by J D Astra
<<<>>>
Debuff Added
Intimidated: You have been intimidated by a mighty warrior. Your cast times are increased by one second, Armor efficiency is reduced by 10%, and the Spirit cost of all spells is doubled. Duration, 30 seconds.
<<<>>>
She went on with a smirk. “It does not matter how important your problem is to you, I will prioritize it when it needs to be prioritized. You will meet me for dinner the night after tomorrow to discuss why you’re here, and how you can make your keep. Now,” she looked to Tabor, “take the Dokkalfar to be properly dressed, and then deposit these three at their sleeping quarters. They may access the amenities of our home, but will not leave until we’ve discussed assignments.”
Arcona waved a hand as if to say “that’s final,” then turned away without another word. She and her guard marched down the beaten path until they blended into the other folk moving about their business and disappeared from sight.
Tabor patted Otto on the back. “Finally,” he said with a grin. “If only you’d done that before you were excommunicated.”
Otto grunted in reply. I knew that he’d never been excommunicated, that whatever they said he’d done never happened. Otto was a mere four days old, but the weight that was lifted from his shoulders was obvious. He’d been holding onto that accusation, it was in his code, for what he thought was five years. He was finally free of the guilt.
I touched his arm gently and he stiffened. “Congratulations.” He gave me something between a smirk and a grimace as he straightened and moved his arms behind his back. Tabor looked uncomfortable, too, so I stepped toward Renzik with an awkward chuckle. “So, let’s get this guy out of his iron necklace, shall we?”
“Right,” Tabor said as he snapped into action, “this way.”
He led us down toward the center of the room, but we turned off on another torch-lined path before we reached the large pond at the center. Word apparently traveled fast in the underground because as we passed, random people would give Otto a pat on the shoulder with a kind smile.
Not all of the tents we passed were sleeping quarters. In fact, most of them seemed like offices of sorts. The smaller, one- to two-man tents would have someone scribbling away on parchment, people sewing shirts and trousers with a pile of ripped clothing lying next to them in a heap, or animated people pointing to blueprints hung on the canvas wall of the tent. Most of the tents were labeled with symbols, some easy to identify, others much harder.
I looked back to the entrance we’d come from some three hundred feet away as we passed into another corridor on the left side of the room. There was a plank on the wall at the tunnel opening, this one with an anvil and hammer engraved.
“What kind of armor do you need, Renzik?” Tabor asked as he led us through another tunnel. If there hadn’t been the sign at the opening, I would’ve sworn it was the same as the one with the portal.
“Medium, and a bow please.” Renzik sounded positively giddy.
Otto must’ve detected the shift in his tone too, because he asked, “How long since you’ve held one?”
“A hunter does not forget the ways of the hunt,” Renzik retorted indignantly.
I patted him on the shoulder gently and he shot me a glare. “I don’t think that’s what he meant.”
The temperature in the hall was steadily rising, though with my Residual Heat passive, it was comfortable to me. A little notification popped up in my vision.
<<<>>>
Passive Triggered: Residual Heat
The ambient temperature has risen above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Your Spirit and Stamina regeneration are increased by 20%.
<<<>>>
I dismissed the pop-up and it shrunk down to a tiny flame icon next to the looming quest timer in the corner of my vision.
Sounds of a hammer on metal rang out with a rhythmic beat for one, two, three hits, then stopped. Between Otto’s and Tabor’s shoulders I could see the orange-red glow of a fire ahead, and a shadow moving about the room through an open door. Aside from the crackle of the forge, there was a background droning I couldn’t put my finger on. The banging resumed like a metronome, perfectly in-time strikes.
The tunnel slowly opened up to the ovular forge room. Dirt walls slowly transitioned to a hardened brown mud that was cracked and flaking. The whole area looked like the inside of a handmade clay pot. The ceiling sloped up to two exhaust ports with spinning fans. One fan seemed to be sucking out the smoke that drifted up to that side, while the other appeared to blow in fresh air.
Tabor led the way into the room, shouting, “Lenny! Hey, Lenny!” to a Svartalfar at the anvil. Lenny was taller than most of the Svartalfar I’d seen, sporting a disheveled blond beard with several burn marks and a set of blacked-out goggles. He wore a black leather apron, black gloves that ran up to his elbows, and a dirty white tank.
He brought the hammer down on the red-hot piece of metal four more times, then stuffed it into the barrel of water beside the anvil. The sword-to-be shrieked and sizzled as the hot metal cooled, sending a puff of steam into the air. Lenny flipped up his goggles and pulled the sword up to inspect it.
“Uh, Lenny?” Tabor asked as he stepped up to the anvil.
The Dwarf ignored Tabor’s calls and instead moved toward a chain hanging on the right side of the room. He jumped up, grabbing the chain as high as he could, then tugged it down. The droning noise from before picked up in oscillation, and the hot breeze in the forge ran cool for a second. Lenny repeated the motion and I looked up to the fans as he did. The chain looped down and ran back up into the ceiling into metal-lined tubes. From there it must’ve looped around the fans somehow like a pulley belt. Smart.
Tabor groaned. “Forge Master Leonard, can we have a moment of your time?”
Lenny turned from the chains with a grin plastered to his face. “Ah, Tabor ma’boy, how are ya!” He gave the Risi’s hand a pat, mostly because it was all he could reach.
“Good, thanks. We need your help getting some cuffs off this man here,” he said and gestured to Renzik, who had pulled off the cloak to fan himself.
Lenny, or Leonard, didn’t respond to the request.
Tabor gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes. “I’m doing well, how are you doing?”
The forge master looked up to me with a huge grin. “I’ll teach ’im manners yet.” He turned his focus back to a perturbed Tabor. “That’s great to hear. I’m also doing well, but busy. Whatsit you have for me?”
Tabor clenched his fists and closed his eyes, then slowly opened them as he took a breath. “This man here, Renzik, needs some slave’s bonds removed.”
Lenny dropped his work and walked to the Dokkalfar, then extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Renzik.” They shook, and then Lenny poked up to the neck clamp. “May I?”
“Surely.” Renzik bent over to give the shorter man a good look at his binds.
The Dwarf fiddled with the clamp. “Hmm.” He turned it around and pressed his fingers into the hinge. “Mind your chin, Renzik.”
Renzik looked up and Lenny tugged twice on the pin in the hinge before it came free, and the clamp fell away.
“Are you shitting me?” I slapped my hand to my face, Otto doing something similar beside me.
“Ah, don’t beat yerself up, lass.” Lenny patted me on the shoulder, and I glared at him between my fingers. “It’s not as easy as I made it look. There’s a trick to it.”
“Oh?” I dropped my hands as he offered me the metal bolt.
He grinned. “You hafta know what yer doin’.”
I grumbled and took the proffered metal piece.
Renzik rubbed his neck gingerly with both hands and swallowed hard a few times, apparently relishing the feel of his skin. I smirked and extended the bolt to him.
“Here,” I said, and he glared at the piece in my hand with disgust. “It’s a memento of your freedom.”
Renzik cocked his head, then nodded. “Yes, that is a good way of looking at it. Thank
you, Abby, I am indebted to you.”
A pop-up swirled into view.
<<<>>>
Quest Complete: Renzik’s Plight
You have freed Renzik from his bondage and ferried him to safety. As promised, Renzik has offered his services for your deeds.
Reward: Renzik’s services and 5,000 XP.
Companion: Renzik Wiriya
You have earned the dedication and service of Tracker Renzik Wiriya. Renzik will not require daily payment, but beware, his allegiance to your group is influenced by your actions and treatment of him.
<<<>>>
I’d almost forgotten there was a quest to free him from the binds, but holy crap was I glad we took it. He was a Tracker, and from what I recalled of the class breakdowns I reviewed back IRL, it was in the same family as the Rogue class, much like a Thief was. I’d have to ask him about his skill, as I knew Tracker wasn’t for me and I hadn’t even looked at the skill tree breakdown.
On top of the new companion, the 5,000 XP reward put me just 180 points away from leveling up to 30. I liked to have a few skill points saved up in case of emergencies, but I already had four banked. If I could get one more, I’d drop it into Blazing Weapon before it could even hit my saved total.
“Alright, let’s be off!” Tabor slapped Renzik on the back, pushing the poor man forward several inches.
“Ah hem.” Lenny cleared his throat.
“We still need to get you some gear, so we’ll stop off at the hoard before we—”
“Ah-ha hem!” Lenny put his hands on his hips.
Tabor cringed. “Thank you, Leonard, Forge Master, greatest Svartalfar of all time.”
“That last bit’sa nice touch. Keep it.” He clapped Tabor on the back. “Yer welcome, lad! Come back any time.” Without another word, Lenny returned to the sword he’d been hammering away at and stuffed it into the fire.
Tabor took a deep breath. “Like I said, to the hoard.”
We wound deeper through the underground, or what felt like deeper since I was getting a bit lost, and made it to a large storeroom. There were chests loaded up with low-level gear, swords, daggers, bows, staves, and more hanging from hooks on the walls, and a shelf loaded down with bowls containing necklaces and rings.
We got Renzik nicely equipped with a matching deep brown jerkin and trousers, black bracers, black leather boots, and a hooded cloak. Everything had meager stats, but it was well above what Renzik was used to. Besides the mud stains on his face and the little clods of dirt in his short black hair, he looked as though he had dignity again.
I looked to Tabor as he made his way to the door. “I was hoping I could get a robe.” Brows all around the room were raised, and I tutted. “My wanted poster, it described me wearing Wildfire. If I’m going to go aboveground, I can’t wear it.”
Heads nodded in agreement and Tabor walked to one of the chests. He dug around for a minute, then pulled free a brown sack with a rope belt. “This is it.” He shrugged as he passed it to me.
I inspected the item.
<<<>>>
Initiate’s Robe
Armor Type: Light
Class: Common
Base Defense: 5
Primary Effects:
● +2 Intelligence
● +5 Spirit
We all have to start somewhere.
<<<>>>
I glanced to Otto with a grimace as I put the armor in my inventory. I’d wear it when I actually needed to go outside.
With that handled, Tabor led us to the sleeping quarters. He told us the treehouse-like buildings in the main area were for officers and high-ranking officials, but the rest of us slept in barracks. While I wasn’t fond of the idea of communal sleeping arrangements, it was comforting to know I wouldn’t be far from Otto if shit hit the fan.
The maze-like halls deposited us at a room thirty feet deep with eight bunks on each side. Each had a small chest at the foot, a turned-down wool blanket, and a single, flat pillow. It looked like Full Metal Jacket, the doomsday edition where humanity regressed back to the dark ages. The cave rumbled gently with the aftershock of a far-off tremor, and little crumbles of dirt broke away from the ceiling, peppering the beds below.
Tabor grinned. “Welcome to the lap of luxury.”
We found unoccupied beds and laid out the sheets for sleeping. Renzik kept stopping every few moments, his stare going vacant, and I could tell he was inspecting himself. He’d then smooth down the leathers, tap his booted feet together gently, and give a grin. It was heartwarming to see him so happy.
When all the beds were made, I lay back and took a look at the forums. I knew it wasn’t the smartest thing, especially after I specifically said to Jack I was going dark to avoid detection, but looking at the forums, not engaging, probably wouldn’t increase our chances of being noticed. Plus, it could provide valuable information.
The Harrowick subnet was absolutely on fire with the news of the magistrates and provost’s murders. Nearly every ‘Hot’ headline was about me or the assassinations.
“Who is this Abby Hollander we keep seeing posters for?” read one title. I dove into the thread, just to see what theories might be circulating.
“How did a player get so powerful so fast? Cheating maybe?”—Ashen_Specter
“No, the game is hackproof, you heard it in the opening statement.”—DarkKnightt
“She’s an employee of Osmark Tech. Check out the game credits, she’s right in there.”—Karen Arbon
“Maybe she didn’t actually do it. I mean, did anyone see her in the area when this happened? What would her motive even be? She didn’t take over the town, so that couldn’t be it...”—Triskiller
Tristan. He made it after all. I smiled as a wave of memories washed away the dread of the player comments. He’d been a nice guy, a little pushy about going on dates until he became my manager, but mostly a nice, clueless, socially awkward guy.
I plodded through the menus another few minutes before Tabor grumbled while holding his stomach and declared loudly that it was time to chow. My debuffs let me know I was unwashed and thirsty, but the grub we’d had in the tavern above was holding strong in my stomach.
“I’ll pass,” I said as I waved them off. “Where can I have a bath?”
“They’ll be in the north hall past the Life Well at the center of the Great Room, then around the bend—”
“Abby,” Otto interrupted with a heavy hand on Tabor’s shoulder, “they’re communal baths.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Tabor frowned.
Otto bobbed his head from side to side. “Privacy.”
“Or the total lack thereof,” I groaned as I lay back on the bed and put my arms behind my head. Blech, I could smell myself.
“I am not hungry. I will go with Abby to ensure her privacy is maintained,” Renzik offered, and Otto gave him a stern, disapproving glare.
“You’re going to do what, exactly?” Otto asked with a hint of anger.
Renzik shrugged. “Protect her body from view, or keep others away? Perhaps I could hold up a sheet to obscure her presence.”
“It’s fine.” I sighed. “I’m going to sleep instead.” I had died last night, and not really slept while that was happening. I could tell the lack of rest was weighing on my mood, and my nerves. Just thinking about catching a weird peeping Tom while trying to bathe, or Renzik being that peeper, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from burning a reminder into their skin about politeness. Better that I just rest.
“Are you certain? It is really no trouble for me. I owe you so much,” Renzik said, a hint of reverence in his voice.
I nodded and scooted up farther onto the bed. “Yeah. I need rest more than a bath, I think.”
Otto grunted and patted Renzik on the back a little harder than I thought necessary as he said, “Let’s go get some grub.”
I wrapped my arm over my eyes and inhaled deeply through my nose as I listened to the footsteps of the three walking away. Tabor was going on abo
ut everything Otto had missed, catching him up on gossip, particularly that dealing with Arcona, and more. I listened to their steps and Tabor’s excited voice until they passed beyond my range, and in their absence, I heard the soft whoosh, whoosh, whoosh of air being pumped into the underground.
The sound reminded me of the sea at Santa Monica pier, the lapping of the waves against the wood and stone. It was so peaceful, so calming. The sounds of laughter, the old analog amusement rides, even the smell of funnel cake and hot dogs. So many wonderful things. So many beautiful things.
Sulfur Secrets
MY EYES SHOT OPEN AND adrenaline surged through me as I sat up in darkness. What was it? What happe—
A snore, long and throaty, vibrated overhead. It was so deep it shook the wood pillars of the bunk bed. I lay back against my tough pillow, remembering that Otto had mentioned his snoring problem. I opened the menu and checked the game time: 3:30 AM. The timer in the corner of my vision for the quest showed 8 days 4 hours.
I rubbed my hand over my face as Otto snored again, his tongue slapping against the roof of his mouth as he pulled in another long breath. I wanted to push him onto his side and go back to sleep... but the baths would probably be empty at three in the morning!
I shot out of bed and lit a fireball for myself. The room was deathly still—aside from Otto’s snores—and dark. Renzik slept on the bed opposite mine, flat on his back on top of the blanket, hands gripping the dagger stowed in his belt. Otto lay halfway on his stomach, one arm flopped over the side of the bed and sheets halfway off his body.
He snorted once, then smacked his lips as he wiggled a bit. For such a stoic, strong, buttoned-up man during the day, he absolutely fell apart in sleep. I chuckled and dimmed my fireball, then became acutely aware of how responsive the fire was to my command. I had seen Naitee channeling flames to her bidding, but I thought that was a higher-level Sorceress thing.
I stared at the burning ball in my hand and willed it to change to blue. Heat radiated down my arm as the fire grew hotter, denser. There was no one to see it, but I smirked at the newfound control I had over the element I’d chosen to bind myself to. Or, had it chosen me? I thought of Naitee’s words when I told her I wanted to be a Firebrand. Firebrand is not for the weak. She’d said many other things, but none that I’d committed to memory like that.
