by Paul Bellow
I hoped it would allow us to get out of the game.
Eric walked over, munching on one of the fresh fish.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he stopped.
“I’m fine,” I said. “We can talk about it after we get out of the game.”
“Great,” he said. “Do you have the Dawn Acid?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “We better hope it’s enough.”
“Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll destroy the pendant and kill Magi Inyontoo. I’ve been thinking I should go scout out the monastery on my own first.”
“You shouldn’t go alone,” I said.
Evan walked up, spooking me.
“I’ll go with him,” he said.
Eric held up a finger.
“Quiet,” he said. “I hear something.”
A few hundred feet away on the main road, I heard someone.
Eric and I crept over to the road. I saw a short humanoid with the head of a Bull Terrier walking toward us while muttering.
“Stop!” Eric shouted.
“I don’t want trouble,” the dog-man yipped.
“We don’t either,” I said.
A quick game command told me the creature was called a dogma. The notes specifically mentioned it not being a kobold.
“Name’s Eddie,” the dogma said as it walked forward. “Eddie Ferengi. Nice to meet you both. Magi Inyontoo sends his regards.”
Eric drew his new sword while I readied myself to cast.
“Calm down,” Eddie said, both hands in the air, palms out. “No need to go Tarantino on me. I’m just a lowly messenger. Please let me deliver it then be on my way. I’d like to get as far away from this place as possible.”
Tarantino? What’s he talking about? Is he a player?
“You’re not going back to your master?” Eric asked.
“Screw that guy,” Eddie said. “I’m out of here. Almost everyone in here is nuts, psychotic, or both. Anyone finding a quiet corner to live out this fantasy life on the upper levels is doing the right thing.”
“You’re a player?” I asked, confused. “Where’s your group?”
“They’re still wrapped up in the Magictology cult,” he said. “I’m going to lose a butt-load of xp for going AWOL, but I don’t care anymore.”
“Come with us,” I said. “We could use the help.”
“I bet you could,” Eddie said in a disparaging tone.
He grinned in a wily manner.
“But if you give me all your gold…” He stopped and sniffed the air. “And all your fish, I’ll give you a map of the monastery.”
“What’s to stop us from taking it?” Eric asked.
The dogma laughed.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked.
“No,” Bernard said as he walked up. “Who are you these days?”
“I’m more advanced than you three put together,” Eddie said. “That’s all you need to know. Don’t test my patience.”
“We’ll give you all our gold,” Eric said. “We won’t be needing it.”
Eddie laughed-barked excitedly.
“You guys are such newbies…” The dogma shook his head. “Maybe Magi was right about you guys after all. You’ll deserve what you get.”
“We’re getting out of this game,” Eric said.
“I’ll take all your gold if you want the map,” Eddie said.
He stuck out a tiny, dirty hand.
“I’ve got it,” I said, untying a pouch from my belt.
Eddie walked forward, hand still out and palm still up.
“The map first,” I said.
He barked aggressively then pulled out a rolled parchment from inside his blue robes. Evan ran up and snatched the map.
“What’s going on?” Eddie asked then barked as he backed away.
“It’s okay,” I said. “Here’s your gold. Can you tell us anything else?”
“The big boss in black robes is no joke,” he said. “Him and his crazy followers are the reason I’m leaving and starting over.”
“Wait a minute,” Bernard said. “Something doesn’t add up.”
I turned to him and asked, “What?”
“From what I know, the portal to the Tower of Gates is back at the monastery,” he said. “If you want to escape to the higher levels like you said before, why are you going in the opposite direction?”
Eddie chuckled.
“Very astute observations,” he said. “But I’ve got to find some friends and finish some business before I leave level one-one behind. You of all people know how it is, Bernard.”
“You know him too?” I asked. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I didn’t think it was necessary,” Bernard said. “There’s bad blood between us.”
“Still?” Eddie asked then shook his little doggy-head. “You’re something else, man.”
Was Bernard keeping anything else from us?
“How many people are at the monastery?” Eric asked.
“Not many humans,” Eddie said. “But a lot of dogmas and goblins. And Magi Inyontoo himself.”
I turned to Evan.
“Let me see the map,” I said.
The brownie walked over and handed it to me.
“What else do you know about the monastery?” Eric asked. “It’s very convenient for you to have a map on you. How do we know you’re not trying to trick us?”
“You’re paranoid, aren’t you?” Eddie asked.
“Enough to not trust everyone we meet,” Eric said.
“Look,” Eddie said. “Magi Inyontoo is trying to break the game. He’s nuts, and this cult of Magictology he built has a chance of ruining everything in here. Do you want to be trapped in a world where characters walk around dropping pop-culture references all willy-nilly to sound cool? The idiot’s going to turn this place into an actual prison if he’s not careful.”
I understood what he meant. Sometimes, I’d found slipping deeper into the game and role-playing made everything easier to handle.
“Think about it,” Eddie said. “Do sleeping dogs lie?”
He barked in laughter, even doubling over.
I turned to Eric. He shrugged, not getting the joke either.
“Anyway,” Eddie said. “If you don’t have any other questions, I’ll take those fish and be on my merry way.”
“Evan, give him the fish,” I said.
“But Sarah…” he whined.
“Just do it,” I said. “Please.”
“Fine,” Evan said in a huff.
He tossed a bag on the ground.
Eddie picked it up while watching us.
“Good luck storming the monastery,” he said then walked away.
“That was an odd encounter,” I whispered.
Eric nodded, keeping his eyes on the dogma.
“How did you know that guy?” Eric asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Bernard said.
He crossed his arms over his chest.
“Let’s check out that map,” I said to change the subject.
We couldn’t force Bernard to tell us everything he knew.
Evan unrolled the map in middle of the dirt road and sat down.
“Looks legit,” he said, peering over the details.
Eric dropped to one knee beside the hand-drawn map.
“Not much to the place,” he said. “I’ll come in from the mountains.”
He pointed to the west of the monastery.
“Where are we now?” I asked, confused by the map. “Did a two-year old draw this?”
Evan leaned back and howled with laughter.
“Good one, Sarah,” he said. “You’re the funniest.”
I ignored him and glanced down at Eric.
“My Ring of Spider Climbing will help me scout,” he said.
He grabbed the map and stood.
“I’m coming with you,” Evan said, scrambling to Eric’s side.
“Are we really about to split the party again?” I aske
d.
“It’s the best option,” Bernard said. “We’ll need a sign from Eric if things are clear for us to come ahead.”
“Charlotte can help,” I said. “Take her, and she can relay messages to me and the rest of the group.”
Eric grinned and nodded his head.
“Nice,” he said. “Our very own spider-phone.”
“I’m not a phone,” Charlotte said. “I don’t even know what that is, but I don’t want to be one.”
“Calm down,” I said. “Eric needs your help which helps me. Don’t worry. We’ll be close behind and ready to help if needed.”
“I’m scared,” Charlotte said to me alone.
“Me too,” I admitted to myself as much as to her.
“You are?” Charlotte asked.
“I am, but it’s okay. We understand the danger.”
“She won’t bite me, will she?” Eric asked.
“Only if you deserve it,” I quipped.
“Give me the Dawn Acid,” he said. “Maybe I’ll get lucky.”
I reached into my large sack and pulled out the clay jar.
“Careful,” I said as I handed it to him. “Very hot, and it’s the last of it.”
He took the jar then placed it in a leather bag slung over his shoulder.
“Be safe,” I said.
“We will be,” Evan said.
Eric stooped down.
“I’m going alone,” he said. “You’re too low level, little guy.”
“Don’t call me a little guy,” Evan snapped.
His outer eyebrows raised, making him appear evil and menacing.
“I need you here to protect me,” I said to calm him down.
Evan’s eyebrows returned to normal.
“I’ll protect you forever if you want,” he said.
“We’ll see,” I said as if talking to a young child.
I put a hand on Eric’s shoulder.
“Don’t kill Charlotte,” I said.
My familiar climbed down my arm and onto Eric.
“She’s getting bigger,” he said.
I nodded.
“Can’t wait to see if she grows full size,” I said.
“We’ll be out of here by then,” Eric said.
“If you get in trouble and need us to come, have Charlotte contact me.” I pulled my hand away. “We should have enough range.”
“You can count on me, Kali,” Charlotte said.
“Call me Sarah,” I said.
“Sarah?” Charlotte asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “That’s my name.”
“Okay, Sarah. You can count on me.”
“Me too,” Eric said.
We stared at each other.
Bernard cleared his throat.
“You should get going,” he said. “We’ll follow you and wait behind the big hill west of the monastery.”
“Sounds good,” Eric said. “After I find out what’s going on at the monastery, Charlotte will let you know where to come in.”
I nodded.
Eric turned then jogged down the road.
“Don’t worry,” Evan said. “I’ll protect you.”
He tried to hug me, but I pulled away.
“We have to keep it professional,” I said.
“But Sarah…” he whined.
Ewen waddled up to us.
“Leave her alone,” he said.
Evan turned to the other brownie.
I took a deep breath to clear my mind.
“Charlotte? You there? Can you hear me?”
“I’m here, Sarah. Are you following?”
“We’re coming soon. Be strong. And look after Eric.”
I turned to the Bernard, Monde, and the brownies.
“Let’s go,” I said. “We’re leaving the carriage here.”
“Should we hide it?” Bernard asked.
“We won’t need it anymore,” I said. “Hopefully.”
“Here’s to reaching level one-two,” Bernard said.
“Or getting out of this game,” I added.
After I retrieved my staff from the carriage, I crossed the road with the others and headed toward the hills west of Chong Monastery. I kept reaching out to Charlotte as we walked to make sure she could still hear me. She answered every time, giving me a bit of hope.
We were so close to finishing our first major quest and hopefully getting out of the game. The Tower of Gates was nice, but I wanted to go home. I needed a break.
24
He’s Not Your Real Father
Eric
* * *
I slowed as Chong Monastery came into view.
“Do you remember the floorplan?” Charlotte asked from my shoulder.
“Keep it down,” I said. “Low voice. We don’t want to get spotted.”
“You should’ve waited until it got dark,” she said.
I took a deep breath.
“You’re getting more like Sarah all the time,” I said.
“That makes me happy,” Charlotte replied in a lower voice.
I peeked around the tree I was standing behind. The six-foot high wooden walls around the monastery would be easy enough to climb over.
“Are we going?” Charlotte asked.
I shushed her as I studied the scene, waiting for guards. After a few minutes, I realized they might all still be sleeping.
Several broken wine jugs littered the area around the main building.
“Do you have an update for Sarah?” Charlotte asked.
I peered over at her on my shoulder.
“You can’t just blurt stuff out,” I whispered.
The spider backed up, raising its posterior.
“No one’s around,” she said. “What’s Sarah’s update?”
“Everything’s fine so far,” I whispered. “We’re going over the wall and up the building to the roof. There’s a hatch that will get us to the second floor. Keep quiet unless I speak to you, okay? I’ll leave a ladder for the others to get over when it’s time.”
“Fine,” Charlotte said. “Be careful climbing with me on your shoulder.”
I slipped from behind the tree then snuck toward the wall. As I approached, I prepared to slip into the zone.
“Tell her we’re at the wall,” I said. “Radio silence for a few minutes.”
“She said be careful,” Charlotte said.
I put Sarah’s spider out of my mind and grabbed one of the thick vines running up the wall. Adrenaline pumped through my body.
At the top, I lowered myself gently then dropped on the other side. When I reached the ground, I sprinted toward the monastery. No dogmas or goblins appeared as I reached a wall with a wooden lattice.
I tested the strength by pulling on it first.
Here goes nothing.
I climbed. On the way up, the marvel of using my legs hit me unexpectedly. The game wasn’t all bad.
I reached the roof and pulled myself up with my arms. After swinging my legs over, I headed toward a hatch a few feet away.
This is almost too easy, I thought as I cracked it open.
Seeing nothing below, I pulled it all the way open.
Time to finish this.
We’d come so far since starting the game.
Could we complete our first major quest?
I climbed down the ladder, ready to leap off if anyone came into the room below.
At the bottom, I hopped off.
No alarms or craziness. Good sign. Time to steal this pendant and destroy it.
I turned and glanced around the room.
Where would I hide a powerful pendant if I were Magi Inyontoo? He’s not going to have it here in storage. I need to keep exploring.
“Tell Sarah to standby,” I whispered.
Charlotte scurried back and forth on my shoulder.
I stepped forward and listened at the only door in the room. Hearing nothing, I opened it. The hinges squeaked from disrepair.
On the other side, I saw an office with a desk and sev
eral bookshelves. Another door on the opposite wall was also closed.
According to the map, I was in his work area. I looked around the room for the most obvious hiding place for the pendant.
Does he keep it on him all the time? That would be our luck.
I crept over to the door and carefully locked it from the inside.
Magi Inyontoo might appear at any moment. Should I call the others in? Could they scale the wall and the building?
I started to panic.
“Over there,” Charlotte said. “The bookshelf.”
I turned and saw a wooden box inlaid with silver.
“We couldn’t be that lucky,” I muttered as I walked over.
After checking for traps and finding none, I opened it up. The pendant I’d stolen earlier in the game sat on the purple felt inside.
“It’s the pendant,” I said excitedly. “Tell Sarah and the others I got it. I’ll destroy it then come out and meet them.”
While Charlotte relayed the message, I grabbed the cursed Pendant of Visions.
I paused. Was it really a way out of the game?
I pushed the gossip and rumors aside as I remembered the mission. Voices on the other side of the door I’d locked startled me.
“Tell them to come in the way we did,” I whispered.
“Are you sure?” Charlotte asked. “We should run back to Sarah.”
“We’ve got other work to do,” I said, keeping my voice low.
“Fine,” Charlotte said.
I held up the pendant. Should I try it on and try to get out of the game myself? Light hit the central gemstone.
“Eric,” Charlotte said. “Don’t you hear that?”
I snapped out my daydream and heard louder voices on the other side of the door. Was someone arguing? About to come in?
“How close are the others?” I asked.
“Another few minutes,” Charlotte said. “Monde is having trouble getting on the roof because she hates heights.”
“That’s new,” I said. “Time to destroy the pendant.”
“Do it quickly,” Charlotte said.
Someone jiggled the door handle.
“Why is this locked?” Magi Inyontoo screeched. “Who’s in my space?”
I dropped the cursed pendant to the floor as I reached into my leather bag with my other hand.
The jar of Dawn Acid felt warm as I lifted it out.
“Open the door,” Magi Inyontoo yelled. “Do it now, measly mutt.”
