Campaign (Blades VR Book 2)

by Terry Schott

  “You know the character classes, right?”

  “Absolutely. There aren’t many who know more about Blades than I do. Been playing it since I was a kid.”

  Xander nodded. “After the Chessboard, Mercy presented me the first opportunity to withdraw from Death Stryker training.”

  Sebastian frowned and then nodded as he remembered what that signified. “If you fail, she must destroy your soul.”

  “Which is why I’m asking about death. How worried should I be?” Xander leaned forward. “I checked the beta roster before I entered. Not many chose the Death Stryker class.”

  “What did they tell you at orientation?”

  Xander shook his head. “I didn’t get one.”

  Sebastian sat forward. “What?”

  “They told me I would get a tutorial as soon as I entered the game, but it never happened.”

  “Hmm. That has a bad smell to it.”

  “There was nothing I could do about it, so I kept moving forward, figuring I would learn as I go. Which I am. Dying is one thing, but having your soul ripped apart...”

  Sebastian stroked his beard for a few moments and then reached over to pat the young man on the arm. “Don’t worry about it, kid. You’ll be fine.”

  “Really?”

  Sebastian nodded. “I don’t know if we have a soul or not—”

  “Then how can you tell me not to worry?”

  “Because your consciousness was the only thing to make the trip to this reality; everything else is on a table inside of your real body. If you do happen to have a soul, then it has to be tucked away safely with the rest of your things.”

  “You sure?”

  “Absolutely.” Sebastian nodded. “Being here is like making a phone call. You’re present in a way, but once the connection is broken, you end up back where you started.”

  Xander pursed his lips.

  “Look.” Sebastian leaned back in his chair. “Five thousand of the wealthiest people in the world—or their family members—are in here playing. We had to assure them absolutely that they would be in no danger, or they wouldn’t have agreed to give it a try. I do know what I’m talking about. You’re safe.”

  Xander smiled. “Okay, thanks.”

  “Feel better?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good. Don’t give up, though.”

  “I won’t.”

  Sebastian raised the mug in a toast. “Glad to hear it. If anyone can play the hell out of the Death Stryker class, it’s gotta be you.”

  15

  On a grassy hill overlooking the town, Aleron joined the rest of the group, lowering his backpack to the ground as he sat beside Shale. “So. Have you all decided where we’re going next?”

  “We were waiting for you.” Shale nudged him with her knee.

  “Thanks.”

  “Before we decide”—Sebastian stood—“I think it’s best to nominate a group leader.”

  “I vote for you,” Fen said.

  “Wait a second.” Sebastian held his hands up in front of his chest. “I’m not saying I want to do it.”

  Fen shrugged. “Well, I already voted. One for Sebastian.”

  Sebastian laughed. “Anyone who wants to be group leader, stand up so you can be considered.” No one stood, and he groaned. “Come on, really?”

  Mercy grinned and shook her head. Xander did the same. Fen raised an eyebrow and made a waving motion with his hand. Sebastian raised his eyebrows at the pair of elves. “Shale? Aleron?”

  Aleron shook his head, and Shale laughed. “No way. This is your game. I can’t think of a better leader to have.”

  Something in her tone made him frown. “You know who I am, too?”

  “I had a pretty strong suspicion. Fen confirmed it.”

  “What are they talking about?” Mercy asked. “Who are you?”

  Sebastian opened his mouth, but Fen spoke before he could. “He’s the leader of the new Travellers.”

  “Is that so?” The Death Stryker raised one eyebrow and surveyed Sebastian as if reassessing him.

  “I suppose that’s what you could call me,” he muttered.

  “Can everyone else vote and get this over with please?” Fen asked.

  The decision was unanimous. Sebastian groaned again. “Fine. I’ll lead.”

  “Congratulations.” Ezref nodded. “Now that we’ve all visited the Scout, I think it best to share our levels.”

  “Good idea.” Shale raised her hand. “Level seven, here.”

  “Five.” A grin crept onto Ezref’s face for a second as he spoke the number.

  “Hey, congrats!” Shale sat up and leaned over to tap him on the leg. “That’s higher than you expected, right?”

  The apprentice nodded.

  “Xander has attained seventh level as well,” Mercy said.

  “Grats, Xander.” Sebastian smiled at the young Death Stryker, who nodded and looked at the ground, obviously trying to hide a smile. “Fen?”

  “What?”

  Sebastian laughed. “What level are you?”

  The large man looked at the ground and mumbled something unintelligible.

  “What was that?”

  “Only level three.”

  “Hey, that’s not so bad.” Aleron said.

  “It should be higher.”

  Shale laughed. “Didn’t you say most of your time has been spent exploring up until now?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, then. I think level three is pretty darned good, considering.”

  “I suppose that’s true.”

  “You’ll catch up quick enough,” Ezref said.

  “It is not bad at all,” Mercy said. “Warriors acquire their main skills at level one. You will get stronger and more efficient as you level, but you already possess the core qualities of a tank.” She smiled. “A strong back and a weak mind. One allows you to take the hits and the other ensures that you stand between monsters and the rest of the group without running away. I’m sure you will do fine with both tasks.”

  Fen laughed. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  She nodded.

  “And what level are you, dark lady?”

  Mercy blinked slowly and regarded him with a blank stare.

  Fen snorted and turned to face Sebastian. “How about you, fearless leader. Any chance you gained levels before you experienced difficulty in crafting?”

  Sebastian shook his head. “Perhaps, but I didn’t bother visiting the Scout. Assume that I have zero skill at casting magic. At least until you see otherwise. Aleron?”

  “Yes?”

  “What level are you?”

  “Well...”

  “You didn’t visit the Scout, either?”

  “I did, but...”

  “Scouts don’t level,” Mercy said.

  Sebastian raised one eyebrow. “Is that so?

  Mercy’s gaze slid to Aleron. “Tell him.”

  “Tell me what?”

  Aleron scratched his neck. “It’s difficult to explain, but she’s right. We don’t really level.”

  “Then how do you unlock new abilities?”

  The young elf smiled. “They aren’t exactly locked.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  Sebastian’s tone became bland. “Explain it to me as if I have the capacity to understand.”

  “I’m currently bound to this group as a druid,” Aleron said. “While that is so, my level will match that of the highest active party member.” He nodded towards his friend. “Which is Shale, at the moment.”

  Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. “So ... you’re a level-seven druid?”

  Aleron shrugged. “That’s right.”

  Sebastian considered the elf for a moment and then laughed. “Okay, that’s great. Now let’s get back to our original question. Where do we go next?” Sebastian stroked his beard. “There are so many options. Let’s put a few ideas on the table and vote.”

  “I think
that we should explore.” Shale leaned against her backpack. “I think Fen did things right when he first got here. We’re beta-testing this place, right? Maybe we oughta spend some time and get a feel for the environment. You know, stop and smell the roses before jumping into a big adventure.”

  “What was that sound you made?” Mercy looked as if she had eaten something sour.

  Sebastian frowned. “What sound?”

  “She said something about this place, right? There was a screeching noise in the middle of her sentence.”

  “Beta-testing,” Shale said.

  “Yes, that noise.”

  “It was a couple of words,” Fen said.

  “I think I know what happened,” Sebastian said. “Sometimes there are words that cannot translate from our other land to this. It will sound strange to natives.”

  “Ahh,” Mercy nodded. “Perhaps say it differently, then.”

  Sebastian stroked his beard. “It’s a Traveller term to describe exploring new surroundings.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Interesting.”

  “No matter how you say it, I think exploration sounds boring,” Aleron said. “We built a party to do more than pick flowers and climb trees, right?”

  Fen laughed. “The lad has a point. Let’s farm some XP. Go hunting for loot.”

  Xander and the others nodded. Shale shrugged and smiled.

  “Adventure it is, then.” Sebastian agreed. “Although that doesn’t narrow it down much. There are many ways to go about getting experience and treasure.”

  “We could start simple.” Xander began to tick options off on his fingers. “Kill wildlife. Defend a village from monsters. Find and clear out a nest of invading humanoids. Guard a caravan. Maybe hunt for rare items. Go to war.”

  “Rare item hunt!” Shale exclaimed, eyes wide.

  “Or explore ruins,” Xander said.

  “I think it best to start simple and work your way up,” Mercy said.

  Sebastian nodded. “I agree.”

  “I heard a rumour in town that could be worth checking out,” Fen said. “There’s word of a place three hours north of here where they are clearing land to make a new settlement.”

  “There would be much work to accomplish for such an undertaking.” Mercy pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes.

  “That’s what people are saying.” Fen scratched his shoulder. “The Magistrate is offering rewards for all sorts of jobs ranging from clearing land to building structures, to making sure there are no monsters or wild beasts that can come wandering into the new settlement.”

  “I like it,” Aleron said. “We can head there and start with small jobs. Work our way up as we go.”

  “Sounds exactly like what we’re looking for.” Ezref stroked his goatee and looked at Sebastian, who nodded.

  “Does this place have a name?” he asked.

  “I don’t think so.” Fen answered. “Not yet.”

  “All right. Let’s get directions and make our way there. Everyone agree?”

  Heads nodded.

  16

  The group reached their destination a few hours before noon.

  “You sure this is the place?” Shale asked.

  Fen grinned. “You’re the ranger, you tell us.”

  “These are the coordinates you gave me.”

  “Then it must be the place.”

  “It’s not what I was expecting.” Aleron crossed his arms.

  They stood in a clearing scattered with freshly filled holes and the odd tree stump on the ground. Near one edge of the clearing lay tall piles of felled trees, where workers were using axes and hatchets to trim branches and create long poles, while others used specialized blades to remove the bark.

  A single building stood at the end of the rough dirt road they were on. It was a two-storey building, big enough to house four or five people from the looks of it. Smoke rose from its chimney. In the front yard was a crude-looking table, around which sat four men in chairs, their backs to the house. A long line of people stretched up the road, ending in front of the table.

  Ezref made a huffing sound. “There are at least fifty people in front of us.” Some were dressed in plain farmer and woodworker garb, while others wore armour and carried weapons. “It seems we aren’t the only adventurers looking for work.”

  “From the look of things, there will be enough work for all,” Mercy said.

  “Shall we get in line?” Sebastian asked.

  ***

  Fen tapped Ezref. “How much time has passed?”

  “Twenty-five minutes.” Ezref’s tone conveyed his boredom.

  “We haven’t moved.” Fen kicked a clump of dirt on the ground.

  Sebastian leaned to one side, craning his neck so that he could see the table. Two men who had been standing in front of the seated men walked toward the woods, and the line inched forward.

  “There we go.” Fen took three big steps forward and stopped, turning to look at the rest of the group. “Progress.”

  Aleron made a groaning sound. “This could take all day.”

  “If we’re lucky,” Ezref agreed.

  “We can leave if you want,” Sebastian said.

  Shale laughed and gestured with her thumb behind them. “And let all these people cut ahead in line for free? No way.”

  Sebastian smiled. They had thought the line in front of them was long, but there were already just as many people standing behind them. “I agree. We got here just ahead of the real rush, I think.”

  ***

  Hours passed, while the line moved at a snail’s pace. Three hours after the party’s arrival, the men at the table were served food and drink. They began to eat but did not stop interviewing candidates.

  “That’s good luck.” Fen bit into an apple. “If they’d gone inside to have a meal it would have stretched this out longer.”

  “Aye.” Mercy watched those seated, her arms crossed. “They are not wasting time. I think they are simply being thorough in their interviews, which is wise. And likely good for us.”

  ***

  Half an hour after the men had eaten, the group stepped forward for their turn. Sebastian nodded to each of the men and addressed the one who seemed to be in charge. “Greetings, gentlemen. My name is Sebastian.”

  The man dipped his head. “Greetings to you. I am Ansko, appointed Dominus of this new town, which is to be named Umber Hulk’s Tooth.”

  Sebastian raised one eyebrow. “An interesting name.”

  The trace of a smile touched the Dominus’s lips. “What services are you here to offer us, Sebastian?”

  “Our group is newly formed, but we are able and willing to offer protection with our skills.”

  “And your levels of experience?”

  “Our highest members are level 7.”

  “And your lowest?”

  “Our warrior is third level.”

  Dominus Ansko surveyed the group, his gaze pausing on Mercy for a beat before moving on and finally returning to Sebastian. He smiled. “We all have to start somewhere. I am certain that we can offer you work that is challenging but within your skill set.”

  “Thank you.” Sebastian bowed.

  “At the southwest edge of the clearing, you will find a trail that leads to the barracks. Take this.” He paused to scribble on a piece of paper and handed it to Sebastian. “And report to Tyce. He’s an ugly old warrior with long black hair and a scruffy beard. He will assign you a mission.”

  Sebastian folded the sheet in half and tucked it into his robe. “Thank you, Dominus.” He bowed his head. “We look forward to helping.”

  The group moved away from the table, and Fen muttered to Ezref, “That took two minutes. How come everyone else seemed to take so much longer?”

  “Not sure.” Sebastian shrugged. “But it doesn’t matter. Let’s go find this Tyce and learn what our first mission will be.”

  17

  They emerged from the woods and saw the barracks up ahead. Tents and cooking fires were s
cattered about the cleared area, many occupied by adventurers sitting in small groups. Behind the tents were three wooden buildings.

  “Hold it.” A man stepped onto the trail and stood between them and the camp. He had dirty blond hair and a bushy beard sticking out at various angles as if neither had felt the touch of a brush or comb in a long time. In his hand was a battle axe with a broad blade curved on one side and a thick steel spine on the other.

  “Evening.” Sebastian said.

  The man grunted and extended his free hand toward them. “Show me your paper.”

  Sebastian reached into his robe and withdrew the Dominus’s note. “Are you Tyce?”

  “No.”

  “We were told to give this to him.”

  The warrior’s scowl deepened. “I’m not gonna keep it. Just need to see it so I can let you pass.”

  “Oh.” Sebastian unfolded the page and held it forward.

  The man took the sheet, examined it, and then handed it back. He stepped to one side and jerked his thumb toward the encampment. “Head to the middle building. Tyce is inside but will come out to meet you.”

  “Thanks.” Sebastian tucked the piece of paper inside his robe and extended his hand. “I’m Sebastian.”

  The warrior raised an eyebrow and considered Sebastian’s hand for a second before rubbing his beard. “Good for you.”

  “I didn’t catch your name.”

  “I didn’t throw it.” The man rested the handle of his axe on his shoulder and turned. “Up to the main building. Welcome to the jungle.”

  Aleron laughed as the man disappeared into the woods. “He a fan of Guns N’ Roses?”

  Mercy frowned and turned to Xander, her eyebrows raised.

  Xander smiled and shook his head. “New Traveller term.”

  ***

  They stopped in front of the house and lowered their gear to the ground. The door opened and two men emerged. One was young. The second was a grizzled warrior with long black hair and beard.

  “Afternoon.” Sebastian smiled and stepped forward. “Are you Tyce?”

  “I am.” Tyce nodded.

  “I’m Sebastian. Leader of this group.”

  “Good to know.” Tyce held his hand out. “Got any papers for me, Sebastian?”

  “Right here.” He handed the paper over.