by Kyle Johnson
Tough choice, Jeff mused, examining the three remaining options. Human is versatile. The Skills bonus would come in handy, and while I don’t know about Professions yet, any kind of Experience bonus is excellent. Still, it’s just plain, vanilla Human. Do I want to spend my time in the game just being a Human? Aleen is just about tailor-made for Wizards and Sorcerers. The stat bonuses are great for me, and having my magic skills become Trained 10 levels sooner would be awesome in the short term. In the long run, though, all my skills will become Trained anyway, so that benefit isn’t as great as it sounds. Plus, it feels a little…on the nose. The Celestine Perk bonus could be amazing, depending on what Divine Perks are…but if Veronica wouldn’t give me specific info about Sorcerer Perks, she certainly isn’t going to tell me about Divine Perks! What if they’re all about healing or fighting undead? It’s a big gamble…
In the end, of course, there was only one real choice:
Chapter 3
“Excellent choices,” Veronica clapped, smiling. “A final question: what name would you like to be called within the game? You can remain as Jeff Lawing, or you can choose another name if it pleases you.”
That required no thought on Jeff’s part: in any game, no matter the race or class, he had always chosen the same name for his character. “Aranos,” he replied without hesitation. “I’d like to be called Aranos Evenshade.”
“Very well,” Veronica replied. She walked over to Jeff and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Now, are you ready to truly enter Singularity Online?”
Jeff took a deep breath. “Yes,” he said, simultaneously excited and terrified. “I think I’m as ready as I can be…”
Before he could finish, Veronica gestured, and a hole suddenly appeared beneath Jeff’s feet. Before he could do much more than yelp in surprise, Jeff found himself tumbling through empty, black air. He screamed as the wind rushed past his face, pulling at his clothes and whipping his hair wildly about. In the distance, he saw a faint spot of light that grew larger at an alarming pace. The tiny dot swelled into a circle wider than he was and continued to expand until it filled his field of vision. Jeff felt a brief jolt as he passed through some sort of barrier and into the glowing field.
Jeff blinked as his descent slowed, and he realized he was now floating high in the air with an incredible vista spread out below. As he gazed at the panorama in wonder, a voice boomed out around him, the sound startling him and making him jump.
“WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF KA!” the voice blasted, accompanied by what sounded like a full orchestral fanfare. “Ka is a world of magic and wonder, but also of violence and bloodshed,” it continued at a less ear-shattering volume.
“Ka was once a land of mighty realms, the Kingdoms of Light: an alliance of dwarves, elves, and men, dedicated to mutual defense, trade, and friendship.” Jeff found his view being turned to the north. Medieval castles dotted the low-lying plains, the lands well-tilled and fertile: surely the lands of Humans. To the northwest, a vast forest sprawled, filled with ancient trees whose branches wove together to shield those within from all sight. Still, Jeff’s vision somehow slid through the foliage, showing him that the forest was filled with glowing fairy lights, illuminating delicate cities that seemed grown from the mighty boles rather than built: no doubt, the realms of the elves. Far to the north, pristine mountains clawed at the sky, their snow-capped peaks piercing the clouds. Jeff’s eyes could faintly make out mighty citadels scattered throughout the range, built not just on the mountains but carving deeply within: the lands of the dwarves, he was certain.
“Yet, this peace would not last,” the voice continued as Jeff noticed a shadow passing across the lands, as if a giant cloud had passed before the sun. “For the dark Goddess Virnal, Queen of the Nightmare Pantheon, struck a mighty blow against the Kingdoms of Light, banishing the gods of Good from the world and unleashing creatures of darkness and terror upon the lands in what is known as the Feast of Virnal.”
Jeff continued to watch in growing horror as portals opened across the lands, disgorging creatures from darkest nightmares to ravage the lands. Castles were smashed by Cyclopean beasts made of onyx; demonic entities wreathed in black flames scorched forests; blood-red drakes tore apart mountain fortresses. After a few moments, the portals closed and the nightmare creatures scattered across the land, driven off by bloodied armies of humans, dwarves and elves, but remained behind was shattered and scarred beyond recognition.
“The races retreated from one another,” the voice finished, “abandoning old allies for the sake of self-preservation. The Human kingdoms shrank to a fraction of their former sizes, now no more than each Lord or Lady can easily defend against the creatures of darkness. The elves hid their cities behind veils of magic and craft and few non-elven are allowed to even glimpse them, much less enter. The dwarves retreated to the depths of their mountain holds and abandoned their higher fortresses; they rarely venture into the lowlands, and none who are not of dwarven blood are ever allowed within their strongholds.
“You are entering a world besieged,” the voice declared to a final fanfare. “Will you help the Light hold back the Darkness? Will you join the Darkness and deepen the shadow upon this land? The choice is yours, traveler, as you enter…SINGULARITY ONLINE!!!”
A swirl of gray mist surrounded Jeff, spinning him in all directions until he had lost all sense of where he was. He felt a sense of movement at great speed, and suddenly he felt firm ground beneath his feet. His hands reached down to touch damp, loose soil, covered with a wet covering of what he guessed was leaves. As the mist thinned and vanished, he blinked in the sudden light and rose to his feet, looking curiously about.
As he suspected, he stood beneath the leaves of some mighty forest. The trees around him seemed old beyond his imagining; he had seen pictures of the redwoods that were slowly dying out in California, and if he had to guess, he would say the trees surrounding him were perhaps a bit larger. He glanced up and could see nothing but green, with thin shafts of light peeking through to the forest floor. His nose was filled with the scent of wet earth and new growth but also with a scent of mold and decay. He knelt and ran his fingers through the dirt, marveling in the feel of the soil crumbling in his grasp. Everything felt so…real!
“This is even better than I imagined”, he whispered, looking around. Nothing he could see or hear gave him the tiniest clue that he was actually inside a game. The leaves swayed with perfect realism in a faint breeze; he could hear the whispers as the branches swayed against one another; there was even a faint sound of various insects and animals in the background. “It’s completely realistic! I can’t even tell that I’m not really here!”
A small, still pond beckoned in the corner of his vision, and he rose to his feet and strode over to it, kneeling in the mud at the water’s edge. The pool was perfectly calm and still and made for an excellent mirror; Jeff was curious what he would look like as an elf. The image staring back at him was only barely recognizable: his face was slim and triangular, with a delicate jaw, thin lips, and a long, slim nose. His skin was pale, with a slightly greenish tinge, and his red hair now hung down to his shoulders in waves instead of laying flat and straight against his skull. His eyes were almond-shaped, with pronounced ocular folds, and he wonderingly lifted his hand to touch his sharply pointed ears. His fingers were longer than normal, thin, and seemed a bit fragile.
He was dressed in a simple, green tunic and brown trousers, which struck him as apropos for trekking through a forest. A wide, brown leather belt encircled his waist, with a small pouch attached to it on his left and a slim, sheathed knife hanging on his right. I wonder if I have an inventory? Jeff thought, concentrating on an inventory screen, but nothing happened.
“Sorry, there’s no inherent inventory function,” Veronica’s voice suddenly sounded in Jeff’s mind, causing him to jump to his feet and spin around.
“Veronica?” he gasped, glancing about. “Where are you?”
“I’m your guide,” Veroni
ca reminded him. “I’m still with you to answer questions and give you advice as needed, at least for a bit. There’s no need to speak, however; I can hear your thoughts perfectly well.”
Okay, Jeff thought hesitantly. So, why isn’t there an inventory?
“Realism,” Veronica said simply. “To gain an inventory, you need something to carry things in, like a backpack or satchel. All you have at the moment is a simple coin pouch, which is quite empty; although, once you do find coins to place within it, it will hold and sort them for you, including exchanging larger and smaller coins as needed.”
Okay, so I need a backpack, Jeff mused. I also need a class trainer and some sort of city or town where I can purchase supplies and a weapon. Any idea how I can find those things?
“Not to worry,” Veronica assured him. “You began in this spot for a reason.” After that, her voice went silent.
“Hopefully a good reason,” Jeff muttered, kneeling back by the pond and lowering his face to take a drink. The water was clean, cool, and surprisingly refreshing; if he only had a waterskin or canteen in which to carry it, he’d be set for something to drink, if not a supply of food in the foreseeable future. Still, he was in a forest; surely he could find some edible plants or berries. Not that he was certain he could tell edible berries from poisonous ones, but…
In any case, first, he needed a better weapon than the small knife at his side. Who knew what predators prowled the forest, and while he knew that death wasn’t a particularly permanent thing in the game, he wasn’t in any specific rush to experience it. Part of his recent foray into martial arts training to prep for the game was learning to use a bo staff; no doubt he could find a suitable branch somewhere in this vast forest!
Thinking about his training reminded him of something he’d been unsure of before entering Singularity. Veronica, he called out silently, I have a question about skills.
“Yes,” her voice sighed in his mind, ”real-world training and experience can translate to higher starting skill levels. Someone who has spent years learning to fight or hunt can start as an Adept or even Expert if they are singularly talented. A few weeks or months of martial arts training, though, likely won’t give you much of a boost unless you spent most of that time in full-contact sparring.”
Damn, Jeff grimaced, well, that sucks, I guess. Still, any boost is good, right? How do I get it to show on my skill sheet?
“By demonstrating the skill in the game, of course,” Veronica answered a bit smugly. “It’s one thing to believe you possess a skill; it is often another entirely to be able to use the skill effectively. Learning what animals leave which tracks, for example, is not the same as tracking an animal to hunt it.”
Okay, so I need to start demonstrating some of the things I’ve learned, Jeff repeated silently. I can do that. First, I need to find or make a weapon; then, I can try some tracking, maybe build a fire…
Resolved, he began moving through the undergrowth, trying to keep silent and looking about, seeking a likely-looking branch, animal tracks, or anything the seemed edible, hoping to get a notification for a skill. He quickly realized that “demonstrating a skill” wasn’t going to be as simple as trying to creep through some bushes. He’d actually need to stop, focus, and make a real effort.
At first, he tried hunching down and walking on his toes, but each step seemed even louder as branches cracked and leaves rustled beneath his feet; plus, his legs were quickly tiring and shaking from the hunched-over posture. He tried walking normally, but very slowly, but still, his steps rustled through the still woods. 30 minutes later, he gave up in frustration and just began walking normally through the woods, cautiously peering about for animal tracks. Freaking stealth skill, he muttered silently, fuming. Never seen it be so hard to get before. The tracking skill better be easier!
A moment later, Jeff paused as he saw what looked to be a perfect branch for a bo staff: the branch close to the tree was as thick as his thigh, but after it passed through a ‘V’, one portion about three fingers thick ran fairly straight for several feet. It was also a good 12 feet above his head, but there was a branch just low enough that he thought he could grab it with a running jump. He backed up a dozen paces or so, sprinted as hard as he could, and leaped for the low-hanging branch.
He managed to catch it with one hand, but as his momentum carried his feet forward in the air, his slim fingers slid right off the branch – depositing him gracelessly, directly on his back on the soft soil below the tree. His head slammed back onto a protruding root, and a threatening, red message appeared in his vision:
“Seriously?” Jeff groaned aloud, rubbing a small lump on the back of his head as he rolled to his knees. “Like the fall wasn’t enough insult? Ugh.”
Jeff looked up at the tree, analyzing the height of the branch and considering his last attempt. “Okay, not strong enough to do that. Got it. Maybe, I could use the trunk to push off?”
He stepped back a few steps, took a brief, running start, lifted his leg to climb up the tree…and promptly smashed his nose into the trunk as his leg seemed to jerk to the side instead of planting securely on the tree. He collapsed to the ground with stars flashing in his eyes, a trickle of blood running down his nose.
“Son of a biscuit, that hurt!” Jeff yelped, grabbing at his nose and waiting for the pain to subside. Ten seconds later, he felt his nose shift back into place and the pain vanished. “What the hell?”
“You are attempting a feat of Agility with low Agility,” Veronica spoke calmly in his mind. “It is recommended that you focus on using your higher stats when possible to solve challenges.”
“Yeah, fine,” Jeff complained, “but how do I use Wisdom to climb a freaking tree?” Jeff stood up and dusted himself off, not really expecting an answer. Veronica had been very helpful, to be sure, but he was certain her help did not include solving his problems for him.
Okay, he thought, stepping back and analyzing the problem. I need to get up the tree, but I’m not going to be able to jump to that branch. So, what do I need? I need to be taller…no, I need something to stand on! He looked around for a large rock or something similar, but nothing jumped out at him. He sighed in frustration, putting his hand on his hips, incidentally brushing the handle of his knife.
“Huh,” he said slowly, drawing the knife from its sheath. The blade was simple and functional, 6 inches long, double-edged, probably steel. It looked sturdy enough, but he doubted he had the strength to drive it deep enough into the tree to hold his wait. He looked about for a moment, spotting a hand-sized, flat rock.
It took him another 5 minutes to use the rock to drive the knife into the tree deeply enough that he felt it would hold his weight. Taking a deep breath, he stepped carefully onto the protruding handle, gripping the rough bark with one hand and reaching up to grab the lowest branch with the next. He felt the knife shift slightly beneath him as he put his weight on it, and he quickly grabbed the branch with both hands, scrambling up the trunk just as the knife slipped out from beneath his foot. He dangled for a moment before finding purchase with his feet and scrambling up to rest his stomach on the branch and eventually, pull himself to a sitting position.
He carefully maneuvered up the tree until he reached his desired branch, then slid out on it on his stomach until he got to the ‘V’ where the part he needed split off. Grinning, he reached down to grab his knife to cut through the branch…
“Aww, dammit!” he swore, looking down to see his knife gleaming dully at the base of the trunk. Had he not known better, he would have sworn it was mocking him. “Now what?” He grabbed the smaller branch and pulled, but the tough wood resisted his efforts. He sat up to gain more leverage and yanked, feeling the branch creak and crack as he pulled harder. The hard wood resisted for a moment more, then suddenly split, peeling backward, and Jeff got to experience the sensation of tumbling from the sky for the second time in his stay in Singularity as his balance shifted and he plummeted backward out of the tree to strike the earth a
second time…but with significantly more force.
Jeff lay on his back, his thoughts clouded and fuzzy as a dull pain throbbed in his arm. He tried to roll over and get up, or even to open his eyes, but his body refused to respond. His thoughts refused to coalesce: even his pain was a distant thing. Ten seconds passed and suddenly, his thoughts crystallized. Pain struck him like a hammer, and he gasped and snapped open his eyes, trying to sit up.
To his surprise, a foot pressed against his chest and shoved him back to the ground. He tried to struggle back to his feet, but the feel of something cold and sharp against his throat froze him in his tracks. He glanced up and saw a long, slim blade resting against his neck, gripped lightly in the hand of a tall, muscular elf.
“Cavaer al’atanorn,” the elf spoke in a cold voice. “Hetheir non da’tenrei?”
Jeff blinked in confusion. “I…I’m sorry,” he stammered, shrinking away from the blade at his throat. “I don’t understand you.”
The elf looked away from Jeff for a moment, and Jeff took the moment to glance around. Three more elves stood around him: one with a drawn sword, two others, farther back, with half-drawn bows. All were dressed in loose clothing strangely patterned with various shades of green, brown, gray, and black that Jeff guessed would probably make excellent camouflage in the dimly lit forest. An extra ounce of pressure from the blade at his throat drew his attention back to the elf standing over him, who he realized was dressed identically to the ones surrounding him.
“How is it that one of the People does not speak the Tongue?” the elf demanded icily. “Who are you that passes through our forest?”
