by Paul Bellow
Nothing.
We’d spent a lot of time together in the game, but we hadn’t really talked to each other like we had in the past. I missed her.
Had she wandered off?
I stretched and yawned, amazed at how the act of sleeping in the game made it so much more real. I took a few steps to look behind our cart, wondering if she’d fallen asleep. When I still didn’t see her, I clapped my hands.
“Everyone up,” I said. “We’ve got a problem.”
Leroy grumbled. Benji sat up. Thrukad rolled over.
“What’s wrong?” our ever faithful priest asked.
“Sarah’s missing,” I said.
“I bet she walked off to take care of business,” Leroy said. “I need my sleep if you want me fighting at peak performance.”
“Without Sarah, there’s no mission and no pay.” I nudged him with my foot. “Up and at ‘em. We’ve got work to do.”
He shot up and shoved me. I stepped back as Benji scrambled to his feet and positioned himself between us.
“We’re all friends here,” he said. “Everyone calm down.”
“Do that again and see what happens,” I said.
Leroy sneered in my general direction.
“Everyone split up,” I said. “And yell if you find her.”
“I’m eating first,” Leroy said.
“A hundred gold to the first person who finds them,” I said.
“That’s more like it,” Leroy said.
“I’m coming too.” Thrukad stirred then stood. “I’m going to find her first. That gold will come in handy down the road.”
Everyone split up, heading off in the four cardinal directions.
My intuition led me north, heading deeper into the foothills. As I trudged up a steep hill, hoping to get a better view of the surrounding area, I once again marveled at my entire body. Everything hurt, but I didn’t care as my legs carried me to a lofty vantage point.
I gazed out as the morning sun broke over the horizon.
Off in the distance, I saw a thin female figure struggling on the ground.
Sarah?
I wished I had a magic item to see her more closely.
“She’s over here,” I yelled then took off down the hill without waiting for the others.
Bright, neon green moss covered the ground in a giant ring around her. The only way to reach her would be to go through it.
I ran forward, injured by the moss.
The moss wounds you for 4 damage.
You have [38/42] health remaining.
I kept running, not caring about the hits to my health. Glancing down, I saw the moss creeping up my leather boots.
Just a few more steps.
Sarah mumbled something as I reached the shrinking island of non-moss. I stopped and knelt beside her body.
“We need to go,” she said, struggling to stand. “That moss is creeping closer. Rizzo the Red attacked me.”
I wanted to know what had happened, but I kept my mouth shut. We had to concentrate on the ground cover slithering toward us.
“We’re both too weak to run through it,” I said. “But we’ve got a few minutes to come up with a plan.”
I took a deep breath, running through various scenarios in my mind.
“Hold on.” I dug into my sack for a flask of oil. “Maybe we can burn it.”
“That’s too dangerous,” she said.
“You’re right,” I said, putting away the oil.
“We could run over it,” she said.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “There’s too much now, and we’re both hurt. I don’t think you’d make it.”
She nodded. I saw Benji and the others approaching.
“Watch out!” I yelled.
They stopped then ran a few feet back.
“We need to get out of here,” I screamed.
Benji gesticulated wildly, but I couldn’t hear him.
“Killed by moss,” Sarah said. “What a way to go.”
I kept staring at the three companions.
Are they…No, they’re not that stupid, are they?
“Not fire!” I yelled but it was too late.
Leroy flung a flaming flask of oil into the middle of the moss. The fire spread quickly, consuming everything in its path.
The moss came toward us even faster. I dug out the flask of oil and tossed it into the rapidly expanding vegetation.
“No!” Sarah yelled.
“Do or die,” I said. “There is no try.”
The oil flask hit the flames, feeding the fire. While the moss couldn’t scream, I imagined it feeling the pain as it stopped spreading.
“We’ve got a problem,” she said.
I turned and saw the flames spreading around us.
Clouds of smoke rose as everything flammable nearby ignited.
“Stand back,” she said.
After moving her arms and chanting—an earthen ramp sprung into existence—spanning the flames.
“Come on,” she yelled then ran up.
I followed her, the flames licking up over the land-bridge. We narrowly escaped to the other side where Benji and the others waited.
“Thank you,” Sarah said.
“Why didn’t you cast that spell earlier?” I asked.
She shrugged and said, “it wouldn’t work.”
“Dark magic,” Leroy said, then spit on the ground.
“Let’s get back to the cart,” I said. “This isn’t over yet.”
“We can’t take Magi Inyontoo on,” Leroy said. “He’s too powerful.”
I lowered my head and shook it with a smirk on my face.
“Together, we’re more powerful than him,” I said, slowing raising my head. “As a team, we’ll kill Rizzo the Red, Snargao, and this Magi Inyontoo everyone is talking about.”
“We can do it,” Benji yelled, enthusiastically pumping his fist in the air.
Sarah smiled then walked back to our makeshift camp. I followed, keeping my eyes open for anyone ready to hurt us.
“Why didn’t he kill you?” I asked.
“He’s cocky,” Sarah said. “He thinks he’s better than us.”
“That’s a weakness we can exploit,” I said.
“Exactly…”
Her voice trailed off as we trudged up a hill. The game was wearing me out. Could we survive let alone finish level one-one?
Back at camp, we packed out belongings in the cart. The mule then carried us into the hills at the base of the mountains.
I saw smoke from the fire we’d started rise and blow toward the mountain range in the distance.
One small victory.
After an hour long ride, we reached a sheer cliff wall. I stopped and stared up. Thrukad stood next to me, also looking at the obstacle.
“We’re close to the Cave of Fish Smells,” she said.
“Are you sure this is the only way?” I asked.
“Only one I know about.” The gnome turned to Leroy. “You know another way, old man?”
“Nope,” he said then spit on the ground again.
I took a deep breath, thinking of a way out.
“Stand back,” Sarah said, raising her arms in the air. “Time for some sweet Dwarven Earth magic.”
After waving her arms and mumbling arcane words, temporary dirt formed a steep ramp that would give us access to the top of the cliff.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” I said, wishing I’d played a wizard.
“Not bad,” Leroy admitted. “For an elven mage.”
“It’ll get us up to the cave,” Sarah said. “And that’s all that matters.”
One after another, we made our way up the magical earthen ramp. I wondered if we had a big enough party for our mission.
The easy nature of the quest scared me. Would we capture the cursed Pendant of Visions without any problems? Or die trying?
Near the top of the ramp, I prepared myself for an awful smell. Surprise hit me as a sweet floral scent filled my nostr
ils.
“Do we have the wrong cave?” I asked, still walking.
“Not sure,” Benji said behind me.
“Think about it,” Sarah said. “The awful name probably keeps people from even trying to reach it. And I bet that’s why it’s not guarded.”
We crossed the shelf of rock in front of the cave entrance.
“That makes sense,” I said. “This smell is almost overpowering.”
She scrunched up her face and nodded.
“I don’t care about the smell,” Leroy said as he drew his sword. “We need to be ready for anything up here on the mountain.”
I took out my sword then stepped toward the entrance of the cave. The others followed close behind. We stopped just inside.
“Leroy and Thrukad, you two are in front,” I said. “Benji and Sarah will stay in the middle with offensive or healing spells as needed. I’ll take up the rear. Any problems?”
Nobody said anything. Leroy lit a torch.
“Careful with that fire,” I said then glanced over my shoulder.
The fire in the distance had died down, but was still smoldering.
Benji and I lit torches of our own. Light flickered on the slime-covered walls of the cave as we each prepared in our own way.
I saw a fifteen foot wide tunnel leading off into the darkness.
“Let’s go,” I said. “Take it slow and be ready for anything.”
“You don’t have to tell me,” Leroy said then strode forward.
Thrukad stepped to keep up with him. Benji and Sarah followed.
I walked behind them all, glancing over my shoulder every few feet.
“Curve coming up,” Leroy called out over his shoulder.
“Follow it,” I said. “We need to keep moving.”
The others picked up the pace. I did the same, anxiously waiting for something to jump out at us at any moment.
“I see a cavern ahead,” Thrukad said. “Seems all clear from here.”
We entered a round room cleanly carved from the rock.
“There are runes,” I said, pointing above the entrance we came in.
Sarah looked up and studied the hieroglyphics.
“Hmm,” she said. “Atari? Is this a joke?”
Rock slid down, closing off both exits from the room.
I spun around.
“We’re trapped,” I said.
“No kidding, genius,” Leroy muttered.
He was getting on my nerves.
Not all NPCs are the same.
“I hear something,” Sarah said. “It’s getting closer.”
“Form a circle,” I said.
We lined up next to each other, facing outward.
Six giant centipedes of various colors rushed out of a hole in the rock and scurried toward us—a swarm of legs and bodies.
“Kill ‘em all,” I shouted then ran forward, sword above my head.
They better not be poisonous, I thought as I swung at one.
Your stab HITS the giant orange centipede for 8 damage!
Immediately after striking it, my armor glowed with golden energy.
Spell Effect: Glorified Cloaks of Bronze
+12 Armor Class.
Your AC is now +42.
You are reasonably well protected.
Six of them shouldn’t be a problem for our group. Unless they had strange abilities like poison or level drain.
I thrust my sword into the body of the one I’d already damaged.
Your stab INJURES the giant orange centipede for 12 damage!
The giant orange centipede is dead.
I immediately stabbed another.
We quickly killed the whole half-dozen.
Combat is Over!
You get 1,200 xp divided by two party members.
You get +600 xp – 10% = 540xp
You have 8,105 xp.
You need 895 xp for level four Rogue.
* * *
Weapon Craft has increased to Basic Skill Level 5 of 10
Sarah smiled, wiping her brow.
“We didn’t waste as much magic as on the first encounter,” she said.
Leroy stormed over and got in my face.
“Why didn’t you detect that trap, thief?” he asked.
I bumped my chest against his, not backing down.
“Careful who you call a thief,” I said.
“I know a thief when I see one,” he said.
He stepped forward, but I didn’t budge.
“Knock it off,” Sarah said. “We need to get out of here before something nastier comes along.”
I kept staring into his eyes until Leroy looked away.
“How do you propose we do that?” he asked.
“Stand back,” Sarah said.
I grinned and moved away as she did a dance and song she’d performed earlier. The earth below the massive stone shifted, forming a natural staircase leading down.
“Great job,” Benji said, patting her on the back.
“We still have to find out where we went wrong,” I said. “Let me look for whatever I missed.”
“Be careful,” Sarah said as I climbed down the magic stairs.
The floral scents increased in the stone room below. After searching a few minutes, I found a hidden door.
“Found something,” I yelled as I opened it.
The others made their way down—crowding around me.
“We’re almost to Snargao’s lair,” I said.
Leroy snorted.
“Why should we trust you now?” he asked. “It’s not like you’re letting us join your party officially.”
“Do you do anything besides complain?” I asked.
Leroy mumbled something as he walked through the hidden doorway and into another dark, dank tunnel leading deeper into the earth.
Thrukad went next with me close behind her. I wanted to keep an eye on Leroy. Sarah followed me with Benji bringing up the rear.
“It’s getting narrower,” Leroy said. “We should go back.”
“No,” I said. “We need to keep going.”
Thrukad pushed him and took a step forward.
“I hate enclosed spaces, so you better get going,” she said.
We continued through the maze of twisty little passages, all alike. After an hour of walking in single-file, I stopped.
“Hold up,” I said. “Something’s wrong.”
“Tell me about it,” Leroy said.
“We’re going in circles,” I said. “This is some sort of maze, and I can’t figure it out.”
Sarah dug some chalk and twine out of her bag.
“Use this to mark the walls,” she said.
“You’re the most intelligent elf I’ve ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on,” Benji said. “If I were a bard and not a priest, I’d write ballads about your virtues, my dear.”
I grinned, wondering if there was anyone Benji wouldn’t flirt with.
“We need to get ready for whatever’s at the end of the maze,” I said.
“Probably a minotaur,” Leroy said. “Typical underpaid quest.”
“I hear something,” Sarah said. “Everyone be quiet.”
She turned her body a few inches to the left.
“There,” she said, pointing. “There must be another hidden doorway.”
“Move ahead,” I said. “Let me check the wall.”
Leroy and Thrukad moved forward, giving me enough space to check for secret doorways to escape the maze.
“Nothing here,” I said after a few minutes. “Keep moving down and chalk the wall as we go. We’ve got this.”
“I’m on it,” Sarah said.
We moved forward a foot at a time as I searched for a way out of the maze. At a certain point, the chanting grew louder.
“It has to be around here somewhere,” I said.
“Right there,” Benji said. “That rock’s odd.”
A priest detecting hidden doors?
“You’re right,” I said. “How did you
notice that?”
“Just lucky, I guess.” He grinned. “We should keep going.”
“He’s right,” Sarah said. “Can you open it?”
“Opening it now,” I said, pressing the bulge in the rock.
You have gained a new skill!
Find Hidden Doors – Basic Skill Level 1 of 10
“Screw this caution,” Leroy yelled. “I’m out of here.”
He pushed past Thrukad and me before rushing into a smoothly carved hallway that opened into a larger room.
“Great, his last name must be Jenkins,” I muttered. “Everyone, after him. Don’t let him screw this up.”
I stepped into the hallway. The chanting increased in volume.
As the others followed, I stopped next to Leroy at the end of the hall.
“Uh oh,” Leroy muttered. “It’s him.”
A hobgoblin dressed in dark crimson robes stood in middle of the room in front of a stone altar. He turned, noticing us.
“How dare you interrupt me?” he shouted.
“We’re here for the pendant,” I said. “Give it to us now.”
“No,” Snargao said.
“Die, goblin scum,” Leroy shouted then rushed forward.
Snargao moved his arms and chanted another spell. Before Leroy reached him, an earth elemental broke away from the wall.
“Have fun,” Snargao shouted gleefully then grabbed the pendant off the altar.
“Get him!” I yelled.
Leroy kept running, but the giant earthen creature hit him hard with a dirt fist. I quickly checked my knowledge of earth elementals.
> Consider Earth Elemental
* * *
All you know at your skill level is that it’s resistant to fire and can move through earth easily. It’s very resistant to damage.
That’s not good.
Leroy and Thrukad attacked from the front. I worked my way around, but the elemental turned and attacked.
The Medium Earth Elemental’s slam INJURES you for 12 damage.
You have [26/42] health remaining.
I stayed on my feet and thrust my sword into the magic dirt.
Your stab GRAZES the medium earth elemental for 5 damage.
“You need to do better,” Leroy screamed then attacked again.