meal? I wondered.
“How does it taste?” I asked.
“Something you’d expect from the military,” Bernard said then devoured another large spoonful of the muck.
“It’s not that bad,” Rathgar said, walking into the room. “At least we’re not eating horses or mules like during the Great Wars.”
The new Captain stopped at our end of the able.
“I need you three to do a favor for me,” he said.
“What is it?” Eric asked then swallowed more of the mushy porridge.
“Deliver a message to Fort Bliss,” Rathgar said. “We’ll be sending a third of our men to secure Esterhollow. If the people are ready to rebuild, they’ll need our help. But this message is important and must arrive safely. You’re headed that way anyway.”
“We can deliver a message,” I said. “Anything else?”
“To help you, I’m assigning you a war wagon. It’ll help keep you safe on your travels throughout the land. Now that you’re on this side of the realm, you should have less problems, but these days you can’t be too careful.”
I smiled. While a war wagon wouldn’t solve all our problems, it would help make our lives easier. Would we get one with invisibility?
“Thank you,” I said. “That’s kind.”
Rathgar stared at me—smiling and stroking his thick, brown beard.
“Thank you for your help and not attempting to wrest control away from me,” he said. “The realms need a strong leader.”
“What can you tell us about tree trolls?” I asked to change the subject.
“As you probably know,” he said. “Tree trolls regenerate quickly, so you need to burn them fast. And they’re good at camouflage in the forest, so be careful. I’ve heard they’ve gotten even tougher these days.”
“How do we get their blood?” Eric asked.
Rathgar turned to him and grinned.
“How do you get maple syrup out of a tree?”
I continued with my questions.
“What should we store it in?”
“Glass containers,” he replied. “I’ve taken the liberty of putting them and some other supplies in the war wagon to help out.”
“Thanks for all your help,” Bernard said.
“Don’t mention it,” Rathgar replied. “Do any of you have other questions before you leave?”
“No, thank you,” I replied.
Rathgar clapped his hands together.
“Great,” he said. “With that, I bid you goodbye. The letter to Sergeant Harris is in the war wagon. Safe travels, and good luck on your quest.”
Rathgar turned then left the room. A few of the soldiers followed him while others kept eating.
I turned to Eric and Bernard.
“Neither of you better say this favor sounds easy,” I said.
Both smiled but wisely kept their mouths shut.
“We should get going,” Eric said.
“Just a little more to eat,” Bernard said. “We’ve got a long ride ahead of us, and this stuff isn’t half-bad after the third or fourth spoonful.”
I pushed my bowl across the table and scooted my chair back.
“You two can finish if you want,” I said. “But I’m going outside.”
I stood and walked toward the iron enforced wooden door. Outside, I saw two armored warhorses in front of an imposing wagon.
We’d come a long way from our mule and cart. Progression always made me feel better; even when trapped in a prison-game.
Eric walked over then ran his fingers over the wagon.
“It’s like the ones the Black Guard had earlier,” he said. “Not too shabby.”
“They’re not common,” Bernard said as he walked up.
He wiped the rest of the porridge from his mouth with his shirt sleeve. I hoped he or Eric didn’t go OOC to discuss the specifics.
“Does it have invisibility like the other one?” I asked.
The door to the carriage opened. A man with white streaks in his long, greasy hair stepped out and smiled.
“Usually, it can disappear,” he said. “But this one’s not charged up all the way. We can’t spare the magic for the likes of you. It’s only a short ride to Fort Bliss. You three should be okay. Captain Rathgar told me to get you guys on the road right away.”
“Bummer,” Eric said.
“Do you have other questions?” the man asked.
“We can figure it out,” I said. “Thanks.”
“Suit yourself…” He walked across the courtyard while muttering to himself.
“I want to sit in the coach and read up on the magic of this world,” I said. “Do one of you mind driving?”
“Probably better for me to be up front,” Eric said.
Bernard moved in that direction.
“I’ll come with you, boss,” he said.
While they went toward the front of the war wagon, I stepped inside the carriage. A magic ball of light illuminated the interior.
Nice touch.
I sat on a padded bench and leaned back. The wagon moved forward smoothly as I got out my book of magic. I loved learning more about the game from in-game items rather than reading help screens on the HUD.
My mind focused.
The more I read, the more the game sucked me in.
What would level one-two be like?
* * * * *
A couple hours into our journey, I set my magic book down on the padded bench next to me. My eyes hurt from all the reading.
I stretched and saw a sliding wooden panel on the wall behind me. Wondering how the other two were doing, I slid it open.
“You two okay?” I asked through the slot.
Bernard glanced over his shoulder and smiled.
“Doing great,” he said. “You still got your nose in that book? Anything to help us? Can you summon a dragon?”
“Not yet,” I said. “What have you two been up to?”
“I’m just thinking about Fort Bliss,” Eric said. “Sounds like a fun place.”
“Don’t get too excited,” Bernard said. “The name is more than a little sarcastic. It went through hell during the Great Wars.”
“What can you tell us about the Great Wars?” I asked.
Bernard sighed and rested his hands on his belly as he sat back. “It wasn’t pretty,” he said. “Lots of death, disease, and worse…”
His voice trailed off as memories erupted into emotions on his face. The war wagon rolled forward steadily.
“I first died as a PC during the Great Wars,” he said.
Eric glanced over at him, reins still in his hands.
“You sure like to go OOC a lot,” he said.
“I hate losing the xp, but I was stuck as an NPC a long time. Talking about the real world helps me remember there’s a real world. You won’t understand until you’ve been in here a few years.”
“What level do you start at after becoming a PC again?” Eric asked.
“First level rogue,” Bernard said. “I’m so happy I found you guys.”
“We’re glad we found you too,” I said through the small opening.
Eric continued his in-game questions.
“Are all NPCs previous player characters?” he asked.
Bernard shook his head.
“Not all of them,” he said. “There’s no way to tell, really. Except for…”
He stopped talking again.
“Except for what?” Eric asked.
“Maybe he doesn’t want to talk about it,” I said.
“It’s fine,” Bernard said
. “I just don’t like saying his name.”
“Magi Inyontoo?” I asked.
He nodded.
“Yeah,” he said. “He supposedly has a way to get data about anyone in the game, but it’s painful for the target. I’ve stayed away from him as much as possible. He scares me.”
“How long has Magi Inyontoo been in the game?” Eric asked.
I scooted over on the bench to see Bernard more clearly.
“Longer than anyone I’ve ever met in here,” he said. “I’ve never met a player who was in here longer. He was one of the first from what I know.”
“I can’t imagine being in here for twenty years,” I said.
Eric glanced over his shoulder at me.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll get us out of here.”
“Good luck trying.” Bernard stared at the road ahead. “Many of us have tried over the years. Don’t think we haven’t tried.”
Panic hit me like a freight train.
“Are you saying no one’s ever gotten out of the game?” I asked.
“Not that I know about,” Bernard said.
“Wow…”
I took a deep breath.
Would we be in the stupid game for years? The question made me lightheaded.
“We’ll get out of here,” Eric said. “We just need to finish these quests and get to the end of the level. OOC timer is almost over. Anything else anyone wants to say?”
“I think we should start thinking about letting others into our party,” I said. “Now that we know they might be trapped player characters. Plus, it’ll help us.”
“I agree,” he said, surprising me. “But we need to be careful.”
“No doubt,” Bernard added. “Level one-two, here we come.”
“I’m going to take a nap,” I said. “Wake me when we arrive?”
“About another half-hour,” Bernard said.
I kept the sliding panel open as I moved to the bench on the other side of the carriage. After leaning back, I closed my eyes.
The gentle, rocking motion of the wagon soon put me to sleep. I drifted off and dreamed of adventures within the game world.
* * * * *
“Wake up,” Eric said from atop his perch. “We’re here. Fort Bliss.”
