by Alex Mulder
“Thanks again, Tess!” he yelled over his shoulder. “I owe you one!”
He rushed forward back into the grassy hills, pushing his legs into the ground as fast as they would go and hoping he had enough stamina left to make the round trip.
CHAPTER 4
Silverstrike’s body was no longer on the ground when Luke made it back to the spot where the encounter with the Yvva Wolves had taken place. Lying where it had been was a massive amount of blood and a couple of the beast’s corpses. Luke crouched down next to the scene and felt his heart sink. He spent a couple of minutes looking off into the distance, feeling as though he’d let his friend down.
When it became apparent that Ben’s avatar was no longer there to be revived, Luke crouched down and skinned the rest of the wolves. A small pop-up message floated across the bottom of his vision as he dropped the fifth one into his satchel, letting him know that he could complete the quest. He skinned the last few and took them with him, along with his fallen friend’s equipment.
At the very least, I can give these to Ben as a “sorry for letting you die” gift.
The sun had just set in-game, and it made Luke wonder what time it was in the real world as he made his way back toward Stark Town. He walked slowly, and by the time the settlement was within view, there were stars out in the sky.
Two features even larger and more dazzling came into view against the black of the night. Luke could see a medium sized moon, bigger than the one in real life, and colored azure blue instead of white. Slightly behind and below it was a smaller red circle, and it was hard to tell whether it was a second orbiting body, or a far off planet. Either way, together the two objects were beautiful.
“About time you got back!” Silverstrike was waiting for him in the middle of Stark Town, frowning and watching Luke as he approached. “I waited in spirit form for as long as the game would let me. I bet you got back to where I died just seconds after my soul returned to its bind point.”
Luke nodded. He felt relieved to see his friend walking around again. He knew it was ridiculous considering the rules of the game, but a part of him had been expecting his death to be permanent, especially after witnessing the violence that had been inflicted on his avatar.
“Sorry about that,” said Luke. “Here’s your stuff. And here, take these, too.”
He handed Silverstrike his equipment, along with a couple of the Yvva Wolf pelts. Silverstrike clapped him on the back, pulling his armor back on after tucking the quest trophies into his inventory.
“Much appreciated,” he said.
Luke looked around Stark Town. It felt different at night, and many of the NPCs he’d seen wandering around earlier had disappeared into their houses. There was a large inn just down the street from them, and Luke could hear music and laughter coming from inside of it.
“Let’s hang out in town for a little bit,” he said. Silverstrike nodded.
“The monsters usually come out in larger numbers at night.” Silverstrike waved a hand toward the town’s northern entrance. “So yeah, I think it might be a good idea for us to stick to safe areas in the evening, at least while we’re still at a low level.”
The two of them kept walking over to the inn and pushed through a group of players loitering out front to make their way inside. It was filled to the brim with people, all of them chatting with each other or experimenting with the game’s food and drink system. The atmosphere was similar to that of a bar or a restaurant in the real world, but there was an intangible element of unpredictability to it.
“Let’s grab seats at the bar,” he said to Silverstrike. “We might as well see what happens if we buy and drink the in-game ale.”
“Now you’re talking!” Silverstrike had a grin on his face that reminded Luke of the way his friend handled alcohol and substances in the real world. He tried not to worry as he led his friend over to take a seat.
“What can I get the two of you?” The NPC bartender was a gorgeous woman with a broad smile. She was wearing a low-cut green and white dress that looked like it would be right at home on a serving wench in a medieval pub.
“We’ll each have, uh, a mug of ale…” Luke smiled at her and felt a little foolish at the way his eyes were drawn to her figure.
Calm down, she’s just an NPC, probably not even aware enough to hold a real conversation.
The mugs were set down in front of Luke and Silverstrike. He looked over at his friend, who paid for the ale before eagerly taking a sip.
“Huh…” he said. “Well, I can’t taste anything, but it’s definitely having some kind of effect, I think?”
Luke took a “sip” of his own. It felt a little strange, as though his mouth in the real world was expecting to taste the liquid, and simulated a bit of the feeling automatically. He set the mug down and noticed that his vision had blurred ever so slightly around the edges.
“Is there anything else the two of you need?” asked the bartender. Luke started to say no and then paused, a thought forming in his head.
“Can you tell us more about the area around here?” he asked. “What should we keep in mind if we’re going to be in Stark Town?”
The bartender crossed her arms and looked as though she was thinking hard. Luke was surprised by how convincing the gesture looked, and for a moment, it was impossible for him to see her as just a mindless NPC.
“It’s funny you should ask that,” said the bartender. “Rumor has it that there has been some trouble happening deep in the Underground, in the caves that supposedly connect to Stark Town’s sewer.”
THE UNDERGROUND: The complex cave system that runs underneath much of Yvvaros. It is suspected of housing Tymian bases. Many locations connect to The Underground throughout Yvvaros and occasionally groups of intrepid adventurers voyage inside on raids.
Luke looked over at Silverstrike, who was deep into his mug of ale.
“I think that’s a dungeon for higher level players,” said Silverstrike. “It’s not claimable like other zones on the continent, at least I don’t think.”
Luke scratched his head.
“Zones? Claimable?” he asked. “It’s been a while since I’ve played an MMORPG. Can you clue me in?”
Silverstrike set his mug down and wiped his hand across his mouth. There was a look in his eye that was a mixture of condescension and good humor.
It can’t be that surprising that I don’t know about this stuff, can it?
“The whole point of the game is to push out from Kantor and Stark Town and claim the zones for either yourself or your guild,” said Silverstrike. “There are still quests in Yvvaros, and you can level up through combat with monsters, but the real focus is on the interactions between players. Trading, wars, politics, that sort of thing.”
Luke nodded.
“Just like the TV show,” he said. Silverstrike winked at him.
“Now you’re getting it. Tomorrow, I think our focus should be on taking advantage of the fact that we have most of the basics down and trying to claim one of the closer zones for ourselves.”
Luke took another sip of his ale and smiled. He hadn’t really known what to expect when he first decided to try out the game, but he had to admit that he was having fun.
“Hey.” A familiar voice came from behind him and to the left. “Did the potion end up working out for you?”
Luke turned to look at Tess. She wasn’t wearing the starting equipment he’d seen her in before, but rather, a slim fitting, eye-catching purple dress.
“I didn’t make it in time to use it, unfortunately,” said Luke. “This is the friend I was headed to resurrect. Silverstrike, meet Tess.”
The two shook hands, and then Tess sat down next to Luke. He was happy that she was there, but at the same time, he felt almost like he’d been put on the spot.
She’s cute, or I guess I should say her character is. I wonder what she looks like in real life?
“I am still expecting you to pay me back, you know.” Tess’s tone was pl
ayful and made Luke suddenly feel as though he’d known her for much longer than he actually had. She smiled at him and flicked a couple of strands of hair out of her face. Luke smiled back.
“Well, it’s not exactly as though I’m drowning in money at the moment,” he said. “Maybe I can find another way to repay you?”
“Yeah, I guess,” she replied. “You were one of the few players brave enough to head outside of Stark Town, today, you know.”
Luke nodded, feeling as though she’d just given him a compliment.
“I think the intro may have put a lot of them off,” he said. “It’s different playing this game. You don’t feel quite as insulated from the action.”
“My point is,” said Tess. “If you want to pay me back, but don’t have the gold, there are other ways in which you could do it. I could use somebody to show me the ropes of combat.”
Luke’s back straightened at her suggestion. He looked at Silverstrike out of the corner of his eye. His friend was waving the bartender over to refill his mug.
“Uh, yeah, why not?” said Luke. “It might have to wait until tomorrow, but I’d be more than happy to. Especially if it means saving me from having to pay you back the gold!”
He felt stupid immediately after the words had left his mouth, but Tess just giggled and set one of her hands on his shoulder.
“Tomorrow, then,” she said. “I’ll send you a message in the afternoon when I’m in-game.”
“Yeah, tomorrow,” said Luke.
For a moment, neither of them said anything else. Luke was aware that he was only looking into the eyes of her avatar, and the voice he was hearing was only an approximation of hers. He also knew that the room they were in was just a three-dimensionally rendered set, but there was something underneath it that made it all feel real.
CHAPTER 5
The inn eventually began to empty, and the trio wound down along with it. Luke said goodbye to Tess and watched her character disappear into nothingness as she logged out.
“What was that all about?” asked Silverstrike, gesturing to where she had sat. Luke shook his head.
“She helped me get the potion,” said Luke, “she’s… really nice. That’s all.”
Silverstrike raised an eyebrow at him and smiled coyly.
“Sure buddy,” he said. “Anyway, it’s getting late. I’m out too.”
“Yeah, likewise,” said Luke.
I still need to eat dinner and get some sleep.
Silverstrike disappeared, and then Luke reached his hand into his satchel to do the same. The logout button came in the form of a tiny journal. All you had to do was sign your name, as though you were signing the end of an entry, and the game world would disappear.
Luke suddenly heard footsteps approaching him, followed by a bang. There was no one left in the inn who could have made a noise like that, not that he could see. His stomach twisted into a knot as he quickly signed his name in the journal and felt the world in front of him disappear. There was only black in front of him now, and the headset felt almost claustrophobic on his face without any sensory input coming out of it.
“What’s going on in here?”
What? Is that… my dad?
“Answer me, Luke!” His dad’s voice was loud and immediate, equal parts angry and condescending in tone. “You said you were going to be up here doing homework. Is dicking around in a virtual world more important than your grades?”
Luke pulled the headset off and swiveled around in his chair. It took him a moment to readjust to being back in his room and to get a handle on what was happening. It was late at night, and his dad was standing just inside his door. He glared down at Luke, his menacing gaze difficult to meet, one of his father’s mannerisms that always left him feeling intimidated and wary.
Chris Smith hadn’t been the same since a car crash had taken Luke’s mom, years before. He’d turned to alcohol to fill the void her death had created. Luke was sometimes the caretaker when his father became incapacitated, but more often Luke found himself on the receiving end of his father’s grief, anger, and booze induced abuse.
“Dad, I’m just trying the thing out,” said Luke. “Ben lent it to me, and-”
“You were up in here when I left for the bar!” His dad stepped forward and kicked a book on the ground.
He’s drunk, really drunk.
“It’s the launch day. Of… your game.” Luke tried to hide his frustration as he looked at his father. “Yvvaros. I just thought I’d give it a try.”
His dad stared at him with intense, unpredictable eyes. Luke was totally still. He was worried about setting his father off.
Suddenly, the man burst out into loud, raucous laughter. Luke thought that he might fall over for a second, from the way he leaned back and his feet had to fight to retain their balance.
“You wanted to give it a try, huh?” His dad took a step toward him. “Is that so?”
He made his move suddenly. Luke jumped in his chair prepared to duck out of the way of his father’s fist. But instead of lunging for him, he swept the top row of Luke’s bookshelf onto the floor in a single, angry, sweeping movement.
“You think you can ignore your school work for that stupid game?” He had continued with his rant before Luke had a chance to respond. “And yes, it is stupid. I helped fucking design it, Luke. It’s an addictive waste of time. Playing it is the same as throwing your life away.”
He kicked one of the books on the ground toward Luke. It flew through the air and struck the edge of his desk. Luke flinched, it wasn’t uncommon for his dad to get this drunk, and he’d experienced worse dozens of times.
Why do I care so much, this time?
“You don’t understand, Luke,” whispered his dad. “Not a goddamn thing…”
Luke thought for a moment that his dad was going to spit on the floor in front of him, but he just stood there. After what felt like an eternity, he turned and left the room, stumbling down the hall on unsteady feet. Luke didn’t waste any time when he heard the door close.
His school bag was a couple feet away from his bed. He picked it up and stuffed his books inside, along with the headset and his laptop, shifting everything so that it could all fit. Then, he slipped open his window and silently climbed onto the roof of the garage. Shutting it behind him, he waited to make sure he hadn’t been heard before dropping down to the ground below.
He’s too drunk for me to take any chances tonight.
The moon was out, though its pale light provided little illumination compared to the double moons of Yvvaros. Luke shook his head. Comparing the two worlds was surreal. He walked as if in a dream until he reached the familiar park that he’d spent so much time in.
Thankfully the benches on the edge of the field were empty. He came here often to escape his father’s rages, and occasionally they were taken by people loitering or sleeping.
Well, that is essentially what I’m here to do, too.
Luke sighed as he lowered himself down onto a bench, setting his bag against the armrest and leaning his head against it. He was genuinely tired, not so much physically, but mentally. It felt as though he’d lived an entire day inside of Yvvaros. Now he was stealing what little sleep he could before the next day began.
A couple of birds began whistling and chirping in the distance.
So much for that idea.
In the end, Luke did manage to get a couple of hours of sleep. He left the park early, right as the sun was starting to rise, and walked to school. The clothes he had on were the same ones that he’d worn the day before, but there was nothing he could do about that, other than preparing himself for the taunts and jeers of his classmates.
The sun was still low in the sky when he arrived. Luke saw the assistant principal unlocking the front door and waited for her to head inside before he slipped in. The halls were empty, giving the building an eerie ambiance.
He dropped his books and bag at his locker, the sound of the metal creaking and the door slamming echo
ed down the corridor. Then, he headed straight to his first class. The teacher wasn’t there yet, and neither were any of the other students. He found his desk and collapsed down into it, his eyes growing heavy as he rested his head on his arms.
It’s Friday, if I can just make it through today I’ll have the entire weekend to...
To what? He backed his thoughts up a couple of paces and realized that all he really wanted to do was to go back to Yvvaros. The experience he’d shared with Ben, the fighting, the exploring, even the virtual ale drinking in the inn, all of it had felt meaningful. But school had never felt that way for him, and his home life certainly hadn’t either.
Is my dad right about me, after all?
Without realizing it, Luke drifted off to sleep again. He awoke to the sound of laughter, and could feel the attention of the room on him without even needing to look around.
“Well, at least he’s on time for once!” He heard the room erupt into a chorus of laughter. From the corner of his eye, Luke saw someone sit down next to him.
“I guess we’ll need a new name for you, Luke.” His tormentor from yesterday was leering at him, tall and arrogant. “How about… Ass Hat?”
The room laughed even harder. Luke rolled his eyes.
Has the entire class regressed back to the mindset of a bunch of ten-year-olds?
Brett slapped his hand on Luke’s desk and his books went flying to the ground. Without really thinking about what he was doing, Luke stood up. The jock was in his face in an instant, his cocky sneer made Luke’s blood boil.
“Go ahead, fuck face,” said the jerk. “Do it. See what happens.”
Luke couldn’t stop himself. Even though he knew it was stupid, he curled his hand into a fist and threw it forward. It caught Brett in the stomach and he doubled over.
“You fucking bastard!” Another of his classmates, another jock dressed in his varsity jacket jumped up and moved toward Luke. Two more joined in, and before Luke had time to execute an escape plan, they had thrown him to the ground and begun pummeling him with blows.
