The Crimson Quest: A LitRPG Adventure

by J. B. Smith

  Chugging a beer, was a man with white hair pulled back in a ponytail. Next to him was the beautiful woman I had seen getting out of the car. A strange feeling came over me when I realized it was the Grand Champion and his girlfriend. She was the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. Yet she was next to him and not me. It was frustrating. I wanted to tell her that the Grand Champion was cheating on her, but I knew she wouldn't believe me . The truth was, I had no proof. I felt a range of mixed emotions as I watched people cheer them on. I felt stupid for even paying so much attention to the girl.

  I had mentally put her on a pedestal and knew it wasn't healthy. How could I be so stupid to think I even had a chance with her? These were the thoughts that dominated my mind. But, there were other thoughts as well. Thoughts on me and her being together. There was a connection I felt, and I knew she had to feel it too. Or maybe I was just delusional? I did not know. But as I continued to watch them, I couldn't help but think that she could be my girlfriend. If I worked hard enough, I might have it in my life. People continued to clap as the bartender poured another drink for the Grand Champion. “These are free until you can't drink anymore,” the bartender laughs.

  Like a machine, the Grand Champion poured beer down his throat. " Another," he replied.

  The bartender quickly made him another beer. Thin. I realized that this Grand Champion was quite an alcoholic. Not only that, but he seemed to be proud to be a rabid drunkard. Again, he drank the beer. “Another,” he said.

  The bartender opened another beer and the Grand Champion sucked on it. Beside him, the girl slowly sipped her almost full beer. "Enough," she mumbled with a nervous smile.

  "I don't need you to tell me when I have had enough," replied the Grand Ch ampion.

  I slipped between a few people who stood between her and me. "Move it," I muttered as I moved closer to the girl. A few people got out of my way. I looked up and realized I was only a few feet away from her. Her face glowed a red tint from the red lighting around us. I wanted to tell him something, but what? She hadn't seen me yet as I stood slightly behind her. Yet if she looked at his side, she would see me.

  My hands rested nervously on my hair as I brushed it with my eyes. The Grand Champion continued to beat beer after beer and paid him no attention. I licked my lips just to make sure they were nice and wet. I didn't want to have dry lips like the troll. I had seen what they looked like, and it wasn't pretty. My mouth started to open. What was I doing? Was I really about to say something to him right in front of the Grand Champion? It might have been silly, but I didn't care. My finger was shaking as I placed it in front of me. What was I doing? Was I about to tap him on the shoulder? My finger went to her as my head moved up and down. Yes, that's what I was going to do. Then I felt it. I felt my finger touch his shoulder. "Excuse me," I said with a stutter.

  But, she didn't pay attention to me . In fact, she acted like she didn't even feel my finger touch her shoulder. But how was this possible? There was no way she wouldn't feel that way. Maybe she was playing hard to get it? Again, I patted his shoulder. But, she did not respond. A few people around me gave me a strange look. Almost like a "what the hell are you doing" type of look. But I didn't let their negative energy affect me. Instead, I patted her on the shoulder again. "Excuse me," I yelled.

  She turned around quickly. Suddenly everyone stopped cheering. The Grand Champion turned to me with a look of shock on his face. The girl looked at me. But, she didn't look pleasant. What the hell? Wasn't she happy to see a guy as cute as me? "Hi," I mumbled. "Sorry to be you."

  She did not answer. The Grand Champion slammed his bottle of beer on the bar in front of him. "What is that?" he asked, laughing.

  I got nervous. Damn, that was an awkward and pretty pathetic situation I had gotten myself into. The girl looked at the Grand Champion and tried to calm him down. "Let's see what he means," she replied with a small laugh.

  My hands joined with the ether. What the fuck was I going to say? Surely I had something better to say than what I had already said. I looked at the Grand Champion then towards her. "I just wanted to introduce myself to you," I said with a goofy smile.

  Everyone suddenly laughed. The Grand Champion rose from his chair. The girl put an arm in front of him and laughed. "Oh, don't hurt her," she said with a small laugh.

  The Grand Champion itched on his nose as a softer look came to his face. "I'm not going to hurt him, " he replied. “He laughed a lot. Is not it?

  My head dropped as she pointed to me. “Don't say that right in front of him. Look, she said laughing. “You hurt his feelings. He looks embarrassed. Is not it?

  The Grand Champion sat down and laughed. "I don't care about his feelings."

  She rolled her eyes and smiled at me. “Look at him. He looks like a cute puppy who just wants a treat.

  A cute puppy? Did she really think I was cute? “Thank you,” I replied. "I'm pretty cute, aren't I?"

  The Grand Champion turned to me. This time he didn't look amused. "You better get out of here," he said in a stern voice. "You better get out of here because I'm trying to be nice right now." But I can only be nice for so long.

  “Kick son a ss,” a random drunk guy shouted into the crowd around us.

  The Grand Champion threw both hands in the air. "Who wants to see me kick his ass?" he asked in a thunderous voice.

  The crowd shouted as loud as they could. "Kick his ass, kick his ass, kick his ass!"

  The Grand Champion stood up and approached me. Dude, he was a massive man. Suddenly he pushed me. I fell back into the crowd and they pushed me back on him. "Let go of me," he yelled, pulling me away from him.

  "Stop," the girl shouted from her side. “He didn't mean bad. He's just drunk. Is not it? she asked giving me a strange look.

  "Yeah, I'm just drunk," I replied, agreeing with her.

  "You're lucky we're not at the Colosseum," replied the Grand Champion. "I would tear you apart if we were."

  The girl pulled his arm and pulled him to the stool he was sitting on. “Relax,” she said. "You also drank too much."

  The Grand Champion sat down. "Give me another one," he yelled at the bartender.

  I smiled at the girl. Our eyes met as she laughed. Then she smiled at me.

  She continued to smile but shook her head. I could see it in his eyes. She loved me a little, but knew she shouldn't. She knew her place was with the Grand Champion. She turned and leaned over to the Grand Champion's side. Then she wrapped both her arms around him. "See you later," I yelled, taking a few steps back.

  I might have been a fool, but I knew I had a chance with her. Once I got powerful and beat the Grand Champion, things would be different. I continued to walk backwards as my thoughts went in a different direction. With all this excitement, I almost forgot about the half-dead troll in my cell. Douglas needed me and I wasn't going to let him down. I looked towards the back wall and saw many different people leaning against the wall. I started walking towards them because I knew they must be the NPCs the guy told me about. Before I could reach them, I felt someone grab my arm. "It was pretty stupid," a voice yelled from behind me.

  I turned around and saw a face I hated. It was Cosmo. "Let go of me," I yelled at him.

  He pulled me closer to him. "What kind of idiot is talking to the Grand Champion's girlfriend right in front of him?"

  I laughed. “I think she liked me.

  Cosmo tucked his long black hair behind his ears. “You just made yourself a target. The Grand Champion will not forget what you have done. I promise you.

  I shrug my shoulders. "I do not care. I will beat him someday. Wait and see.

  His finger went up in the air. “You said that with way too much confidence. No one can beat him, he's the best.

  My eyebrows are raised. "Nothing lasts forever."

  Cosmo laughed and pulled me even closer to him. His laughter faded and was replaced by anger. "Bring me another beer," he said with slanted eyes. “I want you to buy me another beer. And I wan
t it now.

  I pushed him away from me. "Are you serious? There is no way I could ever buy anything from you.

  Cosmo pushed me. "You will do whatever I tell you to do." You understand?"

  "Oh yes? Why this?"

  “Because I'm the dominant between us. It's just the way nature works.

  Thin. Her drunken ass was really starting to piss me off. Did he really think I was going to lie down and let him step on me? "You're wrong. I'm the dominant one between us. You'll see that soon enough.

  "I won't see shit, " he cried back.

  "Wait. I won't stop until I kick you in the ass," I replied confidently. "That's one of my main goals right now."

  Cosmo turned and walked away. Then he turned to me and shouted something else. “You can never beat me. If you want to beat me, I'll beat you. Just tell me a time and a date. I will put everything in place. A good shot in the Colosseum. Let me know when you're ready. "

  I moved away. Was he serio us ? Could he really organize a fight for us? I wanted to fight him, but how would I win? I had seen its magic and how powerful it could be. But I remembered he said he had a weakness. What was his magic called? My mind started to think and remember what he had said to me. Then it hit me. NightFall Magic. Yes, I needed to know more about this kind of magic and to know its weaknesses.

  I looked at the figures standing against the back wall and examined them. I walked over to the one wearing a basic brown dress. "Do you have a quest?" I asked.

  "Of course," he replied. "Do you want to hear it?"

  "I listen."

  The NPC tilted his head down. “My brother has been taken hostage. Not only that, but he's been degraded.

  "Oh yes? How? 'Or' What?"

  “A giant chose him to be his personal pet. Pretty messed up, isn't it?

  It seemed a bit messed up. "I would say so."

  "If you can save him, you will be rewarded with a lot of gold."

  "How much gold?"

  “It's a dangerous quest. You will receive 145 gold if you are successful. But beware, this is a very difficult quest.

  Wow! 145 gold coins? It was more gold than I had ever seen. With that much gold, I could buy the healing potions for Do uglas, as well as new weapons and armor. New weapons and armor would allow me to win my next fight at the Colosseum. Once I won that, I would get even more gold. Suddenly an alert appeared in front of me:

  Invitation to the quest!

  Free the giant's pet! Accept or refuse? Yes No?

  I debated whether or not to accept the quest. How to free his brother? The truth was, it was too much gold to refuse. We have nothing, nothing. I quickly accepted the quest and started questioning the NPC. "How will I know if I have enough time to complete this quest?"

  "What do you mean? There is always time."

  "I mean before the guards come and throw me into the dungeon." I've been away for a while, won't they come and pick me up soon? "

  The NPC laughs. “You must be new here. If you accept the quest, you will have time to complete or fail it. This is how it works here. Earning gold helps the city of FlatFall because you invest in food, weapons and more. "

  I shrug my shoulders. No ice. I was glad I accepted the quest for that reason alone. Having extended freedom seemed like an added bonus to accepting a quest. "Where can I find this giant?"

  “He lives inside the walls that contain the city. He's not far from here. When you come out of the tavern, you will take a right. Keep walking until you see a narrow dirt road that branches off from the main road. Follow this path until you see a set of large cliffs. Under the cliffs you will find the giant.

  "So the narrow dirt road will take me straight to the cliffs?" Or do I have to leave the path? "

  “This will take you straight to the cliffs. It's easy to find, but dangerous to complete. "

  "So I just freed your brother and am going to get my gold back?" Is it that simple? "

  "You will have to bring it back to me." Then I will reward you with gold.

  I smiled. Seemed quite simple. I thanked the NPC and walked away from him. It was nice that the directions seemed pretty straightforward. I needed to hurry up and complete the quest so I could buy Douglas some healing potions. Just in case I got lost, I quickly opened my menu and searched for my quest log. I selected the quest and a map appeared. There was a blue diamond marking the location of the quest. It didn't appear to be far from my current location. I walked out of the tavern and mentally prepared myself for the quest.

  Chapter twenty-six

  I came out of the tavern and walked to the right. My eyes watched my feet as I followed the main road. The paving stone seemed to have been placed by hand. Each rock was perfectly aligned. As I continued to walk, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the po or the soul that was probably forced to lay these stones. This must have been quite the job. The players passed me because I didn't pay attention to them. My eyes were only concerned with finding the narrow dirt road leading from the main road. Where was he? The walk began to drag on until I finally saw a small dirt road that veers to the right. Was that it? I looked around just to make sure I didn't see any other dirt roads. Nope. It was the only one.

  I put my foot out and watched it land on the dirt road. That was it. Was I crazy to accept this quest? Guess I should have asked the NPC what the quest level was. Or, if someone as low as me could complete it. But I didn't care. There was a lot of gold to be won and I was willing to take the risk. Continuing on the path, I had fun. It was good to be alone for once. The land was so beautiful around me. In the distance there were many small ponds with large oak trees hovering above them. The trees were covered with brilliant yellow orbs that reflected on the water below them. I wasn't sure what they were, but they were beautiful. A light mist hung over the green grass as I started to run on the path. There was still plenty of light as I searched for the cliffs the NPC had told me about. In the distance I could see the borders of FlatFall. Huge walls that contained the whole island. It was strange to think that the island was totally confined to these walls.

  I continued to follow the path as the NPC had indicated. Then a new message alert appeared in front of me:

  “Hi, it's Sonny. I just wanted to let you know I'm coming to pick up my dress. You have it in a safe place, right? Your friend Johnny texted me and asked me where I was . He said he needed a healer. So he actually found my soul and took it to my body. I told him I owed him a lot of time! Now we're going to save Todd. Then he wants me to help you escape. This is where I collect my dress. Please keep this dress with your life. I represent the world to me. I'm also trying to find my pet. Luckily, I put a tracking potion on him. Time has allowed me to forgive him because I'm such a strong man. Johnny wanted me to let you know that we'll be picking you up soon! All the best !

  Sonny the healer.

  My steps have stopped. What the shit? Johnny saved Sonny? How was it possible that Johnny even knew how to do this? I had to admit I was impressed if it was true. It was something I never expected Johnny to do. If he could save Todd and get me out of here, I should totally forgive him. I guess only time would tell if Johnny could really pull it off or not. I started to walk faster looking for signs of a cliff. After a few minutes, I saw a clear search area in front of me . As I got closer, I realized I was standing on top of the cliff. The ground beneath me was shaking. Thin. I knew what was going on. The giant was right below me. I fell to my stomach and started crawling closer to the edge of the cliff. I didn't want to watch, but I knew I had to. There was a sudden roar. These weren't words, but some sort of gibberish.

  I placed my chin on the ground as I tried to see over the edge. My left eye finally reached the edge and I saw the giant below me. Wow, I was way higher than I realized. The giant was easily two hundred feet below me and seemed to be sleeping. His skin was gray and he was not wearing a shirt. The only thing he was wearing were skinny little white shorts. The shorts weren't clean, in fact they were dirty. Next to him was a small wooden stage
surrounded by bars. My head came back and the image left my sight. I looked at the rocky surface right in front of my eyes. How the hell was I going to save this NPC's brother?

  I didn't know, but I knew I had a chance since the giant was sleeping. I quickly crawled back and started looking for a path leading down the cliff. To my left I saw a fairly steep hill that seemed to curve downward. I carefully crawled into an inverted position while trying to keep my balance. It took a while, but I managed to get to the bottom. Once down there, I decided I was a bigger idiot than I had imagined. I didn't have a healing potion. I guess my reasoning was that a giant would kill me with one blow anyway. Why get a health potion when you'd be dead before you could use it? My head was going up and down. Yes, that's why I made this bad decision.