Avarice: A LitRPG Virtual Fantasy Adventure

by Jeffrey Thorne

  I heard a crash, and turned, finding an Elf enemy appearing, wielding what looked to be a rusted dagger in his hand.

  “Halfblood scum! You die here – gurk!”

  You took the Initiative! You attacked Elf Purist with Wooden Ladle! Critical Hit! You dealt Massive Damage!

  The jagged edge of the weapon was what I used, spinning without a second of hesitation as I lunged it directly into his throat with all the force I could muster.

  I quickly watched as his health bar sapped from a healthy green to a dull orange, and I did not waste my opportunity.

  You possess the skill Pilfer! You can steal a random item from your enemy!

  The skill activated, and I found myself wielding a rusty dagger. The NPC stared at me with wide eyes and I had to applaud the developers for the sheer vastness of emotion displayed by what was basically just a string of codes compiled together.

  You attacked Elf Purist with Rusty Dagger!

  The dagger sunk into the throat with a little bit of force, and I watched as the health bar plunked down to red, and then eventually hit empty.

  You have killed Elf Purist!

  You have gained the skill Throat Slash!

  You have gained 500 EXP!

  You have gained loot!

  “That… was awesome.”

  Oh, the sheer adrenaline pumping through my system or whatever the virtual equivalent of adrenaline was supposed to be had me like a child on a sugar high.

  The loot I had gotten was the Elf’s Purists clothes, which fit over my form easily and snugly, supposedly it was far better than the generic starting robes I was wearing anyway.

  I barely had time to celebrate my victory, before I noticed two more people crashing through the same window.

  I slowly licked my lips.

  I went into a low crouch before I kicked off from the crumbling wooden floor, rusty blade tearing through the air.

  “We are under siege! Watch for the –”

  You attack Elf Purist B with Throat Slash!

  Aim for the throat, that was the mantra that sung over and over in my head, the dull blade rushing through the air as I felt it connect with another jugular. I did not even allow the elf recoil from shock, as I followed up, holding the blade in a jabbing grip as I pierced it straight through the elf’s neck.

  You gain the skill Jab!

  You attack Elf Purist B with Jab! Critical Hit! You have dealt Massive Damage!

  Rusty Dagger has broken!

  You have killed Elf Purist B!

  You have gained 500 EXP!

  You have leveled up! You are now Level 6!

  You have unassigned attribute points.

  I swore, realizing that the dagger I had used to kill the second elf snapped in his neck. Oh well, I grabbed his own downed dagger instead, and blinked, noticing how the other one stood, staring at me in what seemed to be astonishment.

  Merciless Kill!

  Gained +200 to Intimidation!

  You can now Intimidate weaker opponents!

  Increased Negative reputation score with Light Elves!

  You are now Hated by Light Elves!

  Well screw them too! It wasn’t like I asked the damn prissy elves to attack me in the first place.

  “Foul Murderer!”

  “Yeah, like I’m about to let a bunch of codes call me a killer. Shut up and turn to loot already.”

  You have attacked Elf Purist C with Throat Slash!

  Elf Purist C dodged!

  I growled, it seemed that this one was more agile than the two, and I didn’t have the option of going into a prolonged altercation, lest the other elves also come find me and take me down with their superior numbers.

  “I shall avenge my fallen brethren!”

  Elf Purist C attacks with Rusty Dagger!

  You parry!

  “Avenge this.”

  You attack Elf Purist C’s Rusty Dagger with Jab!

  I could attack more than just people, but also their weapons. It was a harebrained scheme, but I was glad when I noticed that it worked, and the results were spectacular. My dagger crashed against his, and it broke in half like a biscuit.

  I did not hesitate for one second.

  You attack Elf Purist C with Jab!

  Rusty Dagger has Broken!

  You attack Elf Purist C with Jab!

  You attack Elf Purist C with Jab!

  You attack Elf Purist C with Jab!

  I was sure it made for a gruesome sight, as I used the broken dagger to stab the elf over and over again, watching as each consecutive hit drove the creature’s health bar down. I aimed for vitals, because I thought it would have a higher chance of getting a critical hit, the neck, the stomach, the chest, the lungs and the stomach.

  At last, the blood covered elf let out a croak as its health bar tipped over the red and hit empty.

  You have killed Elf Purist C!

  You have gained 500 EXP!

  Ruthless Kill!

  Achievement Unlocked: Swiss Elf

  Gained Reward: 5000 EXP! Elfblood Dagger.

  Achievement Unlocked: Mercy? What’s Mercy?

  Gained Reward: 4000 EXP! +600 to Intimidation!

  You have gained several levels!

  You are now at Level 13!

  I almost chuckled. Really, was it actually that easy to level up in this game? Not to mention the loot as well, I looked over my hand, realizing that there was now a smooth, dark-red dagger in it, about ten-inches, with the hilt being a curved black.

  Unique Item:

  Elfblood Dagger

  Durability: 985/985

  Damage Per Second: 300-800

  Special: +75% Critical Damage against Light Elves

  +100 Intimidation

  There was another crash, and this time, three Elf Purists dashed in all at once. I rose my dagger, the dark-red metal of the blade glistening slowly, and then the creatures glanced over to my recent kill.

  Intimidation Successful!

  One threw up on the spot, the other started shaking in place, and only the one in front seemed to put on a brave face, but I could easily tell that it was faked.

  “So, I have only one question.”

  I twirled the Elfblood Dagger in my hand.

  “Why shouldn’t I kill you?”

  “We – we surrender!”

  I smiled.

  “Wrong answer.”

  It was quick work, considering that these Elf Purists where designated to all be at Level 5, someone like me who had reached Level 13 had almost no problems taking them out. They had not even bothered putting up much of a fight, which was somewhat disappointing to say the least.

  You attacked Elf Purist D with Jab! You dealt Massive Damage!

  The Elf so ideally named Elf Purist D had been the one to throw up, and I did not hesitate as my Elfblood Dagger aimed a swift and heavy jab for the throat. It let out a brief gargling sound that I promptly ignored as I detached the weapon from its throat and then stuck it directly into its forehead.

  You have killed Elf Purist D!

  You have gained 500 EXP!

  I did not allow it to fall to the ground before I forced my weapon out of its skull, and spun on the other elf that was shuddering in place.

  I frowned momentarily, wondering if this was supposed to be some sort of trick, or was the game testing me? If enemies were going to shudder like cowards, there would be no fun in killing them.

  Still, it was good experience that I could not let go to waste.

  You attacked Frightful Elf Purist with Throat Slash! You dealt Massive Damage!

  The enemy had just stood still and watched as I slit its throat, my blade going clean through the jugular as though I was dividing a piece of meat. It took a whole new meaning to lamb to the slaughter, and for a second, I wondered if this was why this game was banned: it made the act of taking out enemies so bloody realistic to the point in which you would feel like scum for doing it.

  You have killed Frightful Elf Purist!

&
nbsp; You have gained 500 EXP!

  You have leveled up! You are now Level 14!

  Only one elf stood, the Elf Purist Prime, their leader, regarding me with a cold look. It was only upon closer examination did I realize that this Elf was female, her chest was hidden by the long robes she wore, but there was no mistaking the shape of the face and the other key features.

  “You would attack enemies who have surrendered, and one who is too terrified to even fight back? You bastard.”

  “Oh this is fucking ridiculous. What’s with these people trying to shove this morality bullshit in my face? Repeat after me: You. Are. Not. Real!”

  She extended her arms open.

  “Then go ahead, take my life. I will join my brethren in the Light and be resurrected as the Fae Lord wills it.”

  I stared for a few seconds, staring at my dagger and then back at the elf. Apparently ‘respawning’ enemies were a thing, but she somehow believed that this was the work of some god? What in the world was going on?

  “You’re not going to fight back? This isn’t any fun when you don’t fight back.”

  “Fun? You consider the taking of the life of my brethren as fun?”

  Okay, something was wrong, something was definitely wrong, last I checked, random enemies and NPC characters should not be capable of responding to your words or questions which such depth. That would signify a form of artificial intelligence that was capable of giving accurate responses to every context or every word, which meant having over trillions of responses programmed. That was just… impossible, budget wise and time wise.

  “What… what is your name?”

  She sneered. “Why, do you wish to call it out as you defile me?”

  I frowned. “Hey, don’t go putting such thoughts in my head. I didn’t even think of anything like that.”

  “Hah! That would be a first! That is all that your kind does here, they come, they kill, they pillage, and then they take my sisters and mothers and have their way with them!”

  My head was whirling with more questions than they had answers. “My kind? Dark elves?”

  “Not just any dark elves, the ones who call yourselves, players.”

  Oh this was getting to crazy levels of ridiculousness. NPCs and enemies possessing awareness about players? I had never heard anything like this before.

  “I myself have suffered at the hands of players, I have been killed by your kind more times than you can count, and each time I am returned by the Fae Lord. We of his court are not mortal like you, and we never truly die.”

  I scratched my head in confusion. Was this a feature of the game? Like a special quest or something in which I had triggered? But if that was so, it meant that I’d have to accept the possibility of this game being so intricately designed that every foe was programmed with the ability to answer and adapt to trillions of possible questions. It wasn’t so farfetched considering the technology alone needed to make this place, but then why would the developers go to such extremes?

  I weighted the dagger in my hand, twirling it up and down as I hummed in thought. What was I to do then?

  “What is the final digit of pi?”

  She blinked at me. “What?”

  “You heard my question, what is the final digit of pi?”

  “I do not understand what nonsense you are uttering!”

  I frowned. Too much Science fiction had made me believe that most robots or artificial intelligence would break down upon being asked that question.

  “Alright… tell me, what do you know of these… players?”

  “Only what I have seen and heard. They say that you lot come in from another world with notions of greed and avarice, and that once you enter this world, you are unable to leave, and your mind is transported into this realm forever as your body vanishes in your original world.”

  I snorted. Like that was possib –

  I suddenly realized that there were no options to log out. There was a character menu, stats, but there were no options to mail the mods, to log out section, no help menu, absolutely nothing.

  “N-no way. I’m… I’m stuck here? Forever?”

  I wasn’t sure if this was a blessing or a curse, on one hand, I could not fall sick here, or have diseases, and I supposed I would respawn if I died, but on the other hand, what did it mean? Was this world actually a virtual videogame, or was it, ludicrous as it may seem, another reality entirely?

  “Most of your kind seemed not to know this. But I have no pity for them, they go around killing, stealing, and pilfering everything and anything! They are wild, savage creatures!”

  I chuckled, wondering if this was coming from a bunch of codes, or a sentient being of another reality.

  “Do you find my plight funny? Does this amuse you?”

  “I guess, just a little bit. I’m still debating whether you’re a real person or a program.”

  Elf Purist Prime attacks you with Lead Shooter! You have taken Damage!

  “Fuck!”

  I growled as I now paid attention to the weapon in the elf’s hands, the weapon that had sent a bullet straight to my arm. It was only quick thinking that had saved me from getting hit at an instantly fatal location, but it still stung and I had to bite back what felt like tears in my vision as I gazed at the creature in front of me.

  “You bitch!”

  I should not have let my guard down around her so easily, it was a stupid, stupid mistake.

  “I might fall by your hands, but the pride of we elves shall never – ”

  You attack Elf Purist Prime with Throat Slash! You deal Massive Damage!

  You attack Elf Purist Prime with Jab! Critical Hit! You deal Massive Damage!

  Seconds later, I stood over the bleeding out form of the Elf Purist Prime, the feeling of my dagger plummeting against her throat had been one of the most satisfying feelings in the world.

  You have killed Elf Purist Prime!

  You have gained 2000 EXP!

  You have leveled up! You are now Level 15!

  You have gained a Lead Shooter!

  I watches slowly as the killed Elves eventually vanished, their corpses evaporating into mist, proving that they were nothing more than a bunch of codes stringed together, and I shook my head as I wondered what possessed the people who created this game to give them so much depth to the point I had almost believed that they were real.

  I had played my fair share of open-world video games where I did nothing but go around stealing cars and shooting some pedestrians in the face, and this was no different.

  Besides, it was a dog-eat-dog world and my goal was the top.

  Objective Complete!

  Defeat the Elf Purists!

  You have gained 300 Credits!

  You have gained 2000 EXP!

  You have gained a map of Fiend City!

  “Fiend City huh? So that’s what this place is called.”

  Quest: Hit the Ground Running!

  New Objective:

  Head to the Broken Square.

  I craned my neck as I stared over the map in my hand, and I assumed this Broken Square would be where I would meet other players of the game. I needed to find out if what the crazy elf woman had been saying had been the truth, or if it was just a way of messing with my head.

  And perhaps, if I was lucky, this goddamned simulation would have some alcohol.

  Chapter 3

  I had skipped around the areas, following the map’s directions as I hoped to eventually find the location of the Broken Square. There was a strange appeal to this lawless, open, never ending world that was post-apocalyptic. Or at least, that was the assumption I had for the reason as to why the world was dystopian. Half destroyed cars littered the streets, all of them pilfered of their contents, from everything from radios, to seats, to even steering wheels and tires, there was nothing left of the automobiles. Following this, the streets where filled with potholes and numerous deep gorges that one could easily fall from. It was as though they had spared no expense in se
tting out the theme of the world which looked easily like the aftermaths of the end of the world.

  Thankfully, I had not ran into any more enemies on my way, or at least, I had not seen any more Elf Purists, which seemed to be somewhat odd considering the nature of the world I was in. Shouldn’t there have been enemies galore to fight? Littering the streets or stalking around corridors with bloodshot eyes or rapid drooling fangs, I had been ready for anything, but I had not been ready for nothing.

  I had eventually found the place called the Broken Square, staring out from the top of a roof to the location, and I grinned upon realizing that I could actually see what looked like players roaming around the location.

  Congratulations you have found a location!

  You have found the Broken Square!

  You have completed the Quest: Hit the Ground Running!

  I was about to jump down, when I noticed something odd. At the corner, I could find quite a number of players having what seemed to be an orgy, there were naked elves everywhere and the sound of moans, groans and skin slapping against skin echoed so loudly that I could hear it all from my position up on a rooftop.

  “The hell was that bitch talking about then?”

  She had made it sound like the elves were being violated, but from what I could see up here, the sex was a hundred percent consensual. I could tell by how elves were enthusiastically riding on a players dicks and screeching in pleasure.

  “Might as well join in on the action!”

  I leaped down from my spot, and landed in a roll to conserve energy and momentum, a small smile plastering my face at the concept of finally ending my long dry spell.

  It was upon landing that I realized something was odd, and they were all staring at me. Hell, the orgy had stopped, and everyone went deathly pale silent as they turned to stare at me. Every player in the place was staring at me like I was some anomaly that they had never before seen and it made me somewhat uneasy.

  A particular tall and heavily buff looking player that was clearly a human, had walked forward towards me with an honest-to-god rocket powered grenade launcher on his back.

  “You’re in Blood Palm Territory. State your business.”

  I rose my hands up in appeasement. “I come in peace, I’m just a new player.”