Manifest

by Cody Whitfill

  Reigh saw the worried/pissed off expression on Gitch‘s face and simply said, “As a porter, I have the proper training and warding to retrieve items from the Abyss. You, Gitch, do not.”

  Gitch couldn’t argue with that, and so he stepped back to watch her work. After a few tense moments of tugging, she came away with a pair of banana-striped moccasins. They were beautiful in a way only a kindergartener would love, but they sure looked comfortable.

  Reigh handed him the pair of shoes, and he quickly slipped them on. Gitch wasn’t going to win any style awards, but he wasn’t complaining. His blisters were now forming blisters of their own. He would need to start naming them soon.

  Gitch took a few steps to get a feel for his new kicks while Reigh kept working. It took her some time, but in the end she came away with 10 separate pairs, 11 counting Gitch’s. To close the portal, she spoke again just one word, “Tellas!” The nothingness began to take form and lighten. In just a few seconds, they were again looking at a silver cube sitting on the floor.

  Gitch could tell Reigh was exhausted. Beads of sweat appeared on her brow, and she was breathing heavy. He wondered if she had ever spent so much time or effort using the portal before. He then remembered that this was still a new game, not even a year old, and Reigh had confirmed no other players had ever come down here. This might very well be the first time she had even used the portal. From the look of it, being a porter was dangerous. Gitch thought it might be one of those pass/fail professions.

  Once the process was complete, Reigh had him put the shoes in his pouch and told him to mosey himself on upstairs. She waived him off and hobbled over to her counter to wait for more players that would likely never show. This was a lonely place, he realized. Full of potential, but no one to grasp it. No one but me, he thought greedily.

  He gathered the shoes and headed back up the stairs, but this time without walking. He wasn’t about to let that grey fairy have another chance to screw with him. Besides, why walk when you could be awesome? Real men wear wings, it’s a thing. He might even have shirts made. He would have to give one to Dwik. Gitch thought the gnome would either find it pretty funny or question his maledom yet again. It was a 50-50 shot. He hovered up the stairs feeling lighter than air.

  Chapter 21

  Once he reached the second floor, his bossness quickly melted away. The room was large and open, with a series of desks lining the far end. A fairy sat behind each, except for a lone desk in the corner- that one was empty. None of this was what gave him pause, though. No, it was the fairies between him and the desks, all of whom seemed…different. The room was packed with fairies who were not acting very fairy-y at all. Besides those behind the desks, and the invisible guards sprinkled throughout, Gitch was confident everyone else was a player, or alien, as the NPCs called them. He knew they would be here, but he didn’t know there would be so many, or so obvious to spot.

  A few stood in the corner, flexing and comparing their minuscule arm muscles. Another red fairy was telling all who would listen the tale of how he single handedly slew a ‘tree-dragon’ not three miles from here. Most blew him off, but a few stopped to listen. Four fairies flew circled around the room, hawking up loogies on the unsuspecting heads of their compatriots. Each slap was met with a curse from the target while his or her friends would snicker on. Gitch took pleasure in seeing one of the globs of spit miss the intended target, but still hover six inches off the ground. “Take that, you invisible harbinger of douchebaggery,” he mumbled under his breath. He was not a fan of those invisible grey jerkwads.

  The scene before him was all so overwhelming. It had been far too long since he had been around so many others that weren’t NPCs. Before now, Kraznik had been the only other player he had come across, but here they were. He knew nothing about them, except they were from Earth. Somewhere. Curious, he walked up to the loud fairy who was regaling his dragon adventure.

  “It stayed hidden until I slew the last of the hatchlings. I was just starting my fire when I heard this obnoxious snort behind me. When I turned around, there were two large dragon eyes staring back down at me. I thought about running, but there was no way that ass-blaster was getting my-”

  “No cursing!” Gitch yelled from the back. He wasn’t sure what came over him. He hadn’t meant to say anything, it had just kind of slipped out.

  NOBLE FAIRY!

  Your assistance in building a better tomorrow has not gone unnoticed. Keep up the good work!

  You have earned 5% experience gain for 12 hours

  Total experience gain: 90%

  “Hey, choir boy. Your kind are sitting over there. Get outta here so I can finish my story, will ya?” said the fairy whom Gitch had interrupted.

  He sounded pissed, not that Gitch really cared. He had just gained back 5% experience for the day! He would gladly keep calling people out if this was the result! He walked over to the desks on the far side, thinking as he went. There was an idea forming in the ol‘ noggin. He came up here to make some money, but he saw an opportunity to gain a little experience for himself as well, and he was not limited to just calling people out for swearing either.

  Once he reached the back wall, he stood to the side and watched the proceedings. Each desk had a line of player fairies waiting to be called up by an NPC to receive a quest or two. These were mostly of the “kill five of these” or “go deliver this” variety. The rewards offered were pretty standard, usually a handful of copper coins or starting gear. Some of the more advanced quests had greater rewards, but never more than a few silvers.

  He watched for a good half hour, examining the exchanges and crafting up a few quests of his own. When he was ready, he sat down at the still-empty desk on the end. When the players saw a new fairy open for business, they rushed to form a new line. Many had been waiting for some time and were eager for the chance to jump. Gitch felt like a cashier at Walmart. The NPC on his side gave him a funny look, but then shrugged her shoulders and went back to the conversation she was having with a disgruntled player. Apparently hunting 10 exploding slugs was ‘not his cup of tea’.

  Gitch called the first player forward, a shy looking blue fairy. She stood across from him, wings trembling slightly. He smiled and gestured for her to sit down.

  “Greetings! My name is Shaza, and who might you be?” He repeated the introduction he had heard the others perform on players they had not yet met. He had decided not to reveal his true name should any of these fairies come to collect on their ‘rewards‘.

  “He-hello. My name is Tupia. I’m only level 2, so p-please don’t send me out of the village. I d-don’t want to fight anything,” she said with lowered eyes. Gitch felt pity for the girl, who was obviously outside of her element. Fighting was an important part Manifest. He had no idea why she decided to play this kind of game as a pacifist, but to each their own.

  “Do not worry, I have just the quest for you. Your quest is a test! I would like you to write a report on everything you know about fairies; include what you know about this town, how some fairies are exceptionally strong, and any other tidbits you have found interesting, but especially on racial traits and magic. I would like this report delivered to the innkeeper at the ‘The Stupored Gnome‘ down the street by midnight tonight. As a reward, you will receive 1 silver. Do we have a deal?”

  ‘Quest’ Requested: Let’s Get Quizzical

  You have tasked Tupia the fairy to provide you with a detailed report on all things Fae in exchange for 1 silver. Beware lest she discover your treachery!

  Gitch waited while Tupia read the terms and conditions of her quest. He sat patiently enough, but he was doing his best to will her to accept. It only took a few moments before she responded. “Yes, that is perfect. Thank you so much!”

  ‘Quest’ accepted!

  You have earned +3% experience gain

  Total experience gain: 93%

  She stood up and shot off toward the stairs, beaming at all those she passed. Gitch wasn’t complaining. If Lily was
going to hold out on him, he would gain information some other way. He might even pay Tupia for the report. The poor thing looked like she was in need of a win.

  The next fairy in line was bright orange with smoothed back purple hair. Gitch called him up, and gestured for him to have a seat.

  “Greetings! My name is Shaza, and who might you be?” Gitch repeated again.

  “The name‘s Jantu. Got anyone down stairs that needs interrogated?” he said eagerly.

  “What? Ehh, no, I don’t think so. Why might you ask?” Gitch was taken aback by the request. Interrogation was definitely not one of the quest lines he had thought to come up with.

  “Ahh, that’s a shame. Thought I spotted an imp earlier. I may not be a full-blown mind reader yet, but I can pick up emotions well enough. Damn useful it is too!”

  “No cursing!” he and the fairy next to him said in unison.

  NOBLE FAIRY!

  Your assistance in building a better tomorrow has not gone unnoticed. Keep up the good work!

  You have earned 5% experience gain for six hours

  Total experience gain: 98%

  Gitch started actually freaking out. Could this fairy tell he was faking it? Could all orange fairies read minds? Forget invisible fairies, this was a serious invasion of privacy!

  “Easy dudes, relax! I didn’t mean to get you all hot and bothered. You NPCs and cursing, I swear is just about the dumbest thing,” he said in exasperation. It was like Gitch and the other quest giver were inconveniencing him.

  “Oh… Yeah, cursing just seems to rattle me up. That’s it alright. Anyway, let’s see what quest to give you…” Honestly, he just wanted this fairy gone. The fact that he could sense things about him was plain creepy. Plus, he was a bit of a douche.

  “Please go out into the forest and gather as many rahzen berries as you can find, but no fewer than 10. Deliver these to the innkeeper at the ‘The Stupored Gnome‘ down the road by midnight tonight. After two days, your rahzen pie will be finished and available for pick up. You will also receive 1 silver, plus 10 copper coins for every additional rahzen berry you deliver, payable upon the pie’s completion.

  ‘Quest’ Requested: Rahzen Pie

  You have tasked Jantu the fairy with providing you a minimum of 10 rahzen berries in exchange for a most interesting pie. Beware lest he discover your treachery!

  Jantu took some time to mull it over. Gitch had to admit, it was a weird quest. He had never heard of a time delayed payment, but he was betting on the mysterious pie and huge financial reward, and that Jantu had never met a fake quest giver. He was right.

  “I agree, if you pay 15 copper for each additional berry over 10,” he countered.

  “13.”

  “Deal!”

  ‘Quest’ accepted!

  You have earned +3% experience gain

  Total experience gain: 101%

  Congratulations! Dubious Missioneer has increased to level 3!

  Daily quest limit increased to 5!

  Gitch very much liked gaining levels. It made him feel all gooey inside, almost like an emotional helping of gloop fruit. He gave two more quests away in quick succession. These were all slayer quests, requiring each fairy to kill some evil creature. He thought they could handle it. Both were level 5 or above, and if they failed, they would just respawn. They may not actually receive anything from him, but they were doing the city a service. That was a reward they could be proud of.

  He recognized the fifth fairy that came to see him. It was the one who told him to bugger off so he could finish his outrageous tree-dragon story. This should be fun, he thought fiendishly.

  “Greetings! My name is Shaza, and who might you be?”

  “Boker. Am I going to get a challenge today? I‘m sick of hunting spiders and gathering herbs. I’m level 10, give me some credit!” he demanded, slamming a fist down hard on the wooden table. Gitch smiled internally, but kept a straight face.

  “I have just the thing for someone of your… caliber. It is equally dangerous as it is lucrative!” Gitch paused for effect. He figured he might as well go big, and there was little harm in asking. Boker leaned forward, clearly hooked on Gitch’s words of a promising reward. It was time to deliver.

  “This quest is very important and may require the assistance of other aliens to complete. It is by far the most dangerous quest offered in this hall but also the most rewarding... I need you, and whatever player allies you can muster, to assault and capture the imps’ central stronghold. We must put an end to this age-long war, and you seem like a very capable fairy indeed, what with being level 10 and all! Will you put a stop to this war, brave fairy?” Gitch asked solemnly. The fairy next to him coughed in surprise and looked at him with something akin to awe. For the moment, he didn’t pay her any mind.

  ‘Quest’ Requested: Hero Maker

  You have tasked Boker the fairy with ending the imp threat once and for all in exchange for 30 silver. Beware lest he discover your treachery!

  Boker hesitated, finally losing some of his bravado. He rubbed his chin before asking a single question. “And the reward?”

  “A hero deserves a hero’s reward! Due to the increased risk and difficulty associated with this quest, we would be willing to pay you and each alien 30 silver pieces. Each!”

  Gitch could have sworn he saw Boker’s eyes turn green at hearing the reward for this quest. The fairy NPC next to him looked like she was about to pass out. It greatly overshadowed EVERY other quest in the hall. Boker didn’t even hesitate. “Hell yeah! That’s some serious coin! Deal fairy man!!”

  ‘Quest’ accepted!

  You have earned +3% experience gain

  Total experience gain: 110%

  “Great! Just one more thing. By capture, we mean you must eradicate any imp or evil creature that lies within, including bosses. Also, all loot gained belongs to the village and must be dropped off to the Fae-thil treasury prior to receiving your reward.” What could he say, he was a team player. Not their team, but Gitch did honestly want to help his kin-the true fairies, not this mercenary for hire.

  Boker’s face paled at hearing the additional quest details, but he ended up nodding his head in agreement. He took off without another word, immediately going to a few of his fellows to share his newest quest. Gitch in no way expected them to take the fortress, but if they did, well the queen might just thank Gitch for his service. He was such a good fairy.

  Gitch didn’t level up his skill any further and was fresh out of quests to distribute. He made to stand up and leave, but the fairy sitting beside him stopped him with a touch of the arm.

  “I know what you are doing, but fornicating hedgehogs! These aliens are the lazy ones. They come here for the simple quests. The real adventures roam the town or surrounding area for quests. You just sent that player and his allies to their deaths!” she whispered under her breath.

  “Oh, I’m sure of it. That guy was kind of a bag, but don’t worry. I told him only to gather player allies. They will all respawn if killed. Also, if they don’t complete the quest, they can‘t collect. It’s a win-win. I get experience, the village gets a shot of ending the war, and no one gets to listen to that guy’s stupid stories anymore.”

  She laughed and whispered back, “You got some big gemstobbers on you, Shaza.”

  “You know that is the second time someone has told me that today, but I thank you. Also, my name isn’t Shaza. It’s-”

  The next player pulled up a chair and sat down without being called up, effectively ending the conversation. He gave her a final nod and left without a word. The ‘alien’ gave him a funny look, but didn’t stand up for fear of losing her position in line. She must have thought another fairy was coming to relieve him. The thought made Gitch chuckle softly. He wondered how long it would take her to realize no one was coming.

  It had been a very productive use of time if he said so himself, and he did. Despite his run in with the law this morning, he was now at an extra 10% experience gain for
the day. He stretched, preparing himself for the next phase of his plan. This had been great, but was not the reason he had originally come to this floor of players.

  Gitch lifted into the air and slowly drifting towards the staircase on the opposite side of the room. He could have walked, but he had his reasons. Reasons that would have gone unnoticed if he allowed himself to stay grounded. It didn’t take long for the shouts to ring out.

  “Hey, look at that pink guy!”

  “Are those shoes?!”

  “No way!”

  “Where did he get them?”

  “How’d a green dot get shoes?”

  “Stop that fairy!”

  Gitch was surrounded the moment he touched down. Players hemmed him in on all sides, bombarding him with questions and demanding him for answers. He feigned ignorance at first, but keeping a straight face became harder and harder. Eventually, he smiled wide and lifted up one of his feet.

  “Oh, you mean these?” he asked smoothly.

  A wave of excited yeses, yeahs, duhs, and of courses washed over him. Every player in the room was tuned in. Even the NPCs at the back had abandoned their desks, flying up to see what the commotion was all about. Yep, they were hooked, he thought happily.

  “Oh, well if you must know, these are the most comfortable pair of feet wrappers I have ever come across. Every step is like walking on a cloud! Mighty difficult to come across they were. Chimpunk skin, you know. Quite dangerous,” he said offhandedly.

  “Do… do you have any more?” one beige fairy asked. He had never seen a beige fairy. What magic did he possess? A question for another time, perhaps.

  “Why, as a matter of fact, I do. I was going to see if the queen and some of her leaders would be interested in purchasing them. I only have so many, you see…”

  It was quiet for a moment. Some fairies looked at him enviously, others appeared eager. The calming silence did not last long.