Chandra smiled.
“Don’t worry; I’ll pay your fare. You saved our lives, after all!”
“Thanks,” I said.
And so, the humans began getting onto the boats. There were twenty of us in total and so three boats were required. As the boat began to move I could see fishes under the water surface. On a sudden impulse, I squatted near the edge of the boat. The waters were clear and it wasn’t hard to spot the river bed. A fish came near the boat. My hand shot into the water and grabbed it, and threw it onto the boat.
Many of the humans gasped. Someone hit the fish with an oar and killed it. I couldn’t believe what I had just done. A notification appeared, even as the symbol of a gold coin in my peripheral vision got multiplied by ten.
Congratulations! You have done a unique task.
You get +10 gold
In the real world this would have been an impossible thing to do, but here in Prithvi it was possible. Apparently it wasn’t that hard to make money here. In the real world I had stuck to my job as a waiter and had never dared start a business or do anything that was even remotely challenging. Every day I would follow the exact same routine. Looking back at my life as a waiter, the only times I had enjoyed were those in which I had shared a joke or two with the other waiters. I promised myself now that I would be more courageous in this new world.
We gutted and shared the fish. My health improved by 50 points. Even raw, the fish tasted good.
Reaching the other side of the bank, I wanted to pay the ferryman with my own gold but Chandra prevented me and paid with his own.
“Save it for future use,” he told me, “You never know when you would require it.”
“Thanks,” I said.
The other humans thanked me for saving their lives and they went their way. Only I and Chandra remained on the bank. I didn’t know what to do next. Where should I go?
“I reckon it’d take you a while to regain your memory,” Chandra said. I suddenly decided it was not good that I was letting him think that I had lost my memory.
“Hey, I want to tell you a truth,” I said, “I didn’t lose my memory or anything. I am a player.”
For a moment Chandra looked at me with great disbelief in his eyes. I wondered if he knew what a player was. Was he aware that he was in a game world, and that he was a mere NPC?
“I see,” he said. “In that case, why don’t you come and stay at my father’s inn? You saved my life; my father will allow you to live there for free. Most of the other people in our inn are also players.”
“That would be great,” I said.
“Come with me.”
Not a long way from the bank was a stone paved road. We waited in the roadside for a while. Very soon a horse drawn cart came along and Chandra stopped it. We climbed onto the cart.
I liked the feel of the wind against my face. In the distance I could see the river reflecting the sun and the sight was a pleasure to my eyes. Then I turned and saw that Chandra looked a bit disappointed for some reason. Was it because I had turned out to be a player?
“Is everything all right?” I asked. He had been staring at the distance, and suddenly broke out of his thoughts.
“Yes,” he said, and then he seemed to change his mind. “I wish I was a player,” he said. “I am just an NPC.”
“What’s wrong with that?” I asked.
“Most players treat us like we are nothing,” he said. He seemed to observe me, waiting for a response.
“Well,” I said, recalling my job as a waiter, and let out a soft chuckle, “I was more or less an NPC in my real life.”
“Like in the real world?”
I nodded.
“You know, there were times when my life sucked and I felt like I was just a machine. But come to think of it my job wasn’t really that bad. I mean, occasionally there were rude people I had to serve. But there were other times when people were very nice to me. I took joy in making such people happy in return.”
Perhaps meeting an NPC from the real world cheered Chandra and he smiled.
“I do meet happy players sometimes,” he said.
“Hey, why don’t you tell me more about this world?” I said. “What’s the name of the town where your inn is? It is in a town right?”
Chandra nodded.
“Yes. It’s called Kapilpura. It’s a big town. Well about this world in general… as a player the more Raks you kill the better it is for you as far as I know. You can level up, get money, skills, weapons and stuff. There is also something called Karma points in this world. You are rewarded for doing good things. But Karma points are strange really. You cannot earn them by wanting to earn them. Only when you do good things selflessly that you are awarded karma. Negative karma points are much easier to earn of course. But players mostly disregard Karma points as they never get you anything immediately or when you most need them. And yes, search your pocket; there should be a bag or a pouch containing a birthstone.”
“A birthstone?”
I fished into my pocket and drew out a small bag. Sure enough it contained a diamond-like stone that sparkled in the light of the sun.
“What is this used for?” I asked.
“In case you die, you respawn near the place where the stone is. So be careful where you keep it. It is usually not a great idea to carry it around in a bag. I have heard that many of the players bury it in a certain spot. Also, keep the bag safe. It might look small but it has an infinite amount of space inside. You can keep tons of loot inside it and it would still remain light as a feather.”
I nodded, observing the bag. It sure was an important possession.
“Do you also have a birthstone?” I asked Chandra.
Chandra shook his head.
“We don’t need one. NPCs respawn not far from where they are killed. We just do not respawn instantly like you.”
In ten minutes we entered the town of Kapilpura. The sun was setting in the distance, but the town was very active. There were children running about (all of them were NPCs since as far as I knew only people who were fourteen years or more of age could play the game. It was just designed that way) and there were players too. The players could be easily differentiated from the NPCs most of the time. They were mostly running, and when I focussed on them I could see their weird names which were along the lines of Deathkiller1, Towerlord and what not. The NPCs however had actual names that were mostly inspired from ancient Indian names.
Chandra took me to his inn, called The Big Moustache Inn. His family members were in tears on seeing him.
I got a message.
Quest Completed!
You have successfully returned Chandra to his parents.
You receive 100 gold as reward!
This was followed by a fuzzy feeling.
Congratulations!
You have levelled up.
You can now use weapons like swords.
Chandra’s mother was a plump woman in her fifties. She cried saying that she had feared she would never see him again. His father however patted him on the back and said that he had always known he would return. Chandra pointed me to his parents and said that without me he would be dead.
His father, who went by the name of Anindra, placed a hand on my shoulder, a smile of gratitude on his lips.
“Thanks for saving my son. I will be forever grateful to you.”
“Can he stay in one of our rooms for free for a few days?” Chandra asked his father.
“Of course! He can stay as long as he wants.”
Mr Anindra readily handed me the key to a room.
“Second floor. Room number 17. Hope you like it here. The meals will always be free for you here.”
I said my thanks and then went upstairs. The room was a very well furnished one. It didn’t have any toilets since I would probably not need one in the game world, but it did have an attached bathroom with a lavish bathtub. There was hot water available with the turn of a tap and I readily filled the tub and got into it. A
s I relaxed in the hot water, I thought about all that had commenced in the day. Who would have thought that a trip down a trapdoor in a blacksmith’s shop would change my life forever?
Rohan.
Class: Multi-tasker
Race: Human
Sex: Male
Level: 1
Strength: 150
Health: 466/500
Mana: 147
Intelligence: 60
Karma: 0
Chapter 3
The next day I woke up hearing someone knock at the door. I dragged myself from the bed, yawning and rubbing my eyes, and opened the door to see a pretty lady probably in her early twenties. She had a great resemblance to Chandra and I reckoned she was his sister. She made a quick bow and said,
“I am Amira, Chandra’s sister. Father sent me to ask you what you’d like to have for breakfast." She spoke in a very rapid way, which had a unique elegance of its own. “Also, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving my brother yesterday. I wasn’t at home yesterday, and so I couldn’t thank you earlier.”
I suddenly realised at that moment that my chest was bare and I was only dressed in my pants, having taken off my shirt yesterday night before sleeping. I felt very exposed, and would have gladly put on my shirt if it had been within arm’s reach, but it was in my bed many metres away.
“Ah, right,” I managed to say, ruffling my hair, “your brother is a good man. Send me anything. You are a sweet lady, the food will be sweet too, I reckon.”
I said the last bit in a very gentlemanly manner though I hadn’t really meant to say anything of the kind, and was more or less surprised at myself. Amira blushed and bowed gracefully.
“As you wish, sir.”
Amira left, sprinting down the stairs shyly.
I remained standing at the door for a moment, slightly dazed. For a moment I wondered where exactly I was, and then recalled I was in the game world and there was no need to rush to the hotel like the other days. I put on my shirt and waited for Amira. In a few minutes she returned, carrying a tray with tea and a strange dish that looked like a cake.
“Thanks,” I said before she went.
I ate the breakfast. The cake-like thing was sweet and delicious. The tea was hot and refreshing.
Next, I wondered what I should do. Perhaps I should go hunting for Raks? But I had no weapons with myself. I decided to ask Chandra. He was downstairs. He greeted me when I went to him.
“So, do you like our little inn?” he said, his arms outstretched.
“I am enjoying the stay,” I told him with a smile. Then I asked him if there was any place I could get a sword from.
“There is a blacksmith not far away. Just keep walking along the street and you will find it. You should be able to get a sword or two from there. But you would need gold for that. Should I give you some?”
“No, thanks,” I said quickly since Chandra had already done so much for me. “I have a little bit of gold. I guess I’ll spend that.”
It was the second time in two days that I was visiting a blacksmith’s shop. I had a déjà vu feeling as I entered the shop, which had bits and pieces of iron lying here and there. On the walls there were many swords for display as well.
“How can I help you?” the blacksmith said. He was a young man, probably in his teens. On a second thought I reckoned that he was probably an apprentice.
“I need a sword,” I told him. “One that can be used to kill Raks.”
The apprentice scratched his chin and then picked up a big sword from the wall.
“Take this. You can even kill a priest Rak easily with this sword. Just a few blows and then you are picking dropped loot.”
I took the sword from him and examined it. I made a few slashes in the air to feel it. I had never held a sword in my life before and was super excited.
“What’s the cost?” I asked.
“Ninety gold,” the apprentice said. I almost dropped the sword hearing the price. I had only hundred and ten gold. Buying the sword meant I would only have twenty left.
“Too pricey?” the apprentice asked, noticing my reaction.
“Well, it’s a good sword, but…” I slashed the air with it a few more times.
“It’s the best we have got,” the apprentice said. “I can give you others, but they are not as effective.” He pointed to another sword on the wall. “This one is fifty gold. But it requires thrice the number of attacks as the one you are holding to kill a Rak.”
I thought for a moment. I decided to make the investment on the expensive sword.
“No, I’ll buy this,” I said, “I just hope it pays off.”
“Don’t worry, it will,” the apprentice reassured.
I suddenly realised I didn’t know how to take out the gold. I could see that I had 110 gold in my peripheral vision, on the opposite side of the health and mana bars, but I didn’t know how to transfer the gold to the apprentice.
“Um, I don’t really know how to pay you,” I told him. The apprentice raised a brow.
“Just search in your bag, you’ll get the gold.”
I did so, and to my immense surprise I took out a gold coin from my bag that was marked “90”. As I handed him the coin, a message popped up in my vision.
You have paid 90 gold to the blacksmith’s apprentice.
You have 20 gold remaining.
I left the shop. Instead of going straight to the Rak areas on the other side of the river, I decided to go to the inn. The inn always had many visitors and perhaps I could find some other player who I could team up with. It was better to play in a group than alone. Though going solo sometimes had its own advantages from what I could remember from my experiences from so long ago when games were only played on screens.
I sat at one of the tables and watched the people who had come to the inn. Amira was attending to the visitors and she asked me if I would like to have something, but I declined. Almost all of the people who had come were players, instantly recognizable due to their odd names. But there was one person who caught my attention immediately. Most of the other people were talking and discussing things, but this guy was just gobbling down food. He was perhaps a wizard from what his clothing told me and he had a pointed beard. He seemed to take great joy in the food. I wondered if it would be a good idea to approach him. I focussed on him to get his details. He was indeed a wizard and his name was Rajahard. After some minutes he was finally done, and he leaned back in his chair with a contended look on his face.
Suddenly our eyes met. He looked at me curiously and beckoned me. I was unsure, but I decided to go.
“Nice sword,” he told me, observing the weapon I was carrying around.
“Thanks,” I said. He drew me a chair and I sat down.
“Can I have a look at it?”
“Sure.”
He took the sword from me and looked over it.
“Impressive,” he said, “This will easily kill a lower farmer Rak with a single hit. A warrior would perhaps require two, more if you don't hit the vulnerable parts of the body. A lower priest perhaps three or four hits. Too bad I can’t use swords as effectively as others. I just have to do with my spells. But be careful, there are people who steal swords. And if you don’t know how to use it and it slips out of your grasp in the heat of a fight, you are done. I would recommend that you put it inside your bag.”
Rajahard’s words actually made sense. I put the sword inside my bag.
Rajahard observed me intently.
“New player?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“A Multi-tasker, eh? Why didn’t you become a wizard? There are advantages to being one as you can attack enemies from far away. Just say a word and you can squeeze all the health out of them. Though it isn’t easy all the time, since the spells require a lot of mana.”
“I went with Multi-tasker because I thought I can have different skills then. I can fight hand to hand battles, use spells as effectively as a wizard, and heal as well,” I
replied.
“Not as effectively,” Rajahard corrected, “but not so far away either. Multi-taskers cannot specialise in any particular skill and it can have its disadvantages. But you made a better decision than, say, choosing Warrior. I guess you want to go hunting Raks?”
“Yes,” I replied, “I was looking for someone to go with. Someone who better understands this world.”
“You mind playing with me? I myself am quite okay teaming up with new players,” Rajahard said.
“That would be cool.”
Rajahard sent me a friend request and I accepted it.
“My girlfriend is a healer and we have been killing Raks for the past few days but we needed someone who can serve as a tank.”
“I can be one.”
“Mind going on a hunt in a few minutes?” Rajahard asked.
“That will be great,” I said.
Rajahard messaged his girl friend and in a few minutes she arrived at the inn. She was an attractive woman with jet black hair that had just a few strands dyed blonde.
She looked at me and then Rajahard.
“Meet Rohan,” Rajahard said to the woman. “And Rohan meet Ladyjane.”
I shook hands with her.
“Don’t mess up like the last time, all right?” Ladyjane told Rajahard.
Rajahard flushed.
“It hadn’t been a mistake,” Rajahard said, attempting hard to be graceful. “It was all part of my plan.”
Ladyjane grimaced.
“It’s best when you don’t plan. When you plan both of us end up dead. I hope you recall the last time when we died and became level one, right?”
“That had been your mistake. You were telling me what to do and what not to, and then the Rak attacked you. You should have been more alert.”
“And you could have actually warned me, since you saw it coming.”
I wondered if this was going to escalate into a full blown fight between the couple. I decided to intervene just as Rajahard was going to come up with more words at his girlfriend. The two reminded me of Dev and his wife so much. For them love was in bickering and fighting with each other. I wondered if I had done the right thing remaining single.
Perma-Death Online: A LitRPG adventure: Book 1 Page 3