Gamers

by Cambry Varner

  “Parents tend to be overprotective of young daughters,” Tom told her gently. “I have to admit that I’m surprised your parents let you wander alone unchaperoned.”

  “My parents don’t know I’m here,” Naomi muttered into her knees.

  Tom leaned forward, concerned, “Did you run away from home?”

  “I don’t wanna go back home,” Naomi grumbled. “I’m having too much fun. Getting bit by wolves is no fun, but it’s part of having an adventure.”

  So, Naomi had run away from home to find adventure. When Tom was her age, he had entertained such notions, to pick up a sword and a backpack of supplies and just take to the road for a life of traveling and adventure. As tempting as that sounded, he was wise enough to remain in the castle where he was safe, and his sister needed him.

  “My sister wanted to go adventuring too,” he said fondly. “It was part of our games. I was always the bandit or monster while she was the adventurer on her way to fulfill a quest or destiny like in her favorite storybooks. You might have become friends. No, I know the two of you would have been terrific friends.”

  “I’m sorry she died,” Naomi said solemnly. “I wish I could have met her too.”

  Whatever it was that Sally and Darcy were hiding, Naomi was innocent of it. How had they come to travel together? When he first met them, the only two who were familiar with each other were Sally and Darcy. Naomi and Mina were almost strangers to each other and the sisters. Despite their awkwardness, however, they put themselves in danger to save the others.

  Sally had thrown herself at the werewolf with a vengeance after seeing it savage Naomi. Darcy came up with a cunning battle plan against the Cut Throats and used her spells to fight their foes. And Mina and Naomi came into a forest full of dangerous wolves to find Sally and him. The women had their secrets, but they were good people and that mattered most.

  “Naomi, do the others know where you are?”

  “No,” Naomi muttered.

  “They’re probably worried and looking for you.”

  “They can keep looking.”

  “Naomi,” Tom said, taking on the elder brother tone he used with his sister when she was having one her childish fits. “You mustn’t make them needlessly worry for you. What if something should happen to you and they don’t bother looking because they believe it’s you being angry. In Everguard, the unwary can go missing and never seen again. They’re going to need you to watch over them. Especially Sally…”

  It was like a hand had squeezed his heart. Sally would be in more danger in Everguard than any of them. A beautiful half-elf was highly sought to fill brothels and prized as a mistress. In most cases, the women had no say in the matter and that wasn’t touching upon the underground slave ring. Darcy could use the Divine Power and wore the armor of a cleric of Shantra, but she didn’t uphold their rituals or prayers. Would that draw the ire of the Church? And soft-hearted Mina’s visible Strength could make her a target for the Everguard’s dark underbelly. Were the women aware of the danger that Everguard would hold for them?

  And thinking of dangers, there was one looming over them in the form of white arrows. Was it possible this monster was a threat to them too? Was that why they were going to Everguard? For safety?

  “I want to protect them. Will you help me do that, Naomi?” Tom said firmly.

  Naomi’s bright grin filled her face. “Yeah! I can do that! Are you coming with us? That’s great! I’ll go tell them!”

  Then she was out the window before he had a chance to speak another word.

  Chapter 20

  The Gamers

  Darcy used two healing spells before they finally left the village. One to heal Mikel’s ankle and the other for Tom. Mikel was able to walk without a crutch but was firmly ordered by both the healer and Darcy to take care as he could easily injure himself again. Tom felt better, no longer in pain, but he still felt quite weak.

  “You must have taken some Constitution damage,” Darcy muttered to herself as she looked him over. “I think you’re fit to travel, but I wouldn’t be getting into any more fights if I were you. You should be back to normal by tomorrow if you get plenty of rest.”

  “There will be plenty of time for rest on the boat,” Tom promised, his eyes meeting hers. “And you’ll be there to ensure I do rest.”

  Darcy gave him a pleased smile. “I was actually hoping we’d travel a little further together.”

  “Have you decided what you are going to do in Everguard?” he asked.

  Darcy said. “I have some money saved in the Royal Bank. It’ll be enough for us to find lodgings.”

  “My invitation still stands. My uncle’s estate has plenty of room for all of you.”

  “That’s a very kind offer, but I’ll have to talk about it with the others,” Darcy said politely. “We’ll let you know where we’ll be staying so we can keep in touch.”

  While Darcy was tending to Tom and Mikel, the others were waiting by the river, watching the men prepare the boat for departure. It wasn’t a large craft, as it was meant for cargo instead of passengers. It functioned like a raft with barrels of goods tied together in groups of five and secured to the wooden floor.

  “So, what’s the plan for Everguard?” Mina asked Sally as she shielded her eyes from the morning sun. It was casting a long blade of light over the trees and made the water flash and sparkle.

  “We’ll have to go to the bank,” Sally said. Her hood kept the sun from her eyes, so she was able to enjoy the morning air. “Hopefully, there’s a fortune waiting for us there. We can find a place to stay, get Naomi cured of lycanthropy, and then look for other players.”

  “Do you think they’ll know what’s going on?” Mina asked, looking down the river in the direction of Everguard.

  “Maybe,” Sally sighed with a shrug. “It’s the only plan we have, so I’m good with it.”

  A fish flipped from the water in a wet arch before plopping down in the water. Both of them cried out in surprise as the small dark shape disappeared beneath the water. The men working with the lines shook their heads at the women in bemusement.

  “I heard of fish doing that, but never saw it for myself,” Sally said, watching the water for another fish to leap.

  “I’m a New Yorker. The only fish I see are in aquariums or grocery stores,” Mina replied. “Naomi? Did you see the fish?”

  The girl was sitting at the edge of the dock with her feet in the water. With her hands braced behind her on the wood, she leaned back to regard them. “No, I was busy thinking.”

  “Oh, Lord, save us,” Sally sighed. “What were you thinking about?”

  “We gotta have a name,” Naomi insisted as she got to her feet. She left wet footprints on the dock. “All the best groups have names. Like the Avengers, Justice League, Team Avatar, the Ghostbusters, and Fellowship of the Ring all have names. We should have one too!”

  “Oookay, so what name should we have?” Mina glanced at Sally with almost fear in her eyes. What name could Naomi have come up with?

  “We should be called,” Naomi paused for a dramatic effect which only served to annoy Sally. “…The Gamers.”

  “Gamers?” Mina said.

  “The Gamers!” Naomi emphasized on “the.” “That’s what we are. Aren’t we?”

  “I never considered myself a gamer,” Mina replied, looking between Sally and Naomi. “But, I guess most people who play this game would.”

  “I like it,” Sally said. “It makes sense. Anyone from our world who hears it will recognize it. NPCs won’t know what it means and it’ll help us find other players.”

  “In that case, it sounds like a solid idea,” Mina said with a nod. “We could say it’s a club name?”

  “More like a mercenary group name,” Sally said.

  “No, we’re a band of heroes,” Naomi said solemnly. “We help people like we helped this village.”

  Mina and Sally exchanged a look over Naomi’s head. If Darcy’s money fell through and they didn�
��t return home soon, they were going to need a way to support themselves. And in any RPG world, the best way to make money was taking on sidequests or jobs. Also, calling themselves The Gamers felt right. It would remind them that they weren’t of this world and that they had a life in the real one.

  Sally watched the last of the cargo being loaded onto the boat and knew it was time to depart for the next part of their grand adventure within the world of Shadow’s Deep.

  ***

  His eyes scanned the trees despite knowing the futility of it. He wouldn’t see her until she wanted to be seen. She was a ghost that could materialize out of the air and move as silent as the shadow of a predator.

  The sun was high in the sky, but he didn’t feel its warmth. Shivers crawled down his spine as he continued to search the boughs. How much longer would she make him wait? Was she watching him from the canopy now? With an arrow nocked?

  No, she wouldn’t kill him. He had done as she had asked. It took nearly two days, but he had managed to collect a sizable group of men, the remnants of the Cut Throats, and had them make camp in the deepest part of the forest, far from roads or villages. Most of the men assumed he was going to take over the gang while others were giving him a critical eye, knowing as well as he that the Cut Throats were no more without McRando to lead them. He promised them he had the coin for them to start over, and they assumed correctly that he was talking about the treasure he looted from McRando’s treasury. What he didn’t tell them was the gold was being held by someone to whom he answered. That was something he kept to himself under her orders.

  The thought of fleeing and going it alone came to him. It would hurt to leave behind the gold, but it would be worth the price not to see those eyes again or hear that strange sing-song voice.

  Yet, he didn’t dare. He remembered all too well her warning.

  “If you try to run away and hide, just remember,” she had said sweetly as a lover. “I’ll find you. You can swim across the widest ocean. Climb the tallest mountain. Or hide in the largest city. It doesn’t matter because I’ll find you and make you pay for making me look for you.”

  The eyes gleamed at him like the sharp edge of a blade at a throat. A shiver went down his spine, and he rechecked the trees. Damn her. She was out there watching him sweat and taking joy in it.

  “Boo,” a voice whispered an inch from his ear.

  From years of living on the streets among scum who’d as soon slit your throat as look at you, with a practiced motion, he drew his knife and spun in a wide arc. The blade cut nothing but the empty air and a giggle to his right drew his attention.

  Upon first glance, he thought her beautiful, but this beauty had dangerous thorns that would tear him apart. Her clothing was white as falling snow, which made her long black hair stand out in contrast. Long elven ears were angled backward along with the dark tresses. It was the first time he had seen an elf walk so freely without a hood to hide their race. She didn’t act like any elf he had ever met before. They were aloof around humans, ancient with an air of superiority that could piss someone off. This woman was a contradiction. One minute, she was like a child with a new friend, playful and grinning, and then the next second, she was more lethal than an angry viper.

  “Relax, Sikes Kites,” she teased. “I was just playing around with you.”

  If he had been a bit quicker, he could have slashed her throat. He could watch her bleed out on her grass and be done with her once and for all. No, he was only fooling himself. She teased him because she knew he could never match her speed. Blink once, she was gone, blink again, and she was in front of you, staring with cold blue eyes.

  “I did as you asked,” he said, sheathing the knife. It wouldn’t serve him against her anyway. “I have them gathered three miles south from here.”

  “Good, good,” she said, walking a circle around him with her hands behind her back like a churlish maiden. “Did you tell them about me?”

  “No, no, I told them nothing about you,” he promised. A bead of sweat was rolling down the back of his neck. “Most of them think I’m running things now.”

  “Most?” She paused, tilting her head at a slight angle.

  He swallowed as more sweat slipped down his temple. “Some of them don’t think I can lead the gang because I’m not McRando.”

  Casually, she drew an arrow from the quiver across her back. The arrow as white as a fang and she brought a fingertip along with the head. “Are they going to be a problem?”

  “No, mistress, I can handle them,” Sikes said quickly. “They’ll come around, I…I need to know…what I’m going to tell them…”

  “You’re going to Everguard, of course,” she turned to him with a beaming smile.

  “Everguard?” He stared blankly. “To hide?”

  “No!” she said with a shake of her head. “Hide from what? Is someone looking for you? Are they looking for me?” The pitch of her voice dropped a few octaves as she leveled her gaze at him.

  “No, mistress, but…I don’t understand. What are we going to do in Everguard?”

  “Take it over,” she said.

  He blinked. “The smuggling ring? But Riker runs that.” Were they about to get into a gang war with Riker? Of all people? He didn’t doubt her abilities, but by the gods, they weren’t even a quarter of what they were under McRando’s rule.

  “Don’t worry about Riker,” she said. “Did you do that other thing I told you to do?”

  “Yes, mistress,” Sikes said. As distasteful as it was, he had spread the word that the four women had been the ones to cut down McRando. “I made certain everyone will know that it was the half-elf who killed him.”

  “Good, good.” The elf’s grin was malicious as she put the arrow away. “Riker is going to be too busy dealing with that issue to figure out what we’ll be up to.”

  “I still don’t understand,” Sikes said in an almost a plea. “We’re taking over Riker’s turf?”

  “Yeah, I guess you could say that. We’re taking over Riker’s turf, the other gangs’ turf, and the whole goddamn city.”

  “We’re going to become a syndicate?”

  “You’re thinking too small. I’m talking about Everguard itself. I want the whole goddamn city. Not just the criminal underbelly, not just the gangs, but all of it. I want it all.”

  Sikes stared at her, unable to comprehend her words. A gang war was one thing, but she was talking about…A rebellion against the city’s lords, the nobility and the king!

  “We—we can’t do that! It’s impossible…to topple Everguard…” Sikes whispered.

  “Honey, I know that city better than your dick knows your right hand,” the elf said with the finality of death. “You do as I say, and I’m going to take you places you’ve only dreamed of. Consider me your personal angel, Sikes Kites. If you’re a good boy and obey me in all things, I’ll take you to Heaven. But if you’re a bad boy, disobey me or try to fuck me over, I’ll send you to Hell.”

  He believed in her threat as he believed in the ground beneath his feet. And he also believed that her aspirations of taking over the city of Everguard weren’t merely a grand illusion. He had seen madmen before, even had done a few jobs for them. This elf, though dangerous and violent, didn’t speak like an insane person. This was a woman with enough foresight to know that the men would never follow the lead of an elven woman and had him take on the appearance of leadership. And she had something that Sikes lacked, but McRando and Riker had in spades. An instinct for leadership and a ruthless edge.

  “Yes, Mistress, I swear I will obey without question.”

  “Good boy,” she said. For a few seconds, he believed she was going to pat him on the head. “Wait until night and have your men move to the Wester’s woods, about five miles from the city. Let no one see you. Make camp and have some men go into the city for news. I’ll be along shortly to tell you what to do next.”

  Sikes couldn’t stop himself from asking, “What will you be doing, mistress?”

/>   A grin stretched her lips as she caressed the wooden limb of her bow. “I’m a Hunter, Sikes Kites. I’m going hunting.”

  About the Author

  Cambry Varner has been an avid gamer since the moment she first picked up an Original Nintendo controller. From then, she could measure stretches of her life in console generations from Dreamcast to GameCube, and then to Xbox and Playstation. Between these bouts of gaming, and because school is a play for growth and education, she read epic fantasy novels between classes.

  By her late twenties, she fell in love with Dungeons and Dragons and met her first real friends outside of a video game. And somehow, between her life investments, she graduated from Straughn Highschool and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree at Troy University. Then she decided to take her dedication to gaming and great storytelling and crafted her own world of fiction in Gamers.

  Cambry welcomes feedback from readers, feel free to get in touch: cjvgamers01@gmail.com.

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