Virtual Me- Valkyrie

by Michael Ocheskey

  ​It took me a second for his final words to register. When they did, I realized that he too was under a misconception. He believed that if I died, he would lose me. Didn’t he realize that I wasn’t from this world and therefore I would just re-spawn at the last city I'd visited? I should have told him the truth right then and there, but I couldn’t bring myself to. I felt so much a part of this world that I didn’t want to voice aloud that I was an outsider. It would hurt too much to say it.

  ​I took a moment to contemplate what he’d told me about the dragon race. It was hard to picture Bartholomew the way he used to be. I never knew that he’d changed so much since we’d met. I’d thought that the Bartholomew I knew was the way he’d always been. He was calm of demeanor, but with a quick temper that flared up instantly and died just as swiftly. He didn’t seem arrogant like he’d claimed, but I’d learned from my time with Lesley that friends can quickly change a person.

  ​“Alright,” I finally agreed. “I don’t like it, but if you want me to, I will learn to protect myself against other dragons.”

  ​I made sure not to use the word slay because no matter what he said, it seemed like a horrible crime to me, killing a dragon. Being able to protect myself without killing was all I needed. I also tried to make it clear that he was not included because I knew I would never need protection against him.

  ​Satisfied by my answer, Bartholomew nodded once and then pointed toward the dwarven kingdom. “You need to go now. It’s getting late and you don’t want the dwarves to come looking for you here. Goodnight, Valkyrie. I will see you again in a day or two when you finish your training.”

  ​I stood up to leave and I had this sudden feeling that I was being watched. At first, I thought it was the dwarves coming to check on me. Fear gripped me for only a moment, but then I realized the eyes weren’t coming from the direction I’d come, but from Tetherwood Forest itself. The gaze didn’t feel threatening. It felt like I was being watched by curious and questioning eyes. I scanned the forest but could see nothing out of place.

  ​Not for the first time, I found myself wondering what dwelt within those thick-leaved trees. Putting the thought temporarily from my mind, I said goodbye to Bartholomew and headed back to the palace.

  ​As I stepped into the city limits, Garoth, the dwarven guard I’d accidentally injured and healed when I first arrived, stepped out from the shadows of a nearby home. He was looking at me hesitantly.

  ​Our relationship had been strained ever since that first encounter. He was one of the many dwarves who didn’t fully accept my presence. While he tolerated me, and even helped with my training when he was told to, he didn’t seem to trust me fully. I would notice him staring at me from time to time like he was just waiting for me to do something to confirm his suspicions in me.

  ​“Where have you been?” He questioned, although he already knew the answer. This was not the first night he’d watched me leave the city and waited for my return.

  ​“You know where,” I told him impatiently. “I went into the fringes of Tetherwood to rest and recuperate. Sometimes I just need a change of scenery to help me calm down. I know I may not seem like I need it, but this training is intense and sometimes I just need to get away for a little while.”

  ​He would not let the topic go. “Why always Tetherwood, though? There are a lot of places around here you could go for a change of scenery.”

  ​“I don’t know,” I sighed. I knew I had to come up with an excuse that wouldn’t sound like an obvious lie. Then I realized I could just tell him the truth, at least part of it. “I know this is going to sound stupid, but I think the forest is calling me. I feel like there is something or someone waiting for me deep inside, like it’s just waiting for me to find it. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now and I don’t think I’m going to fly over Tetherwood when I leave here. My instincts are telling me that I need to walk through it.”

  ​A small smile appeared on Garoth’s face, but it vanished so quickly that I wasn’t sure I’d seen it. “If you insist. The forest can be a dangerous place for outsiders. The odds are very good that you’ll die in there.” His tone was a little too happy, even though he was trying to hide it.

  ​Then he told me something I wasn’t expecting and was greatly dreading. “Queen Isabelle has ordered me to teach you our dragon slaying techniques starting tomorrow morning. Get some rest for the night because you’ll need your strength tomorrow.”

  ​Then he left me alone to my thoughts.

  ​It was strange how the residents of this world kept forgetting that I wasn’t from Evanasia. It made me feel like I truly did belong here. Of course, I didn’t need rest. When I was awake, I entered the SRU normally, but when I needed sleep, I simply logged off for a moment, switched the visor’s mode to sleep mode, and logged back in. This world took the place of dreams. That was how most people played the game. I was one of the few who played while awake and asleep.

  ​When I reached my room, a guest room in the palace that Queen Isabelle had graciously given me, I logged off to switch from sleep mode to active mode.

  ​I pulled off my SRU-visor and slid out of bed. My bedroom was beginning to look rather dusty, like no one had lived in it for years. As my eyes wandered around the room, trying to focus, I noticed the calendar on the wall with tomorrow’s date circled in bright red.

  ​Tomorrow the beta testing was coming to an end and the SRU would officially open up to the masses. I’d been so wrapped up in my own travels that I’d completely forgotten about it. The population of the SRU was about to see a drastic boost. There were now a total of fifty-three different worlds that players could start from, worlds that encompassed every genre in the gaming industry, and those were just the starting points for players. Only Aurora knew the total number of worlds and galaxies in the SRU.

  ​I went through my morning routine of breakfast and hygiene before reentering the SRU to continue my training. As it was morning, the SRU was already an hour into its six hours of night. Inside my guest room, I began meditating to work on increasing my magical control. Afterward, I began a slow dance-like routine of martial arts techniques. I had discovered that by combining the different martial arts forms I'd studied I could create a physical mantra, so to speak.

  ​It helped to clear my mind, stretch and relax my body, and strengthen my physical and mental resolve. Normally I would do this for part of the night and then begin more intense self-training, but tonight I kept my workout light so that I would be rested for the morning's training session.

  ​I spent some of the night practicing my newly developed martial arts form I called the Shadow Arts. The Shadow Arts were a type of martial arts that weren't possible in reality because they combined magic and martial arts. The techniques didn't use magical spells, but pure magical energy. The first technique I’d mastered was the technique that allowed me to move from one place to another instantly by pulsing magical power into my arms and legs. I called it Shadow Step. The speed was so fast that one step could take me up to twenty yards. After my success with that technique, I decided that I could create other techniques and the Shadow Arts were born. I spent my free time over the last few months practicing existing techniques and designing new ones.

  ​When morning came, a knock on the door told me that Garoth was here to pick me up for training. I made sure I had everything that I would need for training and all my personal property packed away inside my purse. I still had most of the supplies I’d purchased when starting my journey because the dwarves provided all the food I would need while I stayed with them.

  ​If this training only took one day, I would be leaving as soon as I was finished. It was a good thing that the food I'd purchased didn't expire in this world because I wouldn't have time to go purchase more. I'd already notified Queen Isabelle that I'd be leaving as soon as my training was completed.

  ​It felt rude to simply leave after everything the dwarves had done for me, but Queen Isabelle agreed with my
decision. There were many dwarves that were becoming increasingly irritated by my presence here and it would be best for me to leave before tensions escalated into attacks. Queen Isabelle had taken a lot of criticism from my presence. The dwarves were beginning to question her leadership because of her radical decisions regarding stopping conflict with dragons and now her deciding to train an outsider in dwarven customs. She'd explained to them that it was better for the dwarven kingdom to cultivate trusting relationships with outsiders and create alliances, but many questioned her reasoning.

  ​It seemed that many NPCs in the SRU who lived in isolation didn't know about the player characters who were introduced slowly into this reality, but who would soon descend upon this reality like a plague. I'd explained to Queen Isabelle exactly who I was and that there would be people like me who wanted to develop friendly relationships with the dwarves, but there would also be many who would simply attack the dwarves just so that they could take their items and money. I'd told her about the man I'd stopped from massacring the goblin settlement and she was horrified. I explained to her that one of the reasons I wanted to learn as much as I could about this world was to help me protect it from players like that.

  ​When she found out what the future held for Evanasia and the other worlds in the SRU, she began to campaign for peace and unity, but dwarves have always been a reclusive people and her ideals were thought of as blasphemous. There was a small faction of dwarves who were currently attempting to find a means to dethrone her. She continued to fight for the protection of her people, but they were beginning to shun her for it.

  ​I prayed that their ignorance and stubborn nature wouldn't cause their downfall. Still, even ignorant, they were one of the legendary races. They wouldn't go down easily. Fighting them, even with an army, would be just as dangerous at entering Dragon Peaks alone.

  ​Garoth was waiting with a frustrated look on his face when I opened the door.

  ​“About time. Let’s get this over with.”

  ​He was as curt and crude as usual. His demeanor toward me and the fact that he often seemed suspicious of my actions led me to believe that Garoth was a part of the faction that wanted to dethrone Isabelle, but I wouldn't speak out about my suspicions as there wasn't any evidence to back up my accusation.

  ​He brought me to an arena I hadn't been to in all my time with the dwarves. I hadn't needed to come here as I hadn't done any combat training. Most of my training had taken place indoors, tutoring inside my guest room, inside the workshops for tailors, smiths, jewelers, or in the mines. This arena was a very different experience for me.

  ​It reminded me of the Roman Colosseum where the gladiators of old battled to the death. It was an enormous, round stone structure with large slabs of stone for spectators to sit on. The middle was a dirt field barren of life. There was no greenery and the only color on the ground were darker patches of reddish brown where blood had been spilt and absorbed into the soil. The arena smelled strongly of sweat and iron, which could have been the weapons or all the dried blood.

  ​“Now listen up,” Garoth barked. “Today's lesson is about how to kill dragons. Will that be okay with you?”

  ​There was no missing the insinuation in his voice. It seemed that Garoth was beginning to make the connection between me and Bartholomew. Even though he didn't know about Bartholomew, he was beginning to question how I'd gotten over Tetherwood with my wings. That did it. I would have to get this training done as soon as possible so that I could leave tonight. Bartholomew would be in danger if I stayed any longer.

  ​“Of course. Just show me what to do and I'll do it.” I tried to make the statement lighthearted, but my ire still leaked through slightly.

  ​“Good,” he retorted and snapped his fingers.

  ​The ground beneath me began to rumble and a mound started to form underneath me. I dove out of the way just in time. Where I'd been standing before was now a life-sized clay sculpture of a dragon.

  ​“This clay golem is under my control. When I give it the command it will attack you just like a real dragon. This is the normal method we use to train our children how to fight dragons. The golem is also able to generate fire from its throat. The attacks are random. Once I let it loose, it will attack without holding back and won't stop until you either destroy or I incapacitate it.”

  ​Garoth waved his hand and another dwarf brought two enormous pikes almost as tall as the dragon over to him. “Before we begin, I will show you the means to attack the dragon effectively, then I will release the dragon. Here. Take your weapon.”

  ​He held one of the pikes by his side and the other he reached out to me.

  ​“You've got to be kidding,” I blurted. “I couldn't lift that thing if my life depended on it. I don't even think a human body builder could lift that thing. Only a dwarf could use that weapon. Just show me what I need to learn and I'll find a way to adapt it to my swords.”

  ​Garoth was furious. He bellowed, “First you come in here and twist the thoughts of our royalty! Now you mock our methods? This pike was specifically designed to kill dragons after many failed attempts with different weapons. It is the only way that you will ever get to kill a dragon and if you continue to mock our traditions you can forget my training you.”

  ​I'd had enough of his arrogance and found myself moving my body before my mind could tell me to stop. I used the Shadow Step to reach Garoth as he continued to rant, kicked him hard enough in the chest to knock him over, and stood over him with my blades hovering over his head and heart. The pikes had fallen out of his hands and were just out of his reach.

  ​“Now you listen to me,” I spoke in a near whisper, each word as sharp as my blades. Still, the quiet words echoed throughout the arena. “You ignorant swine. I have never mocked your customs or twisted Isabelle's thoughts. Just because you are too stubborn and stupid to see that everything she has done has been to protect you doesn't mean you should assume she's been manipulated.”

  ​I retracted my blades and stepped back to let Garoth up.

  ​“I'm not some helpless human, as you clearly just saw. Just because I can't lift that heavy-ass pike doesn't mean I haven't been sincere in my desire to learn from the dwarves and to befriend them. I've never had any ill will toward your people, but I can promise you that there will soon be swarms of people from my world entering yours. Some of them will want to befriend you and some will want to kill you.

  ​“I warned Isabelle of the possible danger to keep you safe and prepare you, but what did you do when she tried to protect you? You turned on her and are trying to dethrone her. I can promise you this, however. You will never find another ruler who has your best interests at heart like she does. If you fight her instead of assisting her, you could become an endangered species.

  ​“Now get off your ass and show me how to kill this damn beast or I'll get a different instructor. One who isn't a bigoted fool.”

  ​The dwarf who'd given the pikes to Garoth was still standing nearby. He'd seen me assault Garoth and heard everything I'd said. I was surprised that he hadn't tried to attack me to get me off Garoth. He'd started to, but once I started talking, he'd stopped his advance to listen and hadn't moved since. I looked at him for a brief moment and saw him smile and nod in my direction.

  ​That was all the answer I needed. He was one of the few dwarves who understood the reasoning behind Queen Isabelle's thoughts and he was on her side. As I had become close friends with her and was one of the first examples Queen Isabelle used when discussing her plans, he trusted me too. Especially after seeing that I hadn't hurt Garoth and had simply scolded him for his ignorance.

  ​Looking away from Garoth proved a stupid thing to do. He rolled away from me, lifted his arm in the air, and then I heard a crunch I recognized from the time I'd spent with Bartholomew, the sound of dragon claws as they walked. Garoth had pure hatred etched into his face. It was obvious that the only thing he wanted to teach me now was how it felt to be dragon food.<
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  ​The dwarf behind me shouted, “Move! Fire!”

  ​Those words were warning enough. I used Shadow Step to move sideways and barely avoided being turned to a crisp.

  ​“There are only three ways to effectively kill a dragon in a one-on-one battle.” The dwarf sounded completely calm as he continued my instruction. “Stab it in the eye with a long enough blade to pierce the brain, cut off its head, or stab it in the heart. There is a weak spot on a dragon’s scales at the base of the neck. If you can pierce downward at that spot you can reach the heart. That's also the only point you'll be able to cut the head off.

  ​“If you attack the dragon any other place, you'll only piss it off. Random attacks only work on a dragon if you attack with a force of around fifty fighters as they only do minor damage and you'll lose a lot of fighters in the attempt.”

  ​Or if the dragon is already too injured to fight back. I thought about my meeting with Bartholomew. Those five players would have easily killed Bartholomew if I hadn't arrived.

  ​So how was I going to be able to kill this thing? Now I knew why the pikes were so large. The blades were about a hundred inches so that they could pierce deep into the dragon’s body or cut the head off in one fell swoop. My blades wouldn't be able to reach the dragon's brain or heart in one attack. I would have to burrow my way into the body to reach the heart or sever the head.

  ​As I continued to think of a way to use my own weapons to kill the dragon golem, I kept using Shadow Step to avoid the dragon's fire breath.

  ​I could use my Shadow Fists attack. Shadow Fists let me punch in quick succession and hit an opponent a hundred times in a split second without it even appearing that I'd moved a muscle. If I used that attack with my swords I could pierce the skin, but I'd have to constantly hit the same spot in order to drive the blades in deep enough and I hadn’t perfected my control enough to be that accurate with my punches.