Shadow of the Rogue: A LitRPG Fantasy Adventure (Shadow of the Rogue Book 1)
Page 2
25%
50%
100%
Hit Points
✩✩✩
Locked
Locked
Agility
✩✩✩✩
Locked
Locked
Speed
✩✩✩
Locked
Locked
Damage
✩✩✩
Locked
Locked
Defense
✩✩
Locked
Locked
Fighting
✩✩✩
Locked
Locked
Not bad! My stats had received decent boosts. I scrolled through the character sheet and slotted in the new equipment. Tabbing to the next section of the holographic window, I read the results:
SLOTTED EQUIPMENT:
Green
Blue
Gold
Head
✩✩✩
Locked
Locked
Chest
✩✩✩
Locked
Locked
Legs
✩✩✩
Locked
Locked
Gloves
✩✩
Locked
Locked
Boots
✩
Locked
Locked
Cloak
Empty
Locked
Locked
Ring
Empty
Locked
Locked
Amulet
Empty
Locked
Locked
Weapons
✩✩✩
Locked
Locked
Not bad for leveling gear, which grew more effective as I advanced. I was so wound up and excited that I wanted to keep playing. But I knew I had to log off if I wanted to make it to work on time. However, I decided to take a quick look at my skill chart. I read over the results with a grin.
TALENTS & SKILLS:
[Stealth: Lvl 3] [Burglary: Lvl 2]
[Scoundrel: Lvl 2] [Shadow Strike: Lvl 3]
[Lucky: Lvl 1] [Stealth Sight: Lvl 2]
Afer reading through my stats, I snapped my fingers. All the holographic windows closed in response. Satisfied, I bowed towards the trainer. And then saved my game before selecting [EXIT]. The game world which surrounded me faded. My eyelids fluttered open, as I emerged from the influence of the Neuro-Helm. Before long, normal bodily sensations returned and I took the helmet from my head.
The material world seemed so boring and lifeless compared to the fantasy kingdom. I wanted nothing more but to get back into the game. There was no time for that now. I pulled on my vintage CBGB t-shirt and rubbed some gel through my short spiky hair.I only had less than thirty minutes to get to work.
CHAPTER 2
"You're late,” My boss glared at me with beady eyes. He was a short, fat man with large round glasses.
“Sorry,” I enunciated.
“That's the third time this month.”
“Won’t happen again,” I answered.
The boss just nodded. Wanting to avoid any more hassle I got busy stocking shelves. The economy sucked balls in 2036. Most jobs had been replaced by mechanization. But there was still some unskilled work around. Working at the corner mart hadn’t been my dream occupation. But it provided enough for me to keep afloat. Like everyone else I struggled to get by.
“I didn't think you're coming in!” I looked up and saw
my coworker, Freddy. He was a short kid with red hair and basement pale skin. He was also a gamer like me.
“Made it in time!” I threw him a high-five.
“You started Odyssey Online yet?” He grinned wide.
“It’s amazing, but I just finished the tutorial.”
“Sweet!” Freddy nodded. “I just upgraded my neural implants”
Then he lifted his bushy hair and exposed the nape of his neck. Two flesh-colored plastic plates pressed against his skin. I marveled at the shiny metal prongs that protruded about a fourth inch from the dermal plates.
“Nice hardware.” I showed him the new implants on my wrist. “I just had this done. It increases the sensation during a VR dive.”
“Yeah,” Freddy nodded. “Wish I could just spend my whole life plugged in.”
“I know right?” I crouched over and lifted a heavy box onto the shelf.
“Speaking of,” He turned and headed towards the doorway and waved over his shoulder. “Shifts over. Going to run home and log in.”
“Later dude!” I went back to my job stacking shelves and then headed to the self-checkout center. Where I found a customer was having troubles.
“I can't make these items to scan.” The heavyset woman said, her face red with frustration.
“Let me help.” I moved to the terminal and swept my hand over the identification pad. I waited for the display to tell me what was amiss. “Oh, it says here that your benefit card is declined.”
“Declined?” The woman’s voice raised a pitch higher. “That's impossible check again!”
“I have checked and there's nothing I can do.” I shrugged.
“Ridiculous!” With that, she stormed out the front doorway.
The impressive skyline of Portland glistened as I gazed out the shop’s Plexiglas window. The 2036 economy was tough and jobs were scarce. Hence some people received living allotments. The problem being the government was virtually broke. This meant sometimes public assistance payments were late or didn’t record at all.
Technology had made our lives so amazing. But in other ways it had condemned us. Some citizens lived at the peak of the technological hierarchy. With all the money and material goods they could ever desire. Others, like me, were stuck. Our only escape, playing virtual games. In the game world we could be anyone we wanted. Anyone could have wild adventures, eat the finest foods, and even date hot monster girls.
Being a lesbian was no big deal these days. I however, couldn't get another chick to look at me. But in VR, I had more dates lined up than I could handle. I scratched the implant on my wrist and went back to work.
At the close of my shift I waited for the e-bus to take me home. These were driverless public vehicles that shuttled the public about. The shuttle bus dropped me off a few blocks from my place. Soon I shuffled down the sullen street, my hands in my pockets and hoodie pulled over my head. The abandoned homes and empty lots standing like monuments to more respectable times.
It hadn’t always been like this. At least that's what my father told me. There had been a time when anyone could rise to the top with hard work alone. When you didn't need to escape into some fantasy world to feel like you mattered. I figured he'd been blowing smoke up my ass. Only the history books agreed with him. Even so it was hard for me to believe those times had ever existed. Lost in thought, I walked up the stairs to our tiny home and unlocked the door.
“Hello?” I cried out into the darkened house. No one answered.
More than likely, Mom was working at the casino. While Dad was probably out on some temp contract job. He’d once been an ace hacker before the Feds caught him. Now both time and technology had passed him by. I never asked and he never volunteered the details.
I picked up a picture frame from the mantelpiece and looked at it. My parents seemed so young. They were precisely about my age when they married. My dad was a handsome young man with brown skin and a charming smile. Mama was a gorgeous redhead with sparkling blue eyes. I favored her in looks. But had inherited soft brown eyes from my father.
Just like everybody else we were simply attempting to get through these to
ugh times. When I compared us to other families, I figured we weren't making out so bad. We each held some kind of employment. We also owned the house we lived in, as shabby as it was.
For now I spent my time looking for new thrills in cyberspace. At least there I held some form of power. Getting the implants was an expensive process. But nearly everyone had them these days. Special plates and ports were surgically implanted on the back of the neck and at the wrists. This allowed for an individual to plug themselves into the smart box and also attach the helmet.
There were all kinds of experiences you could have. I preferred hack and slash style games. Others got lost in sexual fantasies. And some lived in virtual nostalgia world's reminiscent of days gone by. I proceeded to the fridge to see what was available to eat. My parents were always very good to me. Even if they weren't so great with one another. When I was a kid their fights frightened me. But I realized they drank and fought for the same reason I gamed. To forget the hell we lived in.
I found a plastic wrapped plate of some tasteless meat substitute and a bottle of my favorite soda in the fridge. I popped the bowl into the microwave and took a swig from the soda bottle. I hurried through the meal. Luckily I had the next three days scheduled off. That meant I could stay plugged in for as long as I wanted to. It was recommended to only stay hooked up so long. Only most people ignored those rules.
After I finished eating I ran down into the basement to my VR setup. I had moved down there for a bit more seclusion. Plus it was dark down there. This made it a lot easier to relax and get into the right state of mind.
I performed a quick system check. My computer’s power and coolant levels were excellent. This would prevent the smart box from overheating and disconnecting me during game play. My system wasn’t that bad for a homebrew setup.
With my father's help I’d managed to scrape together decent equipment. The most expensive part being the smart box and helmet. I plugged in my input ports and placed the Neuro-Helm on my head. Then I leaned backwards and waited for the connection. A loading screen appeared before my eyes. It exhibited the standard welcome message. Then there was a sudden flash of light and a system update materialized:
WARNING: UNUSUAL CONNECTION ACTIVITY DETECTED! PREPARE FOR A SYSTEM REBOOT!
The warning text dissolved in a sparkling shower of pixels. Afterwards that, nothing,just complete darkness. I tried not to panic as I drifted in the infinite black. Nothing like this had ever occurred before. I put out the mental disconnect command several times. But there was no reaction. After what seemed like eternity, a sliver of light appeared along the horizon. I floated towards the shimmering glow. Then various displays started to flicker to life.
“We apologize for any delay.” A soothing female voice uttered. “There was an internal system error which is now solved. Please wait while we log into your virtual experience.”
A sigh of relief escaped me. There was another flash of light and the hovering screens disappeared. Next, a kaleidoscope of colors and sounds overtook my senses. Presently the world came to focus around me. Before long, I stood in a glowing circle of brightness as the environment populated. First, the sound of birds chirping, then the wind whispering in the trees. Solid ground formed beneath my feet. Before long, the landscape and crystal clear sky came into being. I observed a flock of birds flying overhead.
I took a deep breath of fresh country air. I had materialized into an unfamiliar spawn point. This wasn't where I had logged off the night earlier. When I looked down I noticed something shocking. My familiar clothing and gear were missing. Instead, I wore dark brown boots, with a tunic, and cotton pants. Something was very wrong. What happened to my earned gear? I pulled up my Character Sheet and took a look:
CHARACTER INFO:
[NAME: KIRA] [CLASS: THIEF]
[RACE: HUMAN] [GENDER: FEMALE]
ABILITY RATINGS:
25%
50%
100%
Hit Points
✩
Locked
Locked
Agility
✩
Locked
Locked
Speed
✩
Locked
Locked
Damage
✩
Locked
Locked
Defense
✩
Locked
Locked
Fighting
✩
Locked
Locked
SLOTTED EQUIPMENT:
Green
Blue
Gold
Head
Empty
Locked
Locked
Chest
Empty
Locked
Locked
Legs
Empty
Locked
Locked
Gloves
Empty
Locked
Locked
Boots
Empty
Locked
Locked
Cloak
Empty
Locked
Locked
Ring
Empty
Locked
Locked
Amulet
Empty
Locked
Locked
Weapons
Empty
Locked
Locked
To my amazement, all my equipment was gone. Likewise, I’d lost some skill points!
TALENTS & SKILLS:
[Stealth: Lvl 1] [Burglary: Lvl 1]
[Scoundrel: Lvl 1] [Shadow Strike: Lvl 2]
[Lucky: Lvl 1] [Stealth Sight: Lvl 1]
I exited the glowing spawn point and walked a few meters forward. Barely over the hill I saw the tall spires of a medieval town. Smoke drifted from the chimneys and I heard the bustling noise of the metropolis. I decided heading into town would be safest plan. That was when I stumbled upon the red warning sign, which hovered in front of me.
[THE FORGOTTEN FOREST PVP ZONE]
WARNING! THIS IS A PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER AREA. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT OTHER PLAYERS MAY ATTACK YOU WHILE YOU ARE IN THIS ZONE. IF DEFEATED YOU WILL BE FORCED TO RESPAWN AT LEVEL ONE. ALL YOUR GEAR, EQUIPMENT, AND GOLD CAN THEN BE CLAIMED BY THE PLAYERS WHO'VE DEFEATED YOU!
Crap! Not only had the game wiped my gear, but it dumped me in a high-level pvp zone. It made sense to get out of the forest right away. Turning north, I headed towards town and prayed that I wouldn’t run into any pvpers along the path. Of course, my luck had run out.
“Look what we found!” A gruff voice sent a shiver up my spine. I’d not made it two steps before trouble found me. Three rough looking players stood before me. One was a stout barbarian carrying an ax. A shorter man wearing a black assassin's cloak stood to his right.
While to his left stood a smirking woman twirling two scimitars. I could tell by the purple icons floating above them that these were high level players. Not wanting to take chances I activated my shadow cloak and disappeared from view.
“Where'd she go?” The ax-bearer cursed.
“I'll find her” the cloaked player narrowed his eyes. I prayed he didn't have stealth-sight. Before long, he pointed at me. I panicked and froze in place. The Rogue had seen my invisibility cloak! And so, with one smooth motion, he tossed a deadly dagger in my direction. There wasn’t time to make a dodge attempt. The flying blade struck me in the shoulder.
NOOB_KILLER HAS HIT YOU WITH THROWING DAGGER.
YOU HAVE SUFFERED 35 POINTS OF BLEEDING DAMAGE.
A BLEEDING DOT HAS BEEN APPLIED TO YOU!
NEUROTOXIN HAS BEEN APPLIED TO YOU, SLOWING YOUR MOVEMENT SPEED!
YOUR STE
ALTH HAS BEEN DEACTIVATED.
Without thinking I placed my hand over the painful injury. Then I pulled it away in shock. My palm was slick with glistening red blood. There was something wrong! Injuries and pain were impossible within the game! I gazed at my blood stained hand in disbelief. "Just what in the hell is going on here?" I whispered.
CHAPTER 3
“Shit!” I held my shoulder as I recoiled with pain. The group of thugs surrounded me, their eyes bright with greed.
“You got her!” The fat Barbarian said as he grabbed me. “Now let's find out what this little pig's got for us.”
“Screw you.” I snarled. The pain in my shoulder had worsened. I struggled to remain conscious. The Barbarian pulled his fist back and punched me hard in the ribs. Helpless, I fell to the ground.
“Finish her off then we can loot the corpse.” The cloaked figure barked.
My mind fought to comprehend what was happening. There shouldn’t be any pain in VR-games. Also, there should be protocols in place to prevent higher-levels from ganking lowbies. All the same here I lay, bleeding and wincing in agony.
“Leave her alone,” a strong voiced commanded. A tall, dark-skinned man in gleaming armor stood before us. He narrowed his eyes and grabbed his sword’s hilt.
“Are you deaf?” he asked. “I said let her go.”
“Who in the hell are you?” The large Barbarian spat. “If you suppose you’re going to steal our loot, you have another thing coming.”
“Nobody’s looting this girl today,” The tall warrior yanked his blade from the scabbard. It was obvious he was a Paladin, one of the toughest classes known. They wielded both melee weapons and divine magic. His status bar showed that he was a few grades above my attackers. This meant he should be able to thrash these goons without breaking a sweat.