Rogue Games

by Angie A Huxley

  Helena leaned forward, squinting at the pouch. “Show me what it’s like inside.”

  Alejander emptied the contents on the desk, keeping the things close together, and Helena raised her eyebrows, impressed.

  “You kept a lot in there.” Taking the bag from him, she gave it the once over, turning it inside out to check the lining. “It’s not often people manage to fill a couple slot bag with that much.”

  Alejander assumed the ‘slots’ were a guide rather than a requirement, otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to.

  “It’s in good shape,” Helena allowed. “I’ll give you 2 silver for it. It’s the going rate for this size bag.”

  It was a reasonable price, though Alejander was sure that, knowing the prices of bags, he could have improved it slightly. Still, a win with the trade would be helpful when it came to work out the price for the new bag.

  “What were ya thinking of trading it for?”

  “That one.” Alejander pointed out the leather satchel.

  Helena brought it down, placing it on the desk. “It’s definitely larger. Guide says six slots, but given your packing skills, I’m sure you’ll manage something else.”

  Alejander liked the size and the feel of it, confident that he could still wear it on his belt and carry what he needed to. “How much?”

  Resting her elbow on the desk, Helena looked him over and Alejander kept his expression neutral. He didn’t want to give away anything that would tell her his level or reveal him to be someone who could be taken for a ride. If he could haggle this bag down to something reasonable, he would try.

  “Six slots usually go for 2 gold.”

  Alejander snorted. “I’ll give you one gold and two silver, on top of the silver for that.”

  Keeping his offer high enough to be satisfying but not enough to insult was always a better idea than starting low and working up.

  Helena raised an eyebrow. “It’s worth more.”

  “Probably,” Alejander said, looking it over. “Whoever made it probably sold it to you for a steal. Given the rest of the bags you have here, I’d say you wouldn’t mind the offer.”

  “Oh?” Helena gave him an appraising look. “One gold, seven silver, on top of the pouch.”

  “One gold, three silver and the pouch.” Alejander stood his ground. Aware that he was cutting it close with his offers and running the risk of losing the bag completely, he hoped that Helena offered him up the bag. Otherwise, he would end up paying full whack and he’d have to get started on his bartering skills.

  Helena nodded. “Done.”

  You have relinquished: 1 pouch

  You have relinquished: 1 gold, 3 silver

  Total Currency: 23 silver, 24 gold, 5 electrum

  You have acquired: Leatherworker’s Satchel

  Damage: Null

  Inventory: Torch. Matches {9}. Water bottle. Rope. Twine. Map. Lockpicking Tools. Coin purse. Healing Potion. Stag Meat. Antlers.

  Quality: Good.

  “Do you have anything I could attach to the saddle?”

  “Saddlebags?” Helena turned, scanning the shelves. “Not unless you wanna grab another satchel and attach it somehow. Otherwise, you could check out a stable somewhere. They usually have saddlebags for sale. Not here, unfortunately.”

  “Thanks,” Alejander said, waving a hand. Climbing up to the next floor, the third floor was louder, booming laughs, angry yells, and someone slapping down some items on a desk and claiming they weren’t fit for purpose.

  It was easy enough to pick out the bone seller; they had various antlers, skeletons, and even some jewelry made from finger bones of something. Goblin, Alejander figured, recognizing the length and thickness. He didn’t particularly want to wait around for a body to decompose to make money from it, but if he came across bones in the forest, he made a mental note to pick them up and shove them in his new satchel.

  The bone merchant was a haggard old dwarven man, skin a little too loose for his body, and once again Alejander wondered what possessed someone to play a character so old.

  “Yes?” The man said, his voice shrill and eyes squinting in the manner of someone who needed glasses but was reluctant to wear them.

  “I wondered if you had a use for these?” Alejander placed the antlers on the desk.

  “Hmmm.” The dwarf handled the antlers delicately and sighed. “Low level but not useless. I can give you five silver, no haggling.”

  Alejander sighed. It wasn’t great, especially for the effort he’d put into slaying the beast, but he nodded. “That’s fair.

  You have relinquished: Stag Antlers

  You have acquired: 5 silver

  Total Currency: 28 silver, 24 gold, 5 electrum

  The antlers were snatched up and Alejander left, his satchel a little lighter of goods, but heavy enough with coin. He would hold onto the gem until he found something worth its handing over. Done with the trading post, he would log out and eat something, then head back down for the foyer, ready to stock up on food, water, and get back into the forest with Greta.

  There were creatures and monsters he had to kill if he was going to make it to the dungeons – and closer to level ten.

  LOGGING OUT…]

  Chapter Seven

  Stopping for a quick bite of lunch, Matthew dragged out his manual. He wanted to check up on some of the races and check out some of the forums. People were willing to talk about their reasons for picking the characters they chose, and though some cited fun, there were a few who wanted to check out the death cycle of a character, either for an article, a dare, or for a special item. Apparently, the game gave out items that were only obtained through a character’s death. Merchants were given a bonus for a mundane job, volunteers to the info desks were paid by the day, and some of the stable hands actually earned decent coin if they were willing to put in the training, the care, and the time.

  It was an interesting read. Matthew couldn’t imagine he’d ever want to do anything other than play something like a rogue. He liked the leveling aspect, and he didn’t want to stick around a city or trading post and while away the time gaining coin slowly. Indeed, many other people thought likewise; there were far more adventurers and champions than there was anything else. Some fell by the wayside, bored with constantly dying, but Matthew knew the secret; you didn’t try and level up too soon. You kept to the monsters that suited your level. It was as much of a slog as the merchants but on a faster scale.

  The dungeons had a chapter – and a forum – all their own. It was complicated, and more than Matthew wanted to delve into, but by the time he was ready to get back into the game, he had a better grasp of what would happen once he made it to a dungeon.

  [LOGGING ON…

  Alejander was where Matthew had left him, sat on the bench inside of the trading post. It wasn’t the smartest place to have left himself, given the amount of people who were still present, but everything was where he left it.

  Before grabbing Greta from the back of the trading post, Alejander went out the front to take stock of that area. The paths twisted back into the forest, but into a thick of trees that darkened the entry enough that Alejander couldn’t make out much. There was another signpost just outside, with another path winding away from the forest and out into a meadow. He didn’t want to head for the meadow. If he was remembering the map correctly, that would take him towards a town and not down to the first dungeon.

  The cart that had gathered a crowd was a little emptier, and as Alejander managed to shove between an elf magic user – they had a staff and robes of a fine silk – and a dwarf with a warhammer, he made out maps, twine, ropes, general items that would no doubt make traveling and dungeon making easier.

  Content that there would be somewhere else to get basic items, and aware that it would take longer than he wanted to spend to get through to the merchant, he managed to sneak out from the crowd and zeroed in on the food and drink stall.

  It was
mostly fruit and veggies, occasional meats, and a few more containers of water. Parting with a couple of gold, Alejander had enough food to last him a few days in the forest. He doubted he would need it all if he could get his skills up a few notches, but it would save him having to spend coin at a tavern or an inn.

  You have relinquished: 2 gold

  Total Currency: 28 silver, 22 gold, 5 electrum

  Stowing the food in his bag, he was ready to head out. Greta was happily munching on a sack of oats and he gestured to the stable hand. “Do you have some to spare? Or is the grass in there alright?”

  “Depends,” the stable hand said. “Grass is an alright diet, but it should be subsidized with something else. I can let you have a sack of grain for a gold piece, but you’ll have to find some way to carry it.”

  Alejander made a face and waved him off. “Don’t worry. I’ll figure something out.”

  “Alright,” the stable hand said affably.

  Greta whinnied softly as he approached, and he waited until the stable hand had unhooked the bag before rubbing at her nose.

  “Was that good, huh?”

  Regarding him with soft eyes, Greta nickered, rubbing her head against his hand.

  Alejander moved to her back, putting a leg in the stirrup and hauling himself into the saddle. “Come on girl,” he said, giving Greta a couple of pats to the neck. “Let’s get back on the move.”

  It took Greta a couple of minutes to get back into her stride, but pretty soon they were trotting around the outside of the trading post, long grass brushing against her hocks. Birds took off in a rush from the trees as she passed and Alejander guided her back onto the main path, doing his best not to disturb any other creature’s rest.

  Greta pulled against the reins in the direction of the meadow and Alejander nudged her towards the forest.

  “Sorry girl,” he muttered, rubbing at her neck. “I know you don’t like the forest, but it will get better.”

  Snorting, Greta’s ears pricked forward, and if he could see her face, he could well imagine the skeptical look she’d have. As they entered through the darkened entrance, Alejander could see better. The trees were only thick bunched at the edge. They thinned out the deeper they travelled, and Alejander kept his eyes on the lines of trees, trying to find a way deeper into the thick of the trees. It was where he had found the stag and the goblin before.

  There were a couple of other riders in the forest, another Sylvaer and a couple of humans, but they passed without incident. A hare darted out in front of Greta on the path and she let out a whinny, starting to dance on her back legs.

  “Steady,” Alejander said, afraid that she would rear. “It’s alright.”

  He repeated the words over and over, and eventually, Greta calmed, snorting and shaking her head.

  “I know you don’t like it.”

  Part of him wanted to return to the trading post and leave her there, but it would make no sense; he couldn’t pay that much for it, and he would need her if he had to escape the forest in a hurry. Perhaps it was not unlike when Matthew would skin his knees as a boy; his mother would kiss his knees and when he angrily informed her he would never fall again, she would laugh and pet his hair.

  “Pumpkin, we must endure so that we know how to overcome.”

  It was advice that he carried throughout his life – especially in the darker times of his life, and throughout his imprisonment, and he would do good to remember it now. Greta might not like the forest now, but the more time they spent within it, and the more fights Alejander did his best to get through, the more accustomed she would become.

  Given where she had come from, and the lack of care she had received at the beginning of her existence, it was understandable that she would fear a place she had seen so little of.

  When the trees opened back up and she could make out the sky – and the sun – Greta seemed to calm down, and picked up the pace a little. Alejander kept his eyes on the road, and even when he could feel Greta’s muscles ripple beneath his thighs, he kept her at a steady pace. He didn’t want to clear the forest. It wasn’t small by any means but giving her free rein to ride as fast as she wanted, it would only take a few days to get out the other side.

  Part of the brush had been trampled down along to the right, and despite a toss of Greta’s head, Alejander guided her onto the path. Some of the branches snapped back against them, one hitting Alejander in the face. He hissed, face stinging, but he ducked down to avoid the rest, content when they burst out into a small clearing. There was no direct path through the trees; it would be a case of cutting their own path through.

  There seemed to be a few clearings scattered through what he could see of the forest, so he dismounted Greta, keeping a hold of her reins. It would be harder for him to stay on her back the deeper through the trees they went, so he led the way instead.

  The next clearing was edged with brambles, some of them digging into Alejander’s hands as he tried to clear a path. Greta was huffing in his ear and he would have to check her for injuries later. As he trampled some of the brambles and managed to get both himself and Greta into the clearing, there was a low rumbling from his left.

  Alejander’s fingers tightened reflexively on the reins and he turned slowly, pushing Greta’s face away so that she wouldn’t see whatever it was. At the foot of one of the trees, head on its paws was a huge wolf. Alejander sucked in a breath and reached gently for a branch on the nearest tree. Greta hadn’t noticed yet and he prayed that she wouldn’t as he did his best to tie her reins to the branch. If he could keep them both quiet until he could get closer to the wolf, he had a better chance at taking it unawares.

  “Alright,” Alejander muttered, and turned his back on Greta, drawing his daggers. The unsheathing seemed too loud in the small clearing, and the wolf let out a huff. Its chest was still rising and falling in a steady motion, so Alejander approached cautiously.

  Grey Wolf

  Level: 2

  Description: All teeth and claws, and a dangerous mental aptitude!

  Hit Points: {unknown}

  Damage: ? {Bite} ? {Claw}

  Reach: Close

  Taking a step forward, Alejander’s foot snapped a branch underfoot and the wolf’s eyes opened, immediately focusing on Alejander. It snarled angrily and started to unfurl, lunging toward him. Alejander had just enough time to lift the dagger so that, as the wolf leapt at him, it buried itself in the wolf’s chest.

  The dagger didn’t seem to have any impact (unsurprising, considering the stag had taken two daggers and poison), and the wolf successfully managed to bowl Alejander over, its weight resting on his chest. With a snap of its jaws too close for comfort to Alejander’s face, he brought up an arm to protect himself. The wolf clamped down on his wrist with its jaw, teeth sinking into flesh, and Alejander yelled out in pain, trying to put as much weight as he could behind a shove.

  You have taken 15 damage.

  The wolf stayed put, shaking slightly at Alejander’s arm. Pain shot down to Alejander’s elbow, but he gritted his teeth against it, managing to get a grip on the hilt of the dagger currently embedded in the wolf and ripped it out, plunging it back in.

  The wolf didn’t let go of his arm though it tried to twist away from him and it started trying to shake Alejander’s arm.

  You have taken 5 damage.

  His movements gave Alejander the purchase he needed to grip the dagger and drag it downwards. The wolf released his arm with a howl and tried to stagger away from Alejander, but he slid the other dagger from his belt and threw it haphazardly, watching it embed itself in the wolf’s shoulder. The wolf snapped its jaws a couple of times, whining low in its throes. And with a final huff, it landed on the floor in a heap.

  Grey Wolf (lv 2) has died

  You have earned 150 experience points. Congratulations!

  Alejander closed his eyes, taking his arm gingerly in his hands. The wound was deep; it was bleeding, matting the fabr
ic and around the wound. He would need to clean and bandage it quickly. Rifling through his satchel, he used one of his new containers of water to wash away the blood and, with a wince, was able to peel back the fabric away from the wound. Using up two of the bandages, he was able to wrap it up to his satisfaction.

  You have lost: 20 HP

  10 stamina

  Current HP: 40/60

  Current Stamina: 15/25

  You have relinquished: 2 cloth bandages.

  Rubbing at his forehead, Alejander was cut from his pained haze by the sound of pained whinnying. Looking back over his shoulder, he could see Greta stuck amongst the brambles, letting out a horrible noise as she tried to shift back out of the way.

  “Hey,” Alejander said, mindful of his arm, cradling it close to his chest as he reached out to her with his good hand. “It’s alright. Hey, come on.”

  Leaning down to grab one of the apples from the bag, he held it out gently in front of him. Greta was watching him, her eyes wide, but she reached forward, trying to reach for the apple. Alejander managed to get closer, giving Greta the apple and using his injured wrist to tug on her reins. Slowly, he managed to get Greta out of the rambles and tied her to a different branch, one on a tree that wasn’t covered in brambles.

  Greta sorted, Alejander moved over to the wolf, dropping to his knees next to it. He tugged his daggers from the body, wiping them off on the wolf’s fur. Though he knew skinning the wolf would be helpful – and get him some money – it would be time-consuming.

  “Guess we’re sleeping here.” It would be a good idea to regain some of his stamina, knowing that he would lose some of it setting up his shelter. Slowly, he managed to sling it over a few branches, though it took a little longer given his injury. By the time he’d set up a rudimentary shelter, and gathered enough branches to start a fire, the sun was starting to set amongst the trees. At least he’d be eating fresh meat instead of the dried kind he’d purchased at the trading post.

  Greta seemed content to munch on the grass, and when he was done with gathering everything they needed, Alejander did his best to take the saddle off of Greta and lay it on the ground under the shelter. Free of her burden, she shook her head and went back to eating, her ears pricked and occasionally looking at Alejander.