(World of Valdira 01) The Way of the Clan

by Dem Mikhaylov

- Furs! Very cheap rabbit furs! Rabbit’s eyes are also on sale! Only seventeen left!

  - Eight silvered buttons on sale. Tailors, join the line, don’t waste your time, it’s craftwork! Very beautiful!

  Buyers preferred keeping silence while walking around with a poker-face and digging into the goods offered.

  The pop-up market didn’t appear here by chance – there was a pure water fountain nearby, it was allowed to drink from it and fill flasks, a hotel overlooked that place and just twenty steps away there was a public auction where any gamer could place a rare thing for bidding and the commission was quite small. So I directed there paying attention neither to the people gathered around nor to beginners sighing with admiration and following me with jealous eyes.

  There was a semitransparent veil hanging in the air in front of the auction. And to get into I had to go through it. So I did it. One step forward, the veil deepened at once studying me properly, then suddenly cleared and permitted me to enter. The magic veil didn’t allow gamers under level fifteen to trade at the auction and returned kids to the plaza with a slight pat on the back and a mild whisper ‘grow up, baby’.

  I decided not to go up broad granite steps and enter the building. Turning left drastically I moved to a group of ten or fifteen gamers of different classes and races hanging about the wall.

  Actually those talkative guys of all colors and shades were my aim. Informal ‘black’ auction. I would get less money here but at once. If you want to get rid of goods fast in exchange for real money not for gold, here is your destination.

  The diversity of fences surprised me. There were elfs, dwarves, humans, drows, half-orcs and even achilots that I hadn’t expected to meet. However, there was only one achilot and taking into account that he was gill-breathing he was surprisingly all right. Sure he was all right in such an aquarium! A huge seawater bubble that seemed rather insecure was throbbing on the cobblestone plaza and a gamer-achilot was splashing about inside phlegmatically. Well, underwater creatures are not frequent guests in this city located, say, not in a hot desert but at its edge.

  I remember getting amazed when I knew that Valdira has a pure underwater race that under the sea depths there are real underwater towns, villages, caves and, sure, monsters. But despite curiosity overwhelming me I didn’t want to become an achilot although they have got a huge range of classes available. It’s not really my thing. Besides I prefer having my feet on the ground to being suspended. They have got zero-gravity kingdom underwater.

  I was about to open my mouth when a husky half-orc approached me and nodding at my backpack growled throatily:

  - Have you got anything for sale?

  - Yes, I have, - I agreed lowering my backpack without a doubt. – But don’t expect a big discount! It’s craftwork! Almost rarity!

  The half-orc sniffed scornfully and I could see why – the fangy warrior was well-equipped. A softly lightening silver cuirass laced with amazing patterns of runes, similar pauldrons, bracers and greaves. A complete set that gives more bonuses to the attributes! I could notice a black silk shirt under the armor, his hands were protected by fingered gauntlets but surely there were magic rings on all of his fingers and a couple of protective charms. There’s no use to mention all-metal high boots. His image was literally emitting a powerful magic that soaked all the pieces of his clothes. Not everyone could nail such a dude… but I would try if we fought on a very rough terrain…

  Ensuring the decent impression he made the fence muttered lazily:

  - Gold or real?

  - Real dough! – exclaimed I hastily while opening my backpack.- I don’t need gold.

  I immediately swore myself in mind watching the half-orc’s eyes glittering with delight when he realized that I was broke. What a sucker I am! I simply can’t pretend to be indifferent.

  The warrior snatched my backpack out of my hands carelessly and started digging into it businesslike sometimes grunting and tutting uncertainly. It didn’t take him much time to study my treasure collected with a great effort, I heard the answer in a second:

  - Fifty for everything including your backpack. I can add five more maximum. That’s in bucks.

  - You don’t mean it… - I said dispiritedly. – I’ll get thrice the price for everything at the auction. Can you increase the price by fifty? All the stuff is in ideal condition, it doesn’t need repair.

  - You won’t – the half-orc shook his black disheveled locks. – Definitely. You’ll get seventy-five or maybe eighty bucks maximum at the auction. Not more. You can estimate yourself – you’ve got only a bare base, no runes, no rarities, no sets. All your junk will go straight to growing-up recruits who will be happy to break it down by their crooked hands.

  - Who will get it?

  - It doesn’t matter! – growled the warrior discontentedly. – So you haven’t got anything valuable here but for your bow and a couple of throwing knives that can be useful. I took the rest just to top it off and just because the durability is full. So I can credit fifty-five bucks to your account right now, just give me your number. If you don’t believe me, ask the guys here, I don’t care.

  Thinking for a while I gave up and agreed with the offer gloomily. I’ve got no reason to lie to the half-orc. There was nothing special in my backpack indeed. Just high-quality rag and weapon.

  - It’s a deal – growled the half-orc showing an impressive set of fangs. – By the way… the bow hanging behind your back… I can take it for twenty, sight unseen. If you give me your belt and your weapon, you can earn one more dime. How about it?

  - Do you mean my bow? – exhaled I squinting at the weapon protruded over my shoulder. – Are you sure?.. the belt is ok, but…

  - It’s up to you. My job is to offer.

  - Damn! – muttered I, took the shoulder-belt and the bow off firmly and passed them to the trader. – Take it!

  - Don’t you have enough money for your weekly dose? – the warrior narrowed his lids scornfully, took my weapon and stuffed the backpack.

  - You got it, - I replied gloomily while tearing my belt off the waist (it added much agility and gave five-per cent bonus to stealth). An ideal belt. And I’m going to sell it now… for a miserable dime of bucks. But what can I do? Keep it and exit the game proudly?

  - Tell me your account number. Or your e-wallet number. It’s up to you.

  - E-wallet, - replied I and clattered the number.

  - Wait – grumbled the half-orc, narrowed his grey and green lids and immerged into himself.

  Some minutes passed before he fixed his dark amber eyes on me again.

  - Done. The whole amount is on your account. If you get anything worthy, PM me. I’m here day and night. My nickname’s Grey Boar. Don’t forget.

  - Ok – I nodded and then asked him – Hey, how did you pass me the dough? You didn’t exit the game, did you?..

  - What for? Ah… you seem to be from the notable dynasty of Pinocchio. You’ve got a ‘wooden’ account, right?

  - Right.

  - That’s the reason. The chosen account means a lot. Well, good luck. Any problems – come to me!

  Giving me a nod Grey Boar left carelessly swinging my backpack. Well, I lost my weapon and gear but I got eighty-five bucks on my account. If only that half-orc didn’t make a mistake and didn’t want to stiff me. Coming out of the magic veil I sat on the bench heated by the sun at the fountain shooting dozens of water sprays and hurried to exit the game. A light blink, a flash and a rainbow vortex whirling in front of my eyes again. And then comes the darkness. Tearing the helmet off my head I opened the semitransparent lid of the cocoon and without standing up pulled the computer display fixed on the hanger arm. The Internet was on and it didn’t take me much time to enter my e-banking.

  Grey Boar hadn’t let me down. He had credited me eighty-five dollars and one cent. One cent! A homebred comedian! Laugh out loud! He’s so generous. Added one cent! Knowing there had been seventeen bucks on my account I could say I became a proud owner of a hundred
two dollars, I ignored one cent proudly.

  The cheapest ‘wooden’ account subscription cost sixty-five bucks sharp. A rather expensive entertainment. Generally I have achieved what I wanted – and I can pay for one more week right now. The whole seven days of pure bliss in the world of Valdira. Damn it… I could have kept my favorite bow, I should have thought twice. But… at that moment a wicked idea came to my mind – if I find some bloody twenty-three dollars I will be able to pay for two weeks of the game! The whole two weeks! I’ve got enough food in my fridge… Tempting, isn’t it? But I didn’t want to borrow the money. On the other hand I didn’t need much. Where can I get the required amount? Definitely I can’t rely on my relatives. The same problem with the neighbors. Actually I don’t get on well with them but for the ground floor lodger named Vasily, a neat-handed hard worker and an ex-ironpumper. Actually he used to be… but then his wife broke up with him, he took up drinking alcohol and his neat hands turned into alcoholic’s trembling chelae… He’d rather borrow from me than lend as soon as he catches sight of me. It won’t work… So…

  Having used my brain for a couple of minutes I forced myself to get up from the paddy bed of the cocoon and stretched to the single-bedside-table where I kept a shoe-box stuffed with separate pieces of paper, well-thumbed business-cards and other waste. Putting out everything on the neat bed I started digging into the paper pile until I fished out a piece of paper with a crookedly written mobile phone number and a short name – Gosha.

  Gosha lived in a premium-class twelve- storeyed block of flats opposite me and always had some money at hand and the most important point was that he was also Valdira’s gamer. But not just a simple player… he was really an extra-class gamer. His ultimately boosted character with hugely expensive gear was three times cooler than mine. Besides, Gosha was a quite important person in one of the top combat clans possessing their own castle, lands and even villages. This guy can understand me. We are of the same age – we are both twenty-four and we even had a couple of drinks together. Although we weren’t friends – actually we had quite different range of interests and his social status was much higher. I stretched for the phone, dialed Gosha’s number hastily praying he was home. He had to be there – he’s married and I was calling him in the evening. The phone beeped three times, then I heard the click and Gosha’s annoyed voice:

  - Hello?

  Done!

  - Gosha, hey! It’s Ros calling. Erm.. Rostislav.

  - Ah! Hi there, Ros. I’m a bit busy now. Can you call me back later? I’m going to immerse.

  - It won’t take you long, Gosh! – I snapped out fast. - You know… I’ve got a problem… Can you lend me a few bucks? Only twenty-eight dollars. To be more exact, twenty-seven dollars and ninety-nine cents.

  - How much? Twenty-seven and ninety-nine? – snorted Gosha. – Boy oh boy! Why such a sum?

  - I fall short for two-week subscription, - admitted I. – My firm… well, it went belly-up. Boss zoomed off somewhere without paying the bills. I am unemployed so far.

  - No problems. Do you prefer cash or e-money?

  - E-money’s much better –said I delightfully. – Thanks, Gosha! I’ll pay you back in a month!

  - Don’t worry – responded Gosha firmly. – Ok, I’ll credit you now. Tell me your wallet number. I’m at the computer at the moment.

  It was the second time for the last half an hour when I pattered my wallet number and became silent listening simultaneously to the cracking in the phone and to the computer behind me. Soon I’ll hear a merry jingle announcing the arrival of twenty-eight dollars. Then in a couple of minutes I’ll send the total amount to my account and… my favorite game, welcome me again!

  The computer jingle didn’t come but I heard Gosha’s voice in the phone instead. And that time I could identify certain abstraction in it.

  - Ros, know what… Are you free now?

  - What do you mean?

  - Have you got some time now? About an hour.

  - Sure – I was surprised. – I’m unemployed, you know. I just wanted to immerse like you.

  - You’ll have time for that, - Gosha persuaded me. – So then come to me. At the entrance say that Gosha invited you, the security will see you safely to my door. But hurry up! PDQ, ok?

  - Ok… Gosha, what about my dollars? If you don’t have the sum at the disposal, can you lend me ten dollars?

  - Ros, stop this bullshit! Come to my place! I need to talk to you! Are you coming?

  - Yeah, I’ll be there in five minutes. – I heard short beeps in the phone.

  I scratched the back of my head thoughtfully, took a hoodie from the coat closet while approaching the door. It will suit my wrinkled pants and a vest that used to be white perfectly. I wondered what Gosha had decided to discuss with me so suddenly.

  Damn, my timer’s ticking there… I’ll have to hurry up.

  Chapter 2

  An offer hard to refuse

  The security wasn’t impressed by my appearance at all, that’s for sure. But none of the fireplugs sitting in the lounge said anything about it. I was phlegmatically listened to, then taken to the appropriate door the utmost carefully and handed to Gosha who emerged from the apartment.

  Gosha seemed to have become even heftier since our last meeting about two months ago. His upper-arms were pushing XXXL loose T-shirt apart. Let alone his shoulder humps. How does he have time for everything? Work, wife, gym plus an active life in Valdira… If I were him, I would have given up something from this list long ago. However, I actually did it – I am unemployed and a new job isn’t going to appear soon, as for sport… what does this mysterious word mean, can you remind me?

  - Hi there – grumbled Gosha to the security guard, then grasped my shoulder and pushed into his apartment… I’d better say ‘into his premium-class mansion’. I looked around the rich interior of the lounge. ‘He lives a luxury life’ I came to the conclusion.

  The door clicked locking. And I was pulled farther and farther into the depths of the infinite apartment. We stopped in a small corner room only apparently functioned as a study. There was a powerful even at first sight computer and Valdira cocoon nearby. A bunch of cables as thick as my wrist extended to the wall, all the gamers called it an umbilical cord tenderly, no other names for it. And it’s justified since they have got the same purpose. There is power supply from the main electric net, switch to the battery to resist the electricity blackout in the house and, sure, a network cable to ensure the direct connection to Valdira game server inside that umbilical cord plus something else. That’s a real umbilical cord. A gamer is a new-born baby or an embryo, a padded-bed cocoon replaces him the womb, as for Valdira it plays the part of a mother brilliantly.

  I was pushed into a leather arm-chair and a thick glass tumbler full of pure whisky appeared in my hand. Gosha managed to do it in two tiny minutes. I seemed to understand why he had time for everything and could combine many tasks. If he came to my place, we would be still hovering in the hall.

  - Cheers! – Gosha clanked his tumbler at mine and sank into the chair opposite me. – To us!

  - Yup… - I nodded at him while bringing the tumbler to my mouth. – To us.

  - Now let’s get down to business. So, you’re unemployed.

  - Right. The firm is a total bankrupt.

  - Great!

  - What?! – I couldn’t understand Gosha’s euphoria. – What makes you so delighted?

  - It’s the fact that you’ve got plenty of free time now that we can invest into decent things and make some cash for beer. And you’ll be able to pay your rent.

  - Gosha, you’re offering me a job, aren’t you? – I raised my eyebrows in surprise. – You know I’m…

  - I don’t give a damn what you are! – interrupted me the swole. – Yes, you can say so – I’ve got a job for you. Actually it’s a wow-job you have never even dreamt about. I wanna you immerge into Valdira and stay there as long as possible. How about it?

  - What do you mean?.
.

  - What do I mean? – Gosha was about to lose his temper and started doubting my intelligence capability.

  - Anyway I play as frequently as I can. Why shall I get money for that?

  - Now you’ll play according to my rules, - Gosha grinned, he was pleased with himself and took another gulp of straight whisky.

  He might be drunk… But you’d never know looking at him.

  - If you don’t mind – added Gosha – So what about it?

  - Gosh! Please, stop that what-about-it! – I couldn’t stand such pressure and also took a big gulp. I felt a little buzzed. – Give me detail, what do you want? Can you hear yourself? It’s nonsense!

  - Hrmp… - thinking for a while Gosha agreed. – You’re absolutely right. Ok, listen carefully, I gonna explain it step by step.

  I nodded without uttering a word. Gosha continued speaking:

  - First, I’ll pay your Valdira two-month account of the highest diamond class. Work will last two months as well give or take a couple of weeks. Hush, Ros! Just listen!

  I closed my mouth dropped opened with an effort and nodded again proving that I was listening.

  - Second I’ll tip you some pocket money. For grub, drinks, your dig rent and other small pleasures of life. To make it short – I gonna pay you salary. Say… one and a half thousand bucks per month. If you take my offer, I’ll pay you some money right now.

  Making sure I turned into a speechless mummy Gosha continued:

  - That’s all for bonuses. Third, as I’ve already said you’ll play according to my rules. To be more exact your quest is to help one gamer succeed in two objectives.

  - Erm…

  - What? Did you catch everything?

  - Gosha, can you imagine how much dough do you need to pay for a two-month diamond account?

  - Do you wanna teach me to count? – said the owner of the luxurious apartment sarcastically, I dried up.

  In contrast to me Gosha was like a salted Jewish banker. By the way he is really in banking. Something connected with investment…

  - Is that all?

  - No way. And now the last thing… You’ll have to delete your current game account and create a new bare one. Now that’s all.