by Eden Redd
Vanya took in her surroundings before turning her attention to Edric, “This is where we part my lord.”
Edric gave a comforting nod, “We can walk you home.”
The nalik pulled her arm away as she shook her head, “No thank you my lord. The evening air will soothe my nerves and I cannot be seen with the lord and ladies of Elora too much or many will talk.”
Vanya turned and faced down the street to the Northern wall. “A gentle walk will do much for my tired bones. If I need you, I will come to you.”
Edric and Rayna bowed.
“Always a pleasure, Vanya,” Edric said softly before standing straight up again.
“As to you both,” Vanya bowed her serpent head.
The summoner and bard watched as the old nalik turned and began walking down one of the side streets. Her pace was steady and a little slow. Edric could not help himself. He wanted to escort her home but her words echoed in his head. Elora had become a new destination for many, NPC’s and players alike. The chances of word getting around grew with each new day. As much as it internally burned to let her go without an escort, he placed his trust in her knowledge and experience to see herself home, unharmed.
Rayna looked up at Edric as he stared at the nalik and gave him an elbow to the ribs. Edric looked down at the smiling bard as he touched his ribs.
“She’ll be fine. The city has never been safer except for the troll families that moved in,” the bard said with a slightly serious tone.
“I have been meaning to ask about that,” Edric rubbed his ribs for a moment before letting his hand drop to his side.
“Trolls trickle in every few days. They are creating a little area in the Discord district to live in peace but that hasn’t stopped some of the locals from getting a little rowdy and rude. The guards have broken up several fights in the last two months.”
Edric’s mind swirled. It had been two months since Caspian and his fellow players tried to destroy Elora’s city core and take the kingdom for themselves. The player felt they were lucky to defend it from the knight and caused all of them to work harder to shore up the city guard and their defenses.
Since the discussion to add a troll beacon crystal to the city core, the citizens of Elora begrudgingly agreed to open the city doors to troll families who wished to relocate to the thriving kingdom. The wine and runic stone trade steadily grew, meaning there was work for many during this questionable time in Lukken’s history. Claudia and Rayna were hesitant to allow troll citizens into the kingdom but surprisingly, Faye was the most vocal against it. Edric still thought about the wood elf as she pushed to not allow them in. The player knew she was very much for the people of Elora and they had spoken of their misgivings for allowing the enemy within the walls. It took Edric a few days to convince her to work toward a brighter future but when it came down to a vote, Claudia and Rayna decided to back the summoner while Faye abstained. Edric’s heart dropped in his chest as the wood elf stood up and left the common room. In the last few months, the two hardly spoke as they carried on ruling side by side.
Rayna watched as the summoner’s eyes took on a faraway gaze, reliving some old memory. “You’re thinking about Faye.”
Edric woke from his daydreaming and looked to the bard. “I’m always thinking about all of us.”
The bard smirked, “That’s sweet, but she’ll come around.”
“It’s been almost two months. I don’t know if our friendship will be the same.”
The bard stepped closer, hand touching the side of Edric’s waist, “And what about the rest of us? You still haven’t taken me up on my training offer and I’m starting to feel neglected.”
Edric lifted a hand and ran the back of his fingers along her pale neck. “Soon, I promise.”
Rayna’s brow formed a hard V. “I don’t normally let anyone string me along, so just know that what we have is something special. Don’t take too long.”
The bard pulled back as Edric eyed her. Rayna turned and began marching toward the keep in the center of the city. Edric soon followed. The player let out a long exhale as city and relationship politics shifted into muddy waters. The summoner’s fellow rulers held a special place in his heart but the ongoing fear of losing the kingdom chased his every thought. His concern was enough to distract him when the bard clearly wanted to spend time with him.
Edric stared at the bard’s lute strapped to her back before picking up the pace and following. When he reached her side, the bard leaned into him, knocking him off balance and causing him to stumble. Rayna laughed as the summoner regained his balance. Reaching out, she took his hand and gave it a squeeze before throwing it away and breaking into a run. Edric smiled as he gave chase, warmth filling his heart.
***
Vanya walked along, the evening air flowing over weathered scales. Hood down, she looked up into the night sky, renewed purpose filling her ancient heart. The nalik savored the taste as it gave her a small surge of new life. Thoughts mentally organized into planned actions as she readied herself to lead the lost to new homes and safer horizons.
The nalik’s attention snapped back to the digital reality as something thick reached from the nearby alley and took hold of her gray robe. Vanya barely made a sound as a thick blue arm pulled her into the dark alley. Clawed hands rose up as she attempted to defend herself when the hand let go, throwing her back against a wall. The elderly lizard woman huffed as she raised her eyes and snout to two heavily muscled trolls. They glared down at the old nalik with black eyes and brimming cruelty in their body language. Dark blue skin shined in the limited light but the gaze of contempt glowed brighter than any light source.
“It’s past sundown. Shouldn’t you two be in your camp outside the city?” Vanya hissed.
“We lost our way,” one troll said.
“Took a wrong shortcut,” said the other.
“You both seem stupid…..but that’s not how it is…..is it,” Vanya said, her back still to the wall.
One troll nodded as he stood over her, “We can’t help but notice you make the rounds regularly, especially after dark.”
“How would you know that if you’re not allowed in the city after dark,” Vanya spit.
The troll’s mouth twisted into a wide grin. “Don’t be coy. We know your people are carrying and we just want some of that sweet gold reward. Tell us where we can find one or two of your friends and you get to live and so do they.”
“Otherwise, they will not live…and neither will you,” said the other.
Vanya’s eyes turned into two slits. “I have no idea what you two meatheads are talking about.”
The troll standing over Vanya let out an annoyed exhale. “It seems to us that you don’t want to cooperate with our special investigation.”
“It does sound like that,” said the other troll behind him.
“The lord and ladies will not…..” Vanya was cut off.
“The lord and ladies are puppets!” growled the troll. “We know you’re hiding them. We only want to find a few. Tell us where some of your friends are and we won’t break all your limbs. No one is going to miss a few eggs, now will they?”
The old nalik eyed them, anger bubbling up into her voice. “Tell your masters, Vanya Grayscale spits on their entire existence.”
The troll standing over her let out a sigh as his fingers curled around the pommel of his sheathed sword. “Now you have gone and insulted our masters. Like all transgressions, there is a price to pay.”
The troll drew his sword in one smooth move. The troll behind him smiled evilly before he heard a “twang!” and his eyes went wide. Vanya looked over to the second troll, her eyes widening and a smile forming. The troll reached up, grabbing at the arrow poking out from its throat. The troll struggled to speak as a meaty hand clumsily grabbed at it. A second arrow whistled through the evening air and penetrated the back of the troll’s head, the point bursting through the eye socket. The troll gurgled and tried to cry out as it reached for its co
mpanion.
The troll standing over Vanya turned his head, eyes watching in pure horror as his fellow troll lurched toward him, a third arrow point exploding out of his other eye. Cracks made of light crisscrossed the damaged troll before he let out a weak gurgle and exploded into shards of light.
Vanya turned her attention to the remaining troll as he whirled around, sword in hand. Black eyes searched the low rooftops. A shadow fell to the side of the troll like a black raindrop. The troll barely noticed it until he turned just as a blade sliced hard across the brute’s thick neck. Black blood sprayed into Vanya’s leering face as the troll stumbled a step. The cloaked figure sheathed their sword and turned their back to the troll and Vanya. The troll let out a small moan before his head fell off and thudded on the stone alley floor. Its body cracked as it shattered into greenish shards of light.
The cloaked figure darted off as Vanya pushed off the wall, troll blood streaming down her face and snout. The elderly nalik looked down to see the head of the decapitated troll still there, tongue out and eyes rolled into the back of its head. When she looked back up, the figure was gone.
Vanya lifted a clawed hand into the air and took a deep breath.
“Thank you kind stranger,” she screeched in manic glee and then laughed as two crescent moons rose up into the night sky.
Two
Thomas was humming a tune as he shut down his computer and fixed up his desk. The architect’s heart was light and full of energy as he watched the screen turn black. Needing to rush out, he turned his upper body and grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair. Standing up from his cubicle; eyes centered on the elevator doors across the office. Pulse quickening, he knew he simply had to reach the elevator and he was free.
“Tommy!”
Thomas’s good mood soured as his eyes shifted to James crossing the office toward him. A thought crossed his mind that he could still make a run for it but knowing James, he would chase him down or worse, ride the elevator with him and talk endlessly about bullshit.
James stopped by the edge of the cubicle as Thomas put his jacket on, “Glad I caught you. A bunch of us are meeting for drinks and everyone wanted you to join us.”
Thomas gave his best fake smile, “Sorry James, but I have plans this weekend.”
James eyed him with a smirk, “It seems every other week you have plans. Those long weekends must have recharged your batteries because you’ve been a super star the last few months. What gives? Are you moonlighting with another company?”
Thomas kept his face blank as annoyed tension filled his heart. The architect couldn’t stand James’s insinuations. He had a bad habit of assuming the worst in everyone, even if you were doing the right thing. As much as Thomas tried to keep his work and personal life separate, James went out of his way to dig for every bit of information he could on someone. Rumors persisted around the small office that when James took you out for drinks, he was trying to lower a person’s defenses so he could file anything said or done for later. Thomas had deflected James’s pushy behavior with constant plans outside of work but it seemed to make his boss try harder to reel him in.
“I just have a busy life,” Thomas said simply as he looked to the elevators miles away.
James kept his gaze steady, as if trying to read Thomas’s mind. “I don’t get it. We are part of something big, rebuilding the most famous city in the world and you are rushing out the door like none of it matters. We should be celebrating. Our designs are winning almost every bid and you don’t want to enjoy the spoils?”
Thomas repressed the urge to shake his head. James was quick to say it was “our” designs when most of the time it was the team’s designs and to an extent, Thomas’s designs. James enjoyed putting his name on everything without doing much of the work. Thomas’s eyes couldn’t help but drink in James as he stood, leaning on the edge of the cubicle and dressed like some high-powered stock broker in an 80’s movie.
James pulled from the edge of the cubicle and looked Thomas up and down before giving him a sly look. “You have a girl, that’s why your weekends have been so busy, you sly dog.”
Thomas’s expression shifted into surprise just enough for James to smile and nod his head in approval. “Hey man, I’m never one to stand in the way of love. You should bring her around so we can give her a tour of the office sometime. I’ll talk you up so you get extra brownie points with her, if you know what I mean.”
The happy mood turned into a decaying sickness in Thomas’s stomach. How he hated anything James would vomit up and try to pass off as bro talk. Skin crawling, the young man simply nodded, unable to get a single word out for fear he would lose his job.
James stepped back, sly smile still on his lips. “Enjoy your long weekend. I fully expect to hear all the weekend dirt next week. If you change your mind and decide to bring over the new girly, we’re hanging out at Bull Tavern in the East Village.”
With that, James turned and walked back to his office. Thomas let out a long sigh as energy returned to his legs. Eyes laser focused on the elevators, he nearly darted to them, pressing the down button like the office was on fire behind him.
A short elevator ride down and waving goodbye to security at the front desk, the front doors burst open as Thomas stepped out into the evening air. Cold touched his face as he breathed it in. The tension in his shoulders and sourness in his stomach faded away, replaced with a comforting freedom. Turning on his heels, he began walking down the busy street, basking in the bliss of work chains slipping from his body.
The sky darkened and people flooded the streets on a Friday night. Thomas looked up as he walked, marveling at the city he now called home. He wasn’t sure when it happened but New York City seemed to coil around his heart. Where he had felt homesick and lost several months back, now, he felt like he was finally getting the hang of it. The entire city pulsed with excitement and wonder. Looking to the buildings, their history glowed in his mind as street lamps blinked on. Steam rose from sewer grates which only added to the mystery of the city.
Thomas walked along, a gentle bliss caressing his frayed nerves. The last few months had been busy but nothing he felt he couldn’t handle. Work was work but James made the days a little trying. As much as he wanted to tell his boss to go fuck himself, he remained dutiful and silent, waiting for the weekends to come so he could revel in his dreams.
The thought of his boss sent Thomas’s mind sinking into the ether of his memories. James was right about a girl, but in the wrong way. The young man pondered on his life over the last number of months. A girlfriend would have been a big change; instead he had an entire second life in Lewd Saga which was just the tip of how complicated his life had truly become. The demands of a city seemed to grow with the population and now the player was taking nearly every other Monday off so he could spend more time in the game. Ruling over a fantasy city had consumed him but it didn’t break him. It caused his passion to burn brighter as the muses sang on, causing inspiration to flow in the digital and real world.
Thoughts swam on as Thomas recalled his fellow players and friends. Warmth glowed in his chest as the excitement of seeing them spurred him on to pick up the pace. He and his fellow players worked their schedules together so they could be there and ensure their city prospered. It had become a labor of love in many ways. Thomas couldn’t deny how warm his heart felt for his fellow rulers. They had become special in a way he never imagined. Images flowed of a certain ogre and the player smiled to himself. Another image of a blue skinned troll with a pink strip in her hair caused his heart to skip a beat. It had all become so maddening and beautiful at the same time.
The tapestry of images melted and reformed, a tanned wood elf with strawberry blonde hair seeping into his thoughts. A sliver of gloom touched the player as he soon reached his apartment building. Not wanting to spoil his good mood, he gently pushed away the image and slipped into the building lobby.
A short elevator ride and a quick fumbling of keys, the young
man stepped into his apartment and closed the door behind him. Stepping in further, Thomas tried to keep the thoughts of work at bay. Despite all the good work and high praise, it was only a matter of time before he moved on. Working with a toxic boss only pushed at him to take his future into his own hands. James spoke of changing the greatest city in the world for the better but Thomas knew his boss didn’t mean it. James was constantly concerned with dollar signs and how many he could get his greedy hands on. Everyone in the office saw it, but it felt like poison in Thomas’s veins. Building Elora in Lewd Saga showed that you can do something magnificent and not be a douche to everyone around you. Thomas promised himself that when the time was right, he would move on in real life to something more meaningful. For now, he would watch over his kingdom and keep to his promises of helping those who could not help themselves.
Pulling out day old take-out from the fridge, Thomas grabbed a fork in the kitchen and scooped noodles into his mouth. The excitement burned as he continued to shove food in before taking the dive back into the game. Tossing the empty carton in the trash, he rushed over to the ladder and began to climb to the upper loft area. Shedding his clothes, he marched over to the Mind’s Eye Gear suit and helmet lying on the bed. In mere moments, he slipped the suit on and put the helmet over his head. Pressing a small button on the side of the helmet, the Lewd Saga console hummed to life on a nearby shelf. Thomas sat on the edge of the bed as the helmet glowed with an edge of red around his eyes. A light glowed red on the console.
Thomas lay back onto the bed. The red light turned green along the helmet and then the console. Thomas smiled as he closed his eyes. Heart thudding in his chest, the darkness shifted into a line of light before it streamed past him. The player felt his mind leave his body as the streaming light parted and flashed across his vision, hurtling his digital self to a realm beyond.
