The Warped Forest

by Thomas Carpenter

Item: Vicious Thorny Whip

  Dmg: 5-15 ׀ 20/20 Durability

  Special Attribute: Bleed (10% chance of 1 dmg/sec dot)

  An essential tool for the BDSM druid

  "Now that's more like it," she said, after adjusting the sheath to hold her whip rather than the dagger.

  Being able to create an item gave her more confidence that she would be able to make progress in the game.

  Alex left the bramble area, headed towards the chasm. She wanted to travel down its length to see if she could find a bridge or other way across. A 5,000 XP reward for completing the quest would go a long way towards getting through level 1.

  After what she estimated as about a mile of travel, Alex stopped to eat another traveler's food when her stomach grumbled and her fatigue % had grown too high. While she'd been hiking she'd been casting fire spells in hopes of gaining a skill increase.

  A few times she'd seen signs of larger creatures in the deeper woods, but had declined to investigate, knowing that it was unlikely she could beat them.

  When she'd first logged in, she'd expected a newbie area to level up in, but it appeared Gamemakers Online didn't pull punches when it came to starting areas. She wasn't opposed to a challenge, except that if there weren't a lot of small critters like the raticore or bloats, it'd be impossible for her to reach the higher levels to challenge the Brutal Rhinoboars of the forest.

  Quests were a good way to supercharge leveling, but she'd only encountered a few so far and it seemed like a longer-term goal rather than an immediate challenge.

  And after she ate the jerky and drank another water, she realized she was going to quickly run into another problem—food and water.

  As the shadows grew long, Alex decided she didn't want to test the forest during the night when she'd be at a major disadvantage.

  Log out? [Y/N]

  I knew you were a quitter.

  "I'm not a quitter, I just need a little rest and to think about how I'm going to attack this game," she said, before she remembered it was just a text box.

  When she swiped "Yes," another box appeared.

  Are you sure? [Y/N]

  Log out costs 10 XP. The following log out will cost 100 XP.

  And you thought you could just come and go whenever you wanted.

  "Balls of fire," she said, hissing the words out through her teeth.

  Suddenly the empty Gamemakers Hall and the hastily vacated rooms made sense to Alex. She was beginning to dislike the flavor text on the pop-ups.

  What would happen if the penalty for logging out grew too much and you couldn't pay it? Would you be stuck in the game forever?

  "Maybe there's been a mistake," she said.

  Alex hated the idea of using up her experience to log out, but she needed answers before she continued playing Gamemakers Online.

  She hit YES.

  You will log out in 30 seconds...29...28...

  Chapter Nine

  The first thing Alex did when she returned to the real world was to check her palm for the scrapes she'd endured when climbing the tree to escape the Brutal Rhinoboar. There were none, which was comforting at least. Then she went in search of someone to talk to.

  She found Bucket in the kitchen wearing robes over a T-shirt and shorts.

  "Hey," she said, preparing to launch into her questions, but her eyes fell upon the strange conglomeration of ingredients that he was dumping into a cooking pot: elbow macaroni, chili powder, corn flakes, pop-rocks, and a can of lard. The pause made him follow her gaze to what he was doing, and his forehead hunched as if he were surprised about it as well.

  "Giving up, huh?" he asked.

  "No, I'm not giving up, but what the hell? An XP penalty for logging out, no starting city, a lack of low-level enemies?" she asked.

  Bucket squeezed his lips and shifted them to the side while lifting one shoulder.

  "Professor Marzio is a lot of things, but he doesn't lie about how hard the game is. If you can't cut it, I understand, it's not everyone's cup of tea, but there's no shame in dropping out. Maybe you could rejoin the Halls next year, pick a place more suitable for you."

  "Where's Patron Dimple in all this? Doesn't he run his school anymore?" asked Alex, wanting to talk to someone who was really in charge.

  "He's traveling," said Bucket with an eyeroll. "Personally, I think he's done with the game making business, and left Marzio in charge while he's lounging in some private game world he made with generous rules and a lack of consequences."

  "What'd be the fun in that?" she asked.

  "Play Gamemakers Online for a few years and then answer it yourself," said Bucket.

  The girl who'd been asleep on a couch with a book over her face wandered into the room eating a turkey leg that appeared to have chocolate syrup squirted onto it. She had short messy blonde hair that looked like she'd cut it herself, except it was stylish, despite clearly being for utilitarian reasons. She had the same resigned expression that Bucket had, and she raised her eyebrows in Alex's direction upon entering the room.

  "Another new kid, eh?"

  Bucket reached over and dumped the pop-rocks into the pot and stirred it a few times.

  "Martina, meet Alex. Alex, meet Martina," said Bucket.

  "New kid gets a name?" asked Martina.

  Bucket threw one hand up in a "what can you do?" gesture.

  "Well, nice to meet you, Alex. I can see by your expression that you've logged in." She squinted. "So what'd you get for your Battle Royale item?"

  Alex wrinkled her face until she got the reference. "The Japanese movie about the murder island full of schoolkids?" Martina nodded. "I got a dented pot."

  Both Martina and Bucket sucked air through their teeth as if they'd just been kicked in the shins.

  "What did you two get?" asked Alex.

  "A spell for dyeing clothes bright colors," said Martina. "Bucket over there got easy mode, he got a crossbow."

  "Hey," said Bucket as he shoved a spoonful of his concoction into his mouth, then continued talking with cornflakes stuck to his chin. "It had no ammo."

  "Oh, you poor, poor man," said Martina, plopping down at the table, putting her feet on a chair, and leaning back. "What about starting location?"

  Alex thought back to if she'd ever seen the name of the forest.

  "I never found out," she said. "But I'm next to the Plains of Warsong, across from a big chasm, anyway."

  They both cringed again. Bucket looked to Martina. "Warped Forest?"

  The girl nodded.

  "I think Marzio is learning to be an even bigger asshole these days," said Bucket.

  "Marzio decides where we start?" asked Alex.

  Martina set her chocolate-covered turkey leg on the table. "Really, nobody knows how things in the game get decided. And how Marzio spends his time, we have no idea, he's gone most of the time. But since he's the only professor we see and Dimple is nowhere to be found..."

  She shrugged to suggest the natural conclusion to those thoughts.

  "So why aren't you two playing right now?" asked Alex.

  They both got a faraway look, before Martina pulled her feet off the chair, slammed her elbows on the table, and said, "That log out penalty gets bigger and bigger as you go. Eventually you realize you can't afford to log out, but you need a break, or you'll freaking lose it."

  "So we can survive in game? Sleeping, eating, all that?" asked Alex.

  "More or less," said Bucket, eating from the pot on the stove with a big spoon. "That's why it's only the two of us in the house right now. Everyone else is in Gamemakers Online."

  "How many people is that?" she asked.

  "No one knows really since we're all coming and going at odd times. This is the first time I've seen Martina in about a year outside the game. Unless you meet them inside, you might never see your classmates."

  It was hard to process the information. It was both exciting and daunting. The two of them looked like soldiers returning from war for a holiday, knowing they ha
d to go back. Yet, clearly there was something to the game, or they would have quit by now.

  "Any advice for a newbie?" she asked.

  "It's kinda hard to because everyone finds their own way in the game," said Bucket, eyes distant with thought. "But try lots of things and see what works for you."

  She nodded, appreciating the advice, then looked to Martina, who pointed the chocolate-covered turkey leg at her.

  "Whatever you do, don't go to the Plains of Warsong. It's a total ballbuster, chewed up more players than any other location in the game."

  "Totally," said Bucket, nodding along.

  "Why is that?" asked Alex, intrigued.

  "Just don't," said Martina. "There are areas in the game that aren't meant to be beaten. I think Dimple or Marzio put them there to show us the extent of our limits."

  "Thanks. I appreciate the words of wisdom." Alex glanced around. "Is there a phone anywhere?"

  "No cellphone?" asked Martina.

  Alex swallowed her discomfort and tried to shake her head as if not owning one was a choice rather than a fact of being poor.

  Martina rubbed her chin. "I think I saw one near the slide once, up near the bell tower."

  "There's a slide?" asked Alex, incredulous.

  Bucket squinted. "Yeah, I think I remember that as well."

  Alex went in search of the phone. She had to go up three separate sets of stairs before she found the slide and then the phone. It was a rotary dial. She blew off a layer of dust, expecting that it wouldn't work, but she heard a dial tone when she picked it up.

  She called the trailer, knees bouncing as she waited for her mom to pick up. She should be home, unless she’d picked up an extra shift at the diner. When there was no answer, Alex hung up.

  A pang of homesickness hit her, but she knew it was a temporary discomfort. Mostly, she worried about her mom. She wouldn't have an exciting and challenging new experience to distract herself with. She'd be stuck with the same old routine.

  "I couldn't live like that," said Alex.

  She went back to the obsidian cube.

  Chapter Ten

  Alex logged back into the same location of the Warped Forest. A darting movement from the side had her spinning around hands raised until she saw it was a furry rodent with fat cheeks and a long nose, no bigger than a grapefruit, running across a log. As she faced it, the creature stopped and stared back.

  Shrew, Critter, Level 0

  "Oh, hey little one," said Alex. "I don't think you're supposed to be here. Probably not that safe around here."

  She reached down and captured a cricket in her fist, shaking it up to disorient the insect before tossing it to the shrew, which was perched on the log. Before the cricket could get away, the shrew pounced, biting into the insect with a crunch before scurrying off into the undergrowth.

  Alex resumed her journey, walking right into a pack of large iguanas with bright red and purple skin that were marching the other way down the path. Each one was about two feet long with a spiny ridge that went the length of its tail.

  The creatures were as surprised by her appearance as she was of them, but the truce only lasted until the first iguana spit a jet of fire that roasted her leg.

  You have taken 1 fire damage! You are on fire!

  She pulled out her Vicious Thorny Whip, retreating over a fallen log, and hit the first creature to come around it.

  You deal the igneous iguana 9 damage!

  The igneous iguana is affected by Bleed!

  The strike and subsequent bleed trigger sent that critter into the woods. Alex had little time to cheer before two more of the flaming lizards tromped after her.

  You are on fire! You take 1 fire damage!

  The hem of her Cloth Breeches were smoldering, but Alex didn't have time to put herself out as the two nearest critters sent jets of flame after her.

  You have taken 2 fire damage!

  She hadn't even killed one of the igneous iguanas and nearly a sixth of her health was gone. Alex leapt to the left, using the lead iguana as a shield from the rest, and slashed it with her whip.

  You deal the igneous iguana 6 damage!

  You have gained a skill point: +1 One-handed Whip

  Thank you, may I have another.

  As the igneous iguanas ambled around the fallen log to surround her, Alex leapt over the obstacle, taking another couple of points of damage. The bowlegged lizards had a slow turning radius, which gave her a free moment to put out the fire on her breeches.

  She weighed running or not, but didn't want to lose out on the chance for experience. If a bunch of iguanas could take her down, then she had no business being in the game.

  You deal the igneous iguana 7 damage!

  You deal the igneous iguana 8 damage! You have slain the igneous iguana!

  The fallen log provided a barrier that she could use to keep the group of iguanas from surrounding her. Each time she had to leap it, she took another couple damage until she was down to two hit points with four iguanas left and her fatigue was dangerously high.

  Fatigue: 87%

  The other issue was that her thorny whip had burnt edges from the fire spit. She didn't want to lose another weapon so quickly, but she assumed that its durability was near the breaking point.

  The fallen log gave her a moment's respite, so rather than prepare another attack, she cast the five elements spell for water, focusing it on the area the iguanas were about to invade.

  You have gained a skill point: +1 Water Spells

  A sputtering spray came out of her hands, but the iguanas moved slow enough that she was able to try again. This time, a bubble of water flew through the air and captured the first iguana like a drop of dew surrounding an insect.

  You have learned a new spell: Dewdrop Orb

  The blob of water formed a new barrier for the iguanas, which sent them into a frenzy as they tried to avoid the liquid. Alex hopped onto the log and killed another iguana before they could react.

  With her fatigue maxed and almost no hit points, Alex stood her ground against the final two.

  An igneous iguana misses you!

  An igneous iguana misses you!

  You deal the igneous iguana 14 damage! You have slain the igneous iguana!

  Critical hit! You deal the igneous iguana 27 damage! You have slain the igneous iguana!

  Trembling with exhaustion, Alex examined the Dewdrop Orb the moment she received a final notification.

  You have slain the igneous iguana!

  The iguana in the orb had suffocated, releasing the spell, spilling the creature and water onto the forest floor.

  With the fight concluded, Alex surveyed the battleground. She'd killed nine igneous iguanas, including the one that had run off and died from the bleed wound. The only reason she knew it'd died was because she'd gotten a random XP notification during the fight.

  XP: 90/20,000

  She might have felt good about winning had it not been for the damage her equipment had taken.

  Item: Cloth Breeches

  AC: 0 ׀ 1/5 Durability

  Better than being naked, right?

  Item: Vicious Thorny Whip

  Dmg: 5-15 ׀ 4/20 Durability

  Special Attribute: Bleed (10% chance of 1 dmg/sec dot)

  Three non-orange whips

  During the fight she'd gained a point in One-handed Whip, Water Spells, and learned a spell, which she took the time to examine.

  Spell: Dewdrop Orb – Tier 1

  Faez: 10 ׀ Duration: 15-60 seconds

  Effect: Capture a small creature in a globe of water, removing them from the fight and suffocating them if they can't hold their breath.

  The strange part about the spell listing was that it had a link, which was unique for online games. But given that this was a particularly unique online game, run by the world's only magical university, she clicked it.

  Immediately, the pop-up disappeared to be replaced by a pair of ghostly hands. The hands made a series of gestures, and a
blob of water flew from them.

  "A how-to," said Alex.

  She didn't remember making the extra gestures shown in the demonstration, but it made sense. The first time, the effect had been generated by her attempting a new skill. But once she'd discovered it, the game had to show her how to cast it again since she'd used the generic water spell from the Five Elements gestures.

  With her small faez base, she could only cast the spell once, but it was nice knowing she had another tool in the toolbox. Next she examined the bodies, finding six pieces of Spicy Iguana Meat.

  Unlike the raticore, the igneous iguana bodies didn't disappear after she looted the six pieces of iguana meat. Alex wondered if that meant that there was hidden loot that she hadn't met the requirement to discover.

  Since she needed to rest, to recover hit points and fatigue, Alex decided to set up camp. It seemed like early morning in the Warped Forest, due to the dim light. Using the skills her father had taught her, she built a small fire, igniting it with her fire magic.

  Quest Completed: Establish a camp

  You have gained experience: 1,000 XP

  When she pulled out her cooking pot, a message appeared.

  Quest Offered: Discover a new recipe. (+1,000 XP) [Y/N]

  No baking show to help you here

  "Oh, more quests," said Alex as she accepted it.

  Alex threw a piece of iguana meat into the pot. After a few seconds, the interior of the pot flashed with light.

  You have received: Cooked Iguana Meat

  She'd hoped for a recipe, but clearly just cooking the meat didn't count. It only made it acceptable to eat.