by Paul Bellow
“A question first?” he asked, a sense of urgency in his voice.
“Sure,” Sarah said. “But hurry.”
“Can I join your adventuring party? I’ve been stuck in Fishguard a long time, and I long to get away and experience the world again.”
He looked from Sarah to me then back to her.
“You can’t join our party,” I said. “But we’d love to hire you to accompany us...if you can heal this poison in my body.”
Benji smiled and nodded.
“Very well,” he said. “Where does it hurt?”
“I can’t feel my legs…”
He moved his arms over my legs, the ill-fitting sleeves of his shirt blowing in the wind and hiding his hands from view.
I felt a tingle in my legs.
“Something’s happening,” I said, getting excited.
A notification window popped up.
The poison in your system is gone.
You feel better.
You have [12/12] health remaining.
“Wow,” I said, standing up. “That feels better. If I never see another giant rat again, I’ll be a happy man. Thank you so much.”
“Not a problem,” Benji said, still smiling. “A giant rat, was it? They’re the worst. I’ve got good at slaying them with my prayers and my handy mace.”
He lifted a weapon with a round metal head. Numerous spikes protruded from it.
“Nice,” I said, nodding my head appreciatively. “Thanks again.”
“How much do we owe you?” Sarah asked.
“I’ll tell you what,” Benji replied. “If you let me join your party, there’s no cost for this cure. All future cures would be in exchange for my cut of the treasure.”
Why is he so interested in joining our party? The game warned us about letting certain people join. Was this why?
“You can come with us,” I said. “As a hireling. We don’t just let anybody into our adventuring party.”
I turned to Sarah, and she nodded in agreement. We’d played so many hours together, we could communicate a lot with only a look.
“A job as a hireling would be nice,” he said. “I’ve been trapped in Fishguard way too long. The city’s nice, but it can be restrictive.”
“You’ve been trapped here?” I asked. “Why can’t you leave?”
“I could,” he said. “But adventuring alone in such a dangerous world isn’t smart.”
“We’d love to hire you,” I said, extending my hand. “Two gold a week?”
Benji grasped my hand tightly and shook it up and down.
“And you’ll cover expenses like food?” he asked.
“Fine.” Sarah looked toward the center of the city. “We should find a room to use as a base of operations.”
“I’m Drex of Harrisburg,” I said, remembering to stay in character.
Benji smiled and let go of my hand.
“I’m Kali,” Sarah said.
“Nice to meet you both,” Benji said. “Kali is right. We should get a room. I’ll show you around the city in the morning.”
“We’re looking for our friend,” Sarah said. “That’s most important.”
“Not many people are out at night, but we can ask around about him,” Benji said. “How would you describe your friend?”
“He’s half-orc,” I said. “A barbarian.”
“I see.” Benji nodded. “Follow me. We’ll secure a room then spend a few hours looking for him. The sun is setting soon, but we still have time.”
“Great,” Sarah said. “I’m sure he’ll stick out like a sore thumb.”
“Do you think he made it all the way to the city?” I asked.
She nodded her head and said, “Yeah. He’s not stupid. We both had instructions to come to Fishguard. He’ll show up sooner or later.”
“You’re right,” I said.
Benji took a few steps away then motioned for us.
“Come on,” he said “We’ll want to get a nice room.”
Sarah and I followed him through the bustling city, down one street and up another. No two buildings looked the same.
“This is amazing,” Sarah said in a soft voice while walking beside me.
I nodded, wondering what the game would be like with more players. My thoughts turned to Josh. We needed to find him.
After we reunited, we could concentrate on getting out of the game. It was cool, but I wanted out before my father returned.
Benji stopped a few blocks away. I saw a two-story brick and timber building. A sign reading “Half-Full House” swung above the door.
“This is the best place for those on a budget,” Benji said. “I assume you two don’t have much gold. Let me know if I’m wrong.”
“We’ll be getting more soon,” I said confidently.
“But we want to save as much as possible,” Sarah added.
“Then this is our best bet,” Benji said. “Come on.”
He walked up to the front door and opened it, holding it for us. Sarah went inside first while I followed close behind.
I blinked, as my eyes adjusted to the darkened room.
“Just your typical inn,” Benji said. “How long are we staying?”
I turned to Sarah and shrugged.
“How about a week?” she said. “I doubt we’ll be here that long, but maybe we’ll get a better rate if we reserve it for seven days.”
“Good thinking,” Benji said. “Right this way.”
We followed as he walked through the lobby and into a dining room. A half-dozen tables filled up most of the space.
Benji headed to the bar on the other side of the room. A woman with a red and black plaid handkerchief tied over her head stood behind it.
“Can I help you?” she asked as we stopped in front of her.
“We need a room for a week,” I said.
She tilted her head back, looking us over.
“Are you wanted by the law?” she asked.
“No,” Sarah said. “Do we look like we’re wanted?”
“You can never tell these days,” the barkeep said.
Benji cleared his throat and asked, “How much for a room for the week?”
“It’s one gold per week per person.” The barkeep put her hands firmly on the wooden bar. “Payment up front. No credit.”
I reached into my coin pouch and pulled out three gold coins.
“Here you go,” I said as I tossed them on the stained wood.
She snatched them up.
“Here’s your key,” she said, dropping an iron key on the bar.
Sarah grabbed it.
“I’m so tired,” she said. “Do you mind if we start our search fresh in the morning? He’ll be okay one more night on his own.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
She nodded.
“Benji and I will still go out for a bit,” I said. “Are you okay here on your own?”
“In the inn?”
She shook her head, a faint smile on her lips. “I’ll be fine. Unless there’s a mimic pretending to be a table or something.”
“No mimics in here,” the barkeep said.
I smiled, loving Sarah’s sense of humor.
“Fishguard can be rough,” Benji said. “We’re not exactly in the best neighborhood. You wanted economy…”
“We’ll be back soon,” I said.
Benji stepped forward.
“I can stay here with her,” he said. “And watch her. I mean…watch out for her. Not a problem for me at all.”
Sarah smiled.
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “See you two in the morning.”
Benji and I walked out of the bar area while Sarah headed upstairs.
“There’s only one place to check for a half-orc,” Benji said as we made it outside. “Down by the docks.”
“Lead the way,” I said. “You’re the coolest priest I’ve met in all my travels as an adventurer.”
Benji smiled nervously as he ran a hand through his thick, brown h
air.
“Um, thanks,” he said.
I turned and sniffed the air a few times.
“Let me guess,” I said. “The docks are that way.”
“Yup,” Benji said, chuckling. “Follow me.”
We walked away from the inn, cutting down the first alley. The smell of booze and fish got stronger the closer we got to the docks.
“Have you ever been off the Grabisco Isles?” I asked.
“No,” Benji said. “Maybe someday.”
I wondered if it was possible to sail away from the main game area. How open was the world? Could we explore our way out?
“Let me do the talking,” Benji said as we approached a boardwalk.
Several weathered wooden docks reached into the ocean. Benji turned onto one of them, walking quickly toward a fishing vessel.
“He’s not here,” he said, not looking around.
“Who?” I asked, struggling to keep up with the priest.
“Nobody,” Benji said. “Somebody…but nobody.”
“You’re not making any sense,” I said.
“Do you want to get a beer?” he asked. “Do you drink?”
“I could use a brew,” I said casually.
While I’d gotten drunk a couple times, alcohol wasn’t my thing.
Benji smiled and patted me on the back.
“Come on,” he said. “I know the perfect place. We can pick up all the latest gossip. Maybe we’ll hear about your friend.”
I followed him back to the boardwalk. He traveled a few hundred feet, stopping in front of a rundown building, more of a shack.
“Here?” I asked.
“Trust me...” He opened the battered wooden door. “It’s better on the inside than it looks on the outside.”
“Okay…”
I walked through the doorway. A dozen gruff figures all turned. My rogue instincts kicked in, and I slinked over to the nearest corner.
Benji followed. We both took seats across from each other at a booth.
“You come here often?” I asked.
“More often than not lately,” Benji said.
A human waitress with curly blonde hair walked up.
“Can I help you guys?” Her smile faded as Benji turned around. “Don’t order the fish. For the sake of all that’s holy, Benji, don’t you order any fish.”
I smiled as I glanced over at him, wondering about the story.
“Bring us a pitcher of ale,” he said. “And make it snappy.”
The waitress rolled her eyes before turning. I watched as she walked away—impressed by her figure.
“Do you know her?” I asked.
“I’ve known her in the past,” he said. “Let’s leave it at that, okay?”
“Sure thing,” I said then leaned against the back of the booth.
As we waited for our drinks, I scanned the room. Nothing looked out of place for a deep dive next to the docks of a typical fantasy city.
“Reggie,” Benji shouted as he raised a hand. “Get over here, old dog.”
A man with ratty dreadlocks danced over, a smile on his face.
“You’re the dog,” he said then nodded to me. “Who’s this guy?”
“He’s looking for his friend,” Benji said. “A half-orc. You hear anything lately? There’s a reward involved.”
“Yeah,” Reggie said. “As a matter of fact, I did, but I won’t be telling you what I know.”
“Why not?” I asked. “We need to find my friend.”
“Benji here owes me money,” Reggie said.
I reached under the table and slipped a hand into my coin pouch.
“How much?” I asked.
“Two gold,” Reggie said.
“I don’t owe you that much.” Benji stood. “I owe you five silver. You’re a liar if you don’t agree with me.”
“You forgot to add the interest,” Reggie said.
He puffed out his chest as he stared at Benji.
“Settle down,” I said, tossing a couple gold coins on the table. “Here’s your gold. Both of you sit down before you attract any more attention.”
Benji sat and scooted over, leaving room for Reggie.
“Hanging out with rich people now, huh?” Reggie asked.
“Tell us what you know,” Benji said.
Reggie nodded his head.
“You want to hear about the half-orc, huh? That’s a bad guy.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“He killed a bunch of knights the other day,” Reggie said. “Word’s just getting back to us now, but it was a bloodbath.”
“My friend wouldn’t do something like that,” I said.
Reggie shrugged then stood.
“That’s all I know,” he said. “A bad ass half-orc killed a bunch of men east of Shockly Forest. There’s a bounty on his head, so I doubt he’s still alive at this point.”
“What were humans doing in orc lands?” Benji asked.
“I don’t know,” Reggie said casually. “Life’s a party, you know.”
Benji turned his attention to me as Reggie wandered away.
“What do you think?” I asked. “Can we go find him?”
“It’s dangerous,” Benji said. “And I’m not sure I trust Reggie.”
“How do you know him?” I leaned forward and put my elbows on the dirty table. “This is probably one heck of a story.”
“It’s not a good one,” Benji said.
The waitress returned with our drinks. She set a glass pitcher of dark red ale on the table, followed by two smudged glasses.
“No tabs tonight, Benji,” she said, holding out a dainty hand.
“Can you break a gold?” I asked. “How much are the drink?”
“A gold with my tip and what Benji already owes me,” she said. “I’ll keep the drinks coming.”
“Pay her,” Benji said. “Relax. You’ve had a rough day.”
I pulled another gold coin out and tossed it in the air. She snatched it like a frog eating a fly to survive.
Benji poured us each a drink as she walked away.
“To paying off debts,” he said, raising his glass. “You can take all that gold out of my first payment as your hireling.”
“I plan on it,” I said, smiling and grabbing the dirty glass.
Two drinks in of the stout ale, I didn’t care about the cleanliness of the place. The alcohol hit me hard, temporarily lifting my spirits.
By our third pitcher, Benji and I were acting like we’d been friends for years. A beefy bouncer threw us out of the establishment. Laughing, I stumbled along the boardwalk next to Benji.
“You’re the best,” I said. “Thanks for this.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Just don’t hate me in the morning.”
“May the morning never come,” I shouted. “Hold on. That doesn’t make sense.”
Benji laughed as we continued walking through the dark city streets toward the inn.
What adventures would the new day bring?
8
Take as Many Maps as You Want
SARAH
When I opened my eyes the next morning, faint images of dreams slipped away to the hidden recesses of my mind. Before getting up to check on the others, I checked the help files for more information on leveling my mage character.
> Help trainers leveling
* * *
As a first level mage, advancing to second or third level is relatively easy.
You will need to go to a nearby library and read a book. The more levels you increase, the more difficult it will become to find an adequate trainer or source of information to get to the next level.
Leveling with a trainer is the fastest and most complete way to increase your levels in the game. Be sure to find the correct person to mentor you in your chosen field of study.
Trainers need to be within five levels (up or down) of your current level to train you. Trainers of a lower level will take considerably more time to train you than those
of a higher level who teach you.
When trainers aren’t available at higher levels (above level three), you can acquire books to increase your level when you have enough experience points. This method of training takes more time than working with a trainer, but sometimes it might be all that’s available.
In Fishguard, the only library is a rundown shack outside the city walls. Ruffians, bandits, and worse roam the local wilderness. The nearest library of quality is to the West in Mednia. You will find a book to advance to the next level at either place.
Could be worse. Reading a book to increase my skills isn’t bad, but it sounds like finding an actual trainer is the way to go.
I continued searching the help files of the game.
> Help skill points
* * *
On level one-one of the Tower of Gates, you learn skills by using them. Occasionally, as you’re using a skill, the skill will improve. Very rarely, when trying something new, you may gain a new skill.
Ooh. I like it. My character can be whatever I choose to be.
Maybe being stuck wasn’t such a bad thing?
I recoiled at the thought and sat up in bed.
> Help Quitting
* * *
You do not have sufficient privileges to exit the Tower of Gates. Keep adventuring and working on yourself as a person.
That’s new. I took a deep breath. None of this makes any sense.
Eric rustled in the bed next to mine.
“Time to get up,” I said, throwing my covers back.
“Ugh,” he moaned. “Five more minutes…”
I sat on the edge of the bed.
“Are you up, Benji?” I asked.
“This is why I’m not married anymore,” he mumbled.
I smiled, walked over to the window and opened the thick cotton curtains as the bright sunshine filled the room.
Eric moaned. I turned and saw him rolling out of bed; his hair sticking up in every direction. He yawned and stretched.
“Good morning, sleepy head,” I said. “What time did you two come in last night?”
“I don’t know,” Eric said. “It was late. Have you been up long?”
“No,” I said. “Did you find out any information last night, or did you just drink?”