“Ursula, won’t you take care of that baddie over there?” The girl nodded toward the bushes.
The enormous beast instantly set into motion, dashing for the bushes; a scream of terror followed instantly. The bushes shook when Squeak, who’d been crouching behind them, stood up straight, and I managed to see him at last. I instantly added his name to my enemy list, and then proceeded with my scrutiny of the hapless PK.
He was quite a sight, clad in a leather jacket reaching down to his waist, with a snow-white diaper and bare legs underneath, a dagger in each hand. He must have made it to the local inn, grabbed his stash of weapons from the private room, and then followed me, most likely intending to sneak up and ambush yours truly. I didn’t manage to make out the details of his strange and somewhat risqué outfit — the yelling elf set off, fast as any bullet, chased by a roaring brown bear. Whoever had said they couldn’t move fast must have never seen one in action — nothing short of an SUV... furry and with a set of formidable teeth.
A minute later we heard the echo of a loud cry and the roar of a predator about to attack its quarry. And that was the end of the pointy-eared avenger.
“Thanks so much,” I said to Stormbringer with unfeigned relief, but she just waved it off.
“I can’t stand PKs. They’d attacked me so many times when I was little I lost count. I still have to hide in the bushes sometimes,” the girl grunted. “Are you new?”
“I am,” I nodded, checking gingerly whether the jacket sleeve hid my silver bracelet well.
“It wasn’t that great a choice to play as a mage,” the player said. “A tank would be easier. Less damage, but fewer worries, too.”
I shrugged.
“You might be right. Still, things may get tough every now and then, but it’s more fun this way. Well... I’ll be off, then?”
“Sure,” Stormbringer laughed and thrust her hand toward me. “Here, this should help.”
A shimmering cloud of green formed in her palm and engulfed me from head to feet. Stormbringer didn’t stop there and cast another buff — this one looked like a cerulean cloud.
“The first one slows down the rate at which you get tired, and the second boosts mana regeneration,” the young woman explained. “I’d have cast a few more, but they don’t last long, while you can count on these to stay active for three hours. Got it?”
“I have! Thanks a lot! Oh, by the way! Stormbringer, have you heard about the Red Demons already?”
“I haven’t. What about them?” The girl instantly became alert. The PK clan was known to everyone in Waldyra.
“I spotted them nearby,” I said. “A mounted group. They’d raided some trader’s wagon train right near the entrance to Mossy Hills. They may have gone away already, or they might not. So make sure you’re careful — you know how they like to play fast and loose, and what vile tempers they have.”
“Gotcha. Thanks for telling me, Rosgard. So me and my girl will just hide away in the bushes for the time being,” the player grunted and took a step toward the bear who’d just emerged from the undergrowth. “Ursula, darling, have you had your fun? Oh, who’s my cute little girl, my sweet little cub, my teddy-weddy, wild and unkempt, hm-m? Who’s got the cutest little nosey-wosey? Who’s got the cutest little ears?”
I watched Stormbringer speak to the gigantic animal in baby talk for a while, shook my head in surprise, and headed onward, toward a clearing that lay in front of me. There were bound to be decent mobs there that wouldn’t present too much of a challenge. I only hoped I’d never run into a teddy like the one Stormbringer had, or my diaper would instantly get soiled.
The bear wasn’t a summoned beast, either — it was a real companion, just like my Sist, and having such a companion cost a mint. And I haven’t even started on the incredible amount of effort required to bring up a friend and partner like that. In the beginning you’re saddled with a tiny cub, virtually helpless and not too bright; absolutely useless and a constant nuisance. You have to watch out for it so that it doesn’t get killed, you cannot leave it at a care center or in your private room for too long, and you can’t feed it just anything. However, once the clumsy little ball of fur grew into a snarling beast, a player’s life became a lot more fun — they’d gain a powerful protector, a sturdy mount, and a loyal friend all in one.
The flower-covered meadow didn’t disappoint me. The instant I took my first step out of the thicket, I came across a few peppermint plants, which I instantly collected and stuffed into my pack. My snake rustled past me, and waved its tail goodbye as it disappeared in the tall grass. I took a look at my mana level, which stayed the same, and decided against banishing the reptile as I headed in the same direction. The buffs I’d received boosted regeneration, and it was the first time I hadn’t had to bother about my supply of mana for a whole three hours, when I’d originally planned to spend a maximum of two on individual improvement.
Some strange Level 16 critter became my first victim. It resembled a porcupine the most, which made it look out of place in a birch forest. It had a narrow snout without anything remotely resembling eyes attached to a disproportionately long neck, and long needles jutting out of its back all the way to its tail, which was more like a flexible and spindly mace. When I noticed this uncanny beast, it was digging in the ground with enthusiastic grunts, paying no attention whatsoever to anything happening around it.
I took advantage of this circumstance as I sent three Ice Needles, one after another, into its trembling plump rump. The spindly creature screamed ear-splittingly as it turned around, and I was surprised to realize it did have eyes — namely, a single bloodshot eye glaring furiously on its absolutely naked leathery chest. And it was some glare for sure...
I’d never come across anything like this beast. The administration must have decided to have more fauna diversity and introduced a new species.
The mob tilted its whole body forward suddenly and waved its tail as I hurried to fall flat on my face, managing to cast Hedge before I got horizontal. A few spindles buzzed over my head heavily as the beast found itself inside a thorny bush. I hastened to add a few more Hedges, encircling the mob completely. The strange porcupine kept dashing this way and that, trying to disentangle itself, but it didn’t forget about me, either, striking me with portion after portion of bony needles every now and then.
I turned my head a little, only to see the adder who’d been basking in the sun without a worry in the world, looking at me with its tiny beady eyes lazily.
“What do you think you’re looking at, you swine?” I hissed as I pressed myself into the ground, feeling like there were shells falling left and right. “Protect your master! Attack!”
The adder started toward the raging mob unhurriedly while I fired back as I kept on erecting barricades of thorns. The snake slid through the hedge; a second later, the porcupine grunted in unfeigned surprised and fell to the side, its tangled front hooves jerking in the air — if you could call those bony protuberances hooves in the first place. I was no longer in the line of fire, which was a welcome development allowing me to get up and finish the monster off with a barrage of Ice Needles.
Your Nature Magic level is up by 1.
Command of Nature Magic: 6.
Speed of casting Nature Magic spells is up by 6%.
Your Elemental Magic level is up by 1.
Command of Elemental Magic: 1.
Speed of casting Elemental Magic spells is up by 1%.
Finally. My Nature Magic was up by another level, and I leveled up in Elemental Magic for the first time. Progressing slowly, but steadily.
The ugly creature was no longer among the living, which was also fine... Still, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of just how out of place this strange mob had been. It was like stumbling on a giraffe in the tundra.
Anyway, I’d get an opportunity to do my research in a second.
I leaned over the remains of the weird creature and picked up a whole bunch of stuff. A piece of “weird” meat,
around twenty thin bony spindles that could be thrown at enemies, a unieye’s hide... Oh, so that’s what it was called... And, yeah, the eye itself — a bloodshot orb as big as my fist.
A unieye, no less...
I stashed my loot away pensively, making a mental note to converse with the mayor of the village about it — I hadn’t met him yet. He might have a quest to find and destroy a dangerous creature terrorizing Mossy Hills and abducting young virgins... my recent victim did not quite look the part, but it never hurt to ask.
* * *
I spent the next two hours methodically killing every living creature careless enough to catch my eye. I wouldn’t leave any mob alive, no matter how low its level. There were gray sparrow-like birds, Level 5, that would become a flurry of feathers after a single Ice Needle hit. They gave very little XP, but I was dealing damage wholesale. I could afford to — my mana regeneration levels were formidable, and I didn’t need to worry about winding up dry. So I just dispatched everything I could see like a small-caliber machine gun.
Thus, ubiquitous badgers, multicolored snakes, wood grouses sitting on the bottom branches of trees, spry squirrels (now, what were they doing in a forest comprised of birches and aspens, I wondered), quails sitting on their eggs, and narrow-snouted ferrets lurking in tall grass were all grist to my mill. Even the motley butterflies and the buzzing bumblebees, which gave me no XP whatsoever, were still legitimate quarry for my snake.
I saw no more deer or wolves, but that suited me just fine — they took too much time. I did see a huge bull moose once — he’d emerged from the wood all of a sudden, trampled across the clearing, and disappeared in the thicket on the other side — but prudently decided to leave him well alone. He’d flatten me with his hooves in no time at all.
Anyway, I kept on playing the part of a machine gun, meeting every movement with a volley of Ice Needles, and shooting out a Thorn Hedge every now and then. I came across a whole bunch of groundhogs that looked like travel-sized but impressively plump bears, and it took me a lot of effort to dispatch all the Level 12 mobs. I leveled up after wasting the twentieth groundhog or so, but refrained from distributing the points to save time. I also did some training with the adder, whom I kept hurling at the enemy with the battle cry “Rah!” chosen as the command to attack. It may not have sounded that great, but it was short and clear enough.
By the end of the second hour, I’d gained another level. My Elemental Magic also went up by one, and my bag of loot became so heavy I could barely lift it. It was time to go back to the village, especially considering that my buffs would soon wear off, and that I might run into Squeak, who’d have a few bones to pick with me and the whole world by that point. Beefed-up regeneration could be a boon in another fight with an elven swordsman. At any rate, I’d seen enough action for one day. I could raise Ice Needle and Summon an Adder to Tier Two any moment now, and my character was Level 18.
Therefore, it would be logical for me to hurry to Mossy Hills for some rest in my private room. I’d be highly unlikely to get any sleep during the night — first there’d be old Jogley’s wake, then I’d have to talk to the villagers gathered there, and after midnight I’d need to head straight to Jogley’s freshly-made grave. Then I’d grab some supper IRL and rifle through the forum in search of information related to summoning the spirit of a deceased person for a conversation. I might as well take a look at the offers made to Navigator, news on the construction of ocean-faring ships and the fight for resources, and so on. No rest for the wicked, as usual.
I sighed, called the snake, which had been frolicking in the grass, and placed it in my sleeve. Then I placed the heavy pack on my shoulders and trotted toward Mossy Hills unhurriedly.
I crossed the birch and aspen wood once again, but Stormbringer was nowhere to be seen, likewise her “teddy” Ursula. The wooden cups for collecting birch sap were gone, too. She must have gathered enough, then decided to call it a day and ride her bear into the sunset.
It took ten minutes at the most to get back to the village from the forest.
Then I spent as much time carefully making my way through the peaceful and sleepy village streets, exercising the utmost caution, freezing every now and then to examine my environment and identify any possible threat. I took detours around lush flowery bushes, and tried to keep away from fences, which were perfect to hide behind if you wanted to plant a dagger in someone’s back, or shoot them with a well-aimed arrow at point blank range. Hello, paranoia, pleased to meet you.
Incidentally, speaking of arrows and other weapons... I thought I should sort through Squeak’s possessions and take a good look at the miniature crossbow and his strange sword sometime soon.
I all but barged into the village inn — the sleeping rooms were upstairs, with the dining hall on the ground floor. I probably gave the round-cheeked woman sitting behind a small desk a bit of a fright.
“I’m terribly sorry,” I apologized politely, switching to a slower and more dignified pace.
I was definitely safe here.
“No problem at all, sir,” the local woman replied, a beaming smile back on her face after a short confusion. “I wish you to have a good rest.”
“Thank you,” I nodded, and then inquired, stopping before the emerald green door, “Could you please tell me when the next full moon is?”
“In three days,” the woman replied without stopping to think for a second.
I nodded again before I tumbled into my room.
I dropped my pack to the floor, sat down next to it, reclined against the wall, and pressed Exit.
There was a flash...
Logout.
Chapter Two
The Price Keeps Growing. Real Beef in Real World. Kyre. Fun at the Wake. Sad but True.
REAL WORLD did not greet me kindly. My muscles were stiff, refused to flex, and responded to every effort to set them into motion with a dull pain. As for my back, it felt as though the very unieye I’d dispatched a while earlier had made a nest here just to prick me with its spindles every time I’d move. My right shoulder blade and the base of my neck suffered the worst.
I barely managed to crawl out of my cocoon, groaning, and slumped down to the floor like a boneless blob of slime. The muscles that had just emerged from a deep slumber had no juice in them. I surely didn’t feel my age — I hadn’t even turned thirty yet — more like an octogenarian with all the ailments that go with the age. On the other hand, the cocoon has made me give up smoking... That meant I’d die healthy... and young.
I felt like crap.
Having barely managed to get up and drag myself to the entrance hall, I realized this wouldn’t do. I urgently needed to whip myself into something resembling a human condition at least, and a hot shower wouldn’t cut the mustard here. I’d need to exercise my muscles a bit.
I grunted as I picked up the garbage bags and went out onto the landing, closing the door behind me carefully. I took a dejected look at the stairs that seemed too steep, and started to descend slowly, dragging the garbage behind me.
I ‘d barely managed to take a few steps when the door of the apartment across the hall opened, showing the prune-like face of the old lady who’d lived there. Her name was Ms. Bobrikov, she was a well-respected pensioner, and even our local constable had been afraid of her sarcasm, her insatiable curiosity, and her elephant memory. The lady was a virtually unrivaled chatterbox, too — if you forgot to zip up your trousers, the whole neighborhood would be informed no later than the very next day.
“I say, Rostie, why on earth are you holding on to that wall?” The old lady bypassed the usual greetings and wouldn’t take any quarters. Some people never seem to sleep...
“Good evening, Ms. Bobrikov,” I said in a hoarse voice.
I should have had a drink of water before venturing out, I thought to myself.
“And a very good one to you, love. So what’s with holding on to the wall? Had a few, have you?” The old lady was all sympathy while her eyes glinted curious
ly from behind the thick lenses of her glasses.
“Perish the thought, kind lady,” I hadn’t expected myself to hit on that tone of voice. “It’s this pesky back of mine — would you believe I can barely take a step? And how are you doing, my most esteemed neighbor? I hope nothing ails you? No unfortunate impediments such as ague or rheumatism?”
The old woman needed about a minute to translate my flowery greeting into human words, and then about as long to decide whether I was deadpan or trying to mock her. I managed to take four more steps downstairs, barely keeping my trembling legs from folding underneath me.
My neighbor did not reach any conclusion, so she reached forward, revealing an old robe with a mind-bogglingly psychedelic print on it, and cooed gently,
Clan Dominance - the Sleepless Ones 2 Page 4
