by Paul Bellow
I passed a few fighters I respected, nodding my head. They did the same. Most of us had an unspoken code. All in similar situations, we respected each other in and out of the arena. My new life began to feel natural to me, which was a problem.
After changing into my arena-gear, what I considered my costume, I walked toward the ramp leading up to the bright arena. The sound of thousands of people elevated my mood. I heard them in my dreams at night. Their cries were music to my half-orc ears.
The first few fights of the afternoon went as expected. Old Timmy finally died, but everyone had been expecting it for a while. I bowed my head as they carried his trampled body by. Stupid hippos. The range of people and creatures I had fought was stunning.
I still thought about Eric and Sarah, but they had become even more distant memories with each passing week in the game. Thirty-four weeks after spawning back into the game as an NPC, I sometimes wondered if I would ever go back to a normal life again.
The crowd cheered as the next match started. I wasn’t sure who was fighting, but I wished them luck. Animal night was always interesting. From hippos to great apes to armored giraffes, the players who owned the coliseum always came up with something new.
My life still sucked, but the Four Wizards appeared to trust me more than when they had first brought me to Midgaard against my will. Level One-Nine sounded massive with over a dozen city-states stretched across a vast apocalyptic and barren wasteland.
Years of resource gather and bad magic had destroyed the environment outside the cities. The parties inside the walls of the various city-states continued. I wondered what some of the others were like as the crowd above me laughed at something out of my view.
Even with only a few weeks as gladiator, I had seen so many crazy things. As one of the top fighters, I only faced a threatening opponent about once a week. The Four Wizards and the owners of the coliseum both wanted to make as much coin as possible.
A heavy round of applause announced the end of the fight. I rolled my head around to crack my neck. The wizards’ buffs energized my body. Needing bigger daily doses concerned me but not enough to even think about running away or quitting. They had me hooked.
Crazy Jerry walked down the ramp, covered in blood and feathers. He smiled, two front teeth missing, as he passed me. I nodded my head, wondering when I would face him in the arena. He had a wicked reputation for cheating and doing anything to win his matches.
I took a deep breath as the announcer called my name. The walk into the brightness above ground always affected me. It was like I was rising from the grave every single time I fought. A large pole with a giant glowing green gem on top stood in the center of the arena.
On the other side of it, I saw a platoon of monkeys wearing armor and carrying crossbows. Great. This is going to be nuts. As I waited for them to make a move, scrambling for the best way to kill them all, the announcer came back on to tell the crowd, and me, of another surprise.
“...Wiley the dragon!”
Every single soul in the coliseum stood and screamed their approval as the red dragon dropped from the sky and landed in the center of the arena. Would I be fighting against him or was it co-op?
I thought back to when we had first entered the game. So many things had changed.
Wiley trotted out from underneath the coliseum. After stopping nearby, he turned his long, sinewy neck toward me.
“A little help?” he asked.
I smiled and walked toward him with my bastard sword in my hands. He turned back to the monkeys and shot a cone of fire at them. A dozen shrieks filled the air as they all fired their crossbows. I dove under the dragon to avoid getting hit by the shower of arrows.
Wiley stepped forward, almost knocking me over with his underbelly. He let loose another cone of flames, roasting more of the monkeys. Their piercing shrieks continued as across the arena I saw an even bigger problem—a great ape with another few dozen monkeys.
“Take the battle to them,” Wiley said then leaped into the air.
The monkeys fired their crossbows at the dragon as it skillfully maneuvered through the sky. I went into a barbarian rage. Between that skill and all the buffs the wizards had given me, I would be fine. At least I hope I would be okay.
* * *
Better Barbarian Rage Invoked!
+50% to hit bonus
+50 damage bonus
You get 2 attacks per round.
* * *
“For Midgaard!” I shouted, driving the audience wild.
Their cheers energized me even more as I dashed across the dirt spotted with blood. I reached a pile of dead monkeys and ran right over them. The great ape pounded its barrel-chest then charged toward me at full speed. I raised my sword in both hands as I ran.
* * *
Your slash DISMEMBERS Abe the great ape for 154 damage.
Your slash EVISCERATES Abe the great ape for 127 damage.
* * *
Whatever new spell the Four Wizards had created was working wonderfully. Ape, bleeding, screamed in frustration then jumped forward, slashing with both its claws.
* * *
Abe’s claws MAIM you for 53 damage.
Abe’s claws DEVASTATE you for 42 damage.
You have [904/209] health remaining.
* * *
Having 999 health every battle had helped more times than I cared to admit. I had learned that cheaters were punished to the fullest extent of the law, but I didn’t care. The thrill of defeating monster and other warriors in the arena was too much to give up.
I also enjoyed the rush of the magic coursing through my veins. While very much addicted to the buffs, I couldn’t see myself ever stopping. They offered me too much of an edge. I parried another attack by the great ape as the dragon roasted more monkeys.
Behind the last wave of monkeys, I saw a third group stream out onto the field of battle. Three great apes even larger than Abe wandered out with them. I saw them looking around the battlefield and screaming orders as I kept attacking Abe in front of me.
* * *
Your slash MUTILATES Abe the Great Ape for 99 damage.
Your slash DISEMBOWELS Abe the Great Ape for 124 damage.
Abe the Great Ape is dead!
* * *
I wiped my sword on its dark brown fur as I continued to rage. Without thinking too much, I ran toward the latest wave of crossbow wielding monkeys. How many would they throw at us? Could we kill all of them? The questions piled up like bodies in the arena.
Wiley swooped low and shot more flames. The audience cheered even louder than they had for me. Was I jealous? A little bit, but I appreciated the dragon’s help with all the simians. Apes and monkeys didn’t sound dangerous, but in large numbers they could be deadly.
The smell of burnt flesh and hair filled my nostrils, but I fought on, uncaring because of my enhanced barbarian rage. I killed Abu, the first great ape I came across, rather quickly. His two ape companions noticed me and charged, each of them holding a scimitar.
I fought valiantly alongside the dragon. Four more simian waves hit us. Their bodies littered almost every inch of the arena. I found it difficult to fight while standing on them, but I kept fighting. Even when my barbarian rage wore off, I kept swinging my sword.
After six rounds of apes and monkeys, the announcer signaled the end of the fight. I raised my sword with my right hand briefly. The weight was too much in my condition. I fell atop a pile of dead monkeys. Wiley walked over, his massive weight crushing their bodies.
“Good game,” he said.
I moaned, not getting up.
“See you around,” he said.
I watched as he lifted his head and shot fire into the sky. The audience continued to eat it up, loving everything about his performance. I struggled to my feet then carefully navigated my way across the arena. Once underground, I waited for the Four Wizards to show up.
When they didn’t arrive an hour after my battle, I decided to walk back to their tower
s on my own. The four tall, round towers were connected at their bases. I loved that I lived in one of the coolest properties in the entire city. Would I be able to see more of it someday?
I also wondered about Monky. While I hadn’t seen her again since the last time, I kept looking. She might hold the key to me escaping level one-nine and getting back to Eric and Sarah. If they escaped the Tower of Gates without me, I didn’t think I could ever forgive them.
27
The More You Know
Josh
Two weeks after the Four Wizards gave me more freedom, I pushed my luck and asked for a night out on the town in the red-light district. After a particularly big win at the arenas, I figured I should ask to go find female companionship—even if I was only interested in escaping.
“No,” Ferris said from the doorway to my room in their tower.
“Come on,” I said. “You can trust me. I like my new life.”
He shook his head, his curly black hair shaking, and said, “It’s not a matter of trust.”
Aaron walked up behind him. “We should let him blow off some steam,” he said.
Despite his black robes, I was starting to like him the best.
“He can find a suitable woman for companionship around here,” Ferris said.
“I don’t want a human woman,” I said. “They’re too fragile. I want a half-orc woman, and there’s only one place to find any of them in this entire city.”
While I had been fascinated with Midgaard at first, the charm was wearing off.
“Aren’t you buff-sick?” Ferris asked, using the term I had come up with on my own.
“No,” I lied.
Over the last few weeks, I had learned to deal with the empty, hollow feeling caused by all the magical buffs cast on me. The real reason I wanted to go to that zone of the city was to find someone to help me escape from the wizards and Midgaard.
“Fine,” Ferris relented. “You can go but come back before morning.”
“Can I have some coins?” I asked.
Aaron walked past Ferris and into my room. “I’ll pay your way,” he said, reaching into a pocket in his robes. “This should be enough.” He dropped a dozen platinum pieces in my palm.
“Thanks,” I said.
Aaron smiled and said, “It’s the least we could do,” he said.
No bleaking kidding, scoundrel.
I smiled, hiding my true emotions. As I had learned to control my anger, I realized I could also control my other emotions better. Beyond my strength and growing battle-prowess, I valued this self-discipline. Some days it was the only thing that kept me going.
“Be back by morning,” Ferris said. “I mean it. We’ll be watching you.”
He stepped into the room and placed a gold chain with a red gem around my neck. I picked it up and glanced at the stone.
“What’s this do?” I asked.
Ferris grinned.
“As I said, we’ll be watching you.”
I hated his smugness. All of them.
“Be back before morning,” Sherlock repeated.
Aaron walked over and took the leather and iron collar off my neck.
I slipped the platinum pieces into my coin sack then left. Outside, I felt more like a free man than I had in many months. While I was still trapped, I had hope for getting away.
The ten blocks I usually walked went by quickly as I headed toward the northern wall of the city. Half-races like me could only live and congregate in certain areas most of the time. I had special privileges because of all my wins in the arena.
As I passed a few high-end magic shops, I wondered if I should buy something to fight against the wizards and help me escape. Then I remembered the gem hanging around my neck. I needed to be careful with my actions.
I reached the red-light district that literally had red-hued lanterns hung everywhere. The rich, dark light added an air of mystery. I stopped at the northern wall, astonished at its smooth whiteness. Places of ill repute ran east and west along the wall.
A few scantily clad women strolled by, offering their companionship, but I was looking for something special. I took off to the right, heading west. My eyes adjusted to the dim lights as I walked. I stopped when I saw a ramshackle hut with a thatched roof.
The half-orc female lounging by the door noticed me and perked up. She strode over, strutting her stuff, then slipped an arm around my back.
“Hey, big boy,” she said.
“I need you to fulfill a fantasy of mine,” I said then flashed a single coin.
“Anything you want, baby.”
“Can we go to a library? I’ve dreamed of having a woman like you while surrounded by shelves of books and scrolls.”
She tilted her head back and narrowed her eyes. “Are you for real?”
I nodded, then said, “This game is too messed up not to be genuine.”
Her smiled faded. I caught a quick glimpse of her reality. So sad.
“I like you,” she said. “I know just the place. The library won’t be crowded this time of the night. We’ll have a little privacy.”
“Good,” I said.
“Aren’t you that famous gladiator?” she asked.
I nodded. Her smile returned.
“Maybe you can give me another platinum after we’re finished,” she said in a seductive voice.
I shrugged. “We’ll see.”
She linked her arm in mine then sauntered away. While companionship would be nice, I had other things on my mind. The library would give me much needed information about Midgaard and surviving the wastelands outside the city.
“I’m Yergie,” she said.
“Yorg,” I grunted.
She squeezed my arm tighter and moved closer as we walked. At the next intersection, she turned right, heading back toward the center of the city. The prestige I had earned from my superb arena performance allowed me some leeway when out in public.
A mage with a long, pointed hat looked up from the front stoop of the Mandarin Library. He held a pipe in his left hand and a book in the other. I nodded my head.
“No funny business in the library,” he said in a serious tone.
“Don’t worry about us,” I said. “Need to find book about fighting.”
The wizard went back to reading and smoking his pipe. I noticed the smoke didn’t smell like tobacco, but I kept my mouth shut as we walked up the steps.
Once inside the building, Yergie stopped and pushed me against one of the walls in the lobby. She looked into my eyes with this look I knew all too well.
“Hold on,” I said. “We should go upstairs.”
“Fine,” she huffed then took my hand and led me away.
We found a staircase leading up. She practically dragged me up the first two flights. On the third floor, in the map section, we both made our moves. As she slipped her arms around my waist, I wiggled away. I needed to find the right book then steal the map behind my back.
A higher dexterity would’ve helped, but I had to deal with my limitations in the game. Every time I slipped away from Yergie, she found a way to entangle me in her strong arms.
“What’s the matter, baby?” she asked. “Don’t you like me?”
“You’re great, but part of my fantasy involved a certain type of book.”
She backed up and placed her hands on her hips.
“What’s wrong with you? Screw all these books.”
I grabbed her shoulders to keep her at bay.
“Give me a minute,” I said. “Don’t rush it.”
“What kind of half-orc are you?”
“The kind that wants to be smarter,” I said.
She snorted then shook her head, saying, “You don’t need brains, baby.”
I kept holding her at bay. Her expression changed.
“You’re getting me upset,” she said. “You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”
“Just give me a minute,” I said then glanced over my shoulder.
A cover with Maps
of Midgaard caught my eye. Would it have information on surviving the wastelands surrounding the city? Or did I need something else?
Yergie caught me off-guard and twisted away from me. When I turned around, I saw her closed fist come flying toward my head. She hit me. Hard.
* * *
Yergie’s fist GRAZES you for 7 damage.
You have [202/209] health remaining.
* * *
“Hey!” I said in protest.
As she pulled back her arm for another punch, the Four Wizards appeared on the other side of the room.
Great, what now?
Yergie punched me in the jaw again.
* * *
Yergie’s fist GRAZES you for 5 damage.
You have [197/209] health remaining.
* * *
“Cut it out!” I shouted.
The Four Wizards burst into laughter. Yergie turned toward them, giving me enough time to take a few steps away from her. Ferris raised his hands and walked over.
“Calm down,” he said. “Both of you. This isn’t the place for you to be.”
“Don’t you tell me what to do, you green-robed freak,” Yergie said.
Thom continued laughing while Ferris kept moving forward.
“Help!” Yergie screamed. “I’m being attacked!”
Ferris whipped out a wand and pointed it at her. She fell to the floor, hitting her head on the edge of a table on the way down. I glanced over as she snored, fast asleep.
“What did you do to her?” I asked while kneeling at her side. “She hurt her head.”
“That’s not our problem,” Sherlock said.
All four wizards walked toward me.
“What are you doing here?” Ferris asked.
