They collapse underneath the weight of their shields, and I toss the bodies over the edge of the pass along with the shields. Nowadays, I don’t keep loot unless it’s particularly valuable or something I can use.
I don’t spend as much time in Pangea as I used to. I’ve leveled up nicely over the past year, but I don’t grind. I still honor my streaming contract, entertaining my fans several times a week. My partnership with VR Haptix is the only reason I was able to get out of The Boxes in the first place, so I feel I owe it to them even though I could buy my way out of the contract if I wanted.
I spend most of my time beta testing full-immersion in The Broken Lands with Buzz and Grayson, but this is where I get quality gaming time with Aleesia. Her busy schedule with school and her internship doesn’t leave her a lot of free time, but we come back to the Mortican Mountains when we can, back to where it all started.
My haptic suit is top of the line. It mimics smells, textures, and the weight of holding a weapon, but it’s nothing compared to full-immersion.
“Not bad, handsome.” Aleesia flashes me a smile.
I kiss her on the cheek. “Couldn’t have done it without you.”
She laughs, and then rolls her eyes. “Oh, come on! You’re Esil Allen, the kid from The Boxes who won the Developer’s Tournament. I’m sure you would have figured something out.” The sarcasm drips from her voice. She walks past me up the pass to where the orcs came from, and I follow.
The view from atop the pass is spectacular. Forests, rivers, and towns pepper the landscape in every direction. The town square where the main portal empties players into this world is nothing more than a tiny dot from our position.
Aleesia pulls a fur blanket from her satchel and spreads it on the snow. She takes a seat and uncorks a bottle filled with red liquid.
Substance: Fire Whiskey. Buff: +2% attack for the next hour.
She pours some in a cup and hands it to me before pouring herself one. She raises her glass. “To us.”
I clink my glass against hers. “To us,” I echo. I drink the fire whiskey and my haptic suit goes warm around my throat and slowly trails down to my stomach.
It’s more of a symbolic gesture than anything. We don’t need the two percent attack buff since we out-level most of the enemies in this part of the map, but it’s a reminder of our first adventure together, when she took a chance on me and we raided a dungeon.
“Are you excited about your trip?” She puts the fire whiskey away back into her bag and moves closer.
“I am.” I take her hand in mine. “But if I’m being honest, I’m also a bit nervous. This will be the first time I’ve been back to The Boxes since the Developer’s Tournament.”
“Yeah, but it will mean so much to them. To see that someone just like them made something of themselves.”
I’m supposed to give a talk to the kids at the orphanage where I grew up. I’ll also be making a donation to help with their schooling. There’s a lot of pressure in going back, mostly from myself. I want to tell these kids that they can do anything, to do my best to inspire them, but the truth is that I don’t feel like I made it out on my own.
“It’s not quite the same though. I had luck, and then I had you and Buzz and Grayson, and in the end, I had my dad. Without all of that, I wouldn’t have stood a chance.”
She squeezes my hand, and her fiery red eyes burn with passion. “That doesn’t make it any less special. Buzz and Grayson, you met them in the mines. That Developer’s Chest, you found it in the mines. Yes, your dad helped you in the end, but you had already made it out of The Boxes and were living in Civic City by the time that happened.”
I shake my head, but I can’t fight back the smile. “You’re right. You always are.”
We enjoy the view for a while longer, watching the sun set over the surrounding mountain peaks. It’s easy to see why people love Pangea Online so much. There’s so much more to it than just fighting and leveling.
Where else can you watch a watercolor sky this beautiful? Maybe at Pangea Headquarters, but there aren’t a lot of places in the real world with a view like this.
Aleesia’s eyes glaze over for a moment as she checks her notifications.
“Time to go. I have a bit of work to finish before bed tonight.” She gives my hand a gentle squeeze.
We gather our items and teleport back to the town square.
I should get some rest, too. Tomorrow is a big day in The Broken Lands, and then there’s my talk at the orphanage the next day. It’s going to be a busy week.
Chapter Two
As I approach Carolton, I can’t help but appreciate how much has changed in a year. Smoke wafts over the city walls at dawn, and two guardsmen wave at me from the guard tower.
Chains crank as the drawbridge slowly descends. Several farmers wait beside me, their wagons filled with produce and meats that they’ll sell at the market. The sweet aroma of freshly-picked peaches has me salivating. The guards stand sentry on the parapet above the bridge with their crossbows pointed to the side. Thorny vines run along the walls’ edges, a beautiful yet threatening warning to anyone foolish enough to try and sneak in.
All across The Broken Lands, society is evolving, and Carolton is at the forefront.
Over the past year, as more and more beta testers have entered the game, magic and technology have boomed in unison, creating new demands and ushering society into the next age. Adventurers sell their loot in the market. Stories and songs of great deeds and explorations travel from town to town. No longer do the townspeople talk about the drudgery of their jobs, but of the excitement that surrounds them.
With all the new adventurers and tourism, Carolton has been heavily populated. Many lives were lost in the great goblin battle, but the influx of new players has filled the void, and the town is now more prosperous than ever.
After I used my magic to explode the front wall of Carolton, the gate needed to be rebuilt. Grayson had the idea to expand the walls during the rebuild to prepare the town for the arrival of new players. That was such a wise decision. Not only have new players moved to Carolton, but new NPCs as well. There’s an energy in the air, and everyone wants in on the action.
In the aftermath of the goblin battle, a massive moat was constructed around the town’s edge. A large drawbridge now keeps intruders at bay and bars access to the town after sundown. The remainder of the old wooden wall was torn down and replaced with stone, further increasing our defenses. Several covered guard towers protect our scouts on each side. Storming these walls will be no easy task.
The guards nod to me as I pass, and I return the gesture as I cross the bridge into town. I was the first at the gate this morning, having bound my location to an outpost in the nearby forest before logging out last time. Several safe houses have been constructed throughout the kingdom so that adventurers can bind themselves in safe areas to store their belongings if need be before logging out.
Today’s agenda includes dealing with an outbreak of Giant Weevils that have been decimating local farms around the Cursed Forest. The annoying insects are even able to infiltrate Carter’s magical plants. We’ll be gearing up to care of them before the problem has a chance to spread too far. I’ve pinpointed the source of the infestation and plan to take a group out to deal with them later today.
The sun is just beginning to rise as I enter Carolton, but the town is already alive. Smiling faces greet me as I walk through town, a far cry from my first day here.
People come from far and wide to visit Carolton. Once only a minor trade-post on the outskirts of the kingdom, it has become one of the most prosperous cities in The Broken Lands, due in large part to Carter and the botanical gardens he has created.
Once the defenses were set back in place, Carter found himself without a lot to do, so he began growing things. Odd little plants that have no real purpose in the world other than entertainment. They are truly a sight to behold. Fruit trees that juggle their fruit, dancing palm trees, an orchestra of
flowers that put on a concert every night. It’s a veritable circus at times, and people can’t seem to get enough.
As part of my reward for completing the quest to save Carolton, I’m now a part of the town council that makes all decisions regarding Carolton’s well-being.
The inn is always full, and the taverns and restaurants boom with laughter and music every evening. Peace and prosperity have spread across the kingdom.
And of course, tourism has opened many other avenues for money-making. Gertle opened a restaurant, The Squawking Hen, and Clarence, the moneylender, decided to strike out for himself and opened a pub, The Elixir. One of his bartenders is an alchemist with the ability to make enchanted cocktails. Needless to say, business is booming for him. The request for permits to build and sell inside of Carolton overflows as soon as we make a dent in them. Everyone wants a piece of the action.
If the excitement of running a city isn’t enough, there are now nearly one hundred adventurers, with dozens of branches of magic, running across The Broken Lands. A majority of them have settled in Carolton, but several have spread out to other towns and villages with a few being so bold as to move to the king’s castle.
The kingdom has been at peace since the goblin attack, though many towns fear that an invasion is imminent. Elves have been spotted more frequently along the edge of the Endless Forest, and dark tidings drip down from Thunder Mountain. Word is that one of the new mages has aligned himself with the goblins and they are gathering more tribes together for another assault on the kingdom.
I hope this isn’t the case, but if it is, they’d be wise to stay away from Carolton.
I spot Carter sitting beneath a large tree that shadows over the entire town. He wears a violet tunic with brown trousers. His bushy brown hair is as erratic as always. The trident I enchanted for him leans against the tree. I allow my gaze to drift upward along the trunk, following it to the heavens. It might be the largest tree I have ever seen.
“How is Florian this morning?” I ask, gesturing at the tree.
Carter pats the trunk firmly. “He grows stronger by the day. I miss having him follow me around everywhere I go, but the fact that I was able to save him is all that matters. Now, he watches over the town. He communes with trees miles and miles from here and will be able to warn us if we are ever in danger.”
I still can’t believe it worked. In the goblin battle, Florian was burnt and chopped to pieces. The once-great walking tank of a tree was nothing more than a pile of charred wooden debris once the battle was over.
Carter refused to accept that his friend was gone forever. He took the remaining pieces of Florian and buried them in the ground in the town’s center. For the next week, he poured all his mana into the earth with one goal in mind: pushing life into the broken timber. The town feared he had gone mad, but on the seventh day, a sprout shot up and has been growing ever since.
Florian is a tree unlike any I have ever seen. He towers above the town. Each branch contains dozens of needle-like leaves, almost like a pine, but instead of cones, beautiful white flowers blossom from its branches. A soft glow radiates from them at night. Occasionally, a branch shakes or the trunk rumbles, a gentle reminder of the life inside.
“What’s on the docket for today?” he asks, standing and offering me his hand.
“A new batch of adventurers should be popping up across the kingdom today. That’s a low priority for now, though. I’ll be taking a team out to try and sort out this whole weevil nonsense before it begins to affect prices at the market. They’ve managed to eat through several of the crops you magically buffed, and the last thing we need are prices going through the roof.”
Carter nods. “Let me know if I can be of assistance. I’m planning something special for tonight’s show, but I can always make time to help. Speaking of which, I best be getting on my way. My morning relaxation is at its end.” He turns to the behemoth tree and places his hand against the bark. “I’ll see you later, Florian.”
Several branches shake in response, and pine needles fall on our shoulders.
“We should be good, but I’ll keep you posted.”
I’m making my way towards the council room when Neil—a red-headed, freckled, young man—approaches me in the street.
“Esil, is it true? Are there more adventurers coming today?” he asks, excitement coating his voice.
Neil wears the blue tunic and gray pants of the city watch. He must be on his way to guard duty. Before the goblin attack, Neil was as green as they come, but he has become a formidable swordsman and one of our most vigilant watchmen.
“It certainly seems so. I don’t imagine it will be long before some of them show up at our gates.”
“I heard you are going out into the forest today. Do you mind if I come?” Neil asks, his eyes wide.
“Aren’t you on duty?” As interested as he is, it wouldn’t be right to take him from his post. Discipline is key for our defenses.
“I just finished my patrol actually. I was on night duty.” His eyes bore into me with fierce desire.
Neil is always looking for adventure, but the thing he’s truly after is magic. There’s an awe in his eyes when he watches others use it. He’s spoken to Kindra about it several times over the last few weeks. Questioning how she learned her own. But the system only provides the questline for magic to those it finds worthy and so far, Neil’s name hasn’t come up.
The kid has spunk, though. A night shift and still wants more, who am I to stop him?
“Alright then, gear up and meet me by the market in an hour. I’m going to meet with the council and then we’ll be on our way.”
Neil clenches his fists and takes off running. He disappears around the corner next to the blacksmith.
I find Kindra and Jacob in the council room deep in conversation, discussing adding members to the city watchmen in order to keep the peace during large events. When I’m logged out, they are the ones who make sure everything is in order. Jacob is the town governor, but being a wise man, he established the council under the idea that more heads would give sounder advice. Currently, the council consists of Jacob, Gertle, Clarence, Terence the town blacksmith, myself, and Kindra.
Kindra, Carter, and I were all asked to join the council after the goblin battle. Carter declined, choosing to focus his time on the botanical garden and his plant-based defenses.
“Is it true?” asks Jacob, running his fingers through his gray beard. “Are we getting more adventurers today?”
“It is. This should be the last group that comes through for a while. Any word on Priscilla?”
Kindra slides her chair back from the table. “There have been sightings of a woman in white all over the kingdom. She’s never any place for too long, but it’s usually around some new adventurer appearing or a magical occurrence. I don’t know what she’s playing at, but I feel like she’s definitely involved in this somehow.”
Over a year of game-time has passed since she up and left Carolton without so much as a note or a word. We still have no idea why. It all has to be connected, though. I’m still not sure what she is, but I know she is ancient and powerful. I have my suspicions that she and the AI are connected in some way.
She was the one who sent Carter and I on the initial quest to unlock our own magic. Over the course of that journey, magic returned to the world for the first time since the Age of Mages, thousands of years ago. Now, magic is everywhere.
Maybe her part has been played, and now she’s content to watch from the background.
I lean forward against the table. “I’ll be taking Neil and a couple of others out to try and deal with the weevils. Are you free to come, Kindra? Your abilities are always a welcome addition. You might be able to track down an adventurer or two while we are out.”
Her mind magic is powerful, and she can often sense the presence of other people if they are within a certain radius, even if they are hidden.
“Are you good to handle things without me?” she asks J
acob.
He gives her a proud smile. “I think I can manage. Try to be back by sundown if you can. Carter has something special planned this evening.”
Neil and Grayson wait for me in the market, along with two of the newer adventurers who have unlocked magic: Margarita and Titus. Neil wears a sword strapped to his side, and Grayson carries a wooden staff.
The tip of Grayson’s staff holds a magnificent emerald. Since his body here resembles his real-life body and not the sexy, muscled pirate of Pangea, the staff fits with his aging wizard look. After moving out of The Boxes and into Pangea Headquarters, Grayson has let his beard go and it almost resembles the version I remember from the mines.
Margarita’s olive skin and flaming red hair drapes down her back, accentuating her light blue dress that flows in the breeze. She has the magical ability to control the wind so wherever she walks, a gentle breeze always caresses her.
Titus, on the other hand, is perhaps the palest person I have ever seen. His eyes seem too large for his face. He has short black hair, and two teeth that jut down over his lips like a rat. There is nothing rat-like about his personality, though. In contrast, he is one of the kindest people I have ever met. Meek and unassuming, he has the ability to flash in and out of our plane of existence.
I’m actually pretty excited to go out with Grayson today. He’s had magic for a while now but has yet to tell me what his affinity is. Maybe I’ll finally see him put it to use.
Kindra shows up a few minutes later, her hair pulled into a messy bun. Her yellow tunic contrasts with her surly disposition.
“Alright, let’s get his show on the road,” she says, quickly bypassing us, not waiting for the go-ahead.
She’s been like that for as long as I’ve known her. Defiant, stubborn, and hard to crack. On the few times I’ve broken down her walls, I’ve discovered there is actually a very caring and kind person underneath.
Pangea Online: The Complete Trilogy Page 48