Might: 16 (BASE: 7+9 Might from equipment) (1 Might increases AP by 5)
Dexterity: 1
Intellect: 3
Spirit: 12 (BASE: 5+7 Spirit from equipment) (1 Spirit increases healing by 10% and improves mana regeneration by 2%)
Luck: 1
HP: 347 (BASE: 235+12 BLS +100 from equipment)
MP: 230 (BASE: 190+40 from equipment)
AP: 210 (BASE: 150+15 from weapon + 45 from equipment)
DEF: 175 (BASE: 20+155 from equipment)
XP: 12667/15500
Then his inventory.
Equipment
Cavalry man’s Saber (+15ap +5 damage slashing attacks) (Unequipped)
Shield of the Arrow (+15def) (Special: + 5def when facing ranged attacks)
Sparkle Pony Chain Vest of the Unicorn (+5 Might +2 Spirit +30hp +30mp +25 def)
Padded leather boots of the Hardy (+1 Might +15hp +10def (AUG+20hp)
Steel Helmet of command (+40 Def Random chance to fear Dernese NPCs. Can inspire friendly NPCs)
Pierced Girdle of the Lost Sun (+3 Might +3 Spirit +15hp +5def +20hp Augment)
Army issued trinket (+10 mana) (worn around neck)
Amulet of Spirit (+2 Spirit)
Ring of Defense (+10def)
Backpack
1x weevil-ridden vegetable soup ration
Water
+4 chunks iron ore
6 x copper ingot
3 x iron ingot
Iron pickaxe
whetstone
Fly-covered moldy broken pineapple
1x Medium Mana Potion
11 gold 54 silver coins
Warning
ID System Integrity Compromised
Item Id: #1139697 “Fly-covered moldy broken pineapple” not recognized
An incident report has been automatically sent to system administration
Everything seemed fine. Being in another digital world, even for a brief time, made Ajax realize how much returning to the real world was going to be a shock to everyone’s system.
Being in the World Simulator felt so different than being in Visaria. When humans returned to the real world again, they would experience real gravity rather than the mathematical approximation of it. They’d feel the cold touch of mortality, and wouldn’t be able to bring up their stat information, their lives no longer ruled by numbers and game systems set down by human programmers, but by the laws of the One God himself. The weak would be weak, and the strong would be strong once more.
A horrible fate for people with disabilities or for the elderly. In Visaria, they could live normal lives, gaining stats and abilities, just like anyone else. The paraplegics could walk, the blind could see, the mentally impaired could understand the Theory of Relativity if they spent their talent points in increasing their Intellect. The poor could be rich, the rich could be poor, the powerless, powerful.
So much to lose. All at once.
How would humanity survive the transition? Would the heartache of losing their power, their NPC friends and family, their place in Visarian society, break them? There would be withdrawal symptoms, and likely severe side effects—of that, Ajax was certain.
Even more than all that. How the hell am I meant to defeat the void, get everyone out of Visaria, and then help Kara and her people defeat the machines who seized the real world from us?
Ajax dismissed the train of thought as Lillus stirred in his arms.
Enough light shone in through the broken front window for him to see her pale face. “Lillus?” He whispered, trying not to disturb the sleeping Talon.
“Ajax... ” Her eyes fluttered opened and her body went stiff as she stretched.
“Lillus.” Tears came to his eyes as he brought her face up to his so he could kiss her on the lips.
She gently eased him away. “Give me a moment to get my bearings.” The Demon Mage let out a tiny chuckle. “You’re lucky I even remember who you are. I feel like I’ve drank ten gallons of ale and woken up with the worst hangover of my life.” Shaking her head, she scanned the room. “I hope you didn’t pay anyone for this accommodation. This place is a wreck.”
He grinned. “Yea, sorry about that. Are you going to be alright?”
“Once I’ve woken up a bit.” She turned back to him. “Tell me everything.”
Ajax quickly told her roughly where they were and filled her in on everything that had happened since she’d fallen asleep.
“Show me the pineapple,” she said.
He removed it from his inventory and the black marble appeared in his hand. Tentatively reaching out, she touched the item and caught her breath.
“What is it?” His heart beat with excitement. Perhaps now he would get some answers.
“It’s cold.”
“Cold?” He blinked.
“Yea. My hand is nice and warm.” She took it from him, and held it up to the pale light shining through the window. “I get a warning message when I try to bring up the item information.”
“So do I. I first noticed it when we were back in that hospital.” Now that he thought of it, he had felt different since his hp had been reduced to zero after the Steampunk had detonated her bomb. “I think it started after my Wings of Deliverance ability popped.” He took the black marble from her and wrapped his fingers around it. “Do you think the Oracle gave it to me when I respawned in this life?”
“Maybe, though she didn’t say anything to me about it. You never wanted to speak about the pineapple before, so I assumed it must’ve had some meaning to you that you didn’t want me to pry into.”
Ajax shook his head. “Nothing like that. It was like I couldn’t think about it, as if I were forbidden from doing so. Maybe it was hidden as a random mundane object, and the reason I couldn’t think about it was so I didn’t throw it in the trash.”
“Maybe.” She sighed. “But wherever it came from, it saved our lives. I couldn’t have kept using my power for much longer.”
“That isn’t the only thing.” Ajax related the events of his dream, and all Kara had told him.
“The World Simulator.” Lillus sat up, and leaned against him, her arms folded under her cloak for warmth. “Again, the Oracle said nothing to me about this, but it is good to know that it has recruited other people to help us save humanity.”
“I don’t think there is anything Kara or Semira can do for us here. We have to get out of Visaria Online and help them defeat the machines, so we can return to the surface.”
“One thing at a time.” She took in a deep breath. “First, we go to the Oracle, and see what it has to say. Then we worry about all that. It’s heartening to know other humans survived out in the real world, but it’s worrying that so much time has passed since we fled into Visaria.”
Ajax thought of all the apocalyptic games he’d played. Most were during the apocalypse, or soon after and the world was still mostly recognizable. But the real apocalypse would be far different. The machines had brought down a deep, never ending darkness upon the land, killed countless billions of people and animals, then claimed the world as their own.
What would the Earth look like countless decades after human civilization had been destroyed? Would there be anything for them to return to?
Putting her hand on the back of Ajax’s head, Lillus pulled his face to hers. “Don’t fret, no matter what happens, I’ll be by your side. You’d be lost without my brains, my beauty, and my succubus.” She poked her tongue out at him.
“I’d be lost without you in general.”
Lillus brought his lips to hers, but as they were about to touch, the dragons growled a warning.
Someone had come.
CHAPTER 11
CASSIUS BLACK
AJAX HELPED LILLUS outside and joined Talon. The dragon rider had his weapon drawn and watched as a lone figure picked their way down the rubble-filled street toward them. A dark-skinned man, dressed head to toe in black leather armor, with his arms raised in the air to show he carried no weapon. “I’m alone. I mean n
o harm.”
Scanning the ruined buildings, Ajax saw no one. The dragons watched the figure intently, their mouths slightly parted, ready to unleash their fire breaths. “He’s an NPC,” Lillus said, as the man came within fifty feet of them.
Whoever the NPC might be, he was certainly brave. He faced two dragons, and three players and as best as Ajax could tell, the NPC was alone.
“That’s close enough,” Talon called as the stranger neared them.
The NPC stopped and watched the dragons intently.
Talon stepped toward him, his sword pointed at the newcomer. “Keep your hands where I can see them.”
Lillus led Ajax forward. “We need to talk to this NPC.”
“Do you know him?” Ajax had certainly never seen him before.
“No. Just an informed gut feeling.” She seemed to enjoy being vague, as she gave him a lopsided grin.
Rolling his eyes, Ajax let her lead him away. They walked to within ten feet of the man before Talon stopped them. “Keep your eyes peeled. There might be others about.”
Ajax and Lillus checked out the middle-aged NPC’s character profile.
Cassius Black
Race: Human
Class: Rogue
Skill Focus: Unknown
Level: 12
Allegiance: Unknown
Origin: Unknown
Player Kills: Unknown
HP: 315
EN: 100/100
Active Abilities
Shield of Subterfuge (SOS): increases poison and acid resistance by 15%
Someone else with the cash shop item Talisman of Obscurity. Just like Lillus. What is he hiding? Ajax thought as he put a hand on his sword hilt.
Rogues were stealthy, back stabbing killers. Many players hated the class (and raged endlessly about them in every gaming forum ever made), because they could become almost invisible, and stun lock you to death. While they posed more of a threat to lesser armored players, like Lillus, they could still inflict some serious damage to someone like Ajax.
Their Poisoner spec was the most reviled, mainly because of two tier 1 abilities. Paralyze (a four second stun) which was almost always followed up with Gouge (a guaranteed critical hit on a one minute cool down that can only be used against stunned opponents). For a player like Lillus, or other cloth wearing classes, (like Elemental Mages and Spiritual Mages), such an attack could be devastating.
The man’s eyes studied them back as he no doubt checked out their own stats.
Talon kept his sword leveled at the man. “What is an NPC Rogue doing all the way out here?”
Cassius’s eyes focused again. “I’m looking for someone. A young woman. She went missing three days ago.”
Ajax stared at the man. A young woman? Out here in the middle of nowhere? Then he remembered their encounter when they first arrived in the village late the day before. “When we got here yesterday, we saw two ghasts watching us. One was an old creature, but the other looked like she’d been turned recently.”
Cassius glanced at the dragons and paled.
“Don’t worry, they didn’t burn them.” He pointed at the ruined warehouse. “The ghasts watched us for a few minutes, then shuffled off and entered that building. I doubt they’re still in there. The presence of the dragons probably frightened them away.”
The NPC stared at him for a long moment. To get to the warehouse, he would need to walk past Ajax and the others. But would Talon let him?
“We’ll go in there with you to see if the two undead are still about,” Lillus said. “But, I’m afraid, there’s nothing any of us can do to bring the young woman back.”
“I know.” Cassius lowered his head. “I have seen the elder ghast before. From a distance.” He dabbed at his eyes. “Let me past so I can see if she is still in there. I need to put her to rest. It’s the least I can do.”
Lillus glanced at Talon, who still held his weapon trained on the NPC. Eventually, he lowered the sword and nodded. “I’ll stay close to the dragons and make sure no one else is around.” The dragon rider grinned at Cassius. “We’ve been through a lot of late, and we can’t take any chances. If I see anyone out there, or you come back without my friends, my dragon will eat you alive.”
“I understand,” the NPC Rogue replied. “If I was in your situation, I would do the same.”
Quest
Objective: Escort Cassius into the warehouse and see if you can find any sign of the ghast.
Secondary objective: Kill him if he tries anything.
Rewards: 550xp.
Warning: Watch your back (if it needs to be said).
Ajax and Lillus led Cassius past the two dragons, who watched the NPC intently. Perhaps a little too intently. Do they know him?
When they were away from the dragons, Lillus moved to walk beside Cassius. “I know who you are.”
The Rogue frowned. “Do you?”
“Don’t worry, we’re no friends of the Imperium, nor the Republic.” She swayed slightly, her hand held to her forehead. “Eh. Dizzy all of a sudden.”
Ajax took hold of her. “Lean on me.” She put an arm over his shoulder and he led her after Cassius.
“Not friends with the two mightiest nations of Dernmore?” Cassius let out a bitter-sounding laugh. “Can’t say I blame you. There’s nothing endearing about either of them.” The NPC neared the entrance, and produced a curved dagger from his inventory. “How are we going to do this?”
Lillus leaned against the front wall. After checking to make sure she was steady on her feet, Ajax went to the NPC. “I have a shield, so I’ll go in first.”
Cassius’s eyes widened, as if he found Ajax being willing to enter first surprising, but he nodded all the same. “I’ll be right behind you.”
Equipping his shield and weapon, Ajax took a deep breath, then plunged into the gloom of the interior of the warehouse. The light level inside was dim, but in several places the roof had collapsed, letting in narrow beams of sunlight. Scanning the darkness, he saw no sign of movement. Cassius sniffed the air. “I can pick up a faint stench of decay, but nothing recent.” He produced a torch and lit it with a tinderbox. Holding up the light, he strode deeper into the warehouse, as if he didn’t fear being attacked.
So much for me going first! Ajax thought, as he hurried after him.
When they neared the opposite end of the building, the NPC called a halt. “They’re gone.”
Scanning the gloom, Ajax saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just broken cargo crates, furniture and several rotting fishing boats. A giant map hung from one wall, untouched by dirt or decay. The map had once been a place where players could chart out their fast travel via boat, before catching a ride on one. Now that Visaria Online functioned under different rules, and was no longer a recreational game, the maps served no purpose other than as idle curiosities. A reminder of a time long dead. One that would never come again.
The name of their current location was still legible. Barrador.
Ajax turned away from the map and asked, “What are you going to do?”
Cassius put his dagger back in his inventory. “Return to the girl’s mother and tell her the bad news, then console her as best I can.”
They heard one of the dragons growling. Ajax started heading back the way they’d come, one eye on Cassius. Dressed in light leather armor, the Rogue soon overtook Ajax as he raced toward the exit. “Wait for me,” Ajax roared, weighed down by his chain armor. What if the NPC hadn’t been alone after all? What if he had friends out there and they were—
Lillus!
Cassius ran outside and disappeared. As Ajax emerged back into the sunlight, he found Lillus standing where he had left her. Thank, the One God. She stepped toward him. “Come on, something is going on.”
Ajax lifted her in his arms, and carried her after Cassius. As the NPC approached the dragons, Talon raced to intercept him. “Stay right there.”
When they got to Cassius’s side, Ajax saw what all the fuss was about. More than a hu
ndred people had gathered further up the street. Two armed figures and what looked like a peasant woman, strode out from the mass of people, and started toward Ajax and the others, the rest of the crowd remaining behind.
“Who are they?” Ajax asked.
Cassius sighed loudly. “They are my people.”
Quest Complete
Escort Cassius into the warehouse and see if you can find any sign of the ghast.
Rewards: 550xp.
XP: 13217/15500
New Quest
Objective: Kill Cassius’s people if they prove themselves a threat, in any way you can (dragon fire should work). If they are no threat, then make friends with them. Allies can be useful pawns after all... #insert mustache twirling evil laughter sound effect here.
Rewards: 1500xp. A Tier 3 item of your choosing. Some negative reputation gains with both the Sinjharian Imperium and the Republic of Dern. But this is of no consequence to you anymore, so we haven’t bothered coming up with a figure. Just think of a high negative number, and double it and that would be about what you will lose.
Warning: You look outnumbered.
Thank you, captain obvious, Ajax thought and accepted the quest.
CHAPTER 12
THE EYE OF DESTINY
AS THE THREE PEOPLE, one a female player, the others an NPC male warrior and a female peasant got to them, the peasant shoved past the other two and ran right up to Cassius. “Where is she? Where is she? Did you find her?”
Cassius took her in his arms and kissed her hair. The NPC woman’s hysterical cries echoed off the dead buildings around them. Ajax assumed she must be the mother of the missing girl. He felt a lump in his throat as he listened to the woman’s grief-filled voice begging Cassius to take her to her daughter. The designers of Visaria had done a great job in making grief feel real. The lump in his throat even made it hard to swallow. He noticed Lillus dabbing at tears in her own eyes.
The dragons still watched the people up the street, their claws digging rents into the pavement. They probably hated being on the ground when there were potential enemies around, but they were trying to keep a low profile. They were strongest while in the air. Talon walked over to the human female player, so Ajax and Lillus went to join him.
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