Openings

by Thomas Davidsmeier

  Even through Emma’s charcoal grey skin, a blush of embarrassment showed. “Duh, I should have known that!”

  “But, using the rare ingredients does allow us to boost the level of spell we can mimic. We’re turning the Patriarchy’s sexist intentions to our benefit. Always stronger together, sister.”

  Emma pulled up her character sheet. She had not cast Witch’s Brew before, so she had not set up a short cut phrase for it. Looking at the name of the skill, she thought, CAST!

  “I want to make a Potion of Charm.”

  Your Witch’s Brew skill mimic’s Alchemy skill successfully!

  You have acquired one Potion of Charm. Please read the label carefully and follow all directions for use. The Game is not responsible for misused potions or the user’s failure to follow instructions completely.

  “Right. That worked just like you said, Katrina. Lead on to this village you were telling me about. I’m going to Charm the Man and use his misogyny against him!”

  Chapter 11

  Chris burned a little midnight oil of his own at the parsonage. Instead of brewing potions, he first set up short cut phrases for his three auras with Brother Aleksandr's help.

  Chris picked titles of hymns that he had sung growing up. Even though he had not been as enthusiastic in his faith since his brother Jack’s death, the songs were burnt into his brain. He wondered what the other kids were using for their skills. He thought about it a moment and decided he did not want to know what Kaiyden was using. His only interactions with the larger boy had been unsettling to say the least.

  As he pulled out the Bestiary from his inventory pouch, Chris decided that Jeremy was probably using rock song lyrics from the 90’s and 2000’s. Chris's friend had always thought being retro made him some how better than everyone else. Chris had never bothered explaining to Jeremy that all popular music was basically terrible. Chris would have compared it to tribal music, but he did not want to insult any tribes.

  While he was looking for the G's section of the book for goblins, Chris admitted to himself that Emma was a enigma. He had never had class with her, and had only ever heard of her because she was very vocal around the school trying to promote a new “Feminists Club.” Was that not pretty much what school already was? Apparently, not enough for Emma’s liking. How was she going to play game? Would she be cautious or aggressive? What in the world was motivating her to attempt mass murder?

  That question jolted Chris. He trembled at the memories of what he was fighting for. The worldgame was so immense and immersive that he was getting lost in all the details. He tried to see the face of everyone frozen in place in the cafeteria, the ones he knew well and the ones he could not even name. Christopher McKnight thought about his sister and his parents.

  Then, he set to studying about goblins with the utmost seriousness. “We can’t lose this Game, Nathaniel. There are too many people that need us to win, including my little sister.”

  Chris was too engrossed in goblins to see the look of concern that flickered across Nathaniel’s face.

  The paladin sat up reading the passage from the Bestiary on goblins over and over before finally going to sleep. He awoke early to notifications filling his vision.

  You have slept on it, and the experiences of yesterday have had a lasting effect on you:

  Armor, +22%

  Weapons, +36%

  Shields, +18%

  Monster Lore, +25%

  Leadership, +61%

  Soldiers of the Light Aura, +22%

  Healing Light Aura, +86%

  “Ooo, I got a bunch of organic skill growth. I guess I understand all the rest, but what did I do to boost my Leadership so much?” he asked out loud.

  From the kitchen, Nathaniel answered, “It might have to do with my increased loyalty to you. Or, it could be the fact that you helped Gregor the Hunter with no guaranteed reward. You did also save a village from skeletons and accept a quest to help them...”

  "Trudat." Chris struggled up off of his sleeping roll and went to the kitchen. The strange sight of a now seventeen-year-old looking Nathaniel making breakfast was his wake up greeting.

  Shaking his head and stumbling toward the table, the paladin opined, “Rapid aging is weird.”

  “You think it’s weird for you? Trying having a different body and voice every day. I’m thanking God that this is the last day of this. I’ll be an adult with a class and everything tomorrow. Then, I'll be able to see my permanent skill increases. Any idea what you’ll want me to be?”

  “We definitely want to diversify. Brother Aleksandr and I have got the Light magic covered. I haven’t read much about rogues but...”

  Nathaniel made a sour face at the mention of the class.

  “Good,” continued Chris. “That’s my opinion, too. Whatever fancy stuff Leo is doing aside, I don’t like the combat weakness of that class. We’ll keep thinking about it. Hopefully, I’ll be in charge of Fenton by the end of the day. Maybe we can upgrade a building there and sleep in our own dominion tonight...”

  Laughing, Nathaniel nodded as he brought the pan over to the table. “That would be a fun way to end a day.”

  ***

  Covered in green blood, Kaiyden entered his bone filled cell with no extra encouragement needed from his guards. Speaking to no one in particular, the hulking orc Man-at-Arms said matter of factly, “That was pretty much fun.”

  The shrivelled goblin witch doctor got up from his seat on a large skull. Slamming the door, the guards hurried away. Kaiyden looked down at Yoda.

  The goblin smiled up at him. “You have been victorious in your first match despite not getting enough time to find your equipment. This is an auspicious beginning.”

  Confused, Kaiyden looked at his bone club. Then, he looked at the old goblin. “I found my equipment just fine. And, shouldn’t you be talking backward or something if you’re supposed to be Yoda?”

  Sighing and approaching Kaiyden slowly, Yoda replied, “I am not this Yoda you speak of. I assume he is someone you know who looks like this form of mine. Whatever the reason you have for naming me this, I say again that I take my new name with joy to please my future king.”

  “Whatever. I don’t seem like much of a king. I’ve got to fight little rats in my ratty underwear.”

  Concerned, Yoda glanced over at the door. “They had you fight rats?”

  “Naw, not real rats. A little green rat like you. Pesky guy. Sliced into my leg real good. Wait a second...”

  Yoda waited. The pause seemed uncomfortably longer than a second.

  Kaiyden finally continued. “Are you supposed to be a goblin or something?”

  “Yes, and you are an orc.”

  “Explains the green skin, right?” Kaiyden laughed. “Yeah, I remember that I’d picked orcs back in the cafeteria.” His eyes had a distant, dark look for a moment. “I just didn’t know... Whatever. I’m usually really pale. My mom used to slather me in sunscreen when I was little and she still cared.”

  Kaiyden looked around for a place to sit. There was no furniture, not even a stool. Giving up on finding a good spot to lay down, he tossed himself down on the packed earth floor.

  Yoda did not understand how to respond to what Kaiyden had said. Instead, he went the business route. “There are a few pieces of starting equipment here to help you. You left before I could point them out. And,...”

  The little goblin reached into an inventory pouch at his side and pulled out a large scroll made of some type of skin. Kaiyden watched him like a man used to seeing things he didn’t understand happening all around him.

  Yoda continued to explain, “...here I have an item to boost you upon your way before your next battle in the arena.”

  “What is it? That doesn’t look like a sword. Is it a map?”

  Yoda wagged his wide head. “No, it is an experience scroll. And, it will give you instructions on how to play the Game!”

  “Can I just watch a video instead?

  Despite Yoda’s excite
ment, Kaiyden set the scroll aside and searched the bone piles in the room. He found the equipment intended for him. There was a large, heavy oak club with rings of metal spikes cinched around it. A boiled leather breastplate was still wrapped around an intact rib cage. On one desiccated hand, there was a set of spiked knuckles that he immediately put on. Lastly, he found a horned helm on a skull.

  At first, he thought it was broken because the horns swooped down instead of up. Yoda explained, “The horns go down to protect the sides of the wearer’s face.”

  “Oh, I’ve only ever seen them pointing up like on a real bull.”

  Yoda thought for a moment and replied, “That would look good but be bad in battle. It would catch blows and direct them to the middle of your head instead of away.”

  “Fine. I’ll wear it, but I still don’t think it looks right.”

  In a heap of rags and refuse, Kaiyden found his inventory pouch. He found nothing else to put into it. Yoda demonstrated it with his club for him.

  “Yeah, but I want my club out so I can hit people with it.”

  “Yes. There could be other things you might want to put into it.”

  “Like my helmet if meet any real Vikings with their horns pointing the right direction?”

  Consternation flashed across Yoda’s face before he hid it. “Perhaps.”

  Kaiyden looked around and saw nowhere else to search. His eyes fell on the scroll. He huffed. “Fine.”

  Begrudgingly, he picked up the skin scroll and unrolled it. He read it slowly for a few minutes and tossed it aside.

  “Boring.”

  Then, the message appeared that he had gained a level from reading.

  “Whoah. The first time reading a book has ever been worth it.”

  Yoda, who had never known how to read on Earth, held his peace.

  Kaiyden pulled up his character sheet and looked at his rewards for levelling. He made his decisions without a second thought. “Strength, DEX, CON till I’m huge. Weapons for damage and that bonus damage spell thingy. Uh, Brutal Bash. I’ve only got four mana anyway.” Damage was important. That was how he killed things.

  Yoda calculated in his head and realized that Kaiyden must have had -1 for INT. Well, he could be the brains of the operation if necessary. At least, he could if his pupil and future king would listen to him.

  Kaiyden’s thoughts, such as they were, were interrupted by the door clanging open. “Time for you to go again.”

  Yoda patted him on the arm again, casting buffs as he did so. “Good fortune, my future king.”

  One of the guards sneered and spat at the little goblin. “That’s why you’re locked away you little, wrinkled chunk of rotten jerky. Shagrat is King and you know it.

  They took Kaiyden down the same hallway. He heard Yoda shout in the distance, “Disarm works on shields as well as weapons!”

  Kaiyden entered the same arena. This time, an orc with chain armor and a large wooden shield was waiting for him. The teenage warrior could not see what kind of weapon his enemy was holding this time. The orc was intentionally hiding it behind his leg and in his shadow.

  Thinking to himself, Kaiyden figured that the Yoda guy had to know what he was talking about because he looked like Yoda, and Yoda was smart.

  So, the first attack Kaiyden tried was a disarm attack that came with his second level of the Weapons skill. He swung his club down and raked the spikes sideways across the orc’s shield.

  You have successfully disarmed Orc Man-at-Arms.

  Kaiyden stepped forward onto the shield to pin it to the ground. The orc took the opportunity of the close quarters to try to turn Kaiyden’s ribs into a pin cushion with a spike of a short sword.

  Orc Warrior attacks you with Short Sword.

  It hits for 7 damage. Your leather armor absorbs 1 damage. Your horned helm absorbs 1 damage.

  You have 31/36 Health.

  Since stepping onto the orc’s shield had put him too close to swing his huge spiked club, Kaiyden punched at the orc’s beady little eyes with his spiked knuckles. Though the orc ducked enough to put the blow onto his chain mail coif, he did not elude it entirely.

  You hit the Orc Warrior for 10 points of damage (3+7). His chain mail absorbs 2 points of damage.

  The orc warrior jabbed at Kaiyden’s ribs again, then took a step back, trying to lure Kaiyden off of its shield.

  Either the blow Kaiyden had landed or the armor he was wearing managed to hamper the other orc enough that he missed with his short sword. Kaiyden’s wounds only filled him with rage and made him more eager to fight. Unfortunately for the the other orc, instead of following him and attacking again with his spiked knuckles, Kaiyden just grabbed his spiked club with both hands and took a home run swing.

  You attack Orc Warrior. Chance to hit 70% [(7-3) x 5% + 50%]

  You hit Orc Warrior for 22 damage. (12+10) Its chain mail absorbs 2 points of damage. There’s not much war left in this warrior... It dies.

  Kaiyden turned his enemy into pulp again. He kind of enjoyed it, especially when the crowd started counting strokes.

  The guards deposited him back in his cell. He was covered in the darker green of orc’s blood this time.

  Yoda came over to him and congratulated him again. “The next time may be more difficult. It will be the semifinals. If I read the tournament seating correctly, it will most likely be Hagrash Bloodtooth. He uses two swords and is quite acrobatic, though I doubt he will have the amount of health that you do.”

  Kaiyden sat down heavily on the dirt floor. “What do I win after I beat him and the next guy into green smoothies?”

  “Freedom of a sort. You will be put into the next raid on the Black Feet lands.”

  The names just ran through Kaiyden’s mind like water through tissue paper. He never paid attention to the details when he played games. The quicker he got to where he could PvP and start griefing people the better. Man, he loved it when he could find a resource to squat on and just whack all the newbs that came by. This did not seem like that kind of game to him. Yoda was still talking.

  “And, those tribes are all aligned under Gorbat the Fistmasher. So, you see there is a complicated three way balance that...”

  “Who do I kill after the sword guy?”

  “Oh, you’re not going to kill in the semifinals or the finals. Those fighters have all earned a place in King Shagrat’s armies. It will only be a battle to unconsciousness. Then, before the end of the combat interval, the loser will be healed back up so that they don’t die. There will be a number of shaman like myself at the ready. We have a skill called Diagnosis that lets us see exactly how hurt those around us are. They will make sure that neither you nor your opponent are lost.”

  “I don’t need any healing. I get better fast.” Kaiyden was just staring at the spikes on the end of his club, waiting for the next chance to use them.

  Yoda paused for a moment and got a faraway look in his eyes as he examined Kaiyden from across the cell. “How do you have health regeneration? You aren’t part troll are you? Ah, that’s a nice ring!”

  “Really? It’s like twenty combat rounds before it heals me for one measly point. But, I’m better pretty quick after the fight is over.”

  “I did not mean that it was nice during combat, but it is nice after combat. You’ll be able to recuperate much better than you would otherwise.”

  “Recuperating isn’t any fun. Killing dudes is fun. When do I get to do that again?”

  “Soon and often, my Future King. Soon and often.”

  ***

  “Working on these dwarves’ machines is so enjoyable in and of itself. Man, I’m so glad I chose to play this class this way.”

  “Glad you like being a Rogue, Machinist Leo.” The other dwarf had a long grey beard that was in two braids. He was wearing a wizard’s robe and had a flopped over pointed cap. “And, I am quite pleased that you like working on water pumps, as are the rest of the Council.”

  “Well, I’m just happy to help, Chief
Magician Dari. Whatever the League’s Council needs...”

  “With the loss of your tutor, Noin, we’re in sore need of a good machinist.”

  Leo was half inside a gap in the workings of a giant machine. There were pipes and gears and springs and things that Leo had never seen before. He reached back for a tool from his box. “Yeah, that was a crazy thing with those skeletons coming out of nowhere. Any idea how that happened?”

  Musing for a moment, the wizard tugged at his twin braids of beard before answering. “The skeletons were sent by another side via a gift portal. Since you’re a player but not yet a side, you don’t have access to the option to refuse the gift. Gifts really shouldn’t be able to be sent. I’m guessing it’s a bit of shenanigans by Old Scratch that it can be done at all. As to your tutor getting caught under the tipped over racks and shelves... That I cannot explain.”

  Concentrating on something deep in the machine, Leo muttered back, “Just bad luck, I guess.”

  Dari looked down at the machinist’s legs sticking out of the machine. “What denomination did you say you are back on Earth? One of those Arminian ones?”

  “Oh, I didn’t say. Why do you ask?”

  “I don’t rightly know of too many who account much to luck. Most are of the opinion that God’s in charge of everything. Though, maybe here in the Game things are different. We’re supposed to be deciding things without interference, whatever that means. Hmm...”

  “What games don’t involve luck and chance, right?”

  “I was not necessarily a strict Calvinist myself back on Earth, but I can’t help but wonder what your denomination...” The wizard’s voice trailed off.

  Leo peered up out of his spot inside the giant water pump when the older dwarf never finished his statement. He jumped in such surprise inside the machine that he bashed his head on a cylinder. If it had been a gear he probably would have given himself a sizeable gash.

  Instead of the old, grey-haired, braided-bearded dwarf that had been there, there was now a younger, blonde dwarf. He had a full poofy beard and long hair. He wore the same wizard’s outfit that Dari had been wearing, but he was a completely different person.