He wasn’t pleased with having to take longer to get to UMRAO, but he wasn’t about to force the three of them to travel in the rain. He’d been pretty lucky with the weather thus far. He had taken this long to get to level 10; he could take another night.
“Shelter,” he said. Looking down at Hera, he raised his eyebrows. “Wanna grab some sticks?
It was a joke, but by the time he’d dug his stakes into the ground and was unfolding the WaterRepellant sheet, Hera dropped some sticks at his feet. He laughed, surprised, and despite a couple of them being slightly wet, he could strip them and use them as kindling. The shelter didn’t take long, though the heavy rain made it difficult. The sheet grew heavy quickly and he got wetter. Shaking his head, he sighed, needing a fire soon if he was going to get dry.
You have used: 30 stamina
“Alright,” he said, stacking up a few more sticks scattered about the ground. It took longer than he would have liked to start the fire, but eventually he managed to get it going and stoked it up. Hera immediately flopped in front of it, head pillowed on her paws. Greta waited patiently under the sheet, and Alejander took off her tack and rested it at the back of the sheet, helping to hold it to the ground.
As soon as she was free of her weight, Greta settled on the ground next to Hera, and the two of them nuzzled at each other. Alejander’s stomach rumbled and he dropped some of the meat into a pot and hung it over the fire.
The rest of the evening passed quickly, eating and taking his time to give Greta and Hera some attention, and curling up with them under the shelter. Alejander didn’t doubt that he would be well protected, and he fell asleep quick enough that between one breath and the next the game logged itself out.
...LOGGING OFF]
Matthew breathed a sigh of relief as he took off the headset and stared up at the ceiling. It had been a long time since he’d felt the release of tension in his shoulders. There was still the worry of having to get the money together that would no doubt stick with him until he could solve it, but there was a sense of relief at one thing working itself out.
Sitting up and swinging his legs over to the floor, Matthew rubbed at the back of his neck. Spending more time in the game hadn’t been detrimental on the outside. His body ached in familiar ways, but there was less dissonance between the two bodies. Either a miracle had occurred and his body outside of the game was regaining its youthful vigor, or his brain was acclimatizing better to the shift between game and real world.
Going about his evening routine, making sure to eat and clean before he settled back into bed, Matthew took the time to stare at himself in the mirror. He looked just the same as he had the last time he’d looked – old – but there was something else about his reflection that Matthew couldn’t place. He’d always been afraid to look, to see the changes in his face that dictated the age creeping over him day by day. But when he looked this time, there was less of that self-hatred and more vibrance. Perhaps, despite the many websites claiming the game was a detriment to society and people needed to spend less time in VR, Matthew could see the ways in which it was changing him on the outside.
Perhaps that would get even better when he was making real money and the lack of tension over money had disappeared entirely.
Chapter Nineteen
The next morning, Matthew decided that this would be the last day he’d spend without money in his actual bank account. He was determined, even if he had to push Alejander, Hera and Greta to their limits, that he would get to the city and deposit some of his cash. He didn’t want to have one more meeting with the motel manager about money and not being able to pay his debts. He felt as if he was waiting for the knock on the door and the manager to come, ask for the rest of his bill, and Matthew would have nothing to give him.
“Right,” he told himself seriously, making sure he had water and food on the bedside cabinet, and he settled the VR headset back on. “Let’s get this done.”
[LOGGING ON...
You have replenished: 145HP
80 stamina.
Current Stamina: 215/215
Current HP: 380/380
Alejander woke up slowly, stretching against Hera, who was still fast asleep. The fire had all but burned out and Alejander put out the rest to make sure it didn’t keep smoking. Once he was about and moving, Hera started to wake up, stretching out and yawning. Her mouth really was threatening, Alejander thought, smirking when he considered she used it on everyone but him. There was no fear that she would turn on him, not anymore. Leave him, yes perhaps, and though that gave him a rush of discomfort, he managed to shake it off. They would see in due time…
“Morning ladies,” he said, crouching down to scratch at Greta’s muzzle and then under Hera’s chin. “Breakfast and then we’re gonna move.”
The sun was only just lifting above the horizon, so it was early, but Alejander was determined to get to UMRAO by the evening. Taking down the shelter was made harder by the fact that Hera decided today would be the day she was dancing about and chasing Greta’s tail. For Greta’s part, she seemed happy to munch on grass and flick her tail teasingly. Alejander rolled his eyes and stowed the shelter components in the saddle bags.
Both horse and wolf trotted over and stayed still while Alejander put the tack back on Greta, giving her neck a rub in apology. “When we get to Umrao, I’ll make sure you get a couple of days with no tack on, how does that sound?”
Greta’s ears pricked forward, and her tail flicked once again. Alejander watched Hera twitch, amused, and then mounted Greta in one smooth movement. Before setting off, he double-checked the map to make sure he was still on course.
“You know,” he said, though neither horse nor wolf could answer him, “maybe this time, I’ll notice if something is creeping up on us.”
Hera started off by dancing around Greta’s legs – definitely frolicking today – and then taking to sniffing the rocks and craggy outcroppings. The terrain had turned rocky and sparse with flora, but Greta still seemed to traverse it with ease. Alejander frowned, wondering if that was down to her, or whether it was part of his riding skill.
They managed to get back to level ground in record time and Alejander had just set Greta back on the right track when there was a growling from the bushes. Hera went immediately into a crouch, growling. Alejander halted Greta and jumped down from the saddle, slipping a dagger from his belt.
He couldn’t make out anything from the bushes around the base of the cliff, but Hera was dancing in front of the brush that stretched out into a small copse. The bushes rustled and Alejander crouched down too, hovering behind Hera, not because he wanted to but because she would leap for it before he did, and he would know what they were facing.
That’s when a wolf jumped out of the bushes in front of them.
Grey Wolf
Level: 9
Description: All teeth and claws, and a dangerous mental aptitude!
Hit Points: {216}
Damage: 20 {Bite} 20 {Claw}
Reach: Close
Alejander was torn between attacking immediately and the worry settling in his stomach. It was as if the game had narrowed in on Alejander’s feelings and was putting them to the test. It was the first time that Hera would have seen another of her tribe, and he would find out whether she would defend him, or whether she would choose to attack him instead.
The wolf from the bushes was a darker grey than Hera, with a black flash on its muzzle. Its teeth were bared, tail flicking, and muscles shifting obviously as it stalked around them. Alejander had to tear his eyes away from Hera and watch it. As he shifted, turning his back on Hera, he hoped that she wouldn’t turn wild on him.
Gripping his other dagger, he lunged, slicing the dagger down the wolf’s muzzle. It howled, shouldering its weight into Alejander, and almost toppled him over. Its front claws snagged in Alejander’s tunic and tore it, slicing through to skin.
You have lost: 10HP
Alejander ducked o
ut of the way, concerned that Hera had yet to move, but he tried not to think about it. He took his other dagger and jabbed down with it, trying to sink it into the wolf’s back. However, the wolf was fast, twisting out of the way and snapping its jaws at Alejander’s arms.
Alejander was grateful for his skills when he managed to roll out of the way, slashing up with the knife. The wolf didn’t manage to get out of the way and crashed to the ground. Though it got its feet out from under it, the wolf wasn’t quick enough to stand before Hera was finally barreling into the side, knocking the wolf back and into the bushes.
“Thank goodness,” Alejander breathed. Hera immediately started scratching and biting at the wolf. Now that he had another comparison, Alejander could see how big and strong Hera had become (maybe thanks to their leveling up together.) Gripping the hilt of his dagger, he waited until he had an opening – Hera tossed off and down to the ground, before leaping back to her feet – and dove forward, slicing the wolf’s back.
Snarling, the wolf twisted back and lunged for Alejander, sinking its teeth into his forearm. He used the momentum to stab up into the wolf’s belly once, twice. And as Hera jumped on its back, the wolf’s teeth tore through Alejander’s skin and tunic, and he hissed, dropping back a little.
You have lost: 30HP
Alejander’s dagger was dripping with blood, but between him and Hera, the wolf was starting to flag, stumbling on its feet. Hera had her jaws clamped down around the wolf’s leg and shook her head, snapping the bone. Alejander gritted his teeth against the sound and attacked from the other side, cutting into the wolf’s neck. It twisted, bit into Alejander’s thigh, and Alejander grunted, slammed to the ground and left feeling jarred.
You have lost: 20HP
Alejander stabbed out, though his dagger sliced through the air. Thankfully, Hera was there instead, biting into the wolf’s side and shoving it down to the ground. She hovered over it, claws digging into the wolf and jaws clamped down around its neck. Alejander dove forward and stabbed with his dagger into the wolf’s head.
Grey Wolf (lv 9) has died
You have earned 1600 experience points. Congratulations!
You have lost: 40 Stamina
You have leveled up to Level 11!
You have earned 15 stat points, 100 base HP, 75 base stamina, 20 points to any skill(s). Your weapons all receive +20 to their damage.
Though Alejander wanted to assign his points before they left, he looped an arm around Hera, who immediately started to lick his face. He laughed, scratching her neck and head, grateful that she had stuck with him rather than returned to her own kind.
When she pulled away, dropping down to the ground with Greta hovering over her, nose nuzzling the top of Hera’s head, Alejander focused back on his interface.
You have assigned:
Acuity: 12 (+2)
Constitution: 14 (+3)
Deftness: 16 (+2)
Efficiency: 12
Endurance: 14 (+2)
Strength: 15 (+5)
You have added: 5 points to Night Vision, 5 points to Perception, 5 points to Riding, and 5 points to Survival
HP: 420/480
Stamina: 250/290
Skill Points: 175 + 108
{Dagger +54
Dagger: +54)
Existing skills: Disabling Traps {25} Lockpicking {25}, Night Vision {25} Perception {25} Riding {25}, Stealth {40}, Survival {30}.
Though fighting the grey wolf had taken longer than Alejander would have liked, he eventually managed to skin the beast and take its pelt, wrapping it as best as he could in the WaterRepellant sheet and loading it into Greta’s saddlebags. They were almost full, and he was glad they would hit the town soon, given how desperately he needed to exchange all of this stuff for money. Taking some of the better meat from the wolf, Alejander immediately tossed a piece at Hera, who polished it off quickly.
As he mounted Greta, Hera was on her heel. Alejander was glad for their swiftness in following when he called for them. After the wolf had attacked, they were thankfully left alone for the rest of the journey. By the time Alejander could see UMRAO on the horizon, Alejander dared not breathe a sigh of relief. He urged Greta on forward and she picked up to a canter despite the weight on her back. Hera raced ahead, muscles rippling, and she skidded in the dirt, snapping at the air and Alejander grinned. Even though she had fought today and been injured herself, she still retained her joy and happiness.
As they approached UMRAO’s gates, Alejander whistled for Hera to come back and she did, trotting alongside Greta. There were two guards in front of the gates and a couple more in the gate towers above. It reminded Alejander of KLISTER and he tried to appear as unassuming as possible. One of the guards at the gates approached, and Alejander gave him a respectful nod.
“Just looking to trade and sell.”
The guard nodded. “Are you a player on player?”
Alejander frowned, then realized he was being asked if he attacked other players. “I thought towns were safe zones?”
“Not in this part of the continent,” the guard told him swiftly. “This town, however, is guarded well and we try and limit player on player skirmishes.”
Given what he was currently carrying in his pack, Alejander didn’t particularly want to risk going into a city where he would have to keep looking over his shoulder at all times, but he shrugged eventually. He wanted somewhere to sleep for the night, wanted Greta and Hera to be pampered for once, and he wanted some good food and drinks. Money in his bank account would be an added benefit.
“Alright, no problem.”
The head guard looked him over once more and then turned away, nodding at the gatehouses. The gates immediately started to creak open, and Alejander waited until there was a big enough gap to get through and then whistled for Hera to follow him inside.
The city of UMRAO was amazing to say the least. Alejander could immediately see that it was crowded, something similar to KLISTER. The people were just as diverse, and as he entered through the gates, he dismounted Greta so that he could lead her – and keep his eyes on the saddlebags. It was easy to pinpoint the bank and the stables; they were always the easiest things for him to find.
The bank had a huge façade, with coins on the front denoting its placement. The stables were surrounded by a huge fenced off area and the smell of animals and hay. As Alejander got closer, he could see the various animals in the enclosure. Most of them were different species, though there were a couple of horses. Alejander had never felt the urge to change his mount, so he didn’t even bother to look over the strange creatures. If he ran into them later, so be it, but for now he was content with what he had.
The stablemaster was a familiar face. “Naki?”
Naki peered up from where she was sweeping the hay on the street outside back into the enclosure. It looked like a thankless job. As soon as she saw his face, she grinned. “Alejander! What are you doing here?”
“I could ask the same of you,” Alejander said. “You got tired of Grange Town?”
“Better,” Naki said, leaning on her broom. “I acquired this from the previous stablemaster. Expanding my domain, you could say. She wanted to go off and be a fighter, so I bought this from her for a pittance.”
“Wow.” Alejander didn’t know how Naki would have known. “So how do you split your time?”
“It’s hard. I employ some people over in Grange Town, not that it’s without risks, but this gives me more income to start my own breeding farm.”
Alejander was reminded of the scroll in his bank and raised his eyebrows. “Nice. Do you mind taking these two back in?”
Naki looked over Hera and Greta, and pretended to think about it. “Not sure I have the room.”
There was a pause – Alejander not sure if she was actually joking – but he caught the smirk on her face. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll pay you handsomely. Get you that farm sooner than you think you’re gonna get it.”
“I wi
sh,” Naki said, making a face. She rested her broom against the fence of the enclosure and then gestured inside. “I think I have a private stall if you want one?”
Alejander led Greta after Naki. The stables inside were just as immaculate as the ones back in GRANGE TOWN and Alejander was appreciative of Naki’s work ethic, if nothing else. She was clearly determined to have her future in-game come to fruition and that was something he could resonate with.
Not far down the stable, there were a couple of empty stalls. Alejander backed Greta up into the first, waving Naki off when she went to help with the tack. Hera hovered next to him as he rested all of the tack against the wall of the stall and scratched at Greta’s back. He hoped she was relieved to be rid of her weight, and he grabbed both his satchel and the saddlebags before leaving her stall and indicating the next.
“You wanna stay in there?”
Hera looked from Alejander and then to the stall before taking a step back, sitting on her haunches next to him. “Guess I’ll only be taking the one stall.”
Naki laughed gently and shut Greta’s stall door. “Pick her up when you come back. Though don’t go gambling all your money away.”
“Please,” Alejander said. The idea to do anything but use his money for more goods had never crossed his mind. He was content to stay away from any kind of venture that could jeopardize his hard-earned coin. “I need to get to the bank, but I’ll be back.”
Alejander left the stables behind, growing increasingly more appreciative of Greta after hauling the saddlebags towards the bank. He was also grateful for Hera, knowing that he couldn’t fight off anyone if they chose to steal from him. Thankfully, he made it to the bank and could feel his heart pound in anticipation with what was to come.
The bank was almost as busy as the city square, but Alejander led Hera up the stairs. Nobody seemed inclined to stop him as he brought her inside, but there were other creatures in the building, so he assumed it was fine. The bank had a grand staircase just like the one in KLISTER, but this one had deep purple marble stairs that wound up and away from the center of the room.
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