Awaken Online (Book 3.5): Apathy

by Bagwell, Travis

  Eliza looked up, covering her eyes to blot out the sun. She could see puffy white clouds drifting languidly through a crystalline blue sky. Insects chirped happily inside the garden, and the warm sunlight lingered on her skin. Rubbing her arm, she realized that she could actually feel the sensation, her sense of touch almost indistinguishable from real life.

  “This is a game?” she whispered to herself.

  After she had a chance to collect her thoughts, Eliza inspected the courtyard more closely. The rigid branches of the rose bushes had intertwined to form a flat table-like surface above each of the rows. On these tables rested all manner of objects. Although, junk might have been a more accurate description. Eliza strolled down the nearest row, eying the tables skeptically. A sword. A handkerchief. A harp. A lamp. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the motley collection.

  After walking up and down several of the aisles, Eliza finally came to a stop. What was she supposed to do in this garden? What was the point of this?

  “There really isn’t much of a point to anything, is there? Silly question if you ask me,” said a voice. Eliza jumped in surprise and whirled, trying to find the speaker.

  “But, of course, you didn’t ask me, did you?” the voice continued with a note of amusement. Eliza could distinctly hear that the sound came from the end of the row of bushes. Stepping forward carefully, she peered around the edge of the table.

  A young man lay on the ground, his eyes closed. He must have been in his mid-twenties. Thick stubble covered his chin, and his clothes appeared to be made of a chaotic collection of multi-colored rags. Rough sandals adorned his feet, and their straps crisscrossed up his calves. The man’s head rested against an enormous woolen object that appeared to be an over-sized pillow. Eliza couldn’t help but think that he looked like one of the people in her history books – particularly from the 1970s. He looked a bit like either a hippie or, quite possibly, a homeless person. She couldn’t decide which.

  “It’s rude to stare,” the young man said without opening his eyes.

  “I…I’m sorry,” Eliza replied.

  “It’s even more rude to judge someone you’ve just met,” he continued, peeking at her with one half-lidded eye.

  “But I didn’t…” Eliza trailed off and then realized she hadn’t actually spoken. She had only been thinking he looked homeless. The Hippie had also picked up on her thoughts earlier when she had wondered about the point of the garden.

  “Wait. Can you read my mind?” Eliza asked in confusion.

  “Such as it is, I suppose. I’ve never given it much thought,” he said, yawning widely. “If not for you thinking so loudly, I would have continued to nap here.”

  “Um, well… I’m sorry?” Eliza replied, unsure if thinking was something she should really be apologizing for. She could only guess that the man must be part of the game world if he was able to pick up on her thoughts. She glanced around at the garden. “What is this place?”

  “Great question. This is a garden,” the Hippie replied with a deadpan expression.

  Eliza just stared at him for a few seconds before trying again. “What I mean is where is this garden located? Are we in the game?”

  The hippie sighed and looked at his fluffy black pillow mournfully. “I guess a nap is out of the question now. That second question is a tricky one. Isn’t everything a game? Or a test, or a quiz, or a trial?” He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Life’s a game I suppose. We just don’t understand the rules. Deep, huh?”

  “Are you being deliberately difficult?” Eliza asked, exasperation coloring her voice.

  A wide smile crept across the Hippie’s face. “Not deliberately, no. You’ll just have to accept that it’s part of my nature.”

  He stretched his arms over his head and then looked at Eliza appraisingly again. “In this case, the rules are simple. Pick an object. Any object.” He waved at the rows of tables behind Eliza dismissively.

  “To what end?” Eliza inquired. She wasn’t sure she understood the point of this game – if that was even what this was about.

  The Hippie rubbed at his chin. “Now that’s another good question. I think there’s some significant disagreement about the answer. Live for the sake of living? Seems a bit circular to me. Life is the pursuit of happiness? That one seems rather vague. What is happiness anyway? I’ve asked the Gambler many times, and he refuses to give me a straight answer.”

  He sighed wistfully before continuing. “Then there are the spiritual and religious interpretations, but I understand there’s some disagreement there. Or maybe it’s all just a big toss-up.”

  The Hippie shook his head. “Seems like there are too many options and no clear answers. See? This is why I choose to nap. Much more comforting than all of these pesky questions.” The hippie turned to his pillow and asked, “Wouldn’t you agree, Fluffy?”

  Eliza was just about to ask another question – this time focused on the young man’s sanity – when she saw the pillow move. It rose onto four legs and turned to face the Hippie, its sleepy eyes observing him carefully. Eliza immediately realized she was looking at a sheep. A very black sheep.

  The sheep – whose name must be Fluffy – let out a bleat and licked the Hippie’s face. “See!” the Hippie said to Eliza, “Fluffy always enjoys our naps. Much more relaxing than these in-depth philosophical questions you keep asking.”

  The sheep shuffled over to Eliza and inspected her cautiously. She reflexively reached out a hand and petted him absently as she looked at the pair in confusion. What on earth was going on here? Was she really playing Awaken Online? Who was this crazy young man and his black sheep?

  She tried to collect her thoughts. She was just starting the game, so this must be some type of initiation or starting area. She had heard enough from listening to her classmates to know that the character creation process in the game was a little unusual.

  “If I choose an item from the garden, then I can leave?” Eliza asked carefully. Maybe if she completed whatever this was, she could move on to the real game.

  “Yep. Just pick an object.” Then the young man hesitated. “There was something important about the item, though.” After a moment he shrugged. “It probably isn’t a big deal. Let us know when you’ve made your selection!”

  Fluffy licked Eliza’s hand appreciatively and then laid back down. The Hippie rested his head back against the sheep’s stomach, and the pair promptly closed their eyes. Within seconds, she could hear soft snoring sounds coming from them.

  Eliza closed her eyes too – except she was attempting to suppress her frustration. She took a deep breath and then glanced around the garden. She began walking back between the rows of tables and re-examining the objects that littered their surfaces in large piles.

  From the Hippie’s ramblings, she was guessing that the items were important. They probably determined how she would start out in the game world. A sword for a fighting character, woodworking tools for a crafter, etc. Although she saw a number of items that made her think twice about her hypothesis. For example, she found a spoon on one table – just a spoon. On another, she found a small pocket watch. That punched some holes in her theory, but it was the best she had to go on.

  Eliza spent a considerable amount of time walking between the tables and examining each object carefully. After what felt like hours, she was rewarded with a blue skill notification:

  New Passive Skill: Identification

  You have spent a long time looking at various items. And we mean a long time. The result is that you are better able to observe the traits of objects you find. At higher levels, you may be able to discover hidden traits of items and monsters.

  Skill Level: Beginner Level 1

  Effect: Allows the user to identify unknown objects or reveal hidden information. Higher levels increase the information that is revealed.

  The skill was interesting, but it didn’t help with her current problem. She had no idea which object to pick. None of the items appea
led to her. They were all either silly, useless, or felt like they would come with tradeoffs. Uncertain what to do, Eliza made her way back to the corner of the garden where she had found the Hippie.

  She discovered him still nestled up to Fluffy, a little drool pooling at the corner of his mouth. Eliza coughed in an attempt to wake the man. When that didn’t work, she coughed a little louder. Still nothing. Then she sighed and sat down with her back to one of the hedges that ringed the garden. Her thoughts were somewhat morose. Even in a game, she had no idea what she wanted to do.

  Her gaze drifted across a nearby rose bush. The leaves of this shrub were beginning to turn brown and looked dry. She plucked a leaf, pressing it between her fingers. It promptly crumbled under her touch. Then she stuck her finger into the soil beneath the plant and noticed it was extremely damp.

  She glanced at the Hippie. “You’re over watering your garden,” she muttered. “This plant looks like it has root rot.”

  The young man’s eyes shot open, and he sat up. “You know what? That’s a great point. Are you a gardener yourself?” Fluffy stirred restlessly and then glared at the Hippie with an accusing expression.

  Eliza looked at him in surprise, taken aback by his reaction. “I-I guess so. I have a small garden of my own.”

  The young man looked at her carefully. “Interesting. Interesting. You know what? You would be perfect.”

  “Um. Perfect for what?” Eliza asked cautiously.

  The Hippie spread his arms wide. “For my trail of course! Wait, no. That’s not it. Road? Boulevard? Aisle?” He glanced at his sheep. “Do you remember, Fluffy?”

  The sheep gave the Hippie a long-suffering look and bleated softly in response.

  “Ahh, I’ve got it. My path.”

  “What about your path?” Eliza asked in confusion.

  “You would be perfect for it,” he replied with a wave of his hand. “Didn’t I say that?”

  She suppressed another sigh. “No. I mean yes. You did, but what is your path?”

  “The Path of Water, of course,” the Hippie explained with a wide grin. He scooted around so that he was sitting beside her, and then nudged Eliza with his elbow conspiratorially. “It’s supposed to be a secret, but it’s about acceptance.”

  Eliza started to ask him what on earth he was talking about and then just shook her head. It wouldn’t help to keep asking him questions when she knew he was incapable of giving her a straight answer.

  “Uh, I think I’m okay,” she said and started to edge away from him.

  “You’re better than okay!” the Hippie replied. “Here, I’ll show you!” With a wave of his hand, a notification abruptly appeared in Eliza’s vision.

  Quest Completed: Initiation

  You have shown yourself to be a thoughtful and complex thinker. You were also nice to Fluffy and provided invaluable gardening advice. However, the test administrator noted that you are a little indecisive, so he is going to help you out with that.

  Your alignment has been set to True-Neutral

  You have been awarded +5 to Willpower

  You have been awarded +5 to Intelligence

  Path of Water Unlocked

  Attention of the Great Black Sheep

  Eliza just stared at the notification, not certain how to respond to the strange prompt. She had gained the attention of the “Great Black Sheep?” Was that this strange homeless man beside her or Fluffy? Or both?

  “I don’t think you understand,” Eliza began. “I don’t really…”

  The Hippie interrupted her, “This is a great honor. You should be honored. Shouldn’t she, Fluffy?” The sheep snorted and didn’t bother looking up this time. “See, Fluffy approves too!”

  “But I don’t…” Eliza tried again.

  “…know how to get started. Don’t worry! I’ve got you covered.” With that, the young man waved his hand and the game world around Eliza began to disintegrate. “Toodles!” He called out before the world went dark again.

  Chapter 3 - Enlisted

  “You lot need to keep moving,” a gruff voice shouted.

  Eliza was disoriented from the sudden change in scenery and observed the area around her cautiously. She was now standing in a small courtyard with a large group of other players. Each person wore a homespun cotton shirt and trousers. They also seemed equally dumbstruck at being suddenly dropped in a new location.

  “Are you all dumb or deaf?” the surly person shouted again. “Get your asses moving!”

  Eliza pushed at her glasses with her finger – the one item that she hadn’t lost upon entering the game – and looked toward the source of the yelling. A portly man wearing heavy leather armor was gesturing toward the entrance to the courtyard while watching the players in irritation. A longsword dangled from his hip, the hilt gleaming in the sunlight.

  Not wanting to cause a scene, Eliza decided to listen to the surly man. She moved forward, slinking past the other milling players and guards without making eye contact. As soon as she stepped through the entrance to the courtyard, a multi-colored tear formed in the air behind her and another group of confused players appeared in the courtyard with a small popping sound.

  Is this a starting area? she wondered.

  Eliza soon found herself slowly moving along a cobblestone street behind a group of other new players. The milling throng of people all wearing the same clothing made for an odd sight, drawing looks from the local townsfolk – who she assumed were NPCs. She had been deposited by the Hippie in what appeared to be some sort of medieval town. The structures around her were made of wood and towered three and four stories into the air. They were all connected at various points by crisscrossing platforms and staircases.

  “So, what do we want to do first?” a young man ahead of her asked his group. “Maybe stop by the training grounds or should we go pick a profession?”

  “I’m planning to go get some combat training,” the girl beside him replied. “I’ve heard a bunch of horror stories about players just running out of the starting town and immediately getting owned by a group of monsters.”

  Another player snorted. “How hard could it be? It’s just another game. Besides, I hate tutorials. I say we skip it.”

  “I don’t know… I heard combat feels pretty realistic,” the first speaker added. “That’s why everyone else here is heading to the training grounds.”

  Eliza didn’t exactly share their optimism about learning combat skills. And she definitely didn’t have any interest in becoming some sort of warrior – or in fighting monsters for that matter. At the next fork in the road, she turned away from the group, heading further into the interior of the city.

  A few minutes later, her wanderings found her on the far edge of town. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight that awaited her. The city had been built on a cliff face overlooking a bay. Sunlight sparkled off the water far below her. Wooden ramps and makeshift lifts led down the side of the cliff, terminating in a dock below where dozens of ships swayed gently in the water.

  “This is a port city?” Eliza murmured.

  “Aye lass,” a voice said from beside her. “This is Falcon’s Hook. Didn’t they explain that in the courtyard where you appeared?” She turned and found an old man resting against the railing, eyeing her clothing skeptically. He wore a coarse robe and a cane rested against his leg. “You are a traveler, aren’t you?”

  Eliza looked down at her hands as she replied, “The man in the beginning courtyard was a bit gruff. He didn’t explain much of anything.”

  “Well, I can help you there,” the man replied happily, gesturing at the bay. “This here is one of the largest ports on the Silver Coast. We have a thriving market since we’re a stopping point for merchants traveling north and south along the coast.”

  He gestured back the way Eliza had come. “Most of the new travelers head to the training grounds near the city’s gate. They have you lot beat on some stuffed mannequins and such until you’re ready for bigger game.”

&n
bsp; “Is… is there somewhere else I could go?” Eliza asked.

  The man eyed her carefully. “Not looking forward to swinging a sword, huh? That’s not a problem. There’s room for all sorts here. Maybe you should consider checking out the market. Just head north – you can’t miss it.”

  He chuckled. “If you fall off the cliff, you’ve gone too far.”

  Eliza smiled slightly. “Thank you,” she said quietly before turning to head off along the ledge that circled the eastern part of the city.

  A few minutes later, Eliza found the market. Rather, she assumed it must be a market. There wasn’t exactly a sign, but the massive throng of people milling between brightly-colored booths was a dead giveaway. Uncertain what to do, she drifted between the stalls, inspecting the various goods people were selling as merchants shouted out information regarding their wares.

  Her brow wrinkled in concentration as she stopped in front of one booth. This merchant was selling various weapons, the equipment laid out on wooden tables and racks. As Eliza took note of one particular item, status information was displayed alongside the weapon.

  Common Longsword

  An ordinary but effective weapon and a staple among adventurers. You notice some rust along the blade and nicks in the steel that indicate it has not been properly repaired or maintained. There may be a risk that the blade will crack or chip during battle.

  Quality: D

  Damage: 9-19 (Slash)

  Durability: 12/20

  “Looking for a sword, girl?” a brawny merchant asked from behind the counter. “We have the best quality goods on the Silver Coast.” He tapped his finger along the steel. “See the polish on this one?”