The First Player (AlterGame Book #1) LitRPG Series

by Andrew Novak

  A fire burned on the altar in the lower temple, too, but it was quite dull, giving almost no light. This priestess looked like the one above, – her robes were black. Jack didn't see her until she stepped forward. She was incredibly similar to the one above, like her sister, but, although the facial features were the same, they were cold and aloof.

  "What has brought you here?”

  "I... uh... mother, I've found a weapon... a dagger that emanates darkness." Jack held up the blade. "I thought that this item had something to do with the great Necta. She is our night mother, and there is night flowing from the blade."

  "Yes, it is a weapon of darkness. It is of the past," the priestess said coldly. "All in the past, buried and forgotten. As you should forget. Go."

  Jack did not move. Maybe the priestess would change her mind?

  "The era of this dagger is long passed. Leave, and forget," the NPC said tersely.

  Jack took a step back and turned. He was still procrastinating because he'd laid his hopes on Necta more than anything else... and because the woman had seen something interesting about the dagger, right? So, why not admit it?

  Outside, thunder crashed and the image of the temple shook in front of Jack. The storm had finally broken. Something in the virt-headset clicked and the picture turned to blinking lines. Jack mentally cursed under the cracking noise – now, because of the lightning, the connection would be broken and he would be booted out of the game, which would result in a fine. Exiting Alterra outside of designated player areas meant a fine of five coins!

  But the image stabilized and Jack walked to the stairs so that he could quickly reach an approved point to exit Alterra.

  "Are you ready to embark on the path of dark service?" he heard behind him.

  Jack slowly turned around. The priestess was already standing in front of him and her eyes, black as night, stared at the visitor.

  You receive the quest "Service to the Dark".

  Reward: Unknown

  Accept / Reject

  "I'm ready!" Jack hastily blurted out, squeezing the handle of the Shadowslayer, before the NPC could change her mind and return to the previous script.

  "Leave Svetlograd, where the great Necta is not revered as is proper. Bring the Mother the sacrifice at the crossroads!" the priestess said clearly and solemnly. "Let the blade of the black dagger bathe in blood."

  Before Jack a message appeared:

  Attention! You are the first player on the path of Service to the Dark, with the Shadow in hand...

  Chapter Four. Wolf Blood

  Attention! You are the first player on the path of Service to the Dark, with the Shadow in hand.

  You receive +1 XP.

  You have 34 XP. Earn 6 XP to unlock new skills.

  NOT A BAD little thing, this dark service, Jack thought, climbing the stairs. I still haven't killed anyone and already gained an experience point. Looks promising!

  He passed the Shining Vecta's priestess, who stood before the entrance and took no notice of him. He took the stairs out. Six Gravediggers were waiting for him in front of the temple. Weaver nodded. A player hurried into the temple that Jack had just left. Persistent guys, methodical.

  While everyone's gaze was following their friend, Jack broke into a run. Although it was already getting dark in reality, the number of players in Svetlograd hadn't diminished. The weather sucked. What else was there to do, besides hang out in Alterra? The streets of Svetlograd were crowded today. Jack managed to dive into a narrow alley before Weaver and his crew emerged from the throng in the square. Without slowing down, he kept running. He pressed against the wall to avoid colliding with oncoming traffic. It was easier for one person to do than for five, or six if the one from the temple changed his mind and decided to run after the others. Jack didn't look back. It didn't matter whether there were five or six – he had left them all behind. He reached the exit point before the Gravediggers could notice whether he had turned back or not.

  Jack ran past the slightly open door of a temple where he could legally exit the game inside Svetlograd. He turned a corner, then another, grinning widely as he thought of how Weaver would order his fighters to set up post at the temple. They could wait as long as they liked. The longer, the better.

  Having made sure that his pursuers had fallen behind, he slowed to a walk. That lucky buff that Vecta's priestess granted him came in handy.

  Jack sought out the Wanderer's dais and turned toward it. The Wanderer was the mage NPC who sold teleports. Glowing above his dais was the symbol of Astra, discoverer of pathways, but this wasn't connected with the cult of the goddess. There was just a legend that, one day, Astra was hurrying to heal Ged, wounded in battle, but night had fallen and Necta had meddled with the roads. So Astra, driven by her love, opened the first portal in Alterra. Since then, Wanderer mages have decorated their sites with two hearts, the symbol of shared love, and followers of black magic still left sacrifices for Necta at the crossroads.

  Jack bought a port to a desert locale to the west of Svetlograd. From there, it wasn't very far to the town of Narim, but it was best to go the rest of the way on foot. Less likely to leave a trail that way and tip off his pursuers.

  After paying the Wanderer, Jack stepped into the open portal. A wall of light encircled him... then the glow disappeared.

  Before him was a road, the forest pressed up on both sides of it. A milepost stuck out next it, the portal's anchor point. The sign showed that it was another ten miles to Narim. That would work. Jack walked along the road until a temple became visible. The exit point from the game was a small building with a rounded roof, like the one where Andrew Vigo had left his legacy. Jack left the game here.

  Before logging off completely, he popped into the Shell to check his mail. One of the dealers that he had contacted the day before had just responded.

  Word on the street was that Shifty Peter had some contacts in New Atrium. Though Jack suspected that Peter spread those rumors himself to add to his credibility. At any rate, the one-eyed swindler bought old junk from the Walkers and even kept a weapons stand in Alterra, where he plied practically the same trade – buying loot from players. Jack didn't care for Peter's stinginess. He always tried too hard to drive down the price, but once agreed, he would never shortchange you. Besides, artifacts were his area of expertise, both in reality and in-game. In fact, maybe he marketed them to buyers behind the Barrier – in Alterra and in real life. There were artifact aficionados in New Atrium, too.

  Peter wrote that .38 caliber cartridges for the Smith & Wesson weren't in stock, but he would look around and give an answer tomorrow. Same thing for the demon artifacts. Peter didn't know who might be interested, but he'd ask some friends and try to find a buyer. And he was expecting a 10% commission on the sale.

  Jack replied that 10% was too much. But a commission was possible if a deal could be arranged. He had already decided not to sell the Tear, so he could promise a percentage with a clear conscience, since he would never have to give anything anyway. Enough from Peter and the split he'd get off the cartridges. There was no doubt that he would significantly jack up the price. Jack had agreed to this in advance, since he had no choice. Selling weapons was prohibited and very few dealers chose to buy and resell cartridges. The Barrier defenders kept a close eye on that.

  Plus, he hoped that Peter would find a specialist in demon relics, who he could chat with and get at least a little information about the quests he had managed to get. He wrote to Peter: If you can't find a buyer, then at least find a specialist.

  Then he slipped off the virt-headset and gloves, rubbed his eyes with his fists, and went to the window. The storm had already drifted over toward the Blighted Wasteland, and the rain whispered steadily outside the window. Muddy rivulets were running down the glass, but he could see the windows of the neighboring trailers, spots of light outlined by a thick haze of falling of rain.

  Through the rustle and splash, a new sound broke through, a steady buzzing. A new set
of lights were creeping up over the irregular chain of window lights – an airship of defenders was approaching from New Atrium. It was a black shadow surrounded by a dim halo, its searchlights piercing through the spray of rain. The airship floated over the pipes and moved toward the Wasteland, following the retreating storm.

  Jack took a few sips of water from a bottle, looked at the streams cascading down the glass, and went back to his cot. Alterra was two hours behind reality, but it was already getting dark there. It would be night soon, the hour of deceitful Necta. Which meant that it was time to get down to business.

  Before returning to the game, Jack took a look at the forum of the Brotherhood of Gravediggers. Of course, there were private threads for guild members, but there was a public area that looked more like a block of advertising. Jack knew very well what advertising was. Before the Gendemic, this stuff had been of great significance.

  Well, here... Under the page banner with their emblem, the crossed shovels, and the guild name, was their motto: "Bury them all!"

  The guild invited all to join their ranks, with a special preference for those who would contribute legendary- and epic-level relics to the guild treasury. This bit piqued Jack's interest and he defined a search across the entire Shell with the keywords: "relics, epic, special". In the forums, they were chatting about the upcoming Battle – the yearly quest for all players – and about how the outcome would hang on this or that relic.

  Nobody knew anything for certain, but the hunt for relics had begun. And this explained the Gravediggers' interest. It was a large guild, with more than a thousand members, and naturally, they wanted to win. The prize for winning the yearly in-game Battle was alpha-citizenship and entry into New Atrium. It was an award worth competing for... just not for Jack. He absolutely did not want to be locked away inside the Barrier for the rest of his life. No. The complacent life of an alpha-citizen... It was just another form of captivity. No freedom, no adventure.

  It was with this thought that Jack entered the game. He was once again facing the road with the looming forest on both sides. It was already getting dark in Alterra. Jack glanced around and then set off down the road. He reached Narim at dusk. He asked the guards where the mayor could be found and went to the address they gave him. NPCs didn't need to sleep, so they could discuss the wolf problem now.

  The mayor – a fat, bearded man with a kindly face – met him on the doorstep.

  "That's right, good man, a terrible wolf has been harassing the entire province," he confirmed, when Jack stated that the Shining Vecta's priestess sent him. "If you can rid us of this scourge, then you will have the entire city's gratitude and earn 50 gold. Simply deliver the beast's tail."

  "And where can I find this wolf of yours?"

  "It can show up anywhere, and that's the problem," the mayor shook his head regretfully, "but it's been sighted most often in the Gray sector. It's not far, just along the road to the west."

  A new waypoint appeared on Jack's map and he checked to be sure there was a crossroads near the Gray sector. Excellent, he could complete all the quests in one go.

  He said goodbye to the fat man and walked off toward the city gates. When he had reached a turn in the road, he heard a knock behind him – the mayor had another visitor. Jack pressed against a building and listened. Well, shit! Was it really the Gravediggers? How did these guys get here? They took the quest in Vecta's temple, no doubt. Now the fat man could very well tell them that he had just given out this quest. Or maybe he wouldn't say anything – it was unclear what was written in his script. This wasn't a temple in the capital. The priest there could give players other quests without worrying about them crossing paths. But they used a purely local script here and the NPC could alert other players, so they wouldn't interfere with one another.

  Jack decided not to leave these two behind his back. Walking a little farther along the path to the Gray sector, he left the roadside and hid in the shadows behind some trees. Nighttime in Alterra was an interesting thing. There was the sensation of total darkness, but visibility was still good. At ten paces, for sure. Jack had never bothered with concealment. In real life, he relied more on his menacing appearance than stealth. That's probably why he hadn't really leveled his skills in concealment in the game – out of habit. And why he didn't pick up gear with bonuses to stealth. Much better to hide in the shadows.

  He had to wait about ten minutes before the two players appeared on the road. When they passed by Jack, he read their stats:

  Gower, Scand

  Expertise: 14

  Health: 40

  Guild: Brotherhood of Gravediggers

  Darsin, Lahitte

  Expertise: 15

  Health: 35

  Guild: Brotherhood of Gravediggers

  These guys weren't particularly formidable. Maybe they were just doing the quest. An opponent like the wolf would be just right for their level. Or maybe it wasn't a coincidence that they were here. What if Weaver Lund had sent his people out on all the quests that were available in the few temples in Svetlograd? There were many more people in the Brotherhood of Gravediggers than temple quests.

  Jack waited a bit and then set off after the Gravediggers. In the Gray sector, he abandoned the road again and crept along the roadside, keeping to the shadows of the trees. The Gravediggers were standing in the road, looking around. Maybe they really weren't here for him, but just doing a quest? Jack edged closer to hear their conversation.

  "He's not here," announced the Scand, Gower.

  Who's not here, Jack thought, him or the wolf? That was the big question.

  "Report to Weaver," the Lahitte, Darsin, said – and everything clicked into place. "The bastard isn't here but we'll finish the quest anyway, just to be sure."

  A long howl came from deep in the forest. The Gravediggers retreated to the middle of the road and drew their swords. The howl sounded again, already closer. Jack backed away, so he wouldn't get caught between the mob and the players.

  While those two were listening to the noise in the woods, Jack ran off farther into the darkness where the Gravediggers wouldn't see him. He crossed the road and returned to the area of the upcoming battle. Now he was behind his rivals.

  The howls and crackle of branches marking the mob's approach were very close. Uh... and the wolf hadn't come alone! Three lanky, sinuous shadows emerged from the thicket onto the road. One was enormous. Its withers nearly reached Jack's chest.

  Alpha Wolf Health: 35

  Aggro zone: 15

  Wolf Health: 20

  Aggro zone: 15

  Wolf Health: 20

  Aggro zone: 15

  The Gravediggers, lifting their blades, stepped toward the beasts, but neither one managed to get a hit. Jack rushed up behind them and, with one broad sweep of his sword, cut them both down. They didn't even have time to utter a peep, and didn't notice who had ganked them because their gaze never left the wolves.

  The unlucky hunters collapsed on the road, dripping shiny, oily liquid textures. Jack jumped over their bodies and faced the wolves.

  "Well, come on!" he shouted at the beasts. "Before even more Gravediggers show up." They were everywhere tonight.

  The wolves, of course, didn't need prodding. The two smallest bared their teeth and ran to the sides, while the alpha, stepping lightly and crouching, moved for Jack. All three jumped at once. Jack leaped back and the wolves collided in the place where he had been standing. The alpha, due to its larger mass, carried the two smaller wolves along with it. The furry ball rolled on the road towards Jack's legs. Two short blows later and the only the leader remained. But the creature didn't even consider retreating.

  The wolf sprung up, shook itself, and leaped again. Jack turned around with lightning speed, slipping past its creaking jaws and slammed the hilt of the bastard sword into the wolf's crown. The beast dropped, burying its nose in the dust of the road, then tried to get up, but it was too late – Jack had gripped it by its shaggy scruff. A couple more blows to t
he head, and the beast was already struggling less. Everything was simple in the game – Jack was stronger and his hits fixed the wolf with the "stun" debuff. This stunt would never work in real life with a wild dog from the Wasteland, though.

  "Let's go," Jack wheezed through clenched teeth, using all of his strength to grasp the folds of its furry pelt, "Take me to the crossroads. We're both a part of the show, now. But remember that I've got the lead role."

  The mob, it seemed, wasn't about to give up the lead to Jack and attempted to break free. Every twenty paces, Jack had to renew the "stun" and knock the wolf over the head with the sword hilt. Jack dragged the animal down the road – he needed a crossroads.

  And here it was! The trees parted, revealing a clearing where two roads intersected and a rickety milepost stood. The developers hadn't bothered to come up with anything special. Both forest roads looked the same – the same dust-covered ruts and the same pine trees on both sides. Everything was silvered by the light of Alterra's nighttime star, Shadris.

  Hmm, how to best appease Necta? Jack hadn't found any instructions or guides that fit his circumstances. Would such a shabby crossroads be suitable for the goddess? Or did he need something more respectable, with some kind of specific decoration, like a shrine or a stone that could serve as an alter? There was nothing like that here. Okay, well, if it didn't work here, he could retry it somewhere else. Were there not many crossroads in Alterra? And wolves? Only, it was as if this were the right place to arrange it...

  "Uh..." Jack began. "Great goddess..."

  The wolf began to growl and twitch. The debuff effects had worn off.

  "Be quiet," Jack snapped at it. "You can see that I have an important conversation. Now, where did I leave off? Great goddess! Night mother Necta... just... please accept this sacrifice."