Rogue Games

by Angie A Huxley

  With half of the shelter up, Alejander was snapped out of work by a whinny from Greta and the stamp of her feet.

  Grey Wolf Cub

  Level: 1

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

  Hit Points: 10

  Damage: 2 {Bite} 2 {Claw}

  Reach: Close

  The cub was back. It was low to the ground, front end down, back up as he tried to dance out of the way of Greta.

  “Hey,” Alejander said, patting Greta gently. “Easy.”

  With Greta calm, Alejander turned to the cub. It hadn’t run away, so that was progress. He still didn’t want to kill it, felt guilty enough about slaying the cub’s mother that he crouched down, grabbing his satchel from where he’d set it. The cub was watching him carefully, whining in its throat. The meat was halfway down the satchel and, by the time Alejander managed to grab some of the stag meat, he’d emptied some of the contents on the floor, including the wolf meat.

  Hoping the cub wouldn’t be able to smell its mother given the cooking, Alejander treated it like Matthew would a stray dog; it was quite a different concept, given that the wolf club was probably programmed to kill or attack him, but he did his best anyway.

  “It’s alright,” he said, tearing off a chunk of the stag meat and leaving it on the floor in front of the cub. Nothing happened for a long moment and Alejander was about to give up. Then, slowly, the cub inched forward, belly to the ground and eyes on Alejander. It sniffed at the meat and snatched it up, backing up a little before scoffing it down.

  This time, when Alejander held out the rest of the meat, the cub crept forward and took it from his hand, swallowing it down eagerly. It hovered a little while longer, head tilted, but when Alejander held out his hands, the cub let out a soft yip and disappeared back into the bushes.

  “Well,” Alejander said, gathering up the items that had fallen out of his satchel. He didn’t know what to make of it, only that he felt a sense of responsibility for making sure the cub had a little to eat. Though for that to keep happening, he would eventually have to find something else to kill.

  Putting the rest of the shelter up took another hour or so and the clouds were coming thick and fast, heavy with rain. The air smelled sharp and Alejander didn’t give it long. Greta was safe under the shelter, Alejander having done his best to stretch it right through the tree gap. He had the twine most of the way around the camp when the rain started, large drops hitting his face and hands. By the time he’d hung up the containers, it was coming down thick and he was soaked to the bone as he ducked under the shelter, shaking off the water from his cloak and clothes. It was too cold to take his clothes off to dry, so he used another match to start a fire, poking and stoking it until it was bright and warm under the shelter.

  Greta stared out at the forest, and then settled herself on the ground near to Alejander, reaching out and nuzzling his temple.

  “Hey,” he said, rubbing down her neck. There was dirt in her coat and some blemishes from the day before. He rubbed her skin and made a mental note to pick up some brushes the next time he had the opportunity. “Sorry, girl.”

  Greta was warm and as he leaned against her for some added warmth, Alejander grabbed another apple from his satchel, holding it out for her. He ate another strip of the dried meat, enough to hold him over for the evening, though he could probably risk some fruit just before bed.

  The rain kept up a steady attack on the top of the tarp but instead of getting irritating, it was soothing. Alejander started to doze, head jerking up immediately as a familiar shape loped under the tarp, shaking out its coat. The cub was looking at him, coat dripping with water and Alejander sighed, blinking the sleep from his eyes. Grabbing his cloak, he approached the cub slowly.

  “It’s alright,” he said, in the way he would soothe Greta. “It’s alright.”

  The cub darted away from him, but it was torn between the rain and the shelter the tarp provided. Alejander lunged, covering the cub with his cloak. There was yelping and a few nips from inside the cloak, but eventually, the struggling stopped.

  Alejander peeled back the edge of the cloak. The cub was watching him, and it snapped its jaws once, but then settled. It seemed to be content to be warm, and though it kept its eyes on Alejander, Alejander settled back against Greta. The horse was watching them, ears forward, and as she leaned into the cub, the cub sniffed, snout bumping against Greta’s nose. Holding his breath, Alejander waited for the lunge from the cub but it never came. Wriggling a little in Alejander’s arms, the cub closed its eyes and became a little heavier.

  “Well,” Alejander said, looking at Greta. “What are we gonna do now?”

  ...LOGGING OUT]

  Chapter Nine

  Matthew went through the motions of eating, washing and getting ready to settle back into the game. He threw open the windows for a little fresh air, reluctant to leave for long. He needed money soon, aware of how little time he had left in the hotel. He needed to level up quickly if he was going to make money before getting kicked out.

  Real life seemed dull after the creativity of the game. Matthew wondered if anyone gave up and lived full time within the game. He couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to hold down a job when this world was at their fingertips. A quick search online gave way to a company who had set up a facility for people to live in, keeping their bodies alive, while they were interred permanently into the game. It seemed a little weird, and Matthew figured that if he got far enough that he could make the money the company was charging, he wouldn’t need to spend so much time in game. Or, if he did, he’d be able to pay for the equipment to keep him company.

  Either way, Matthew had a long way to go before then. A long, very long way.

  With that in mind, Matthew donned the headset and settled back against the bed.

  [LOGGING ON...

  Alejander jerked awake.

  The sun was low in the sky, so it was early morning at the latest. The cub was still asleep, splayed across Alejander’s lap, and his heart constricted at the sight. Greta was still asleep, her head nestled on her forelegs. It didn’t look comfortable but Alejander didn’t think it was possible to stay comfortable under a shelter, especially as a horse.

  His HP and stamina replenished, Alejander shook off the last of his sleep and stared down at the wolf cub, reluctant to wake him, as much out of fear that he would run as he did, knowing that this was the best sleep the cub must have had since Alejander killed the mother.

  With a sigh, he stretched out his legs, jostling the cub in his lap. Almost immediately, the cub’s eyes snapped open, whining in its throat and leaping out of Alejander’s lap, still tangled in the cloak. It snapped a couple of times at the cloak and then broke free, teeth bared at Alejander. Keeping as still as he could, Alejander kept his eyes on the cub, trying not to give off a threatening vibe.

  Eventually, the cub settled down, sitting back on its haunches, hackles raised and keeping its eyes on Alejander.

  Alejander climbed to his feet, stretching to work the kinks out of his back and arms. Greta raised her head, shaking out her mane as Alejander went through the morning routine of checking the water bottles, digging in the pack for breakfast, and collecting all of his belongings.

  Tossing some meat to the cub, who regarded it silently for a beat before devouring it, Alejander started to take down the shelter, ready to move on as soon as possible. He wanted to make his way further south, towards the indicated dungeon – and into something a little harder for him to handle. Perhaps then he would be able to level up a lot quicker.

  Now that he had seen what was on offer, he wanted to get there and get into the Urbane Bank. Desperate for the money – but also eager to see where the rest of the game would take him – he wasn’t content with sticking solely to the animals of the forest. Though he wondered if there were other creatures like the Forest Goblin around. Killing one and a stag had given him Level 2
almost immediately – and that was what Alejander needed.

  For the next couple of days, Alejander wandered the rest of the Southern area of the forest, pausing only long enough for Matthew to rest and deal with everything he had to. Alejander didn’t run into anything else, and given the amount of people around the lake, he could only guess that there were too many people in the area for there to be anything worth getting experience from.

  By the time he could see the break in the treeline, the cub had taken to following him closely, sticking close on his heels and though there was still a reluctance to get close, Alejander would always wake up with the cub on his lap or at his feet, and was content with the arrangement they had. Alejander was running out of food, and hoped that once they left the forest, there would be some way for him to get some, even if he couldn’t earn any experience from it.

  As they rode down the path towards the forest’s edge, Alejander looked down at the cub that was keeping an easy pace with Greta, who had taken to the cub’s presence without incident. Alejander wasn’t sure if the cost of keeping the cub alive, having to provide food and make sure he was watered as much as Greta, not to mention the problems with finding shelter for a wolf, would be worth the effort and benefit of having him along for the ride.

  Guilt about killing the cub’s mother could only go so far. Alejander’s goal had never included having a companion in the shape of a wolf. Only time would tell if the cub would earn its keep. Maybe when they got to the dungeons, he would be able to determine if there was any benefit to keeping it around.

  It had been a couple of hours since Alejander had seen anyone, and while the forest was still alive with birdsong and the rustle of wind through the leaves, he had an eerie feeling they were getting closer to the forest’s edge. Finally, Greta reached the crest of the last hill in the forest and Alejander could see the break in the trees, the stretch of grassland away from the forest.

  Nothing about it gave away any indication of why Alejander was feeling so uncomfortable, but when he looked down at the wolf cub, Alejander could see its ears pricked forward, and even Greta was starting to get jittery. It put him on his guard, and he made sure his daggers were accessible. The grass was a vast plain, and a quick glance at his map showed that to be accurate; the plain stretched for quite a distance over the continent. Dungeons were littered about the plains, and Alejander supposed that the wide-open space was what had Greta and the cub so jittery. There were no places to hide, aside from a few dotted towns and copses.

  Finding shelter would be difficult out in the open.

  “A challenge,” he muttered to himself. It would be worth finding a way of making it work.

  Pausing at the edge of the forest, he dismounted, tying Greta’s reins to a tree, and keeping his on the cub, who was currently sniffing its way around the bushes lining the forest. There were a couple of good, sturdy sticks that could work as good stakes. If he filed the ends and could get them to stick in the ground, they would work. They were quite long, and would give Greta a bit of extra weight, but he was sure she would appreciate the shelter as much as he would out in the open.

  Strapping them to the saddle, Alejander mounted Greta once again, and started back up. The cub – and Alejander was really going to have to check the sex eventually, if just to give it a name – would stick around or it wouldn’t. Thus far it had been satisfied with whatever shelter Alejander could provide.

  The plain still managed to retain visible pathways, some marked with signposts, other mere dirt tracks. Alejander knew the vague direction he wanted, a path with more towns where he could at least purchase supplies before heading for the wilderness, and it also included a couple of assigned dungeons.

  Alejander had no idea how the dungeons worked; he would have to find out the next time he logged out of the game. Greta slowed into a trot, the cub dancing around her legs, chasing butterflies and various birds that flitted across the path. Alejander let himself enjoy the moment, though he kept his eyes on the horizon to make sure they wouldn’t get ambushed. Alejander wasn’t about to get complacent, not now he had things to lose.

  The path started to wind away from the forest. The cub kept close to Greta’s legs the further away the trees were behind them. Its ears were pricked, and face darting left and right. Alejander was surprised it was still following him, given how unsafe it must feel out of the forest. Though it wasn’t as if the wolf cub had anywhere else to be, not thanks to Alejander.

  There was a small copse of trees to the left and Alejander paused, noting a small pond around them. Alejander dismounted, leading Greta and the cub over to the water pool. There were fresh tracks in the dirt, so Alejander kept his eyes open, while letting the animals refresh. He gave Greta a little bit of a rub down, getting as much dirt off her coat as he could. The cub was lapping at the water, but it seemed relaxed enough that Alejander didn’t think they were in immediate danger. The tracks could just be someone in the vicinity, as it hadn’t rained yet this morning.

  The cub started to clean itself off, and Alejander tied Greta’s reins to one of the smaller trees, so that he was able to take a drink himself, washing his face and doing the best to clean the visible grime off. The sun was still shining in the sky, so he wasn’t worried about being wet for too long or making himself sick.

  Abruptly, the cub sat up straighter, muzzle whipping around to the left, and Alejander followed the direction of its gaze, freezing at the sight of a cat-like creature on the horizon.

  It was loping towards them, growling in the back of its throat, and Alejander took on an aggressive stance.

  Saber-Toothed Lion

  Level: 4

  Description: With tusks almost as strong as steel, a saber-toothed lion has nerves almost as strong!

  Hit Points: {unknown}

  Damage: ? {Bite} ? {Claw}

  Reach: Close

  A Saber-Toothed Lion, with long and curved fangs that looked sharp and glistened in the sun. It had a shaggy mane around its neck and its fur was thick and curly. As it loped towards them, it was snarling, and with a roar and growl, leapt at them.

  Alejander didn’t know how to react, and he moved too slowly. Thankfully, he was saved from his indecision by the wolf cub rising to meet it, snapping angrily and lunging hard. Alejander doubted it would make much of a fight; the cat was level four, and the cub was only level one, probably miles below the lion in strength, muscle and agility… but between them, Alejander hoped they would be able to make something work. He wasn’t about to be killed by a level four beast at this early a time. He would have to die at some point. He wasn’t eager to learn what happened during death, however, and made his move.

  Throwing caution to the wind, Alejander darted forward, driving his dagger into the underbelly of the creature, feeling it catch on skin and muscle and dragging hard. The lion let out a yowl, but it clamped its jaw down on the wolf cub and shook hard.

  The wolf cub let out a yip, and Alejander felt rage well up in his stomach. Flipping out his second dagger, he plunged both into the underbelly of the lion yet again and twisted. The lion flipped, dropping the cub and leaning around, trying to snap at Alejander. It got its jaws around Alejander’s leg and pain shot up Alejander’s thigh. He yelled, almost losing grip of the daggers, but he managed to keep it lodged in the lion’s chest and kept twitching.

  You have taken 25 damage.

  The wolf cub, dripping blood from bit marks in its neck, was up on its feet, tottering slightly, and clawed at the lion’s neck. It didn’t do much to dislodge the lion from Alejander’s leg, but Alejander pulled the dagger out, and slashed at the lion’s face, digging in deep.

  Leg throbbing in pain, Alejander knew that the teeth had broken skin, blood pooling around the lion’s mouth, but he did his best to ignore it. The lion was wrestling, shaking the leg like it had the wolf cub, and Alejander felt sick with the pain. The wolf cub lunged again, this time getting a grip on the back of the lion’s neck, thanks to the angle,
and the way it was trying to keep a hold of Alejander’s leg.

  Alejander used the lion’s roar of pain to twist viciously, feeling his back twinge, but his leg was protected beneath his body. He slashed his dagger across the lion’s face again, catching the eye and forehead, and then thrust it up into the lion’s jaw and mouth.

  You have taken 10 damage.

  The lion let out a gurgling sound and its back legs gave out, sending it crashing to the floor. Alejander puffed out a breath, knowing the lion wasn’t dead yet, but the wolf cub still had a grip on the lion’s throat, so Alejander pulled his dagger from the lion’s throat and slashed down the body.

  It was over. Alejander collapsed back on the ground, struggling to catch his breath.

  Saber-Toothed Lion (lv 4) has died

  You have earned 500 experience points. Congratulations!

  You have leveled up to Level 4!

  You have earned 5 stat points, 20 base HP, 10 base stamina and 20 points to any skill(s). Your weapons all receive +2 to their damage.

  You have lost: 35 HP

  15 Stamina

  Current HP: 45/80

  Current Stamina: 20/35

  Alejander turned his head and saw the cub’s chest heaving. He gritted his teeth against his own pain, doubting that the bandages in his pack were going to do the job this time, at least not for long. He would have to find a town or something soon. He pushed himself onto his knees, hissing under his breath, and crawled over to the cub.

  “Hey,” he said gently, resting his hand on the top of the cub’s head. The cub whined, eyes flickering open and looking up at Alejander. There was blood coating the cub’s fur, and Alejander didn’t know how bad it was. He tried to get his hands underneath the cub’s belly, turning him slightly so that he could see the wound.