Neverfall: The Dark Path (Book 2): A Gamelit Lit RPG Series

by C. Wintertide

  “Over breakfast,” Mack suggested. “I can already tell that this is going to be a long conversation.”

  They grabbed “their” table, as he was coming to think of it, by the fire. Olivia came over and said that the chef had been working on something special for their breakfast. She poured them glasses of the richest milk Luke had ever tasted. There were also tart juices. Mack groaned when she suggested a morning ale for him. He put his head on the table and waved her away.

  “No more ale? Hungover, are you?” Cassie snickered.

  “We were celebrating!” Mack winced as he spoke too loudly for his own headache. “I didn’t think I could feel hungover in this game.”

  Cassie’s eye caught one of the attractive male servers, who winked at her. “I wonder what else you can do in this game.”

  Christopher straightened. “Cassie, if you are suggesting having--having relations with the NPCs--”

  “I am!” She grinned at the table of shocked faces.

  Mack guffawed. “Do you suppose that’s even an option? I mean it’s not like there are romance dialogue trees where your character can get all cringey and ask to have sex at the worst possible moments.”

  “We don’t need dialogue trees. We can just ask naturally,” she answered brightly.

  Alicia frowned. “We do not have time for you to have sex with people.”

  Cassie narrowed her eyes at the orc. “You don’t expect us to fight every single second we’re awake, do you?”

  “I do. Anything else is a waste of time and--”

  Cassie’s chair scraped backwards as she stood up. “You can earn XP from doing most anything in games.”

  “From romancing people?” Christopher’s eyebrows rose. “I don’t know--”

  “Why not? Luke’s dad made this world real. I can’t believe he would have eliminated the emotional parts of it. I’m going to find out.”

  “Now?” Luke asked, laughing.

  “Absolutely.” Cassie turned, evidently to look for the handsome young server. When she spotted him, she made a beeline towards him.

  They all watched as the handsome server perked up the moment that Cassie came over to him. They began to chat in what to Luke definitely looked like a flirtatious manner.

  “You know,” Mack said as he sipped his milk. “She’s probably right. Your dad wouldn’t have skipped on the bump and grind--”

  “My sister is not bumping and grinding!” Christopher looked scandalized.

  “No, she is arranging to later,” Alicia said, downing her milk and Christopher’s since he’d left his unattended.

  Cassie waved at the handsome server before coming back to the table. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes were glowing as she sat down.

  “Well?” Luke prodded.

  “I’ve arranged to meet him tonight after dinner,” she said and laughed delightedly.

  Luke just blinked. “But can you really have a relationship with an NPC? I mean they only have been programmed to do their jobs. I can’t imagine they are capable of whispering sweet nothings in our ears. Not all of them anyways. Besides I can understand having relationships with other players, but NPCs?”

  “Oh, I’m not in this for the conversation!” Cassie grinned. “Besides, I think you’re underestimating people’s desire to get their freak on, and not have to deal with other people’s judgement. It’s far easier to go up to an NPC, and talk to them as opposed to a real person. Besides, it’s safer. I mean, how many times have we discovered that cute little wood elf girl is really a fifty-year-old guy in his basement?”

  “True,” Luke conceded.

  “Besides, it’s all make believe, you know? I mean why can’t a game let us be as free sexually as we can be violently? I can backstab someone, but not caress them? That seems way too limited for Neverfall,” Cassie pointed out.

  Alicia grunted. “Neverfall is fully programmed to satisfy every sexual preference. There are limitations on sadism, paedophilia and--what? Why are you all looking at me like that?”

  “No reason!” Mack laughed into his hand. “Just curious how you might know about that, Alicia.”

  Alicia narrowed her eyes at him. “It’s part of the training material. I have no judgment about what people want to do in their off time. But we do not have off time.”

  “But what if we can learn secret information from lovers?” Cassie’s eyes were huge.

  “Like a server is going to know some big secret about the thing in the keep?” Luke asked skeptically this time.

  “What about romancing the Lich King?” Mack suggested.

  “Gross! Aren’t things like falling off the Lich King? He’s like dead and horrible, right?” Cassie made a face at the very idea.

  “Well, if you’re just doing this to get XP and information, Cassie, you should be open to him as a partner,” Christopher said stiffly.

  But Cassie stuck out her tongue. “No way. No how. I will not go that far!”

  At that moment, Olivia came back with a huge dish. She set it in the center of the table. It was a large skillet filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, cheese, and peppers. The steam coming up from it bathed Luke’s face as he hovered up from the table to sniff it. Another server also brought out loads of toast, sweet-cream butter, orange marmalade and a mixed berry jam. Conversation extinguished for a time as they all dug in.

  Again, the food was the best that Luke had ever eaten. As he slathered berry jam on a piece of toast that was already well-buttered, he tried not to think about the fact that his real body was likely being nourished by liquid nutrients.

  I’ve probably pooped and peed in the tank I’m floating in, too. Gross.

  But the creamy eggs, the sweet jam, and the salty bacon soon had him forgetting what was likely happening to his real body at that moment. It was only after they were sopping up the last bits of eggs with their toast that the conversation started up again.

  “You were going to tell us about speaking to your father… in a dream,” Alicia said and he could almost hear the air quotes around “dream”.

  “You know if Luke wanted to lie to us, Alicia, he wouldn’t have mentioned speaking to his father in the first place,” Christopher pointed out crisply.

  She ignored Christopher and stared at Luke expectantly.

  “I can only tell you what happened. If it’s real, or if it’s my imagination, I don’t know,” Luke admitted, and told them everything that had happened.

  At the end of it, Cassie reached over and touched his right forearm. Her expression was blasted. “How horrible to do that to you, Luke! To make you think we were dead? Our souls were taken? Why would any father…” She stopped herself from saying more and simply shook her head.

  Luke pressed his lips together. “He wanted to show me that the only way I can keep you guys safe is if I join him. That there’s no way to get powerful enough on my own to make it happen.”

  “Well, he’s full of it!” Cassie shook her head.

  “He is if he thinks that we can’t grind until our hands bleed.” Mack grunted. “Though no controllers. But we can do this. And he’s doing us a favor by not sending crazy-ass Beta players after us.”

  “If he honors that,” Alicia said.

  Christopher looked worried. “I agree with Alicia. I cannot imagine that if your father sees you doing well in the game that he won’t renege on his promise to you, Luke.”

  “He may, which means that we need to work that much harder and faster to get good,” Luke agreed.

  “We should get started then. So what’s our first stop?” Cassie asked.

  “Item shop,” Luke said as he brought up the map. There appeared to be a central square half a block to the north where there was the item shop, the apothecary, and the blacksmith. “Oh, Mack, I was going to ask you if you’ve got any blacksmithing skills. It looks like I can upgrade my armor and weapons.”

  Using a napkin to dab away the butter on his beard, Mack nodded. “Eh, no, I have some basic blacksmithing skills, like I c
ould make Alicia a prettier cudgel, but nothing that would help fix your stuff.”

  “Damn, I feared that might be the case.” Luke frowned.

  “Your armor and weapon are quest items, right?” Christopher asked and when Luke nodded, he added, “Then I’m sure we’ll find some way to upgrade them.”

  “Good point.” Luke stood up. “Ready to go?”

  Everyone else stood and nodded.

  “Let’s take advantage of that ten percent discount,” Cassie sighed. “It better be worth it.”

  6

  TOO HIGH A PRICE?

  The square where the shops and temple were located had a central grassy area with a statue in the center of a man and woman spreading their arms wide, presumably to welcome people. Luke wondered if these were the lord and lady of the keep that had disappeared, and been replaced by the tittering Tethic Bonecall.

  The blacksmith’s shop was directly in front of them on the north side of the square. A smoke-blackened, sweaty dwarf was working at an anvil outside. The sound of metal banging on metal filled the air. There was a large circular fire pit filled with burning coal, emitting a strong, sharp smell. A punched metal sign showed the shop was called Taig’s Forge. The door to the shop behind him was open, and Luke caught sight of dummies adorned with armor and swords hanging from the wall. None of it was as good as his Dragon’s Blood Armor or Dragon’s Claw, but still Luke perked up.

  To the west, was the item shop called Esme’s Goods & Barter. It looked rather like a homey cottage with smoke curling up from a squat chimney. Beside Esme’s was a tall, thin building with a tower on top that was painted a soft blue-purple. It was the apothecary, called Silver Winds.

  Finally, on the east side was a domed structure. It was far fancier than the rest of the structures. It had thick, obsidian walls, and there was a dark arched opening that a bald man in black robes with over-large hoods passed through before disappearing from sight.

  “What is that place?” Cassie asked and there was a speculative gleam in her eyes.

  “According to our map, that is the Temple of the Harbinger,” Christopher answered.

  “I’m wondering if they have any loot,” Cassie murmured.

  Christopher’s expression immediately went disapproving and his lips pursed. “You cannot rob a religious institution! You shouldn’t be thinking of robbing anyone.”

  “I’m a rogue! Robbing is what I do!” Cassie protested.

  “And assassinating. Don’t forget that,” Luke pointed out.

  “Don’t encourage her! It is one thing to have her walk the Dark Path in a game like Dragon’s Reign, but a complete other when it’s… it’s…” Christopher waved his hand to encompass the world, “here. Where everything is so real.”

  “It’s still a game!” Cassie began her argument.

  But Luke interrupted her, because he was stuck on the phrase that Christopher had uttered “Dark Path”. He’d even heard the capitalization of it. “What do you mean the Dark Path? Where did you hear that, Christopher?”

  Christopher blinked. He looked utterly strange behind the transparent Menu screen. “It’s in the Glossary! It talks about a Light and Dark Path. It’s quite entwined in the game. Every action you take--or don’t take--is invisibly counted up by the game in the backend. Depending on what path you take, you open up new quest lines, powers, and even allies and enemies.”

  Cassie tapped her chin as she said, “So robbing a temple would--”

  “Definitely be a point on the Dark Path,” Christopher finished for her.

  Cassie rolled her eyes. “Again, rogue, I’m all over the Dark Path! No matter how real these people seem, they’re just programs. This is a game. And we need each of us to maximize our abilities. The Dark Path probably has some excellent powers. Probably better powers than the Light Path.”

  “There’s bound to be detriments to going Dark though,” Luke murmured. He’d thought the same thing as Cassie. Maybe if he could see the Light and Dark as no big deal that would be better. So why did a pit feel like it was opening in his stomach at the thought of even considering the Dark Path?

  “Probably.” Cassie shrugged. “But, again, if going Dark makes us more powerful, then aren’t we better off taking that path even if there are downsides?”

  Luke nodded slowly. “That is a point.”

  That’s maybe the only point.

  “No, it’s not!” Christopher’s voice went high and tight. “We have no idea what going down the Dark Path will do to any of us. It’s not like watching your character in Mass Effect 2 not heal! You might have physical changes happen to you, or worse, mental ones. And those may not just stay in the game. You could wake up and be tainted somehow.”

  “How could a game do that?” Cassie argued.

  “Could we have ever imagined Neverfall could do this?” Christopher challenged her as he exited out of the Menu.

  Cassie looked disturbed, but unconvinced.

  “We need to stay alive in here to get out there,” Alicia pointed out. She had been listening silently to the whole conversation. “You should weigh that before you judge.”

  “I’m not judging!” Christopher cried, but when his twin glared at him, he said, “All right, there might be a little judging, but that’s only because you cannot do things in here and pretend they don’t count out in the real world. That was what we all said to Luke with Marty.”

  “That didn’t exactly help Marty in the end.” Mack snorted. “I think he might have appreciated Luke taking him out compared to what did happen.”

  The dream reared up in Luke’s mind again and he shuddered. Determined to not think about the tittering thing and its soul box, he suggested, “Let’s go to the blacksmith. Sell off our gear. We can figure out the other stuff as we go along.”

  The others nodded. They headed over to the bare-armed dwarf. He had a thick black beard tied with strips of leather, a well-worn apron and a handkerchief tied around his forehead to catch the sweat that dripped continuously from his scalp. Luke could smell the sharp, hot scent of the metal. The dwarf was hammering a piece of red-hot metal, a sword from what Luke could see. He took that sword and dunked it in a container of water. There was a hiss and sizzle as the hot metal met the cold water. Steam erupted and bathed Luke’s face. As the steam parted, Luke stared into a ruddy-complexioned face who was not looking at him, but at the armor he wore.

  The dwarf set down the half-made sword and hammer before reaching out and tapping Luke’s breastplate. “Now that is some quality workmanship.”

  This was an opening for Luke to ask if the dwarf could fix the armor. “It is. Are you skilled enough to upgrade it?”

  “Am I skilled enough? Me? Skilled enough?” The black-bearded dwarf thumped his powerful chest with one large hand. “Are you hearing this, young Mack? The only reason I am not taking true offense is that this is your friend, I take it.”

  Cassie turned to Mack. “You know this dwarf?”

  “Of course!” Mack cried and the two threw their arms around one another. “Taig! How are you? It’s been ages!”

  “You’ve only been here a few days, and most of that time was spent hiding--and drinking--in the inn!” Christopher objected.

  “A day without your brothers is a day without the sun,” Taig answered, releasing Mack from the bear hug, but continuing to thump their friend’s back.

  Luke just shook his head. “It must be a dwarf thing.”

  “Indeed, it is. Dwarves value family above all. And each of us is related--if distantly--from each other. We all come from the King Talandegor’s royal line,” Taig said with some relish. “Now, you were asking if I was skilled enough, young man, to upgrade that beautiful armor and weapon!”

  He’d turned to Luke to say that. Luke flushed. He’d clearly gone about this the wrong way.

  Smiling, Luke said, “I’m afraid I misspoke. What I meant to ask was whether you had the tools to upgrade this armor, because it is so rare and magical. And you may not have seen its l
ike before. So why would you have tools just lying around that would allow you to work on it?”

  Taig regarded him steadily out of those black eyes before that craggy face burst into a smile. “Ah, now that is a fair question. And the truth be told, I do not have the tools to work on such a suit of armor or weapon.” Luke’s heart sank. But not for long, as Taig added, “But I do so happen to know where such a set of tools may exist.”

  His HUD announced a new quest was available: Retrieve the Lost Tools of Denarius!

  “Where? Can we get them for you? Do we have to steal them?” Cassie asked.

  Taig let out a roar of laughter. “So eager! Well, that’s how I like my friends. So, here’s the answer to your questions. The legendary blacksmith, Denarius of Barrowdeep, lost the favor of King Ninvar and was exiled. He came to Itaeria to make a new forge to create the greatest of magical weapons and armor. He set up in a small town not far from here called Shadewell.”

  Luke’s HUD lit up with another message: A new location has been added to your Map!

  Taig’s expression grew grim as he continued,“It was said that he was near to creating an axe--”

  “Axe?!” Mack suddenly quivered.

  “Aye, an axe that could slice through enemies like a hot knife through butter.” Taig nodded. “But, one night, when the storm winds howled around Shadewell like banshees, there was an explosion in the forge. None dared go investigate until the next morning. They claimed to see unholy fires flickering around the forge and dreadful things calling in the dark. When they arrived there early that morning, they found Denarius dead. They dared not touch his remains or anything in the forge. They made that his tomb.”

  “So with Denarius’ tools, you think you could upgrade my armor and sword?” Luke clarified.

  “Indeed!” Taig told them.

  “So what’s the catch?” Cassie crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Catch?” Taig appeared to feign innocence.

  “Why has no one taken these tools or the magic axe?” Alicia clearly agreed with Cassie that something must be up.