by Pdmac
Another roar erupted as the company sliced off the left ears, collected what little the orcs had, and headed back through the gate
Congratulations: You have completed the Quest - save the town from orcs, again.
Reward: Unlimited access to supplies, scrolls, potions, and weapons currently in the town.
Reward: Reputation. You and your company have increased your reputation: +2 points.
“Damn it all,” Karl snapped and slapped the ‘X’ closing the notification. “Just stop.”
As they walked through the fawning crowd, Conrad and Wendell lagging behind to enjoy the hugs and kisses of the fairer ladies of the city, Karl’s brow furrowed as he thought through the scenario. He turned to the burgomaster who paraded beside him, soaking up the applause.
“I thought you said the orcs only come once a month.”
“They do,” he replied, grinning and waving at the crowds lining the street.
“Then why did they come back today?”
“I haven’t the faintest idea,” he answered, his attention on the adulation of the crowds. “Yes, yes. Thank you. All in a day’s work. Just keeping your safety and welfare top priorities.”
Karl cast a side glance at him, rolling his eyes at the consummate politician, taking credit for the work of others.
Yet the inconsistency of the orcs returning caused him to be cautious. Once the crowds went home and the company was back at the tavern, he waited for everyone to sit before standing.
“Let’s review our attack. I estimate it took all of thirty seconds to wipe out three orcs. It was brilliantly executed. The only problem I see is that Dieter got to decapitate only one orc.”
“You shoulda seen the look on that orc’s face when Tiny here swung that battle axe,” Conrad chortled.
“Tiny?” Dieter frowned.
“It’s a nickname, a term of endearment,” Conrad explained. “And think how funny it would be when we tell some enemy they need to back off, otherwise we’ll sic Tiny on ‘em.”
Dieter saw the humor and the genuine affection and respect of the rest of the company, yet wasn’t sure he wanted the appellation. He’d wait and see how he felt.
Karl let the chuckles subside then continued. “What today showed us is that we need to make use of everyone’s special skills. I’ll be the first to admit that I tend to approach things from the old school mentality of swords and bows and arrows. I forget we have the power of magic. You can see by the results that Annabeth and Lana proved very critical to our success. What that means is that I, and everyone else, need to know your strengths and weaknesses, and what special powers and skills you have. What that also means is that we’re staying here an additional day.”
He smiled when he saw Dieter’s obvious pleasure for that meant another night here with Elena.
“One more thing,” he said. “Something’s not right about the orcs. According to the burgomaster, the orcs only showed up once a month. This is two days in a row that we fought them, and I swear they were the same ones.”
“I thought so too,” Brad agreed. “They certainly looked familiar, too familiar.”
“So,” Karl continued, “We wait another day or two to make sure we won’t be impeded when we move on. Oh yeah, one more ‘one more thing.’ We completed another quest here which means we are again entitled to whatever we want. Take tomorrow to go through your stuff and make sure you have what you really want. Then take advantage of the free gifts. Otherwise, see you all tomorrow.” Karl sat down and found himself between Annabeth and Raquel.
“What did you decide about Elena?” Raquel asked.
“I haven’t,” he answered. “Your thoughts?”
“Seems to me that your concern about NPCs respawning was answered tonight,” she pointed out.
“If they were the same ones,” Karl countered. “Truth is, I can’t tell the difference between orcs. And though the clothing was familiar, it doesn’t mean that two orcs won’t dress the same.”
“But three orcs dressing the same?” Annabeth said.
“Yeah, I know.”
“What’s you real concern?” Raquel asked.
“The same as it was before. Dieter’s attention is divided. Instead of focusing on the primary mission, he’ll be worried about her and it may cost him or someone else a life.”
Raquel nodded in understanding. “While I agree with your reasoning, I think as long as someone can pull their own weight, we may want to reconsider.”
“So when Conrad and Wendell find someone and all the others decided they want to have a lover or two or more along, pretty soon we have camp followers. Do we really want to deal with that?”
“You have two lovers,” Annabeth smiled.
“Like I said before, you two are different. You’re a ranger and a sorceress, with skills and powers. You can take care of yourselves. The same can’t be said for NPCs.”
“We don’t know that for sure,” Raquel quietly observed.
Karl cocked an eyebrow. “Did Dieter put you two up to this?”
“No,” Annabeth asserted. “We’re just looking out for the welfare of our friends.”
“In the final analysis,” Raquel added. “What’s the problem with taking her with us? If his attention is diverted and one of us dies, we respawn. It’s not like we’re gone forever.”
Karl was silent as he absorbed their arguments. “There’s still one little detail you both are forgetting. First, can an NPC leave the island? And second, suppose Elena can leave the island. We know that once we leave the island we can’t return. If Elena dies, will she come back here and be lost to Dieter forever.”
“You said one little detail,” Annabeth teased. “That’s more than one.”
“What’s the difference?” Raquel argued. “He leaves her here; she’s lost to him forever. She dies on another island; she’s lost to him forever. Why not let her go with him so he can at least enjoy her for the time he can?”
“I’m not sure that’s a heartache I want to deal with,” he soberly replied.
“I understand,” Raquel softly answered, placing a hand on his. “But it’s his heartache, not yours. He’s a big boy. Let him deal with it.”
Karl let out a soft exhale. “I suppose you’re right.”
“You’re too used to everything being permanent,” Annabeth counselled. “You were a soldier once. When a person got killed, that was it. Here, it’s different. It’s like we have eternal life.”
“As long as someone doesn’t pull the plug,” he chuckled.
“Speaking of pulling a plug,” Annabeth commented flicking her eyebrows. “I think it’s time you and I adjourn to my boudoir, said the spider to the fly.”
“That sounds ominous,” he laughed. He cast a glance at Raquel who masked a fleeting look of disappointment, telling him he would probably have to make a decision soon. And therein was the problem – could he tell one of them that he preferred the other? And was that such a smart idea? Would it cause problems within the company? Deciding that no decision was his present decision, he followed Annabeth upstairs.
“You look lonely,” Brad said with a smile, pulling a chair out and sitting.
“Not anymore,” she smiled back. Though she liked Brad as a friend, there was nothing more, despite his attempts with subtle hints.
“It has to be hard seeing them walk off, knowing where they’re going and what they’ll be doing.”
Raquel looked at the door and shrugged. “Not really. She’s my closest friend and I like seeing her happy.”
“Even at your expense?” he raised an eyebrow in doubt.
“How is it my expense?” she countered. “I’ll have him tomorrow and it will be at her ‘expense,’ according to you. Yet it is an arrangement that works just fine among three consenting adults who have made a mature decision. Why does that bother you? Or as a cleric are you trying to impose some sort of religious persuasion on me?”
“Hardly,” he smiled, defeated. “Just making conversation.”
Her glance wandered over to the table by the hearth where Conrad and Wendell were giving Kendra their amorous attentions. She smiled seeing the three dwarves interact, wondering if Kendra would seek the same arrangement that she had with Annabeth and Karl.
“Is this a private conversation?” Dieter said, sliding out a chair. His massive frame dwarfed the chair as he sat down. He wiggled a little to get comfortable. “Thank God these things are sturdy.” He placed his ale mug to the side.
Sensing Dieter desired to talk privately to Raquel, Brad stood. “Think I’ll call it a night.”
“G’night Brad,” Raquel replied with a nondescript smile.
Dieter merely jiggled his fingers and watched the cleric push through the upstairs door. “He still dogging you?”
“Yeah,” she shrugged. “No big deal.”
“I heard you and Annabeth talking to Karl about me and Elena.” He stared intently at her.
“What did you hear?”
“Not much. Just our names. He still against me taking her?”
“He’s worried about you and what would happen if something happened to her.” She lifted her ale mug and stared into it, noting it was empty.
“Want another one?” Dieter asked.
“Not sure yet. Depends which part of me wins out – the part that says, ‘go to bed’ or the part that says, ‘go ahead and have another.’ And then there’s that part that says, ‘one more ale and you’ll be making more visits to the bathroom during the night so you might as well stop now.’”
Dieter grinned then returned to the matter at heart. “So? Did he decide anything?”
“I think he might be leaning towards letting her come.” She watched him visibly relax then warned, “But don’t quote me. I’m sure you’ve thought the whole thing through, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“How do we know that she can cross the bridge with us, or even leave here for that matter? She’s an NPC.”
Dieter paused before answering and took a sip of ale. “I know where you’re going with this and on the face of it, it does seem absurd. I’ve fallen for a fictional character in a role playing game, placed there for no other purpose than to serve ale and be a temptation to players. Yes, it makes no sense. But then I ask myself two things. First, how did they make her so real, down to the emotional depths of a human being? She laughs, she cries, she gets hurt both physically and emotionally. She loves. I swear she’s more human than I am.”
Raquel responded with a sympathetic smile. “And the second thing?”
“She’s nothing more than a series of electrical impulses, programed to behave like a human being. But then, according to ITL, I’m nothing more than a series of electrical impulses and have been programmed to behave based upon my life experiences and conditioning. So what’s the real difference?”
“You’re a player and she’s an NPC.” She looked over at a serving girl standing by the ale counter. “Maybe I will have another one.” She raised her finger and caught the girl’s attention.
“Why can’t she be a player?”
“Because she’s never been human,” Raquel replied, pointing out the obvious. “When they discover your cure, you go back to a body of blood and guts. Her? She was a product of someone’s imagination and given a role in a game. She has nowhere else to go.”
“They could if they wanted to,” he grumbled.
Raquel waited until the serving girl placed the ale on the table and scurried off to help another patron.
“If they wanted to what?”
“They could put her into a body,” he answered, “sort of like taking organs from someone who’s just died. Instead of harvesting organs, they could put her electronic signature into the woman who died… just like they do to us.”
“But we’re not dead,” she began then caught herself.
Dieter gazed at her. “See? Even you know that our bodies, though cryogenically frozen, are dead. If they can bring us back to life, why can’t they to that to NPCs?”
“They’ll need bodies,” she replied then realized that cloning could provide all the bodies they would ever need. Her imagination then surged as she thought about genetically engineering humans via RPGs, but her brain couldn’t wrap around why someone would want to do that, especially with the feeding and nurturing requirements under present conditions.
Dieter watched her as she worked though the various scenarios, her placid face morphing to shock.
“My God,” she muttered, shaking her head. “I never thought about all the possibilities.”
“Those are just some of the possibilities, I’ve been pondering. Try this one on for size. Suppose they find a cure and decide not to bring me back? What’s to stop them? Remember the fine print on the contract we signed? We agreed to be immersed for as long as they deemed appropriate, which means they could disposed of my body and I’d never know about it.”
Raquel blinked as she stared back at him. “You’re just full of good news tonight.”
“Living here and now in this world, we tend to forget there’s a real world outside the walls of this game. I think Karl is too caught up in the here and now. And by the way, what happens to our little group if they find his cure and he suddenly disappears?”
“Then someone else takes charge,” she answered, unconcerned. “It’s no different than if we were at war. A leader dies and the next in line takes over.”
“Unless there’s a coup.”
“What are you saying?” She cocked an eyebrow, giving him a stern stare.
Dieter chuckled and held up his hands. “Slow down girl. I’m a loyal subordinate. I admire and respect the man and will do as I’m told. I merely point out the possibilities.”
Raquel studied him for a bit. “I think you picked the wrong character. You should have been a philosopher.”
“That character wasn’t available,” he replied. “The closest thing was a cleric and I’m too much an agnostic to be devoted to some mythical god or goddess. Besides, the zealots would probably have me burned at the stake for questioning everything.”
Grinning, Raquel noticed Elena standing by the ale counter, her expression a mixture of rapt devotion to Dieter and suppressed possessiveness that he was spending so much time with another woman.
“I think a certain serving girl needs your attention,” she said, looking past his shoulder.
Dieter turned his head, saw her and beckoned her. “When are you off?” he asked as she glided up.
“Now,” came the direct reply.
“Then I think it’s time we said good night,” he announced, standing.
Hand in hand, they walked to the upstairs door. Just before stepping through, Elena turned to give Raquel a pitying smile.
When Karl awoke at the same time as the previous morning, his first thought was I can’t keep doing this. I’m gonna need a good night’s sleep sometime soon.
Annabeth lay next to him, her long raven hair framing her silk smooth face. She slept the repose of a woman finally at peace. Only once during the night did he have to hold her and comfort her, waiting until the nightmares subsided. He wondered what dark visions encumbered her thoughts, but she could never remember them in the morning and he was loath to resurrect the occurrences. As far as he knew, she was unaware of her restless sleep, though the bad dreams did seem to be lessening.
Her shallow breaths reminded him to let her sleep. At least one of us ought to be rested. Silently slipping out from under the covers, he dressed, quietly opened the door and slid out then headed to his room.
This part of the tavern where the lodgers stayed was quiet except for the sound of his feet as he padded his way down the hall and up the stairs to open the door to his room. To his surprise, someone was sleeping in his bed, someone with thick auburn hair. She rolled over when he approached.
“What are you doing here?” he asked with a warm smile.
“My room just seemed too lonely,” Raquel replied. “I can feel your pres
ence here. You don’t mind do you?”
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he stroked her cheek. “Of course not.”
She looked past his shoulder towards the door. “Where’s Annabeth?”
“Still asleep.”
“Why are you up?”
“I’m awake.”
“You look tired,” she soothed, noting the bags under his eyes.
“She has nightmares.”
“I know.”
“You do?”
“Before you came, we shared a room. Poor girl doesn’t even know she’s having them. You want me to leave so you can get some sleep?”
“No, that’s OK.”
“Then why don’t you join me?” She lifted the covers enough to expose her nakedness.
Karl thought for a moment. “Is that within the rules?”
“It’s your room, your bed, your rules,” she replied.
Needing no urging, he pulled off his clothes and slipped in beside her, feeling the warmth of her body. Snuggling close, she kissed his chest and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder. His breathing settled and he relaxed and was soon asleep, leaving her to smile with contentment that she had made the right choice.
On the floor below, Annabeth rolled over and sensed she was alone. Groggily looking around the room, she saw his clothes were gone and assumed he had either gone back to his room or went downstairs to get something to eat. Either way, she thought as she gazed out the window, it was too early to get up.
When Annabeth bounced through the upstairs door to the tavern, most of the company was already there having breakfast. She saw Karl and Raquel at their usual table and strode over, giving Karl a full kiss on the lips and Raquel a kiss on the cheek.
“Good morning you two.” She plopped down next to Karl. “Any coffee yet?”
“Only in your dreams,” Raquel sighed. “I wonder if there’s a way to get word to the developers. Why shouldn’t there be coffee in our world? Has anyone asked Humphrey?”
“Humphrey,” Annabeth called out.
The kitchen door opened and the chubby man emerged, smiling cheerfully. “Yes?”