Respawn Trials, Book I:
Edge of the Abyss
by Andrei Livadny
Release - April 10, 2019
Pre-order - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MXQ5NRM
The Legend
of the Guardians states: One who is pure of heart and desperately needs help,
will always receive it.
Chapter 1
The unexpected phone call came late in the evening. I
was still awake and answered at once. "Hey. What's going on?"
My nephew and I got along pretty well, although he
hadn't called or visited as often over the last few years. He'd all grown up.
He had his own life now.
He said hello and then proceeded to breathe heavily
into the phone without even asking after my health.
"Denis, why don't you get to the
point?"
"I need your help."
"Tell me," I said as I limped over to the
window. The street was obscured by an autumn drizzle. The edge of the
metropolis had crept right up to the village and the low clouds were snagging
on the tips of the rising skyscrapers. The old house that I had inherited from
my parents would soon be slated for demolition, and there was nothing I could
do about it.
"I've been invited to join an expedition. For
three months. Somebody needs to keep an eye on the apartment... I've also found
a side job, you see, a pretty good one. I don't want to lose it."
"Any more details? Where's the expedition heading
to? What kind of job? Of course, it's no trouble for me to water the plants and
feed the cat."
"I don't have a cat, you know that! The work's
simple, from home. Nothing heavy. You'll fix your health up, too."
"Interesting. What kind of side job provides
medical treatments as well?" I smiled distrustfully.
"I can't explain in two words. Can you come
over?"
"What, right now?"
"Yes. I'm short on time. I kept dragging it out,
hoping to find someone else to replace me, but it didn't work out. I'll call
you an air taxi right now and pay for it. Will you help me out? My flight to
Irkutsk leaves in three hours."
"Fine. We'll talk when I get there."
"Thank you! See you soon." He disconnected
at once, probably to avoid any additional questions.
Denis had graduated from university the year before
last. He had majored in Geology but, unfortunately, rapidly developing
technology had made his profession redundant. All the corners of the globe were
being carefully watched from orbit and the search for mineral resources was
performed using powerful computers and scanners. The same thing had happened in
many fields of human activity. Of course, machines weren't capable of
completely replacing us, but they were faster and more effective at solving
highly specialized problems.
In summary, Denis couldn't find a job in his field and
for him to receive an invitation to join an expedition was an unmissable chance
to launch his career.
* * *
My nephew’s small rental apartment was located on the
102nd floor of an enormous living complex. As I ascended in the
high-speed elevator, my ears became blocked several times from the changes in
pressure.
"Hi, come on in!" Denis was clearly happy to
see me. "I didn't interrupt any of your plans, did I?"
"Oh, what plans?" I waved him away.
"What sort of expedition are you going on?"
"A private one." He replied vaguely.
"If everything goes well, they're promising to employ me as per my
specialization. I simply couldn't miss a chance like this."
"Why didn't you call me earlier?" I sat down
in an armchair and looked around. The modern apartments are fully automated.
All the furniture is inbuilt so there are no separate rooms. The required piece
of furniture comes out of the wall or descends from the ceiling. It’s called
'transformable space' but I think it looks empty and uninviting.
The only thing that stood out in Denis' apartment was
a VR capsule made from dark tinted plastic, through which I could see the
twinkling of indicator lights. It stood on a massive base and was slightly
tilted, about 30 degrees relative to the floor. I'd seen such devices before.
They were being heavily advertised over the last few years.
"You see, everything was only decided last
night!"
"Okay. What's the side job? What exactly would I
need to help you with?"
"Are you familiar with virtual reality?"
"Computer games, you mean?" I raised an
eyebrow. "I played them in my youth."
Denis shook his head reproachfully. "Man, you've
really fallen behind the times," he said and touched a sensor. Something
hissed in the wall, a recess opened and a tray with two disposable cups
extended towards us. I didn't touch mine – coffee this late in the evening was
a bit over the top.
"Computer games are the ancient past. They've
been replaced by full-scale virtual reality. It's basically an endless world
where you can live."
"Live?" I smiled skeptically. Truth be told,
I had heard something similar but had not taken it seriously.
"You'll understand if you try it yourself,"
Denis looked at me with obvious hope.
"Where’s the capsule from? It costs a lot of
money, right?"
"I took out a loan and I'm paying it off
little-by-little."
"I thought you couldn't find a job?"
"Yeah, so this is my job," he touched the
convex side of the VR capsule. "Two to three hours a day and it's enough
to live on."
"And what do you do in there?"
"I perform various tasks. They're quite simple.
I've left a brief description of what you'll need to do. Have a read of the
instructions file, I've set it up so that it will automatically download as
soon as you... well, I mean, my character, will enter the game. Help me out,
please? I’ve got nobody else to ask! Here's the access chip to my account. The
automated system in the VR capsule will adjust all the necessary settings.
Believe me, you have nothing to worry about, it's all completely safe. The
system will fine-tune your body at the same time. The life support system
inside is top notch."
"Fine," I glanced at my old-fashioned analog
watch that I wore out of habit. "Your plane leaves in an hour. You're not
going to miss it?"
* * *
Once I was alone, I sat back down in the armchair and
took a sip of cold coffee. My sleep had evaporated anyway. I glanced at the VR
capsule with some alarm. I wasn't against progress but I also wasn't a slave to
the latest gadgets. Everyone had heard about virtual reality, of course, it was
all they spoke about on the spherovision these days, but I’ve always been
skeptical about this kind of information. I reckoned all the fuss was just
advertising for these very expensive 'immersion' devices. Honestly, how could
anything replace real life?
I'd been through the Asian Conflict and had been
wounded twice, once seriously. After several years spent in hospitals, I was
forced to retire. Yes, I had fallen behind the times. My brother – Denis'
father – was working on the Mars Project and was currently about thirty million
kilometers away from Earth, on his way to the Red Planet. As far as I
understood, VR capsule technology was first developed for long-distance space
flights and only later adapted for commercial use.
The doubts, wariness and a growing sense of curiosity
made me skim through the instructions.
It seemed quite easy. Finishing off the cold coffee, I
undressed and caught my reflection in the smoky plastic of the VR capsule. What
was I waiting for? It's not like I was leaping into the line of fire.
A familiar chill formed in my chest. Seriously? Could I
be afraid?
The motors hissed softly. Two segments moved apart and
down, sliding along the sides of the capsule. The interior reminded me of a
solarium. The bed looked firm, with a block with lots of openings at its head.
I climbed inside and lay down. It was uncomfortable.
How do people put up with this for several hours?
The first impression turned out to be false. The hard
surface suddenly changed its properties, becoming pliable and conforming to my
shape, as if I was sinking into a thick, gel-like mass.
A sharp hiss came from the head of the bed. Ten
flexible servocontrollers suddenly shot out of the openings and wrapped
themselves around my body. I felt the touch of numerous sensors, the sharp,
almost painful prickling over my temples and back of the head. I jerked
automatically and tried to sit up but the cords held me tightly. The outer
segments slid back into place, cutting off the light. A spicy scent sent my
mind to sleep in a few seconds.
My eyelids felt heavy. A belated panic flashed through
my thoughts. Denis never mentioned anything like this. He didn't really tell me
anything!
…
Physical data does not match the
last account records.
Bioscanning will commence and VR
capsule parameters will be adjusted.
Please wait.
…
My muscles twitched involuntarily. There were
occasional flashes of pain. The tingling in my temples turned into stinging.
…
Testing is complete.
Life support parameters have been
adjusted.
Feedback (immersion) level has been
reduced to 25%.
Please note, you perceive fewer sensations
and receive less experience at low feedback levels.
You can always increase the sensory
level above recommended but you are responsible for the consequences (see item
213.2 of the User Agreement).
Welcome to the Edge of the Abyss
virtual reality!
…
I was expecting anything but birdsong and simply froze
in the first moment due to emotional shock.
The view from the town wall was incredible. I was
surrounded by the predawn light, the rough stone was cool under my hand and the
respawn circle glinted around me, but it was the birdsong, once so familiar and
then completely forgotten, that pierced me to my core. It was as realistic as
if I had been transported back to my childhood.
The air was clean. A gentle breeze stirred the leaves
and carried the scent of freshly mown grass.
It's hard to explain the gamut of emotions that I
felt. My surroundings didn't feel fake. Digital reality had exceeded all my
expectations.
I took deep breaths. The meadows, copses and scattered
hills, the floodplain covered in morning fog – the whole landscape bewitched
me.
I didn't hear the footsteps and didn't even notice the
shadow until a sharp blade touched my throat and I heard a whisper, 'Don't move
or I might accidentally cut you.'
My reflexes would have probably kicked in in the real
world. I would have broken the jerk's arm, but I unexpectedly felt completely
helpless here and stood still, my eyes bulging.
"Three seconds. You're free."
I turned around. A young guy stood behind me, dressed
all in black.
"Don't get aggro," he said quite
conciliatory. "I'm leveling up my Stealth skill. Why'd you freeze? Are you
lagging?"
I didn't understand a word of what he’d said.
"Contact tech support," the guy suggested
and disappeared, melting into the shadows as if he'd never been there.
The respawn circle (located on the fortress tower) lit
up with a string of unfamiliar symbols and the figure of a well-built warrior
appeared among the flickering glow. His armor was splattered with blood.
Ignoring me, he rapidly headed to the stone steps leading downstairs.
"How come you're so early today?" A guard
stopped beside me. He held a torch in one hand, while the other rested on the
pommel of his sword.
"I couldn't sleep," I answered
automatically.
"Remember our agreement? You owe me five coins by
this evening."
I wanted to ask, 'what do I owe you money for?' but
then stopped myself. I didn't know what Denis did in this world. He had left me
very sparse instructions.
"What if I don't manage to get so many?"
"Then you won't enter the town at night,"
the guard snapped back. "If you can't pay, make sure to finish your
business before sunset!"
"Sure, I will." There was no point in
arguing. I had to figure it all out first. I strongly disliked his dismissive
tone, however, and the scornful way he had said 'business'.
"That's better."
The respawn circle lit up again. An attractive young
elven woman appeared.
Elusive_Wetta. Light Elf. Detective,
Level 29.
"Hi, Dan," she nodded to me like to an old
friend. "So, you’re stuck in the sandbox? Still working as a mule?"
I simply shrugged, unsure of how to answer.
"Well, cheer up. One day you'll save up enough
for a normal account and then you'll be able to play properly, instead of
running errands for those assholes."
She left and I turned back to examine the town.
Anchor. Capital of this province.
Location status: safe.
A small castle rose in the center of the hill. Two
defensive walls encircled it below, while one- and two-story houses formed
quarters, divided by twisting streets.
I descended the stone stairs, proceeded down the
street to the nearest square and looked around. The traders' stalls were still
closed. Time here seemed to match the time in the real world.
To avoid drawing the attention of the occasional
pedestrians, I sat down on the worn front steps of a building and tried to call
up the interface.
I succeeded after a few attempts.
…
Dan_23214, Human race, Warrior
class.
Current level: 10.
…
I glanced through the character's main
characteristics. Why go into the details? I'd just stand in for Denis and not
level up anything. I noticed that Dan had a clear imbalance towards Strength
and Stamina, while other characteristics were at baseline.
Okay, what else could I find out?
An advertising block suddenly appeared in my field of
view in response to the mental query. The system was persistently encouraging
me to switch to the new tariff plan.
It turned out that Denis had a Trial account. I
focused my gaze and received a hint. The first month was free, then fifty
credits per month. Restrictions were that you couldn't develop your character
beyond level 20 but you could level up peaceful professions, for which certain
skills and abilities were unblocked. Access was possible from any device. The
Trial account (for introductory purposes) could be used not only by the
registered user but also by their family members, whose social contacts were
automatically confirmed.
The next type of account, which the system was
encouraging me to switch to, was a Standard account. Access was only through a
VR capsule and the single restriction was that a character could reach a
maximum of Level 100. The monthly fee was 500 credits. No way! That's a solid
amount of money in the real world!
The subscription fee for the Advanced account was
1,000 credits. There was the ability to transfer game currency... I didn't read
any further since this obviously wasn't for mere mortals.
Following the links, I proceeded to study matters of
interest. I was greatly surprised to find that millions of people all over the
world owned a Standard account, according to the game statistics. I didn't
think there were that many rich people.
Aha, so VR capsules could be rented! It turned out
that residential districts in megacities had special entertainment centers
where equipment rental was quite affordable for the average user.
My nephew sure led a strange life. He didn’t have a
job and yet had taken out a loan to buy a VR capsule, rather than just renting
it. I glanced at the prices. The cost of the budget model started at 10,000
credits. The numbers didn't add up in my head...
Fine. I'll figure it out later. There must be an
explanation. But why doesn't Denis pay for a Standard account, staying on the
Trial one instead?
Attention, you have a message!
The letter icon flashed. I opened it. As expected, the
letter was from my nephew.
Hello. I'm fine. I'm guessing that
you've logged in already. The most important thing is to play on low level.
Don't accept any quests, whatever you do! Keep an eye on the character's
progress. If you think that you're about to go up a level – kill yourself. If you get to Level 11, you'll
lose the protection and other players will be able to attack you. Believe me,
even safe locations are full of hardcore players and dropkicks.
If you've got any questions, shoot
me a line.
Dan.
Perfect timing. What did he mean by 'kill yourself'?
Jump off a wall?
* * *
I noticed that the sun had risen and it was time to
get down to business. The town was gradually filling with people. Stalls were
opening and pedestrians appeared on the streets.
I found the list of tasks in a separate folder. Places
were marked on the map. It was suggested that I visit several stores and then
make a foray beyond the town walls. The reason wasn't yet clear.
The first control point was located nearby, only a
hundred or so meters away. With the semitransparent minimap hanging in the
right upper corner of my vision, there was no way to get lost. I followed the
winding streets. Some were paved while others were mired in mud, creating a
typical medieval environment.
The mark on the map matched the Alchemist's store. I
pushed open the door and entered. Judging by the frame, a player stood behind
the counter.
"Hey there, Dan. Here," he passed a heavy
bag over to me. "Tell Hulk that the next batch will only arrive the day
after tomorrow."
That was the end of the conversation. Seeing that I
was still shuffling my feet, the merchant called Miserly_Borg raised an eyebrow.
"Is there a problem?"
"No, no, nothing."
"Then why are you standing here? Get a move on!
Time is money!"
How rude and confusing. I could hear the same
dismissive tone as in the guard's voice.
I simply shrugged and exited the store, deciding to avoid
asking any questions for now.
The day was warm and bright. It was so realistic that
it sent shivers down my spine! My mood improved again. I headed to the next
spot marked on the map, staring at everything as I went past. Nobody paid me
any attention. Stopping at the Smithy, I spent a long time watching the
craftsmen, fascinated by their work. Where could one see such a thing in the
modern world?
I visited two other shops and received some food
supplies and a dozen vellum scrolls. That's it. My inventory was full and the
weight was close to maximum.
So, Denis works as a courier here? Sort of like a
delivery service? None of the merchants demanded any money from me for the
goods. Now I understood why Denis had spent all the available points on Stamina
and Strength when he created the character.
I checked the map. Yes, I'd finished all the tasks in
town and now my route lay beyond the wall, first along the road and then down a
forest path. I had to reach a marker in a small clearing before midday. It was
going to be a long walk.
* * *
I strolled through the forest, admiring its beauty and
breathing the dizzyingly clean air. The level of authenticity in the digital
world continued to astound me. The scarcely visible path gradually led me
deeper into the trees. I began to come across mossy roots, shadows gathering
overhead among the dense branches. I felt like I was in a national park, a
place that no longer existed in the real world. Now I understood why most
players rented VR capsules. It was a completely different level of perception!
All the senses: touch, smell, the breeze, taste… I picked a berry, tried it and
spat it back out. It had a bitterly sour taste.
…
You have received mild poisoning (10
seconds - 1 HP/sec).
Would you like to obtain the Herbalist
skill so that you can identify plant properties?
…
I selected 'No'. My nephew explicitly asked me not to
level up the character, which meant that he wanted to get Dan_23214 back in the
same state as I had received him.
Well, I was fine as it is. In the gray reality, I had
forgotten the very word 'nature' as cities grew rapidly in size, throwing
tentacles of communication towards each other and the technosphere sucked up
all the resources, turning whole regions into wastelands. It made this world
look even brighter and more attractive. This world had a ban on technology. It
had been replaced with magic, which I hadn't seen any evidence of so far.
I was deep in thought, admiring my surroundings. Like
a child, I examined the thicket with unfeigned interest, touching the tree bark
and feeling its texture.
So unbelievably real!
Even the fatigue was gradually making itself known.
Another realistic aspect of immersion, since I hadn't gone on any extended
walks in a long time. Oh, and I'd stopped limping! I couldn't feel the effects
of my injuries at all.
I focused on three indicators in the interface. One
was showing the current number of HP (health points). The second and shortest
one showed the amount of mana (mental energy). The third bar was currently
wavering in the middle. This was my physical energy, known as Stamina in gaming
slang, which was spent on every action but quickly regenerated. The Stamina
parameter was responsible for it.
My thoughts were interrupted by a noise. Someone was
crashing through the undergrowth! What was I supposed to do?
While I was trying to think of something, an enormous
bear entered the small clearing. The surrounding frame was red, with a skull
symbol. The mob exceeded me significantly on all levels!
I stood still, hardly daring to breathe. My only
weapon was a dagger. Even my distant knowledge of gaming was enough to mentally
curse Denis for his carelessness. Daggers required a high level of Dexterity
while Denis had spent all his points on Strength and Stamina! He's just a mule!
I looked around and spotted a thick tree branch on the ground. Maybe if I
grabbed it and used it as a club, I would inflict much more damage than with
the teeny knife?
This was a grave mistake. Getting into a fight with an
adult brown bear turned out to be a stupid idea from the beginning. The
difference in our levels was too great but I had been startled by the bear's
sudden appearance. My reflexes kicked in
– there's a reason people say that the self-preservation instinct manifests as
two extremes – fight or flight.
Grasping the heavy branch, I received several messages
at once.
…
You are overloaded (you have
exceeded the maximum transportable weight possible with your current
characteristics).
Your mobility is reduced by 50%.
You cannot effectively use the club
(you lack the Heavy Crushing Weapon skill).
…
"AAAAAH!"
I discarded the useless branch and bolted away.
…
You have used a war cry. Your
Strength and Stamina have temporarily increased by 1. The aggro radius of the
NPC enemy has increased by 10 meters.
You have attracted the attention of
the adult brown bear.
…
A spine-chilling roar sounded behind me.
The mob became completely enraged for some reason. A
crushing blow of its paw snapped the pine trunk where I had stood just a second
ago. A sweet woody scent filled the air.
I ran at breakneck speed, crashing through the
blackberry brambles. The prickles tore at my skin and clothes. System messages
appeared one after another. Luckily, the message window was located in the
lower part of my field of view so the signs didn't obscure my vision.
…
Outfit durability is reduced by 20%.
Protection from physical damage reduced by 2 points.
You are injured. Bleeding 30 seconds
(1 HP/sec).
…
The bear's roar sounded closer and closer.
The thicket suddenly ended. I found myself on the
steep shore of a relatively narrow but turbulent river. A mossy log lay over
the rapids. Quick, to the other side!
I was roughly halfway across when I slipped, lost my
balance and fell. I felt a chill in my chest, there was a fountain of droplets
and my breath was knocked out of me. The strong current immediately began to
drag me over the rocks.
…
Injury from falling 25 HP. Stun
negative effect for 10 seconds.
…
The bellowing of the disappointed bear came from
behind me. I had passed a bend in the river by this point and was tossed into
the deep. I was drowning!
The branches of a weeping willow hung over the pool. I
grasped desperately at the thin branches that reached down almost to the water,
but they slipped through my hands, leaving only leaves behind.
A shadow flashed through the water and I even managed
to read the frame.
Carnivorous catfish, Level 15.
…
The Swimming skill is available.
Would you like to select it?
…
NO!
The Stun debuff had passed. I managed to grab the
exposed tree roots, cling to them and climb onto the shore.
I lay there completely exhausted, gasping for breath.
My clothing was in rags and my whole body was burning. The Life bar had shrunk by
two-thirds, taking on an alarmingly orange color.
After a little while, I caught my breath and sat up,
my back against the tree trunk. I stretched out my arm – the fingertips were
shaking slightly. I listened apprehensively to the sounds of the forest, in
case there came the crunch of a branch or the rumble of an animal.
The water gurgled softly, the trees rustled overhead
and the birds trilled their songs.
Right, so what do I do now? While my HP slowly
regenerated, I opened the location map, first reading and deleting the annoying
message,
Life support system recommends:
urgent exit.
No way. Firstly, I feel relatively okay. Secondly, I
had business to attend to.
I'd lost my way. The route trodden by Denis was
somewhere off to the side. Now I'd have to make my own way through the woods.
Oh, and this place was called the Peaceful Forest
according to the map. I wondered what the traveler could expect in the Wild
Lands, whose boundary was about twenty kilometers north of here!
I should have found a weapon more appropriate for my
character! It was too late now to regret my carelessness. I had thought that I
would stroll through the forest, breathe the clean air and complete a simple
task, combining the pleasant with the useful, but it was not to be.
The leaves rustled as something crawled by. To be
honest, my heart jumped at the noise. Keeping completely still, I read the
frame.
Adder. Level 7.
It didn't notice me and disappeared among the dense
patch of ferns.
I wonder if mobs attack each other? Or do they only
attack players?
I approached a witch hazel bush and used my dagger to
cut off a long branch. Using a piece of rope that I found in my inventory, I
attached the blade to my improvised spear and looked at the result.
A crooked makeshift spear. Cannot be
thrown. Stabbing damage 2-5, multiplied by the current Dexterity score. Special
attack: deep lunge. Chance of critical hit 1%.
You have successfully created an
item. You have gained 30 Exp. The Craftsperson skill is available. Would you
like to accept it?
…
I selected 'No'.
I hadn’t managed to trick the game with my makeshift
spear. The modifier was still Dexterity, which my character had at the base
level (5). Hence, the spear's damage was 10-25, which was the same as the
dagger.
Having rested and waited for the Life bar to
regenerate completely, I headed into a tangle of ferns, moving in the direction
of a wooded hill a couple of kilometers away, where the coveted marker glinted
in a small meadow.
* * *
I must have met the bear by accident. I had simply
been unlucky. I spotted only a few small animals on my way, which I easily
avoided.
A withered tree drew my attention at the foot of the
hill. It stood out so clearly against the background greenery that a person
simply couldn't pass it by. I became curious, of course, so I came closer and
saw a circle of yellowed grass and rough-hewn rocks that jutted out from the
ground.
…
You have found the location
Mysterious Hill.
Quest available: Dried Up Spring.
Type: normal.
Find and remove the rock that is blocking
the spring.
Reward: 100 Exp, +1 reputation with
the residents of the nearby village.
…
I didn't have time to lug around rocks. I had to
deliver the goods first and then decide if it was worth coming back here.
A few steps later, I stumbled across some yellowish
bones peeking through the moss, as well as a rusted pickaxe with a rotted
wooden handle lying beside it.
…
Quest available: The Secret of
Forest Hill. Type: normal.
Find out whom the pickaxe belonged
to.
Reward: 500 Exp.
…
I didn't disturb the remains. I was intrigued, of
course, but there was no time left for a search. Work was waiting and I was
running late enough as it is! Yet I still lingered. Something glinted dully in
the grass. Interesting... I squatted down and saw a large, teardrop-shaped
crystal with a simple amulet beside it, adorned with the stylized image of a
shield. I picked up both objects and
examined them.
…
You have obtained the Soul Crystal.
Unrecognized artifact. You do not
have enough Intellect to determine its properties.
You have obtained the Guardian's
Amulet. Unrecognized artifact. You do not have enough Intellect to determine
its properties.
The Secret of Forest Hill quest has
been updated. The quest type has changed to personal.
Find out if the Soul Crystal and the
Guardian's Amulet are somehow related to the digger's remains.
…
I placed the amulet straight in my inventory but
examined the crystal, noting that a tiny and delicate flame had sprung up
inside from the warmth of my palm. I looked at it more closely. What a strange
flame! It was edged in black.
What could it mean? I had no idea. I'd try to find
some information about the Soul Crystal later but now I had to hurry!
* * *
It was after midday when I reached the forest glade
with the marker.
I smelled smoke from a fire and picked up my pace, but
then stopped when I heard the voices.
"A hundred gold. Hand them over and we'll go our
separate ways. You'll wake up in respawn."
There was a sickening moan in response.
"Hey, Wang, heal her up a bit or she'll kick the
bucket before long."
I carefully made my way through the bushes framing the
clearing, crawled to the top of a small rise and peeked through a gap in the
tree branches.
"Assholes! Let the girl go!" came a voice
from a deep hole.
There was a camp set up in the clearing. I stared at
the roughly assembled cages. A wounded wolf sat in one of them and a girl about
five years old huddled at the bottom of the other: frightened, in rags and with
a tear-streaked face.
The three players looked quite average, except that
their avatars emanated a strange, misty aura.
"Worry about yourself instead," snapped back
Impatient_Wang, Dark Mage, Level 30.
He was easily distinguished from the others with his long staff and draping
garments. He approached the edge of the hole and cast a spell. The red light of
the special effect briefly illuminated the unsightly details. I managed to spot
the same female elf that had I met this morning. She had landed in a trap and
was caught on the sharpened spears at the bottom. The elf's Life bar was almost
empty but the mage's intervention had extended her suffering. The healing spell
made her HP jump to the middle of the bar and change to a yellow color.
"What the hell do you want with this NPC?"
asked Savage_Hulk, Dark Assassin, Level
30, as he also approached the edge of the hole. He seemed to be in charge.
"Did you accept a quest from the village elder to free her?"
"Have a heart, filth!" The elven woman
wheezed out. "She's but a child."
"Yup," Savage gave her a crooked smile.
"She's a piece of code wrapped in a soppy avatar," he pointed out.
"It's only a game, or have you forgotten that? You've got your quests and
we've got ours. You want to free the girl? Not a problem. Another hundred gold
coins and she's yours."
"I don't have that many..." The elven woman
moaned in pain again.
The third PKer (the usual name for player killers) sat
off to the side, beside the fire. Fierce_Zarek.
Dark Warrior, Level 31.
Is this how Denis earned his money? Nobody would trade
with criminals and the town guard wouldn't let them near the town, but this
didn't seem to be much of a problem. My inventory was full of parcels of food,
vials and parchment, everything that they needed, delivered straight to their
forest camp.
"Alright, have a think, maybe it'll make you more
talkative," Savage_Hulk lost interest in the female elf and returned to
the fire.
"Dan's running late today," noted the Dark
Warrior. "He's still got to take the loot back to town."
Indeed, there was armor, weapons and chunks of some
kind of ore laid out not far from the cages.
"You're going to get banned, scumbags,"
groaned the elf.
"Nope," Savage replied lazily,
"Nobody's going to touch us. Even if you write to support, we'll show them
our logs. You fell into that hole by yourself. Wang here was healing you,
trying to save your life. What's the problem? There's no torture. Plus, we've
got Dark auras, remember?"
I didn't understand a lot from their dialog. My body
was suddenly flooded with uncontrollable rage. I thought that I'd gotten rid of
such feelings long ago and had regained my self-control, leaving the past in
the past... but a crimson mist descended over my mind.
The trembling quickly reached my scalp and made the
skin there feel too tight for my skull. My fingers clenched the shaft of my
makeshift spear.
…
You cannot attack other players
while you are under the Immunity Aura. Reach Level 11 to unblock the PvP
option.
…
The message didn't calm me in the slightest. My heart
felt like it was ready to jump out of my chest. I couldn't think straight.
'Breathe in...out... In...out... Think... It's easy
enough to die a pointless death... You're alone, unprepared, practically
weaponless...' Snatches of thought flashed through my mind. 'Look in the
inventory. What did you bring for these jerks?'
I could feel my blood singing in my veins, my
heartbeat thumping in my ears.
The scrolls wouldn’t help. I didn't know how to use
them. What about the vials?
I noticed that the crystal I had found had begun
glowing again. The orange flame with the black border leaped and flickered
inside.
The letters on the labels grew blurry. I read the
names with difficulty. This one would do. And this one.
Now, I had get a grip on myself and pretend that
nothing was happening. I was still trembling. The adrenalin couldn't find a way
out.
I crawled backwards, stood up, brushed my clothes off
and walked through the shrubs, no longer trying to hide. As I walked past the
pitfall, I surreptitiously dropped two large healing potions, a levitation
potion and a couple of poison vials into it. There was no time to read what
kind of poison it was.
"Dan, where the hell have you been? You're
late!" Savage reproached me.
The elven woman understood everything and immediately
sent me a private message.
Thanks. I'll deal with them. If you
want to help, free the girl. Grab her and run. There's a path beyond the fire
that turns to the right. Follow it. The village elder will protect you. I've
dropped a marker.
"You've got a bear around here!" I snapped
back. "Level 30, at least! It almost tore me to shreds!"
Savage spat to the side scornfully.
"Fine, drop off your stuff, take the loot and run
back. You need to deliver the goods to the trader before evening."
"Yep." I gave him the parcels of food,
parchment and vials, then, barely holding myself back from punching Savage in
the face, approached the stolen goods. I spotted a morning star among the
weapons. Quashing the rage inside me, I focused my gaze with difficulty and
read the object's properties. It was the perfect level for me...
"What are you lagging for?" the Dark Warrior
was watching me closely.
"Yeah, coming. What an interesting object,"
I picked up the weapon and pretended to examine it.
A suspicious noise came from the pitfall.
"Wang, go and take a look!" Savage ordered
at once.
"She's trying to escape!" Yelled the mage.
Using the moment when they were all distracted, I
smashed the morning star into the cobbled-together cages. The wood splintered
into pieces. The girl turned out to be a bright one and ran towards me.
…
You have completed the first part of
a secret quest, Rural Days.
You have gained 500 Exp.
You have reached a new level.
Attention, now that you have reached
Level 11, you have lost the Immunity Aura. PvP mode unblocked.
The Rural Days quest has been
updated. Take the girl to the village.
…
I picked up the girl. Now I’ve got to get out of here!
The freed wolf shot past me like a gray shadow. Wang
gave a full-throated scream as the animal sunk its teeth into his ankle,
disrupting the casting.
The levitation glow died down in a shower of special
effects. I could hear shouts and the clash of weapons behind me but I didn't
look back. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, past the fire and to the
right, onto a path that led steeply down the slope.
I wasn't being followed yet but I doubted that the elf
would last long alone against three opponents. The girl clung to me,
sobbing.
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