by Alex Mulder
He’s on something again…
His dad stared at him for a long second and then swung his hand. Luke flinched back, but the blow wasn’t intended for him. Instead, it swept the lamp off the side table next to the couch, which landed on the ground with a high pitched crash as the bulb inside of it broke.
“Your backpack…” he said. “What’s in it?”
Luke took a step back and grabbed onto the shoulder of his bag tightly.
“Dad, you need to chill out,” he said. “Head into your room, try to sleep this off.”
“It’s your headset, isn’t it? You brought it over to Ben’s with you?” His dad chuckled, and then paced the floor.
“It’s no big deal…” said Luke. “You don’t have to-”
“My own son! This is the ultimate irony.” Chris Smith stared out the window and clutched his hands to his head as though he was preparing to pull out his hair. “How much do you play it, Luke?”
I can’t be honest with him, not when he’s in this state.
“Just here and there, dad,” said Luke. “Just for fun.”
“Bullshit!” His father started toward him again, stopping a couple of feet away and extending his finger in accusation. “I can tell when you’re lying.”
He gritted his teeth and then ran a hand through his hair. Luke took a step toward the stairs, but his dad started up again before he could make it any further.
“The game never should have been released,” he said. “I told the rest of the design team as much.”
“Dad…”
“It’s just the beginning, Luke!” He screamed. “It’s the start of something that none of us are going to be able to control. It’s not just a video game, just a fun waste of time. It’s dangerous, both for the people playing it and for society.”
What the hell does that mean?
His father crossed his arms and stared at him with burning eyes. After what felt like an eternity, he turned toward the door.
“I’ll be back later,” said his dad. “Don’t go anywhere.”
Luke stood stock still as his father walked by him and out the front door. His heart was beating in his chest, but it wasn’t from just fear. He was angry at his father and ashamed of him at the same time.
He’ll come back and apologize, and try to act like this never happened. But it did.
He made his way upstairs and collapsed on his bed. It was hard for Luke to relax for a minute, to really let his guard down. He took his phone out of his pocket and saw that he had two new texts, one from Sam, and one from Ben.
I went to your place earlier and you weren’t there. What’s up?
Luke sighed, and decided against responding to Sam’s message. His heart ached at the thought of texting her, of having her text him back when it was so clear that she was still just out of his reach.
I’ll talk to her in school on Monday, figure things out there.
Ben’s text was shorter and more urgent.
Get in-game, now! We have a problem!
Luke winced as he read it. His dad had left, but if he caught him with the headset on again, there would be hell to pay.
This could involve the guild hall. Our guild hall…
Luke moved quickly, setting up his laptop on his desk and plugging in the headset.
CHAPTER 16
Luke reentered Yvvaros in the same place where he’d logged out earlier, the guildhall. It was dark and he could hear the sound of arguing coming from nearby. The blue light from the azure moon revealed three figures standing outside in the desert sands.
“Look, I’m sure we can come to a deal, but I can’t agree to anything until my other guild members get here.” Silverstrike was standing in front of two players that Luke had never seen before, both of them decked out in expensive looking plate armor.
“Other guild members?” The one standing nearest to Silverstrike was clearly the one in charge, and he had a self-satisfied smirk on his face. “Your guild hall looks like it was just built. How big can your Council guild possibly be?”
“It’s actually called The Consulate, not the council,” said Luke.
Luke stepped out through the guild hall’s front door and saw the attention of the strangers turn to him. He walked over, adjusting to the controls of the game and readying himself for anything.
“What’s going on here?” he asked. “Do the two of you need something?”
The leader raised one of his eyebrows, his smile turning further up into an amused grin.
“Yes, you could say that.” He paused, and then looked over to the oasis, the jewel of Dunidan’s Rest. “My name is Marcus. I’m the guild leader of the Revolutionary Rebels.”
Luke nodded.
“I’m Kato. Guild member of The Consulate.”
“Kato, let me put this in simple, straightforward terms,” said Marcus. “My attempt at diplomacy seems to have gone over your friend’s head, so I see no reason to beat around the bush with you. I want access to water from your oasis.”
Luke looked over at Silverstrike, who leaned in to whisper.
“I caught them snooping around the zone,” he said. “They didn’t explain this to me right off when I confronted them.”
Luke shrugged his shoulders.
“If you want water, I’m sure we can work something out,” said Luke. “The supply of it is limited by how much the oasis can produce per day, so you will have to compensate us for what you use.”
Marcus laughed and shook his head.
“I don’t think you understand what I’m offering,” he said. “You control one zone and have a tiny guild. The Revolutionary Rebels have taken control of five zones further into the desert, the latest one being right on the border with your zone. What is it that you call it again?”
“Dunidan’s Rest.” It took all of Luke’s effort to remain calm and cordial.
“Right… So here’s the deal. You can either join up with us and keep control over what you have here, or refuse, and make a new enemy. What’s it going to be, Kato?”
Luke looked over at Silverstrike.
This isn’t just up to me. Whatever I decide is going to affect Silverstrike and Tess, too.
Silverstrike shook his head ever so slightly, and Luke nodded.
“We’ve already made up our mind,” said Luke. “If you want water from us, then you meet our terms, not the other way around.”
The silence in the air was tense and loaded with violent potential. The only movement was from the wind, slowly blowing loose grains of sand across the crabgrass around the fertile land bordering the oasis.
Marcus made a sudden movement and Luke gripped the hilt of his sword.
“Whoa, whoa whoa!” The leader of the Revolutionary Rebels had his hands up harmlessly, but the look on his face was enough to keep Luke on guard. “No need to get violent. If that’s how it has to be, then so be it.”
Marcus nodded to his friend, and without a word, the two of them started off toward the south. There was a small sandstorm brewing on the horizon, and it made it look as though the two were disappearing off into a thick fog.
“That’s not the last we’ve heard from them,” said Silverstrike. “This is bad, man.”
Luke shook his head.
“We’ll figure out a way to handle whatever they throw at us.”
He walked over to the oasis and stared into it. The water was still crystal clear, even in the dark of night. The palm trees around it made him feel almost like he was cast adrift on a desert island.
How can this tiny little thing, a medium sized swimming hole in the middle of the desert, provoke such hostility?
“This is dangerous.” Silverstrike was shaking his head and chewing on his lower lip. “We have to start playing defense immediately.”
“Well, what do you suggest?” asked Luke. “If his guild is really as big as he says it is, then-”
“We need more people,” said Silverstrike. “More guild members. Dunidan’s Rest is prime territory. If we
start advertising that we’re recruiting, I’m sure a ton of people will want to join up.”
Luke didn’t say anything. He couldn’t disagree with Ben’s logic, but he was still wary.
“Is this really the best idea?” Luke scratched his head and looked up into the night sky. “I mean, after what we went through with Arex?”
“What else can we do?” asked Silverstrike. “It’s either this or we essentially cede the zone to that dickhead. The three of us can’t defend it on our own.”
We can’t defend it on our own… yet.
Luke nodded to his friend and felt a smile creep its way onto his face.
“You’re right,” he said. “How about you take the lead in protecting things here, getting more members, if that’s what it takes, and I’ll work on some things on my own?”
“Like what?”
Luke looked up at the brilliant blue moon in the sky and suddenly felt empowered.
“I’m going to do the obvious thing,” he said. “Get stronger.”
He waited for Silverstrike to say something or object. Nothing came, and after a moment, Luke turned and headed off to the north, back across the Sarchia Desert.
Stark Town was almost empty. Luke was unsure if it was related to the time in the real world, or in-game, or just coincidental.
This is nice, for a change.
Kantor hung overhead, glowing with magical gold lights against the sky. Luke jogged through the town below, scanning the NPCs he came across until he spotted one that matched his needs.
“Can you help me, sir?” asked the NPC. “I’ve been cut off from my family’s homestead in the Msitu Wilds. I just need someone to go and make sure they’re okay.”
Luke slowed to a walk and made a beeline for the man. He was dressed in the rough-spun clothes of a farmer, but his face was crisscrossed with scars.
That’s the mark of a former militia man.
“I think I can help,” said Luke. “Just mark where the homestead is on my map.”
QUEST ACCEPTED: Jungle Homestead (Level 7)
“It’s not far in, right here,” said the man. “If it looks like they’re in danger, please, bring them back to Stark Town! I would do it myself if it weren't for the arrow I took through the knee.”
Luke smiled and began heading in the direction the man had indicated. Nights were shorter in Yvvaros than in the real world, and he could detect the faintest hints of a rising sun in the direction he was headed.
There were more players out now, but none of them were headed east. The Inner Plains gave way to jungle slowly, with the grass growing longer as more trees filled the fields, finally ending in the thick vegetation of the Msitu Wilds.
The homestead was in a clearing in the eastern reach, cut off from a direct route to Stark Town by a thick stretch of jungle. Luke readied his blade as he reached the barrier, heading into the dense forest with his guard up. The dawn light did little to penetrate the dark inside of the jungle. The land felt unpredictable and foreboding.
Off somewhere in the distance he could hear the cries of larger creatures. These were mixed with the rhythmic chirps of birds and insects. Strange, alien looking plants were mixed in with the trees and grass, some of them actively wiggling their vines and appendages as he walked by.
As Luke glanced over at one long, curling plant, he noticed a large purple spider walk across his foot. He flinched back and kicked it away.
The sooner I get this quest over with, the better.
Something moved in front of him and Luke swung his blade defensively. He saw a health bar pop up and disappear and the bush in front of him shook.
Whatever it is, I can’t see it. That means it’s…
He looked down just in time to see the aggressor. A large snake was slowly winding its way up his leg, not causing any damage, at least not to his health bar.
RED NYOKA: One of the many native snake species of the Msitu Wilds. Long-lived and continuously growing, they can reach sizes large enough to pose a threat to humans. This species often hunts in small groups.
Luke howled and began swinging his blade frantically.
His first strike hurt him as well as the creature. He pulled back and saw a second snake starting to wind its way up his other leg. Before he could do anything about it with his sword, a third had climbed onto him.
Fuck!
Luke swung his sword down, scratching what he could of the monsters, but causing no more than superficial damage. He lifted his sword up into the air and tried his best to kick the snakes free of his legs. When he brought his arm back into his field of view, a fourth snake had fallen out of a tree and begun wrapping itself around one of his arms.
Fuck Fuck Fuck!
Out of sheer desperation, Luke fell to the ground and tried to roll out of the snakes. It did nothing other than disorienting him. He could hear the hissing of more of the monsters approaching and forced himself back to standing on unsteady, weakened limbs. More snakes had arrived, and along with them, something stumbled out of the jungle that was beyond anything out of his wildest nightmares.
NYOKA COMBINE: A group organism, the result of many Red Nyoka’s working together to overcome a larger prey. It’s thought that Red Nyoka’s communicate through pheromones, much like ants or bees.
It was as though the snakes had taken human form. Luke stared at the hulking monstrosity, which had a head, four limbs, and the rudimentary structure of a human body, except with every inch of it replaced by angry, wriggling snakes.
Luke squeezed his sword and moved into the stance of the only combat ability that would still work in his current condition.
CONJURE SWORD
A magical sword materialized in the air in front of him. Luke maneuvered himself behind it and prepared to move on the attack.
He used the additional weapon in conjunction with his own blade to fight offensively while still defending. The conjured sword flew forward, stabbing holes into the Nyoka Combine like a diving fighter jet. His original sword he kept carefully positioned, using it to hack off the snakes already on him. It was a strategy that worked perfectly, up until the snake on his arm meandered up to his neck.
No!
Luke saw the health meter in the corner of his screen begin to drop fast. He focused on his conjured sword, taking a risk and sending it to attack the Nyoka Combine instead of helping himself.
His screen began to fade to black, and he brought his physical sword to his neck as he fell forward. It was as though he was trying to slit his own throat, with the snake under his chin taking the blow instead of his neck.
And then it was over. He was lying on the ground, still in the jungle, surrounded by dead and fleeing snakes.
“God damn,” he mumbled. Luke sat up and waited for his health to slowly regenerate, which it would as long as he kept resting. Without a healer with him, even small injuries could be dangerous if he didn’t allow himself time to recover.
The Nyoka Combine had collapsed. The snakes that formed its body were in reality just an outer shell. Underneath them was a long dead body of either a player or an NPC. Luke shuddered at the thought of potentially having to take its place.
He rested until his health had regenerated to about the halfway point. He pulled some bread out of his satchel and munched on it as he continued further into the jungle. Rustling noises, chirps, and creature calls came from every direction, a constant reminder of why he needed to move fast and get the quest over with.
CHAPTER 17
The sun was poking its way up on the horizon as Luke spilled out of the jungle and into the clearing that had been marked on his map. It was a small valley, and he hadn’t realized it from looking at his map, but it was right next to one of the smaller jungle volcanos which the Msitu Wilds were so well known for.
The volcano was a large bulge poking up out of the grass. Composed of black rock, it looked recently resurfaced and was bare of any vegetation. Luke watched it suspiciously. He knew it could erupt at any time.
&nbs
p; In the clearing, he saw the homestead and made his way toward it. The building looked like a smaller, more residential version of his guild hall. The construction style was very similar, but there was a modest barn in the yard and a fenced in area that looked like it was meant to contain livestock. Luke walked over to the door and knocked on it softly.
“Yes? Who’s there?” The voice on the other side was soft, feminine, and very frightened.
“Your husband sent me,” said Luke. “I’m here to make sure that you’re safe.”
The door opened, and a woman poked her head out. Even though Luke knew that she was an NPC, the realistic expression on her face and the way her eyes softened as she saw at him made it hard to not view her as a human.
“Oh, thank the Universal Truth,” said the woman. “My daughter and I… We’ve been trapped in our cottage for an entire week. Something has been attacking from outside.”
Luke looked deeper into the house and saw a young girl, maybe twelve or thirteen years old, standing behind the mother.
“What’s been attacking you?” asked Luke. “And how in the world have you managed to stay safe?”
The woman shook her head.
“I don’t know what it is, or if it’s even just one creature,” she said. “We lock our doors and hide in the closet every night. It gives up eventually and leaves. That’s all we’ve been able to do.”
She’s part of this quest, and she’s just an NPC, but she’s still in danger.
“Come on,” said Luke. “I’m going to escort you back to Stark Town.
Luke waited for the two of them to grab what they needed from the homestead and join him outside. He glanced around the clearing and up at the volcano, and then began leading them toward the jungle.
This shouldn’t be too hard…
As if on cue, a large catlike creature with a strange blue hue to its fur leaped out of the bushes and at the woman.
PAKA DEMON: One of the more common predators of the Msitu Wilds. An ambush predator, it can extend its claws outward to increase the range and strength of its attacks.
Luke was only just fast enough to spear it using Pierce Attack 2 before it made contact. The little girl let out a convincing scream as he finished the beast off.
