Nascent (The Stork Tower Book 1)

by Tony Corden

  Collecting what he dropped she moved toward the area where he had attacked someone. She supposed she was now a Player Killer or PKer but didn’t feel too bad as bullies should never thrive. She queried Gèng and was surprised to learn that the three had never dissolved their group and because they had attacked her first she was, according to the rules, justified in killing them without earning a PK title.

  “You have voice messages from a Shiva.Bloodhand.23 and a Bullseye.Johnson.11. You have also achieved Level 10. Do you want to hear their voice messages?” asked Gèng.

  “Nope, just block them!” Leah answered.

  Moving quietly, she soon found the ambushed person. She looked young and was sitting against a tree trying to wrap a cloth around her arm while keeping watch on all the bushes. Leah called out softly, “The ones who attacked you are gone, can I help at all?”

  The girl replied quietly, “I think it’s all right. I’m not losing any HP, and it is going up. It just hurts.”

  Leah said, “Don’t worry, that’ll go away. Can I come over? I have a simple healing spell that’ll take the sting out.”

  “Sure, that’d be great, my name is Annairë_the_Wize, spelt with two n’s and a ‘z’, so it’s original, but you can call me Wisp, that's what my friends call me.” Leah reached out her hand and said, “Hi Wisp, my name is Atherleah!”

  Leah healed Wisp who asked, “What happened to the ones who shot me?”

  “Dead, there were two of them, an archer and a mage. They had a swordsman, but I killed him earlier after he attacked me. Do you know them and what are you doing out here?”

  It turned out that Wisp was searching for Orumeck’s Cavern. She had started playing several days earlier and had still been in First Bridge when the news of finding the Cavern was released. She was Level 4 and wanted something more exciting than rats. Apparently, hundreds of players were descending on First Bridge.

  “So, any idea who the people were, the ones who shot at you?”

  “It sounds like a group of four who arrived this morning. Someone said they’ve been hanging around the next town, Carson’s Loop, killing the new players. Their leader is a really big half-orc called Jason. As soon as they arrived, he stayed in town while the rest headed up the mountain.”

  “The other players who were arriving, what are they like?”

  “Mostly OK! They walk around town laughing at everything and asking if anyone knew who had found the Cavern, or knew where it was. When I said I had no idea, then they left me alone.”

  It would be dark in another two hours, and Leah was in a hurry to get to town. She was sure that this Jason already had a description of her from Kasim, the other two hadn’t even seen her. Leah motioned toward town and said, “Well I had best be off if I plan to stay in town tonight.”

  “What? Aren’t you going to stay and look for the Cavern, we could do it together. I’ve never had a partner, most of my friends got the silver or gold package, but I could only get the bronze. I’m planning on catching up with them when I hit Level 30 or above.”

  Leah wasn’t sure what to do. She liked Wisp, as much as you could after one meeting, but still wasn’t sure what to do. Finally, though, she decided that the truth was going to get out anyway.

  “Once is enough for me. I never want to go back in that Cavern again!”

  “What?” squealed Annairë, “You’re the one? You found it?”

  “Yep! Last night. If you want, I’ll tell you where it is. Just be careful, there are some crazy people out here.”

  It took several minutes but Wisp and Leah swapped contact information, and Leah told her not only how to get to the cavern but what to expect. Then Leah headed back to town leaving the other girl standing by the trail. About ten minutes later Leah heard a sound coming from behind and quickly moved off into the bushes. She was surprised to see Wisp jogging down the trail. Leah couldn’t see what she was running from, and it wasn’t until Wisp had passed that Leah stepped out and called softly.

  “What’s up?”

  Wisp shuddered to a stop and said, “Nothing, it's just that, I was shot, … and you saved my life. … After everything you said I’m not ready to do the whole spider thing by myself. So I was wondering if we could travel together for a while. I forgot to check what level you are, but I’ll try and keep up, and I promise I won’t hold you back.”

  “I’m not sure,” Leah said. “I’ve just started playing myself, and I’m used to doing things on my own.”

  “Well, at least can I come back to town with you? I think that’ll be safer than on my own.”

  Leah was silent for at least a minute before she said, “Sure, but let’s move quietly, there may still players out here trying to kill us. So, softly, softly.”

  Wisp was a lot noisier than Leah. Still, Leah enjoyed the soft nattering voice and didn’t think she’d have trouble until she got to town. Eventually, just as the sun was setting, they could see the edge of the town through the trees. The town looked the same as before, but she wondered if this Jason was going to be trouble. It was still a few hours before Kasim and Company would be able to return to Dunyanin. At the edge of town, Leah made arrangements to catch up the next day. Wisp headed for her room at the Inn and Leah headed for the herb-witches house.

  “Hello Auntie, I have the Iblis’ Clover, am I in time?”

  “Atherleah, come in, come in. Come and sit. Yes dear, Farnel is still with us. If you have the clover, I'll make a potion this evening, and we’ll bring to her first thing.”

  “Do you need any help with the potion?”

  “I don't need the help but if you want I'll teach you a little of potion making.”

  “That would be fantastic. If you can wait a few minutes, I’ll go book a room at the Inn and then return.”

  “Nonsense girl, you can stay here with me.”

  Usually, players were not supposed to log off in the presence of NPC’s; however, there were times like this when it was essential, and so the Dunyanin developers had promoted the thinking that sometimes Travellers visited other worlds in their sleep and this was why they could not be woken or moved.

  “Auntie, I’m a traveller, you know we sometimes visit other worlds in our sleep and can’t be woken. I’m very weary and will need to sleep in a bit. Am I still welcome?”

  “Of course, you can sleep in that chair; I’ll make sure you’re not disturbed.”

  “Thank you. Here are the five clover and the spiders. How long before you start the potion?”

  “It’ll be a few hours yet; I need to make supper. You bed down and have a small rest, and when you awake, we’ll get the potion made for Farnel.”

  Leah lay down on the long chair that Falsi pointed to and logged off. This time her body didn’t dissolve but lay there unmoving.

  Immediately on arriving in her Virtual world Leah logged off. She wandered out and bought a Lasagna from the dispensary, she was really glad not to meet anyone and discouraged because she felt the need to bring her knives. Leah ate quickly and lay down to process her day. Less than twenty-four hours and she had made more than enough money to stay in the game for years. But she'd also made enemies, and she’d killed people, if only virtually. The time dilation was great, but it did make it hard to process. She asked Gèng if there had been studies done and then she read the précis of the top ten. Nothing conclusive, except that most people found they eventually came to terms with the dilation and eventually didn’t notice it.

  “Gèng, I’m not feeling physically tired but when should I have a sleep period?”

  “It is recommended that you have between one and a half and two hours of SWS or NREM3 sleep each twenty-four hour period. I recommend you schedule this for after your next visit to Dunyanin. If you visit for three or four hours, then you can take this time and still meet Wisp in the morning as you have promised.”

  “All right, that sounds great.”

  She noticed that Gèng's voice had lost some of its artificiality and then she saw some change
s that Gèng had made in the building. The walls were now a dark stained wood similar in colour and grain to Merdiven, her staff. The floor was carpeted in dark burgundy. The room was smaller but seemed more elegant. Various archways led to other rooms.

  “Well, Wow! You’ve been busy.”

  “Do you like it? I noticed your appreciation of Merdiven’s appearance, and I've sought to understand the various parameters and controls. I studied various architectural designs and modified them just enough to avoid copyright. I did not meet your requirements at the beginning of the day and have worked to remedy the situation.”

  “I love it. You know, I think that it isn’t a bad thing that you are missing the databases. I believe that learning this way will probably develop you more than following a particular pathway. Now, I must get on task. I’d better check the messages for the trip down the mountain. I don’t want the personal messages or those skill messages, just whatever I picked up from those three.”

  You have killed Level 24 Human, Kasim.Bloodhand.23

  Experience Points Received 1254 (+4.5%)

  David & Goliath Achievement (Levels 1-10)

  You have fought and defeated a player more than 10 levels above you.

  Experience Points Received (Defeated Player Level - Your Level) x 200 EP

  3,135 (1.045 x 3,000) EP

  You have killed Level 22 Elf, Shiva.Bloodhand.23

  Experience Points Received 1,150 (+4.5%)

  David & Goliath Achievement (Levels 1-10)

  You have fought and defeated a player more than 10 levels above you.

  Experience Points Received (Defeated Player Level - Your Level) x 200 EP

  2,717 (1.045 x 2,600) EP

  You have killed Level 28 Elf, Bullseye.Johnson.11

  Experience Points Received 1,463 (+4.5%)

  David & Goliath Achievement (Levels 1-10)

  You have fought and defeated a player more than 10 levels above you.

  Experience Points Received (Defeated Player Level - Your Level) x 200 EP

  3,762 (1.045 x 3,600) EP

  Altogether from the three of them, she also had thirty-two Gold, 134 Silver and fifty-eight Copper. They had an assortment of knives, rings and potions. Of the knives the only thing that interested her were a pair of only a pair of sheathed knives:

  Sheathed Fighting Knife (Common) - 6 in/15.25 cm

  Base Damage 4

  Maximum Damage 200 (excluding death strokes)

  Durability 49/50

  Edge 49/50

  She swapped these out with hers. She also equipped herself with two rings, a 'Band of Brawn' (+2S) and a 'Circlet of Constitution' (+2C). They all had a couple of potions, and there were four Minor Potions of Healing, one Minor Potion of Mana, and one Minor Potion of Ki. The swordsman had left behind a Common Mail Coif, a Common Half Sleeve Mail Hauberk and a Common Shortsword. The Mage left behind a Common Rapier. The Archer had dropped his longbow and quiver, both Common. Leah was very interested until she noticed the strength had to be at least twenty. She put them aside for later and considered getting a smaller bow first.

  Yew Longbow (Common) - 67 in/1.7 m with Yew Arrows (Common) - 36 in /91 cm

  Base Damage 11

  Maximum Damage 700 (excluding death strokes)

  Minimum Strength 20

  Durability 49/50

  Arrows 17/20

  Finally, she distributed her points and checked the statistics.

  ATHERLEAH (Level 10) (7741/10000) (+4.5%)

  Characteristics - Points Total, (Assigned, Racial, Jewellery) 0 Undistributed

  Strength (S) - 15 (13, 0, 2)

  Constitution (C) - 15 (13, 0, 2)

  Agility (A) - 21 (19, 2)

  Wisdom (W) - 11 (9, 2)

  Intelligence (I) - 7 (7)

  Luck (L) - 4 (4)

  Statistics (Available, Capacity)

  Health - 100+(S+C)xPL - (400, 400)HP

  Stamina - 100+(C+A)xPL - (460, 460) SP

  Mana - 100+(W+I)xPL - (280, 280) MP

  Ki -100+(W+[S+A]/2)xPL - (390, 390) KP

  Leah walked through the portal to Dunyanin. She rose and stretched. Old Falsi beaconed her over to the kitchen and served them both a plate of stew with fresh bread. Old Falsi asked about the trip, and Leah described the scorpions and spiders, the long stairway and collecting the clover. She hesitated but finally pulled the earrings and asked if Falsi would pierce her ears afterwards so she could put them on. Falsi was pleased to do so and after dinner took a needle and pierced both sides. Leah put in the rings and healed herself. Gèng assured her that they would remain pierced within the various Virtual Worlds if this was Leah’s intent.

  After cleaning up, Falsi instructed Leah in the use of a mortar and pestle; how to use a still to separate out essential oils; and the right way to measure and mix various compounds. She explained how to mix with honey, butter or waxes to make the different salves. If Leah had permitted the skill notifications to display, she would have seen a whole spate concerning various herbalist and apothecary skills. Finally after almost three hours of work the potion for Farnel was finished. Old Falsi went to bed, and Leah lay down as well and logged off.

  After a short conversation with Gèng, the AI brought Leah to the NREM3 sleep state and kept her there for an hour and forty minutes. She woke refreshed and after a quick bathroom break and shower woke up in Old Falsi’s just in time for breakfast.

  Diary - 18 November 2063

  What have I got myself into? What is in my head?

  A mistake, they made a mistake. Every time I think about it I feel terrified, I wonder what the nanites are doing in my brain. The chip is damaged - is that good or bad? I hate to think of the government watching everything, controlling everything but I’m frightened about what might happen without controls. Can I control it? Can it control me? Everyone says Nascent AI are hard to develop, but Gèng is already taking initiative. Will the lack of external control let it take over, or has it just set it free? Will this chip take over, or will it set me free?

  Is my mum right? Will I slowly forget what is real and what is imagination? The colours were so bright, the air was so fresh, and the people seemed so real, but they are merely streams of data fed into my brain. The pain was unbelievable, and that’s only at 50%. I can’t imagine the real thing, but already I’m used to it because I have magic, I can heal myself. But magic isn’t real, except it is in Dunyanin. Dunyanin isn’t real, but it is according to my memory and my experiences, none of which are real! I hope I don’t go crazy.

  Am I a murderer? It wasn’t hard to kill Kasim; after the spiders, it was even easy. It was easier to kill the second time and then the third. Does the fact that they live mean I didn’t kill them? I mean, if they attacked me in real life I imagine I would have done the same. Does that make me a killer? Have I sinned? Mum always says that the sin is the thought not just the action. Lust, not just adultery. Coveting, not just stealing. So when I get to church next time; for what do need to ask forgiveness?

  Am I rich? I’ve made more money in one day than my parents have probably made in their lifetime. It’s not real money, but it can be, and I can buy real food with it and a real education. But I can also buy imaginary things with the real money that Jimmy gave me or was that only bits of data also. Except, I’ve paid him before with real work, and he’ll accept that again.

  I started today hoping to improve my existence, my life. Well, it has certainly been existential.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  November 19, 2073

  After breakfast, Leah and Falsi made their way to the General Store. Leah put the hood up on her cape, hoping to hide her features just in case the PKers were around. They couldn’t kill her in the starter town, but she didn’t want the confrontation. The influx of people to the township was noticeable as ten or more groups wandered the street preparing to head out in search of the Cavern. Although many people on the street stared at Leah and Falsi, no one stopped them.

  Falsi led the way to the back of Goll's
home, entering, then made their way up the stairs to Farnel’s room. Goll’s wife, whose name was Elmas, sighed with relief before rising to her feet and moving away from the bed to clear a space for Old Falsi.

  “Atherleah, please heal Farnel as much as you are able and then we will administer the potion.”

  “Yes, Auntie!”

  This time, Atherleah was able to restore almost all Farnel’s health. Her health never quite reached 100% because the illness was still present and her health meter immediately dropping. Farnel was able though, to sit up and drink the potion provided by Old Falsi. Within minutes Leah saw Farnel’s health meter slow and then stop.

  Old Falsi stopped Leah from doing a final healing and said, “I think it best if she recovers now, on her own. It won’t be as fast as you Travellers heal but it will give her mind some time to adjust to being well.”

  They left Elmas and Farnel in the room and headed down to talk with Goll, who was waiting at the base of the stairs. Falsi reassured Goll that all was well, Atherleah had been able to secure the ingredients and Farnel was now cured.

  Goll stuck his hand out to Atherleah and said, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You have done everything just as you said. Whenever you're free, and before you move on, you come into the store and take whatever you need for your journey. Anything I can do to help.”