“Nonsense.” Grayson shakes his head. “You earned it. Now, what do you say we go get you into some real western wear?”
Outside of the Rusty Nail Saloon, a wide dirt road runs through the middle of town. A tumbleweed rolls past, leaving a trail of dust in its wake. Across the street, there’s a general store, a bank, and a barber. A little further down, I spot a chapel with a tall steeple and a blacksmith. To the other side, there are a few offices, a jail, and a corral for horses and other livestock. A few houses dot the edge of town, but most of the people I’ve seen stay in the inn above the saloon.
We head to the general store. Unlike most worlds that would have shops for clothing, weapons, food, and whatever else, it can all be found in one place here.
A porch sits several feet off the ground, making it easier to load and unload supplies into wagons. As we step inside, a bell announces our arrival.
I purchased the clothing I’m wearing through my home portal, so this is the first time I’ve been in the general store. The entire space is crammed with shelves, counters, and displays showcasing all manner of items.
A giant barrel full of nails sits next to a display of blueprints for barns, houses, and other frontier buildings. Near the back, harnesses and bullwhips hang from the wall next to an assortment of button-up shirts. They have cowboy hats, boots, denim, and khakis. The register is surrounded by a variety of candies, wooden toys, a barrel of pickles, potatoes, jerky, and other foodstuffs. A large bulletin board next to the door displays wanted posters, work for hire, election notices, and other information about the town.
“How can I help you gentlemen?” A weathered voice draws my attention, and I spot an older man with a long gray beard sitting on a stool behind the counter.
“We’re looking to get this one outfitted.” Grayson gestures toward Dean. “And we’ll all need to buy weapons.”
The old man gets off the stool. “Follow me this way and I’ll show you our starter packs. You get more bang for your buck that way.”
Dean follows the man toward the back of the store.
Grayson turns to me. “Do you want to pick a quest off the board for us? That way we can decide what weapons we’ll need. I’ll help the kid get his gear sorted.”
“Will do.” I leave Grayson to shop and return my attention to the bulletin board.
It’s filled with notices attached by thumbtacks. I disregard the work for hire and stuff relating to the townspeople. We want action and adventure, and the best way to find it is with a bounty. Dozens of posters offer rewards for capturing outlaws wanted for everything from trespassing to murder. I quickly glance through them.
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Peter 'Dust Devil' Griffith
Crime: Murder
Reward: $1000
Wanted: For Capture Alive
Matthew 'Whip' Williamson
Crime: Fraud (Selling Harmful Substances as Miracle Medicine)
Reward: $100
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Jack 'Night Rider' Patterson
Glen 'Hawkeyes' Hendrix
Fannie 'the Blind' McConnell
Elsie 'Faith' Whitehead
Percy ‘Big’ Leon
Crime: Robbery
Reward: $750 per person
As I focus on each poster, it enlarges across my vision, offering more detail on each bounty.
Peter ‘Dust Devil’ Griffith is wanted for the murder of Ulysses Smith. Griffith murdered Smith in cold blood over a disagreement relating to a game of poker. He is believed to be hiding in Caldecot Cove.
Matthew 'Whip' Williamson is wanted for selling harmful substances under the guise of a miracle cure. After several people became ill, it was determined that Williamson was passing off a mixture that included snake venom as a cure for baldness. He was last seen on the outskirts of town to the west.
Jack 'Night Rider' Patterson, Glen 'Hawkeyes' Hendrix, Fannie 'the Blind' McConnell, Elsie 'Faith' Whitehead, and Percy ‘Big’ Leon, also known as ‘The Rowdy Five’, are wanted for stagecoach robbery. Their last-known whereabouts were in the Black Hills, where it is believed they have stashed their loot in the rocky caves.
They go on like this for a while. There are enough bounties to keep us busy for weeks, but I take the one for The Rowdy Five off the board and go find the others. With there being five of them, we have a better chance at collecting at least one of the bounties, not to mention the possibility of finding their stolen loot.
I find Grayson and Dean in the back of the store near the clothing. Dean has a large red-and-yellow poncho draped over his shoulders and a tan Stetson hat. He’s also traded his sneakers for a pair of brown boots.
He turns to me with a wide grin. “Pretty cool, right?” He lifts his arms, revealing the breadth of the poncho. “I should blend in pretty well with the sandy terrain.” He reaches down and picks up a burlap sack. “I also got this starter pack. It has everything we need to make camp. Plus canned beans and jerky for when we need energy.”
“Nice. I found us a bounty. What else do we need?”
Grayson takes the bounty paper and glances it over. “We need weapons, and then we’ll need to rent some horses from the stable.” He turns to the older gentleman. “Let’s take a look at your firearms.”
The old man leads us to a glass case filled with various weapons. Several revolvers, a shotgun, and a few different rifles, along with knives of different lengths, and even a slingshot and marbles.
“What can I do for you gentlemen?”
Grayson kneels in front of the display. “It looks like we’re setting off in search of The Rowdy Five. We’ll capture them if we can, but we need to be prepared for a shootout just in case.”
The man shakes his head. “Good luck with that. Many have tried to round them up, but they’re a dangerous bunch. They know those hills like the back of their hands.” He unlocks the display and reaches inside. “There’s a reason nobody has caught them yet. I’d suggest you each take two weapons. But you’ll definitely need a revolver in any case.” He picks up a handgun with a rotating barrel. “This one should do nicely.”
Peacemaker. Single-action Revolver.
Ammo Capacity: 6
While they lack the range and firepower of a rifle, the revolver is a staple in every westerner’s toolkit. They can be fired with one hand, making them the perfect weapon for firing from horseback or while steering a carriage. They are quick to reload and are accurate in close to medium range.
“Alright, we’ll take three of those.” I pull out a handful of chips from the saloon. “Tell us about what else you have.”
“We’ll take four.” Grayson takes the revolver from the counter and spins it around his finger. “I prefer to dual wield.”
“Very well.” The man reaches beneath the counter and pulls out a shotgun. “For close range. Or if you want to pepper something from far away.”
Winchester Model 1897. Pump-action Shotgun.
Ammo Capacity: 2
The preeminent weapon for close range. The use of pellets over a single bullet provides greater accuracy and damage at close range. They are also excellent weapons for hunting birds and other small game.
“And then we have this if either of you are a sharpshooter.”
Spencer Repeating Rifle. Lever-action Rifle.
Ammo Capacity: 7
Rifles provide longer range and more firepower than revolvers. Due to the increased damage, they are not recommended for small prey, as they will obliterate the animal, leaving nothing to skin.
“Dibs on the rifle.” Dean picks it up and aims down the sight toward the wall.
I take the shotgun and feel its weight against my palm. “After your stunt in the saloon, I’m not going to argue with you. You have the best accuracy out of any of us. I guess I’ll take the shotgun then.”
We stock up on ammo, as well as a few other provisions before heading to the stables where we rent three horses for the evening.
Once we’re all saddled up, I pull out the wa
nted poster for The Rowdy Five and focus on it again.
Accept Bounty? Y/N
I accept and a small dot appears on the map in my vision.
Chapter Nine
The clop-clop of horse hooves against the sandy terrain is surprisingly calming as we travel across the desert. As I expand the map in the corner of my vision, I notice the dot marking our destination is less precise than it appeared on the mini-map. Instead of it showing a specific location, it’s actually a large area nearly a mile wide labeled “Black Hills.”
We’re definitely going to have our work cut out for us finding these outlaws.
Dean hasn’t stopped smiling since climbing on his horse. He holds the reins in his hands, head held high as we trot along. With his poncho and cowboy hat, he fits the part remarkably well.
We all do.
The three of us each have quarter-horses. Dean’s is a dark chestnut, Grayson’s is black, and mine is a blue roan. The gray coat of my horse appears almost blue in the midday sun. While I don’t have the same attachment to it as I do to Fenrir, it’s still a magnificent animal. Quarter-horses are decent over long distances, but they really shine in close pursuit. In a quarter-mile chase, they can’t be beat.
As the sun dips closer to the horizon, I figure we have a couple of hours before nightfall.
“How do you suppose we go about finding these guys?” I ask. If they are hiding in caves, how the hell are we supposed to find them?
Grayson pulls on his reins and his horse slows until he is on pace between Dean and I. “It’s gonna be a tough bounty, which is why it pays so well. It’ll be easy for them to conceal themselves among all these rocks and caves, so we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. With a little luck, we might catch one of them out on a hunt.”
Great, so it all comes down to being in the right place at the right time.
“What’s that?” Dean points into the distance.
At first, I don’t see anything but empty desert and boulders, but then I notice a speck of black moving across the sea of tan.
Grayson winks at me. “And there is our first clue.”
We set off in pursuit of the mysterious travelers. As we get closer, a second dot becomes visible. This one is tan and blends into the surroundings better.
The pair don’t appear to be in a hurry, and we continue to follow them at a safe distance. As the sky morphs from bright blue to a watercolor of purples and pinks, a gunshot echoes across the vast stillness. The horses snort at the sound, but we whip the reins and rush toward the commotion.
Several more gunshots ring out before we are close enough to see what is happening.
Grayson puts his hand up and brings his horse to a halt. Dean and I follow suit, dismounting and creeping toward the crest of the hill for a better view.
Dead bodies are scattered around the entrance to a cave at the bottom of the hill. A campfire burns at the mouth of the cave, and some small animal roasts on a spit.
A massive body wearing a black poncho stands over the lone survivor with a revolver pointed at her head. I focus on her and her name appears above her head.
Elsie 'Faith' Whitehead
This is it! Someone beat us to The Rowdy Five.
The barrel of the revolver sways back and forth as the man in black says something to her. He wears a black mask over his eyes, and a black Stetson hat pulled low. There is something oddly familiar about him, so I focus on his stats.
Ryken ‘The Black Death’ Tanaka
I’m so startled that I instinctively grab Grayson by the arm. “What the hell is he doing here?” I haven’t seen Ryken since the tournament.
Grayson squints his eyes. “It looks like he had the same idea we did. He’s got a kid with him too.”
Sure enough, the tan speck we saw traveling ahead of us stands behind Ryken, a rifle pointed at the kneeling NPC.
Dawn Warren
She’s dressed identically to Ryken except all her clothing is tan. A blonde braid hangs over one shoulder.
“You know this guy?” asks Dean.
“Yeah, he was kind of my rival in the Developer’s Tournament. And my girlfriend’s brother. He’ll stop at nothing to win.”
Realization dawns on Dean’s face. “That’s right. I thought he looked familiar. He was the death knight that almost beat you! We’ve got to do something. We can’t just let him take our bounty.”
“He got here first. There’s not much that we can—”
Before I have time to finish, a shot rings out and Ryken drops his gun. He clutches his shoulder and blood seeps through his poncho. His head darts around as he backs toward the cave.
There’s a click as Dean pulls the lever on his rifle and takes aim. He fires a second shot, hitting Dawn in the chest. She falls to the ground and crawls toward Ryken. The two of them stumble into the cave and out of sight.
“What the hell was that?” I snap at Dean, who is focused on the cave entrance.
Grayson laughs. “This is the Wild West. Anything goes.”
That may be true, but it’s not my style. There’s no honor in stealing someone’s bounty, even if it is Ryken.
Elsie hides behind a boulder as we descend the rocky hill.
“Oh, god. Thank you. He was going to kill me.” Tear stains cut through her dust covered cheeks. “He killed all of them.”
“You won’t be getting any sympathy from us.” I hold up the wanted poster with her face on it, pointing to the line “dead or alive.” “Keep an eye on the cave while I tie her up.”
I search through my bag for the rope from the starter pack. Elsie reaches for Ryken’s revolver laying in the sand, but the click of Grayson’s weapon being cocked stops her in her tracks.
“Your fate is in your own hands, girlie.” Grayson motions for her to step away.
She complies, and I tie her up without incident.
“They’re coming out.” Dean stares down the sight of his rifle. “Want me to take them out?”
“No, let’s see what he has to say.”
The three of us stand with our weapons drawn as Ryken emerges from the cave, his hands raised in surrender. Dawn scowls at us from behind his broad frame.
“You have always been a pain in my ass.” He sneers. “Tell me, how is my sweet sister doing nowadays?”
“I’d stop right there if I were you.” I rest my finger on the trigger, ready to shoot if need be. If anyone would be bold enough to try something against three people with their weapons aimed on them, it would be Ryken.
Ryken lets out a cold laugh. His voice is still deep, despite not having the voice modification of his death knight class he normally uses. “I see things haven’t changed. You’re still taking credit for other people’s hard work.”
I fire a warning shot above his head, and Ryken stops moving.
“Looks like I hit a nerve.” His hands fall to his sides. “Esil Allen, the supposed hero of the underdogs. Yet all his accomplishments rest on the backs of other people. Funny how that works. You used my sister to win the tournament, even sacrificed a few of her dwarven friends. And now you’re here taking our hard-earned bounties. Tell me, Esil, how does it feel to steal from a girl?”
Dawn steps up beside him and I can see an anger burning in her eyes. She looks about the same age as Dean. Whoever she is, hanging around Ryken will not be good for her.
My conviction wavers for a moment, and I take my finger off the trigger. I know he’s just trying to get under my skin, but I’m surprised it’s working. This whole world is about taking risks. Out here, civilians take the law into their own hands. Ryken would have shot us in the back to take our bounties.
“Sorry, Ryken.” I place my finger on the trigger again. “It’s nothing personal. To the victor goes the spoils.”
“You know what?” He takes a step forward, but before he can finish his sentence, a bullet hits him right between the eyes.
Dawn tries to run. A rifle lever clicks over my shoulder and then she
falls face-forward into the sand to the echo of the gunshot.
I turn around to find Dean aiming down the iron sight of his rifle, smirking. He stands tall and stows the rifle over his shoulder.
I shake my head in annoyance. “What were you thinking? We don’t just kill people because we feel like it.”
My words come out harsh, and Dean takes a step back, his face filled with confusion.
Dean frowns. “He would have killed us if he had the chance. Now we don’t have to worry.”
I turn to Grayson for support. “Grayson, back me up here.”
He shrugs. “You know he would have killed us if he’d had a chance.”
Dean scrunches his eyes. “You know this is a game, right? They will respawn.”
Some of the tightness in my chest fades. Then I can’t help but laugh. “Yeah, you’re right. I’ve spent so much time in the Broken Lands that sometimes the line between game and reality feels a little blurred.”
“Is it really that realistic?”
I let out a deep breath. “You have no idea.”
After about five minutes, Ryken and Dawn’s bodies disappear. The NPCs they killed, however, remain. We search the area around the caves and find two extra horses to tie the bodies to.
The caves are filled with empty bean cans, clothing, and weapons, but there’s no sign of the loot they stole. If I had to guess, it’s buried in a nearby cave they rarely go to.
Our questioning of Elsie leads us nowhere. She’d die before giving up her hard-earned treasure.
Instead, she rides with Grayson, her hands bound in front of her. He makes sure to let her know what awaits her if she tries to escape.
The sun eventually disappears, leaving us to travel by the starlit sky.
Dean looks at the stars above. “You know, I’ve never seen stars in real life. Is this what they really look like? They’re beautiful.”
His comment reminds me of my time before living at Pangea Headquarters. Back when I knew so little of the world outside my box. “Yeah. One day, you’ll see them for yourself.”
Pangea Online: The Complete Trilogy Page 54