The Luckless: A MMORPG and LitRPG Online Adventure (Second Age of Retha Book 1)

by A. M. Sohma

  Soon, she reached the square opening of the shaft. Blinking in the sunshine, she wormed her way out, falling out of the shaft and landing in garbage piled in front of it with a wet splat. She leaped from the pile and sucked in great gulps of air.

  “Cold-hearted-designers. There’s no possible way that chute could be legitimately used to get rid of garbage.”

  Cookie popped out of the shadows. “Good job getting out all by yourself! And there aren’t any guards around, at least not right now anyway.”

  Kit tottered away from the garbage, shaking refuse from her clothes and limbs. Her hair, ironically enough, had not even a speck of dirt in it, nor a lock out of place. “The guards are on rotating patrols; but I’m not too worried about that. Back when I played, they were mostly posted outside important buildings.”

  “That’s good to hear. So, should we head to the marketplace?”

  “No. I don’t want to walk around smelling like a sewer rat—I’ll get kicked out of any stores we try to enter. Let’s take a quick detour. There’s a city well nearby we can use to clean up.”

  “I’m game if you are,” Cookie said.

  Kit, her clothes smeared with grime and smelling powerfully enough to make her eyes water, took a quick look around. The garbage shaft had popped them out in one of the residential areas of the city. It took her a few moments to rummage through her memories and recall the layout of Luminos—with which she had once been so familiar, she could probably have drawn it out by hand. “This way.” She started up the cobblestone street, ignoring the horrified looks an NPC innkeeper gave her when she passed his doorstep.

  They didn’t see any other players until they reached the edge of the residential area, popping out in a small circle that held a well and a stable.

  Situated in front of the stable was a gallant-looking female knight who was entertaining a small, mostly female audience. When the knight glanced from her companions to Kit and Cookie, she grimaced in sympathy. “The lost ring in the garbage quest?”

  Kit shook her head and wiped crusted dirt off her wrist. “We used the garbage chute to enter the city.”

  The knight shook her head, making the high positioned ponytail of her blue-black hair flare behind her. “That’s never a fun experience.”

  “Tell me about it,” Kit grumbled.

  “Alistair.” One of the knight’s friends tugged on the knight’s armor. “Are you going to finish your story?”

  The knight smiled—the combination of her white teeth and sincere light in her eyes making the gesture charming. “Of course, milady.” She nodded to Kit and Cookie, then returned her attention to her friends.

  Two of her crowd—a male who had goggles pushed up into his hair and wore a crazy amount of buckles, and a girl with tawny-colored skin who wore druid robes—watched Kit curiously for a moment before they too returned their gazes to their companions.

  Kit ignored the extra attention and waddled over to the well, freezing momentarily when she realized too late that a pair of soldiers were entering the street circle. She was paralyzed with fear—and dearly tempted to break in her new “Swear Proficiently” skill as they walked the circle.

  Oddly, the soldiers didn’t even glance at her—though they poked their heads in the stable—and continued with their patrol.

  Cookie rubbed her chin and joined the still-paralyzed Kit. “Huh, I wonder if they didn’t notice you because of the garbage.”

  “Could be.” With the threat of insta-death out of the way, Kit darted to the well and, using a crank mechanism, drew up a wooden bucket filled with water. Without hesitating, she dumped it on herself, washing away some of the slime.

  It took several more buckets of water before Kit felt she could breathe through her nose again. She closed her eyes, sucked in a gulp of air. “At long last…I don’t smell sour enough to make myself sick.”

  “I didn’t think it was quite that bad, but in addition to superior sight as an elf, maybe you have a superior sense of smell, as well?” Cookie splashed water on herself and cleared away some of the sewage grime, but she wasn’t even half as dirty as Kit.

  Ahhh, the athleticism of a night stalker. Kit brushed her damp bangs out of her eyes. “Maybe. The important thing is that now we won’t drive everyone away with our stench.”

  “Yes, Vic would kick me in the face if I tried to hug her while smelling like garbage.” Cookie tossed the empty bucket back in the well. “Are you ready to go meet up with the rest of the group now?”

  “Yep. Follow me. It’s this way.” Kit trotted off, leaving the quiet city circle for a busy street that was filled with NPC shops and players meandering from store to store.

  As a city, Luminos was practically an ode to straight lines and tall buildings. Almost every city structure had multiple floors, and the buildings were always pristinely straight up and down and built out of the same gray rock as the city’s walls. In spite of the uniformity, or perhaps because of it, each section—and in some cases each street—brimmed with its own brand of character, achieved with beautifully colored banners, stained glass windows, unique lamp posts, and eye-catching signs.

  Strolling through Luminos was comforting for Kit. Though it had been years, the city was still much the same. There were a number of new stores, but many of the same NPCs strolled down the street as they had back in Kit’s day.

  The familiar sight of a little girl NPC who was always accompanied by her pet pig made Kit smile as they meandered past. I still can’t believe we’re in danger—it’s like coming home again…. But maybe that makes it worse. I find it hard to fathom being in danger when I spent years playing this game.

  When unease tugged on her stomach, Kit opened her character panel and grimaced. The community tab was still darkened. I’ve got to keep my priorities straight. Until EC starts making some announcements and transfers us back to the main servers, killing Malignus needs to be my focus. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, then picked up her pace to a brisk walk.

  Cookie gazed wide-eyed at a pet store that sold beautifully colored cats. “I’m glad I saved Chronicles of Retha to play with Vic. If any game can make a gamer out of her, it’ll be Retha.”

  “They put a lot of effort into making every part of the game be a true experience.” Kit rounded the corner, which opened into the city marketplace—the most popular place for players to try and hawk their wares to fellow players.

  “+10 agility sword, only a hundred silver marks!”

  “Poison antidotes, mana potions, and health potions—get ‘em all here at Snooty Moody’s store.”

  “Rare buccaneer saber—private message me with best offer.”

  Cookie staggered back under the onslaught of shouts. “What a thriving economy.”

  Kit peered at the marketplace, which was a checkerboard of player stores and potential customers. “This is actually pretty empty—probably because of the technical difficulties.” She scowled when two male players standing nearby hid no attempt to take a screenshot of her.

  Cookie gaped. “Are you serious?”

  “Yep. Usually if you walk near the marketplace, you get a wave of lag because there are so many people packed in it.” Kit plunged into the stands, shouldering her way through the crowds. Once, she had to save Cookie from a particularly aggressive merchant, but in no time at all the pair popped out of the thickest of the crowds and staggered their way to the gigantic mermaid fountain.

  The fountain was huge—easily the size of a small cottage—and made completely of marble. Three carved mermaid maidens sat on rocks, which gushed with drinkable water.

  Cookie squinted up at the giant display. “It’s so beautiful!”

  Kit studied the monstrosity. “It’s certainly eye-catching. Look, our group is over there.”

  Kit and Cookie trotted around the fountain, waving to catch the attention of the rest of the party.

  When Gil saw them, he smiled and nodded—giving him a fatherly aura. “I’m glad to see you made it safely into the c
ity,” he said when they drew close enough to hear him.

  “It was certainly an experience.” Kit flapped the gauzy material of her skirt, trying to dry it faster. “One I hope not to repeat.”

  “Vic!” Cookie squealed and sidled up next to her friend. “Did you enjoy yourself?”

  “Of course not,” Vic scoffed. “I’m stuck in this rustic-aged game; how can I enjoy myself? Here!” Vic shoved a fist-sized, cinnamon-covered, cat-shaped cake at her friend.

  “You bought this for me? Aw, Vic! You’re too sweet!” Cookie beamed as she took the cake.

  “You’re making a big deal over nothing. I only got it because I thought you wouldn’t have eaten yet.” Vic lifted her nose and refused to look at her friend.

  Though players didn’t strictly have to eat and drink in-game, usually the mind and stomach eventually sensed the time spent between pseudo meals and revolted, and players grew hungry—although mostly food was consumed to heal after a battle. The same went for sleeping. Players could stay awake for days in game time—though if you were on long enough, exhaustion usually won out and even the best of gamers crashed to get a few hours of rest.

  Kit turned her attention from the two younger girls, and studied Axel. She was a little perplexed that he was still with them. Is he starting to realize the severity of the situation?

  The warrior scratched at an itch under his armor. “What?” he asked when he caught her staring at him.

  “I was wondering why you’re still tagging along when you said you only wanted to come to Luminos for a quest.”

  “I thought I’d stick with you guys for now to make sure no one mugs you. You’re going to the Guildhall, aren’t you?”

  Kit nodded.

  “And where is the Guildhall located?” Gil’s armor clanked as he shifted.

  “Not too far from here. It’s pretty close to the Fibbit Services’ headquarters.” Kit pointed north, toward the top of the city.

  “Then let’s go,” Vic said. “The community tab still isn’t up, and I want some answers.”

  “Right.” Kit paused to re-orientate herself, then circled around the mermaid fountain and headed north.

  Rather than traveling on the broad main roads that were wide enough to ride mounts on and housed the more important buildings, Kit wove through smaller streets—doing her best to avoid soldiers. It took longer, but eventually they strolled into the North Ward of the city.

  Luminos’ most important buildings were all located in the North Ward, on a hill that pitched them higher than the rest the city. The Guildhall and the Fibbit Services’ corporate headquarters were only two of a handful of the spectacularly beautiful hillside buildings.

  The Guildhall was in the center. The main part of the building was cylinder in shape, with smaller hallways that branched off into towers so it almost resembled a snowflake. A massive garden sprawled in front of the Guildhall, though a wooden walkway peppered with guards split the grounds in half.

  Kit sighed. “I’ll have to meet you all inside.”

  “How will you get in this time?” Vic asked.

  “Certainly not another garbage chute, I hope?” Cookie asked.

  Kit rubbed one of her tapered elf ears. “Nope. I can avoid the guards if I circle around through the gardens. It will just take a little extra time.”

  Gil relaxed his grip on his massive spear. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”

  “It shouldn’t be. I’ll meet you guys just inside the front doors. It’s a really pretty building, so feel free to look around while you wait for me. There’s a bunch of beautifully themed meeting rooms you can check out.” Kit waved as she started to walk away, but she was still able to hear their conversation for a few more moments.

  “I wonder what sort of meeting rooms a fantasy game can create,” Vic said.

  Axel shifted the sheath of his sword strapped to his back. “Can’t say I’m interested in interior design.”

  Kit approached the large, green hedge that walled in the gardens in front of the Guildhall. Cringing, she squirmed her way through it. It was nearly as wide as she was tall, and she popped out the other side as she spat out a green leaf. “Far easier than garbage-chute spelunking.” She took her merry time, darting behind white birch trees, flowering lilac bushes, and even a birdbath fountain.

  Once in the Guildhall, I’ll have to try to tell everyone what Bryce told me…hopefully they won’t think I’m a lunatic.

  When she was flush against the Guildhall wall, she trotted toward the entrance and was again forced to fight her way through the thick hedge. She made it almost all the way through when her skirt snagged on a hedge branch.

  She gritted her teeth and tugged on her skirt. “I wonder if Bryce had his little designer friend mess with my character’s gameplay balance. Because this is enough to make a saint swear.” She leaned back, and her skirt abruptly gave. She crashed out of the bush, almost falling on her rear before righting herself at the last moment.

  She shook her clothes out, shedding a few leaves and grateful her skirt was still in one piece. She was combing her fingers through her hair to make sure she didn’t have any greenery stuck in her thick locks when a deep voice interrupted her.

  “Could you move, please.”

  Startled, Kit belatedly realized she’d been blocking one of the doorways to the Guildhall. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She backed up to let a large man exit the building.

  He wore a dark-colored cloak with a hood that shadowed most of his body so Kit couldn’t see more than the faint gleam of his armor. His face, however, was visible. He had a square chin, piercing gray eyes, and dark eyebrows that had a strong slant to them.

  As he looked at her, he raised his eyebrows in open disdain and made a noise in the back of his throat.

  Kit blushed. She was aware that between her class and character design, she looked like the sort of person most serious gamers would look down on...but he didn’t have to openly remind her! She narrowed her eyes at him, purposely flicked a leaf in his direction, then flounced around him and slipped into the Guildhall.

  “Kit!” Cookie called.

  Kit swiveled around, searching for the night stalker.

  “Over here,” Vic added.

  Kit spotted her party just a little in, gathered around the base of a marble statue of a knight. “Hey.”

  “Did he say anything to you?” Cookie eagerly asked.

  Kit blinked. “Who are we talking about?”

  “Solus Miles.” Gil folded his arms and stared thoughtfully at the door Kit had entered through. “He was just confronted by two players. He shot them down as coolly as you please.”

  Still lost, Kit tilted her head. “…So?”

  “He’s apparently the top player in the game,” Vic said wryly.

  “How did you know that?” Kit asked.

  Vic shivered in horror. “I didn’t. A bunch of inane girls squealed loudly about it when they saw him.”

  “He was the amazing knight that almost ran into you at the door,” Cookie chimed in.

  Axel adjusted his sword. “He isn’t that amazing.”

  Vic rolled her eyes. “Your eyes were practically filled with stars when you watched him shut down those other two players.”

  Axel frowned sharply and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Yeah? Well, his name sounds like some kind of emo punk band.”

  “Like you should be the one to criticize,” Vic snorted.

  So the top player is a bit of an elitist, is he? That’s it, from now on I shall think of him as Intimidating Eyebrows, Kit thought rather ungraciously.

  “What part of the Guildhall do you think will offer us the most information, Kit?” Gil asked.

  “If we follow this hall, it opens up into a circular chamber. That’s usually where big news items are posted, and the bigger guilds meet to discuss game business.”

  Vic began marching down the hallway. “Then what are we waiting for?”

  Cookie trotted to catch up with her, an
d Kit, Gil, and Axel trailed in their wake.

  Even before they reached the chamber, the murmur of muted conversations crawled down the hallway. The volume increased when the passageway opened up. The area was designed for discussion. Giant chalkboards were bolted to several walls, displaying some of the more important records held by various players. Higher up, all the banners of the most esteemed and powerful guilds were hung. Although they were brilliant spots of color, they couldn’t compete with the complex stained-glass window that made up the ceiling.

  A wave of nostalgia hit Kit as she gazed at the banners that hung from the stone walls. She only recognized a handful of them—the rest were all new since she and her guild had left Retha.

  The room was ringed with chairs and cushions to sit on, and although the game was far emptier than usual, a fair number of the seats were occupied. Players were listening to a discussion held between several representatives from guilds who had their banners on the walls.

  “I still say there’s nothing to worry about! There haven’t been any more announcements. If we were in danger, EC would say something,” a werewolf roared. He folded his arms across his massive chest and stood in a small crowd of players—mostly males—who ranged from muscled humans to more werewolves.

  “EC is a brilliant organization,” a male elf said. “They may not be telling us because they are trying to cover their butt legally speaking, or because they are afraid bad news could create chaos among us players.” His nameplate marked him as being a member of the Silver Army Guild, which greatly encouraged Kit, as the Silver Army had been around when she played.

  The werewolf scowled. “Players should be strong enough to face dire situations,” he growled.

  “Your guild may be able to do so,” a gruff dwarf—who Kit thought might be a girl based on the slightly higher voice pitch, but couldn’t tell because the player’s helm completely obscured his/her face—pointed out. “But what about all the new players who joined the game just before this? How do you think they would respond?”