Gamers

by Cambry Varner

  Naomi paddled to the bank and shook the water from her hair like a dog before giving Sally a toothy grin and a thumbs up, “The guy wasn’t lying. There are docks inside with a pier and wooden walkways. There’s a couple of guards, but we can take “em.”

  Sally swallowed back a wave of fear. They were able to fight off the Cut Throats in woods, but she still feared fighting more of them. “Can we sneak past them?”

  “We could, but it’ll be safer to take them out so we won’t have to worry about them later.” Naomi shivered; her wet gi was dripping. “It’s warmer inside too.”

  “You didn’t see Darcy and Mina?”

  “I would have told you if I did,” Naomi said with a roll of her eyes. “No, I didn’t see them, but they wouldn’t keep them so close to an escape route. How’s your Athletic skill?”

  Sally checked her character screen. “It’s a zero.”

  “Ouch, being level one stinks, but your Sneak is high so that we can manage.” Naomi went back into the water and stopped once it was chest high. “Stay close to me, or if you need to, you can hold onto me.”

  The water seeped through her soft leather boots sending shivers up and down Sally’s spine as she waded into the water. Her boots kept getting sucked into the mud and she was envious of Naomi’s going barefoot: the Monk didn’t have to worry about ruining any footwear.

  The water didn’t get any warmer deeper in. It was so odd to be submerged in water while fully clothed. Sally flexed her arms and legs and found they could move easily without being constricted by her clothing. The leather didn’t weigh her down nor (as she made an experiment with breaststroke) did it slow her.

  Naomi paddled next to her. “Stick close to me and do not go up for air until I give you a signal.” In a demonstration, she thrust both thumbs upward. “Ready?”

  “No, but let’s go anyway.”

  They each took a deep breath and went under. Sally instinctively closed her eyes to protect her contacts, then remembered she was no longer wearing them in this body. Opening her eyes, she could see clearly underwater, as if she were wearing goggles. Maybe the low-light vision also gave her a sharp image underwater.

  Naomi was motioning for her to follow and started scissor kicking towards the waterfall. The Monk swam so fast that Sally struggled to keep up as they passed under the waterfall and into the cave. It took no time at all for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, and she could see the wooden columns of the pier and walkways. Ahead, Naomi was kicking hard, a white shadow that was easy to follow in the dark water. Sally’s lungs were beginning to burn for want of air, and she all she could hear was her heart pounding, but she did not dare surface until Naomi gave her the all-clear to do so.

  Finally, Naomi stopped and pointed towards something almost too dark to see. It was the shadow beneath the pier, a safe place to get air and remain hidden. Sally’s lungs were ready to burst by the time they were beneath it. Once her head had broken the surface, it was a struggle not to gasp loudly, but she gulped down air as quietly as she could.

  Naomi was right about it being warmer inside the tunnel than outside. The sound of water bobbing against the columns and the distant echoes of dripping water mingled with the sound of burning wood. Opposite the pier, a campfire glowed hotly between two sitting men. Sally could hear them speaking, but they were too far away to understand what they were saying over the dripping water.

  Naomi didn’t seem to have needed air as much as Sally had as she barely looked out of breath. “They’re over there getting drunk, so this will be easy.”

  Sally didn’t share Naomi’s opinion but kept her comment to herself. “What do we do?”

  “You wait here while I throw rocks at them.”

  “What?”

  “It’ll be a surprise round if I get the drop on them. I can KO one with a rock to the skull, and then I’ll nail the other one on my next turn. That way, we don’t have to fight them.”

  Anything that would keep her out of a fight sounded good to Sally, but she doubted this plan would work. “What happens if you miss?”

  “Then you’ll have to help me.”

  It was a weak plan with very little chance of success. Naomi was a higher level than Sally, and maybe she could knock out two men by throwing rocks at them, but the doubt refused to go away, and Sally’s mind began working quickly. Remembering the kobolds, she looked around and spotted a ladder at the edge of the pier. It was on the opposite side of the men, and it was dark enough that Sally felt confident they couldn’t see her.

  “Alright, I’ll go around behind them,” Sally said, her voice didn’t shake or reveal any trace of the fear she was feeling.

  Naomi’s eyes widen. “I meant you could throw rocks at them too. Your Dex should be high enough to land a hit.”

  “If one of them gets away, they’ll run for help, and we’ll never find Darcy or Mina if that happens.” Sally was surprised to hear the conviction in her voice. And she was confident in her plan as it formed in her head. “There has to be a way further into the hideout. I’m going to find it and block their escape. Give me ten minutes before you attack. Try your best to knock out the first one with a rock, and if you can’t get the second one, let him run to me, and I’ll take care of him.”

  “Are you sure?” Naomi asked. “You sounded hesitant earlier.”

  Sally tightened her lips, then nodded. “I’m sure.”

  God, can I do this? She thought over and over as she climbed the ladder. The men were dangerous and likely had weapons and if she messed up, they would hurt or kill her. Or Naomi could get hurt or killed despite being level 5 and it would be on Sally because this was her plan…but it was a better plan that Naomi just throwing rocks.

  Going into Sneak was as natural an act for her as breathing or blinking. The wood did not creak beneath her weight, and the water falling from her clothes and hair made no dripping noise. From the edge of the platform, she could see the men sitting on opposite sides of the fire, taking turns with a demijohn. The light was so bright it cast the shadows of the stalagmites onto the wall like the needle-sharp teeth of a monster. Scanning the area, she saw a tunnel that led off from the main cavern that had to be the entrance of the hideout. Unfortunately, it was too close to the men for comfort.

  There was no way she could sneak around them without being seen in the firelight, which would cast her shadow across the wall like a projector. She didn’t need the game to tell her that, so what should she do now?

  Another idea formed, and she could only hope that Naomi would pick up on it without being told. It was risky but carried more weight than merely throwing rocks at the Cut Throats. Gathering her courage, Sally offered up a small prayer and then put her plan into motion.

  Raising a hand to cup her voice, she sang out in a low spooky voice better suited in a haunted funhouse. “Creepy voice over here.”

  Both men jumped to their feet and drew their weapons, a rapier and a cudgel. Keeping to the shadows, Sally edged away, her eyes never leaving them as they looked around. Naomi hadn’t acted yet, so maybe she had caught onto the new plan?

  “Who’s over there?” The one with brandishing a cudgel demanded. He was an ugly round man with more fat than muscle and he spoke with a mouth missing several teeth.

  The man with the rapier was younger with a leaner frame. He held the rapier with a loose grip that revealed that he didn’t know how to properly wield it. “Better come out now. It’ll go harder for you if we have to find you.”

  Sally couldn’t stop herself from responding. “You couldn’t find your ass with both hands and a map.”

  There was a pause, then both men turn rigid with fury. The larger man tapped his cudgel in his palm, and the younger man rattled the rapier. He stepped forward as if to plunge into the shadows after her. “You want to come out in the light and say that, bitch?”

  “I’m sure you can hear me just as well in the dark,” Sally replied. Her heart pounded so hard it wouldn’t have surprised her if it leaped fro
m her chest. Never before had she felt so brazen and she wasn’t afraid at all! No, that was wrong. She was scared, but the fear was pushed to the side by her excitement and confidence. They couldn’t see her, and if they did come after her, she could protect herself.

  For her plan to work, she had to get them to separate. The younger man looked the most likely candidate. “Is it true what they say about men with thin swords? Their dicks may be small, but at least they’re thicker than their swords?”

  The young man’s face went so pale that Sally was certain her insult was unintentionally valid. His face darkened so dangerously that there was no doubt he wouldn’t hesitate to put the rapier through her heart and he surged forward, his boots thundering on the wooden planks. With a speed she could never attain in her old body. Sally ran backward off the edge of the walkway and caught it as she fell. Her feet dangled several above the water, but no sound was made, and she still wasn’t seen. He spun around above her, almost swinging his sword in the darkness to catch her.

  “Come out here, you sodding wench!” he cried through gnashing teeth. “Let’s see how clever you are after I cut out your tongue! Though I may put it to good use before I do!”

  Sally’s eyes grew wide, shocked, and offended. Had this asshole just threatened to orally rape me? If there had been any qualms about killing him before, they were gone now.

  From where she hung, she could see the older man looking amused at the other’s plight, but still too cautious about joining in the hunt. Good.

  A large object flew from the edge of the water and collided with the side of his skull. The man went down with only a faint grunt, and Naomi appeared at the edge of the firelight. The younger man was so engrossed in his hunt that he didn’t notice his partner had fallen.

  With one hand, Sally drew her dagger and tucked it between her teeth. The metal tasted cold and bitter, with the edges almost biting into the corner of her lips. She ignored it, watching for the right moment and that wasn’t long in coming. The man finally turned around and saw Naomi pushing through the water to come ashore. He shouted several foul curses and began hurrying towards her, believing her to be the quarry he hunted.

  Sally moved in a blur of motion; she climbed onto the pier, took the dagger from her mouth, before seizing him from behind, and plunging the blade into his chest several times. The bandit jolted from each stab, lifting her off her feet as he spasm and choked, maybe trying to curse or threaten her for the last time. Then he slid to the floor in a lifeless heap.

  A tremor of guilt rose in her heart but was quickly extinguished. Sally didn’t have time to feel sorry about killing him, especially since she was sure he would have hurt and killed her if he had the chance. She took the rapier from where it had fallen from his hand and discarded her own short sword. The rapier felt more familiar in her hand than any sword. Then she pulled the dagger from his chest and cleaned it on the edge of his shirt.

  She noticed her hands were shaking. Sitting back, she stared at them. They weren’t her hands, but they were reflecting her feelings. And what her feelings exactly? Her fear was gone, the confidence still there, burning bright like the sun, but what was making her hands shake? Happy that she was still alive? That she wasn’t the one dead? No. It was excitement…she was having fun.

  Sally had taken no pleasure in killing the man. A part of her would always hate killing, but there would be no more hesitation in doing so. Not as long as it was done in self-defense. No, her plan had worked. A plan that she thought up and amended midway and put into motion had come to fruition and she was taking pleasure in that. It was like playing a game and coming up with the solution or method to killing a boss, accomplishing a goal, or solving a puzzle, but so much more than that now.

  Coming to her senses, Sally hurried to meet Naomi, who was already looking through the unconscious man’s pockets. Moving closer to the fire, Sally realized she was cold when the heat washed over her, warming her and feeling wonderful. “What did you find?”

  “A few coins and this!” Naomi held up a small bottle in which he popped the cork off and sniffed the contents. Her face twisted in a wince. “Ugh, it’s booze!”

  “Shame it isn’t a health potion,” Sally said, grateful that neither of them had taken any damage. “Let’s go find Darcy and Mina.”

  “What about this guy?” Naomi pointed at the fallen man.

  “Tear off his sleeves and bind his wrists and ankles with them. As long as he’s not a danger to us, there’s no sense in killing him.”

  It only took Naomi a few minutes to bind the man, and the two of them then set off into the tunnel. Behind Sally, the fire continued to cast the shadows of the stalagmites into quivering shows. It gave the appearance of a salivating monster.

  ***

  An owl had been his only companion since the wretched women left him trussed up like some nobleman’s man supper. It repeated the question of “who?” “who?” “who?” until he felt he could snap his bindings and kill the creature with his bare hands. No, no, he needed to save his fury for when he found those wenches.

  It would be hours before the sun rose, and the man had no intention of waiting until then. He struggled against the ropes, twisting this way and that to loosen the knots. Then he spied the knives on the ground and recognized them as the same ones that had killed his comrade. Stupid, stupid wench had given him a means of escape. Once free, he would run to the hideout and warn the Boss. Then there will be a reckoning on those birdies, oh yes, there would be a reckoning.

  Rolling towards the knives, he nearly cut himself on them and it took several tries to grasp a hilt and angle it against the leather. It was slow going as the belt was thick, but he was determined. He cut himself several times which caused him great pain, but it fueled his fury and motivation to be free. This would be nothing compared to what he’d do to the girl and that half-elf bitch. Once McRando learned what they had done to one of his own men, it wouldn’t matter how much they were offering for elves downriver. McRando would cut her open from throat to crotch and feed her guts to the boars.

  A cold shiver ran down his back as if someone had stepped on his grave. He stopped, his eyes looking around wildly and listened for anything approaching. Nothing. No hungry animal stalked towards him from the trees and nor did he hear any growls or slavering maws.

  He was safe. Wait, what happened to the owl? It was no longer hooting.

  A pair of white boots appeared before him. Where did they come from? He had heard nothing!

  Before he could raise his head, one of the boots pushed it down into the earth, pinning it there with enough weight to almost crack his skull. The knife fell from his spasming fingers. It was the half-elf bitch! She came back to finish the job!

  No, it wasn’t her. He remembered the half-elf had brown leather boots commonly seen in this area. This person wore boots of silvery leather with white steel toes. Who was this?

  The heel ground into his temple, and he moaned. “St-stop!”

  “I’m having too much fun to stop.”

  The foot slammed on his skull, hard. His vision darkened at the edges, and nausea swam through him. It was all he could do to keep from puking. Lying down, he risked choking on the vomit. “What do you want?”

  “Oh, I don’t want anything. Just curious. Did a half-elf woman tie you up like this?”

  “Yes…are you with her?”

  “No.”

  “Are you going to untie me?”

  “No.”

  He nearly bit his tongue as he shouted, “Then what do you intend to do with me!?”

  Pain burst through his back and chest. Something sharp had penetrated his back and pierced his lung from above. He hissed, eyes going wide, and he struggled for breath. Another arrow pierced the other lung on an exact level with the first, filling his lungs with blood. He didn’t die quickly.

  His killer watched him expire and listened to his desperate croaks. The body spasmed one last time before going still. The killer shouldered the ivory
bow and left the corpse while singing. If Sally or Darcy had heard it, they would have recognized the song as Mark Collie’s In Time.

  ***

  When Darcy woke up, her throat felt raw as if she had swallowed dry sand. Her vision was blurry, and after batting her eyes several times, the world came into focus. She tried to sit up, but her hands were still bound behind her and her head felt as if the bones in her skull was sliding around.

  “Mina…?”

  “I-I’m here,” said a strained voice. “I’m sorry…I’m so sorry! I don’t know what came over me!”

  “Help me up.”

  Strong hands raised her as she weighed no more than a rag doll. They held her steady until she was able to sit up on her own. Darcy was pleased to see that Mina was free, and it hadn’t been some hallucination taking hold before she had been plunged into unconsciousness.

  “Are you okay?” Mina bleated.

  “I’ll be better if my hands were untied,” Darcy muttered, then noticed Mina’s bloodied lip. “What happened?”

  Mina’s throat bobbed as she swallowed back a sob. “These two men came in and pulled me off of you, and I started hitting them.”

  Near the open cell door were two men on the floor sprawled like broken dolls. They were still alive but badly beaten. One had blooming bruises across the side of his face, and the other had an arm twisted at an odd angle. Mina choked on a sob as she untied Darcy’s hands and apologized over and over as her thick fingers fumbled with the knots.

  Once her hands were free, Darcy touched her neck, wishing she had a mirror to see the damage. She could, however, see it as a numerical value. Summoning the character screen revealed she had lost three hit points, and then she checked her spells.

  “Mina, how’s your health?”

  “I’m a bit sore, but I’ll be alright,” Mina said, grimacing as she tried not to look at the men.

  “I meant your health points. How many have you lost?”

  Mina wiped her nose on the back of her hand like a kid and checked. “About twelve.”