by Paul Bellow
I gripped my goblin short sword as the figure approached in the darkness. The voice sounded familiar somehow.
The small, armored figure stopped as I stepped into the road.
“We don’t mean you any harm,” I said.
A gnome warrior cocked her head to the side as she stared at me. Sarah walked out from behind a tree and toward the road.
“Do we know you?” I asked, squinting my eyes.
“Monde no want trouble,” a familiar voice said.
I turned to Sarah—we both smiled.
“Monde? Is that you?” I asked.
“You not Monde.” The gnome drew a sword. “You no hurt Monde.”
“We don’t want to hurt you,” Sarah said.
I put away my sword and inched forward.
“We can help each other,” I said. “Do you understand?”
She looked from Sarah to me.
“Monde know you?”
“We met before, yes,” Sarah said in a soothing voice. “It’s okay.”
“You no leave Monde again?”
What’s with this person?
An idea popped in my head.
“Do you want to join our party, Monde?” I asked.
She looked at me quizzically.
“Monde not sure.”
“We can help if you join our party,” Sarah said. “It doesn’t hurt.”
“Monde join party,” she said.
“It’s not working,” Sarah said.
“Everyone in the party needs to agree,” Ewen said. “Game rules.”
“Are you two okay with it?” I asked.
Evan nodded, but Ewen asked, “Is she...okay?”
“She’s fine,” I said. “Odd, but she can fight.”
“That would bring our party to six,” Ewen said. “I agree.”
Monde the Gnome Fighter has joined your party.
“Good to have you grouped with us,” Sarah said. “Do you know you’re in a game? What’s your real name?”
“Monde,” the gnome answered in a serious tone.
“Don’t overwhelm her,” I said. “Something’s not right.”
“At least we know she’s a human player and not a computer-controlled NPC,” Sarah said. “Right?”
I shrugged.
“Do you know where you are right now?” Sarah asked.
Monde shook her head.
“Where is Monde?” she asked.
“In a game,” Sarah said. “Do you remember before the game?”
Monde nervously tugged her left ear a few times.
“Do you have a name outside the game?” I asked.
“Monde,” the gnome answered.
“Were you in prison?” Ewen asked.
“Monde,” she repeated.
Sarah turned to me and frowned.
“We’ll figure it out later,” I said. “We’ve got other things to worry about right now.”
“Like getting through the night,” Ewen said. “If a simple-minded gnome can wander up on us, we’ve not got very good defenses.”
“No one asked you,” Evan said. “Sarah’s doing great.”
He looked up at her, his smile still going strong.
“Wake me up for the last shift,” I said.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Sarah asked.
“I will in the morning,” I said. “Tired.”
She nodded and said, “Okay.”
As she and the brownies talked, I found a spot on the ground to curl up. Sleep washed over me—a brief respite from the game.
* * * * *
The next morning, I watched Sarah sleep as I sat on a log. Even in her game body—she reminded me of home—the real world.
My shift on watch had gone without incident. Could I manage to get us all out of the game? I had to succeed for all of us.
She opened her eyes and caught me staring.
I stood and looked away, clearing my throat as I thought of something to say.
“Good morning, creepy,” she said in a teasing voice.
“You opened your eyes at the wrong time,” I said. “Time to get up. We should go. Do you have enough mana to cast the illusion on Evan and Monde?”
She sat up and stretched.
“I do,” she said. “And more. Why are you trying to change the subject?”
“We need to go,” I said, clapping my hands. “Time to get up.”
Both brownies stirred, mumbling for more sleep. Monde stood without a word and walked to a nearby bush to relieve herself.
Sarah stood then came over to me.
“Quite a group we’ve assembled,” I said as she stopped. “Can’t see how we’ll be powerful enough to stop Magi Inyontoo, though.”
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight,” she said. “It’s the size of the fight in the dog. Don’t you remember us saying that all the time?”
“So many unnecessary PvP battles,” I said.
“This is like that,” she said. “It’s difficult, but it’ll be worth it in the end. Trust me. After my dreams last night, I’m ready.”
“We’ve got great disguises thanks to your magic,” I said. “We should be fine. This isn’t the hardest quest we’ve ever been on.”
Monde walked over and rubbed her stomach.
“Hungry,” she said, stopping in front of us.
“We need to change you into a goblin first,” Sarah said.
“No,” Monde screamed as she drew her sword defensively.
“Everyone calm down,” I said, lifting my hands.
“You can make her a prisoner too,” Evan said. “And save your magic energy. Please don’t make me an ugly goblin like Ewen.”
I pursed my lips together and nodded, genuinely impressed.
“Not a bad idea,” I said. “Sarah?”
“Works for me,” she said.
“No goblins,” Monde said, still holding up her sword.
“It’s okay,” Sarah said. “You’re fine. No goblins.”
What was she like in the real world? Had she been able to even give consent to be sent into the game?
My thoughts frightened me.
“Monde hungry,” the gnome said again, rubbing her tummy.
“Do you have any rations left?” I asked.
Sarah shook her head.
“We can find roots and berries,” Evan said as he wandered over. “We’ll be back to save the day as usual—Brownie power style.”
He walked away from our campsite without a disguise.
“That’s probably not smart,” I said.
“We’re out in the wilderness,” Sarah said. “He’s good at finding food.”
“They’re kinda like Kender and Hobbit had a baby together,” I said.
Sarah laughed. Monde joined us even if she didn’t understand. Bernard walked over and stopped, stretching his arms toward the sky.
“Did I miss anything?” he asked.
“Not much,” I said. “The brownies are getting breakfast.”
“That doesn’t sound like a good idea,” he said.
I smiled despite our potentially dire circumstances. Sometimes you had to go with the flow of life around you.
“Let’s get packed up,” I said. “We’ve got a lot of walking to do.”
Bernard and Sarah helped hide any trace of our camp. The brownies returned with food as we finished up. As they put their haul of sweet potatoes and walnuts down on the ground, I sat down and crossed my legs.
“You guys are doing great,” I said. “Glad you’re in our group.”
“Finally,” Ewen muttered. “You’re the worst newbies ever.”
“Leave him alone,” Evan said. “I like Sarah and him.”
“Monde,” our simple-minded gnome warrior said.
After finishing a quick breakfast, we walked east toward Tang Province. On our map, the city was massive. I thought about the goblin slums and all the unbalanced craziness tied to various races in the game.
Was Magi Inyontoo behind it all? Or was the
re something else I hadn’t noticed? Something sinister?
I pushed the dark thoughts out of my mind as we marched east. A few miles down the road, I saw the towering walls of a city. They reached at least a hundred feet in the air and were more impressive than anything we’d seen in the game.
“Hold on,” I said as I stopped next to the road. “We need to come up with a plan if anything goes wrong.”
“You think something will go wrong?” Sarah asked.
“No,” I said. “But having a backup plan is a good idea.”
“If my illusion holds, we’ll be fine,” Sarah said.
“Everyone just act natural,” I said. “Don’t freak out if someone talks to us. And let me do the talking, okay?”
“Fine with me,” Sarah said.
We continued down the road toward the city walls. I hoped we got through the gates without any problems.
As we approached, I saw two hobgoblins in glistening plate-mail standing in front of the gate. They watched as we walked up.
“State your business,” the hobgoblin on the left said.
They both wore helmets that masked their faces.
“We’re transporting slaves and carrying a message,” I said.
“Do you have your papers?” the hobgoblin asked.
Sarah waved her hands.
“You don’t need our papers,” she said.
“We don’t need your papers,” the hobgoblin said in a monotone voice. “You’re clear to enter the city. Enjoy your stay.”
The gate slowly swung open.
I smiled at Sarah before we walked through the heavily fortified gatehouse. My smile faded as a blue orb flashed when we passed.
“What was that?” I asked as I kept walking.
I turned, my eyes widening in horror.
“Your illusion broke,” I said, pointing at her. “What about me?”
She nodded, glancing around. The guards were looking outside the walls and hadn’t noticed us in the darkness of the gatehouse.
“What are we going to do?” she asked.
“Don’t freak out,” I said. “We’ll figure this out. Can you cast the spell again?”
“Yeah,” she said. “But it’ll take mana.”
“Do it,” I said. “Quickly.”
She waved her hands and chanted. The blue orb flashed again.
“I can’t cast,” she said.
Monde walked past me and toward the courtyard.
“Wait,” I said, jogging after her.
The brownies and Sarah followed. When we reached the courtyard—the sun beating down on us—I saw a couple of dozen hobgoblin warriors.
“Monde, stop,” I snapped, grabbing her shoulder.
She pulled her sword in a menacing fashion.
“What are we going to do?” Sarah asked.
“I’ll protect you,” Evan said as he took out his dagger.
“Don’t attack,” I said. “There’s too many of them.”
Sarah glanced back.
“The gate’s closed,” she said. “We’re trapped.”
Ready to die fighting, I held up my pitiful goblin sword.
The soldiers fanned out, keeping their distance. One of them stepped forward—his armor looked different than the others. Even stranger, it looked exactly like what I was wearing.
“You’re brave for coming here,” the hobgoblin said.
He hadn’t drawn his sword, so I lowered mine.
“We don’t want trouble,” I said. “We’re simple travelers.”
The hobgoblin threw his head back and laughed heartily.
“Simple travelers, huh?” He shook his head. “You look like players on an important quest to me.”
I glanced at Sarah then back to the hobgoblin.
“You’re a player?” I asked.
He nodded and said, “Yes. My name is Prince Drekmao the Guardian. I’m here to offer you safe passage in the Forbidden Kingdom if the stories about you are true.”
“What stories?” I asked.
“That you’re trying to stop Magi Inyontoo,” Drekmao said. “Not everyone worships him anymore. His time is coming to an end.”
“You can offer us safe passage?” Sarah asked.
Drekmao nodded while stroking his black, well-manicured goatee.
“You’ve got many questions,” he said. “We should talk. Come with me to the palace. We can eat and prepare for the final leg of your quest.”
“Finally,” Evan said. “Things are going our way.”
I smiled but kept my mouth shut.
“This way,” Drekmao said.
He turned and walked across the courtyard. The soldiers surrounding him kept their distance while keeping pace with the prince. I hoped we weren’t walking into another trap—but we didn’t have much of a choice in the matter.
21
Think This Happens Every Day?
Sarah
* * *
As Drekmao led us through the city, part of me couldn’t believe we’d run into a player willing to help us.
Could we defeat Magi Inyontoo and get out of the stupid game finally?
Eric walked next to me while Bernard, the brownies, and Monde followed behind. The other soldiers shadowed us until we reached a palace with a distinctively Asian flavor.
Drekmao stopped and turned.
“My uncle rules the entire Forbidden Kingdom,” he said. “I’ll take you to see him in the morning. Tonight, you can eat and rest with me.”
“You live here?” Evan asked then whistled appreciatively.
“This is where I work toward peace,” Drekmao said.
“What about all the rumors of a war with the humans?” Bernard asked.
Drekmao frowned.
“That’s Magi Inyontoo,” he said. “It’s why you need to stop him.”
“Why haven’t you done it yourself?” Eric asked.
“Don’t be rude,” I said.
“It’s fine.” Drekmao smiled. “You’re both new to the game, and you don’t understand the intricacies of some things.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Magi has been expecting me to attack him, so he’s ready,” Drekmao said. “You guys, on the other hand, are a surprise he doesn’t take seriously.”
Evan stepped forward, brandishing his dagger.
“He better take me seriously,” the brownie said.
“That’s the spirit.” Drekmao patted him on the head. “Come inside.”
We followed the hobgoblin player into the opulent palace. Several servants met him just inside the door, bowing respectfully.
Drekmao stopped and said, “Prepare dinner for our guests.”
One female and two male goblins wearing white robes rushed off.
“Come this way,” Drekmao said as he walked further into the building.
After walking several minutes, he stopped in a dining room. The sturdy, wooden table ran the length of the room with room enough for a dozen.
“Have a seat,” he said. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions.”
“And we’re hungry,” Evan said. “Will there be food?”
“There will be, little one,” Drekmao said. “What’s mine is yours for tonight.”
“How long have you been in the game?” Eric asked.
Drekmao leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head.
“That’s always the question, isn’t it?” he asked. “Especially for new players.”
“I’m not new,” Evan said as he fidgeted in his seat.
“Not by a longshot,” Ewen added in a gruff tone.
“He meant us,” I said, resting my elbows on the polished table. “The longest we’ve heard is over eight decades. What about you?”
“Not that long,” Drekmao said. “At least not yet.”
“You don’t think there’s a way out of the game?” I asked.
“We’ll get out of here,” Eric said.
“That’s what everyone says.” Drekmao leaned forward.
“But no one’s done it yet, and I don’t think it can be done. That’s why I concentrate on making a good life for myself here in the game.”
“We’re glad not all the other players are raving psychopaths,” I said.
“Yeah,” Eric said. “We’ve met some crazy people, including Magi Inyontoo.”
“The game’s gotten to him in a bad way,” Drekmao said.
I frowned, suddenly thinking of Josh.
“We’re missing a friend we came into the game with,” I said. “A half-orc barbarian. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about him, do you?”
Drekmao shook his head.
“Sorry,” he said. “I don’t. You didn’t spawn with him?”
“No,” Eric said. “We all spawned in different places.”
Drekmao’s eyes widened.
“That’s surprising,” he said. “I’ve never heard of that before.”
“Eric hacked us into the game,” I said.
Eric shot me a nasty look but kept quiet.
“That explains a lot,” Drekmao said.
I tilted my head to the left.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“There’s not been any new players for a long time,” he said. “I thought the game wasn’t accepting new people for some reason.”
“What’s the deal with Magi Inyontoo?” Eric asked.
“He’s a high-level player character like me,” Drekmao said. “But he enjoys killing others. Like I said, the game has corrupted him.”
“Sounds like a typical griefer,” Eric said.
I hadn’t heard that term since I stopped gaming.
“Maybe,” Drekmao said. “Not all of us came here voluntarily.”
I sat up in my chair.
“How did you get in the game?” I asked.
“I bet you were in prison too,” Evan said. “A lot of us were locked up.”
“No…” Drekmao glanced down at the table in front of him. “I’m one of the developers of the game—at least a part of the game.”
“Get out of here,” I said, not believing him.
“It’s true,” he said. “I worked on a piece of the neural-interface. Nobody working on the game knew about the whole project. When a request went out for alpha-testers, I signed up right away. They paid my family big money if I agreed to come into the game full time.”
“Full time?” Eric asked, taking the words out of my mouth.
“Yeah,” Drekmao said calmly. “I can never leave. That’s one of the reasons I can’t kill Magi Inyontoo myself. I have certain limitations in the game. At least for now.”
