Forming the Company (Alpha World Book 2)

by Daniel Schinhofen

  Chuckling, Alburet shrugged, “Well, close. Have you paid any attention to the gaming news over the last day?”

  Frowning, DrFrank shook his head, “Not really. Between work and getting on here to play I really haven’t been checking the web.”

  “You should take the time tonight to look up news related to Alpha World,” Alburet said in an offhanded manner as Grimgar began to tally up what the weapons would net Alburet. “Big news. Should be out by now, I’m sure.”

  “Then you can just tell me,” DrFrank said with a frown.

  “Yeah, I guess I could. Mindblown is doing month long immersion testing,” Alburet said with a straight face as he turned to look at DrFrank.

  DrFrank blinked, then his eyes went as wide as they could go, “No fucking way! Seriously? I got to go check, see you later.” DrFrank disappeared, leaving just Alburet and Grimgar in the shop.

  “Ye two-souled be a strange lot, ye know tha’, righ’?” Grimgar said as he set gold on the counter and began to pull the weapons down.

  “Sure enough,” Alburet chuckled, tossing the gold into his money pouch. “The next week or so should see more of my kind excited as all hell.”

  “Oh? Why be tha’?”

  “That immersion testing I mentioned to Frank. The way we cross over to this world is through a piece of technology that is controlled by a group called Mindblown Entertainment. They are starting a trial, letting some of us stay here for a month at a time without the need to drop off like he just did.”

  A frown crossed Grimgar’s face as he thought. “Would ye be one of them?”

  “Far as I know, I was the first. However, more will be coming very soon. I’m trying to gather many of those who will be here for the long term under my guild banner. I hope to show those who do the long-term thing that this world should be treated with the respect it is due. Those that fail will be booted from the guild.”

  Grimgar sucked a breath in through his teeth softly, “Maybe tha’ would help. Many of ye kind be rude, abrupt and hurried. If this goes well, maybe they’ll take the time to act a bit more civil, eh?”

  “There is always hope, Grimgar. You going to be at the inn tonight?”

  “I was thinkin’ of stoppin’ by for a pint or two. Did ye need somethin’?”

  “Not really, just feels off without Stacia by my side is all. Thinking a drink with you and Stewart would be pleasant. Anyway, I’m going to head out to find some lunch. See you later.”

  “Aye, lad,” Grimgar said as Alburet left.

  Alburet walked down the street to Tanned Hides, to find an apparently bored Almira behind the counter. “Slow day?” Alburet greeted the beautiful elf.

  “It was fine earlier but it’s slowed down since. You back to sell more junk to me?”

  “Of course,” Alburet laughed as he dropped the armor he’d looted on the counter.

  Almira shook her head with a small smile, “Using me to dump your junk, are you?”

  “It beats walking down to the other shop just to sell the chain pieces off. Besides, it gives me the chance to chat with a beautiful lady.”

  “Now you’re trying to butter me up. How are you feeling about tomorrow?” Almira asked as she changed the subject while she added up what she owed him for the armor.

  “Excited, nervous, worried and thrilled. I had given up on the idea of relationships for so long and now here I am about to marry the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”

  Chuckling, Almira handed him the gold he was due for the armor, “Keep that excitement inside you. All relationships wane a touch, but if you can keep the spark alive it will always work out. I’ll be seeing you tomorrow for the big day.”

  “Thanks, Almira,” Alburet said, putting the coin away without looking at it. “See you tomorrow. I will be at the inn later tonight having a drink if you want to stop by and have a round.”

  “We shall see,” was her reply as Alburet said his goodbyes before walking out the door.

  He strolled along the streets, watching the people all around him go about their lives until he came to the maid café. He decided to have lunch there, trying one of the rice omelets and some coffee. Two other players were in the café, fanboying over the Elf and Lunari maids. Shaking his head and chuckling quietly at the other players, he knew the café would soon be doing big business once those two told their friends about it.

  He stopped just outside to check his map for an alchemist shop. He found one a few streets over and headed towards it. Once there, he looked up at the sign, showing some unknown herb and an empty vial.

  An older, white haired elf greeted him, “Welcome to my shop, Herbal Remedies. I’m the owner, Arion Greenthumb. What are you looking for today?”

  Giving the shopkeeper a nod, Alburet approached the counter. “I have a few herbs I picked up from the gnolls and was hoping to find out more about health and mana restoratives.”

  “Probably spring vines. Let me see them and I will tell you about what you have,” the elder man replied. Alburet did as asked by Arion, who nodded as he examined the herbs. “Spring vines, very common loot from the gnolls. We use them in the lesser health and mana potions. I can give you a few gold for the lot, or we can fold that back into any purchase you make here.”

  “I’m interested in picking up some health potions. The last one I had was a flat fifty health, which would be less than optimal at this level.”

  Arion looked at Alburet strangely for a moment. “Health potions restore a portion of the drinker’s health to them. One tenth for the lesser potions, stepping up to a full half for the greater.”

  “Huh. That is interesting. What is the cost of the lesser potions?” Alburet asked curiously.

  “I ask for five gold each. Since you brought me spring vines which are needed to craft them, I can bring that down to four gold each.”

  “What about each of the others ranging up to the greater?”

  Arion chuckled, “Five, twenty-five, two hundred, one thousand and finally five thousand gold each. The cost reflects how hard it is to retrieve the items needed to make each level of potion as well as just how useful they are.”

  Frowning, Alburet considered for a moment, “What’s to stop someone from just using five of the lesser ones in place of the greater one?”

  Shaking his head, Arion filled Alburet in. “To use a potion in combat, one either needs to have the potion in hand, on a potion belt or bandolier. It takes much too long to dig a potion out of a bag or pouch. Here, let me show you.” Arion tossed him a belt with six slots, each with a vial in it. “Put that on then drink any of the vials.”

  Puzzled, Alburet did as Arion requested, noting how fast his hand moved to down the potion. “That seemed faster than I normally move.”

  “It is. One of those tweaks the gods have made to the world since its creation. Now, take one of the vials and place it in your bag, wait a few seconds, then get it out and drink it.”

  Following the steps Arion outlined, Alburet attempted the second method. It took him close to thirty seconds to accomplish the same thing, while using the potion from the belt had taken maybe two seconds. “Okay, now that makes it imperative to get a belt like this.”

  “Six slots are the best you will find. No one has succeeded in crafting anything better yet, though many have tried. Such is the way of the gods. Now you understand why the greater potions will always have a place with adventurers. May I have my belt back please?”

  Alburet handed back the belt, “Thank you for showing me this, I hadn’t known.” He paused, considering the fact he had improvised belt slots in his tattered robe at the beginning of the game. That might explain why he hadn’t had any trouble with the first potion he’d used. “Who has the belts or bandoliers for purchase?”

  “Any provision store will have them for sale. Now, about the potions you wanted to buy from me. What kind and how many?” Arion asked with a smile.

  “Hmm. I think I’ll take twenty four of the lesser potions for health, please.
” Alburet held out a hundred gold.

  Arion laid out the small vials that were a light pink in color as he took the gold from Alburet. “A pleasure doing business with you, sir. Please stop by again for any of your alchemical needs.”

  Alburet put his potions away before asking, “I wonder, would you be willing to offer a discount to a guild if they made you their exclusive alchemist?”

  Arion laughed lightly, “I would consider such a thing, but the guild would have to be established as trustworthy. I did note your guild emblem, but I have never heard of you. If you do make a name for yourself, then feel free to stop by again and we can discuss your idea further.”

  Lips quirked up in a smirk, Alburet nodded, “Be seeing you sooner than you think then, Arion. Have a good day.” He closed the shop door behind him on Arion’s puzzled expression before heading for Pablo’s Provisions to get a belt for his potions.

  An hour later he was headed back towards the inn with a new belt, six potions slotted into it. He felt five gold for the belt was a bit much really, but it was needed equipment and at least it had good durability.

  Finally back at the inn, Alburet saw it was mostly empty. Only three people sat at the bar and Stewart was at his usual seat in the far back corner of the room. Alburet greeted Alistern, who was behind the bar. “Hello, Alistern. Can I get a pitcher of whatever Stewart is drinking and another mug, please?” He laid a couple of silver on the bar.

  Alistern took the coins before fetching a pitcher of dark ale and a full mug of the same. “Here ya go. Ya still goin’ through with it?” Alistern’s voice raised slightly along with a single eyebrow as he asked the question.

  Taking a sip of the full mug to make it easier to carry, Alburet swallowed before answering. “I love her, Alistern. I’m sorry if that causes you problems, but I will not stop loving her. So you are aware, I’ve invited Almira and Grimgar to celebrate my pending nuptials here tonight. Also, a guard might be along, he and I need to talk. He hates our kind though, so he might not show up. See you later.” With a parting smile he grabbed his stuff and headed for Stewart’s table.

  Stewart looked up as Alburet approached, “Did you need something?”

  Alburet shook his head, setting the pitcher down in the middle of the table. “No, I just thought maybe we could talk a bit. Since Stacia is with Lilith, I find myself at loose ends today.”

  Stewart eyed him for another moment before picking up the pitcher to refill his cup. “Fine, but I won’ be the best company. The last few days have brought up raw memories for me.”

  Alburet took a seat, wondering what to say before deciding he would be his usual blunt self. “I heard from Ioaniss that you helped take down a world boss some time back.”

  Stewart’s head jerked up, his eyes narrow as he glared at Alburet. “What would you know of it?”

  “Nothing, actually. I was half hoping you could tell me about it, now that I see it’s a sensitive topic though, I will apologize instead. I am sorry if I touched a raw point, Stewart,”

  Stewart drained his glass, then poured another one, staying silent for a moment. The silence stretched a bit longer before Stewart let out a deep breath, “It’s in the past but it still aches at times. It isn’t your fault. You don’t know the story. It was over twenty years ago, when we had our last great adventure, which ended in sadness and pain.”

  Alburet sipped his drink, keeping quiet as he watched the emotions flicker across Stewart’s face. He wanted to hear the tale, but didn’t want to reopen an old wound more than he already had.

  “Our last adventure that cost me the woman I loved, Flora.” A deep sense of loss radiated from Stewart at the name. “We had our problems, but we still loved each other. It was a very rocky relationship if truth be told. We had just gotten to level eighty and were heading for the Dead Lands for the first time.”

  Alburet listened intently as Stewart spun the tale of his lover who died fighting Experiment 9 out in the Dead Lands. It took another pitcher of ale before Stewart finished as the sun began to set and the inn began to fill. Alburet wiped his own eyes a few times during the story, entranced by the emotions Stewart evoked with the tale.

  “I was a wreck for a good week after that. What pulled me out of it was Alistern’s father dying. Alistern needed me to help support him, so I pulled myself out of my depression and started moving again. That’s when I started helping my best friend run this place, him running the bar and me helping train the new Summoners,” Stewart finished, draining his mug again.

  “Aye and glad we were tha’ ye came out of it, me friend,” Grimgar said by way of announcing himself as he took a seat with a fresh pitcher and mug.

  “Glad you made it, Grimgar,” Alburet greeted the dwarf.

  “Aye lad. So, we be celebratin’ ya big day tomorrow, ya be joinin’ the extended family.” Grimgar slapped Alburet hard on the back, knocking the breath from Alburet. “Do nay worry. Iffin she be anythin’ like Lilith, ye will never be idle.”

  Stewart’s sadness lifted slightly as his lips twitched up, “Isn’t that the truth. She was the one who kept pushing us to do more back in the day. Even here she jumps on anyone not pulling their weight. Be sure you want this. Your life won’t be the same after tomorrow.”

  “True, it will be filled with love instead,” Almira cut in as she took a seat with a bottle and a wine glass in her hands. “I brought my own drink, as the stuff Alistern serves is much too thick for my taste.”

  Grimgar chuckled as he shook his head, “Always wantin’ somethin’ more refined to drink. We be here to celebrate the lad’s pendin’ nuptials to our Stacia on the morrow.”

  Stewart raised his glass, a little wobbly, “To Alburet, may he always love the child we watched grow up and if he fails, we’ll gut him.”

  Laughter from the other three was the first reply then they raised their glasses in salute, clinking them together before drinking. “I would like to toast three amazing people who helped watch over the woman I love. I do not doubt that it was with your guidance and her parent’s love that she is the person she is today.” Alburet finished the toast, clinking glasses once more before they all drank.

  The next hour was spent in idle banter as each of them tried to give Alburet, often conflicting, advice on how to keep Stacia happiest. A lull came as they wiped tears of laughter away from their eyes over Grimgar’s last idea when a new person stopped at their table. Glancing over, Alburet saw Wilber Gilden standing there.

  “Wilber, please pull up a seat. These are Almira, who runs Tanned Hides, Grimgar of Grimgar’s Weaponry and finally but not least Stewart who helps train those of my class. Friends, this is Wilber Gilden. He is of House Gilden, but is also a guard here in the city.” Alburet nudged out a chair for Wilber as he ran through the introductions. “Please, join us in a drink,” Erin came by with an empty mug and a new pitcher, giving Wilber a wide smile as she did so.

  Wilber eyed them warily, but returned Erin’s smile before taking the seat offered him. “I have come as I was asked to by Captain Roberto.”

  “I wanted to apologize for my actions when we first met, Wilber. Having met your brother, I can see now why you would get upset at being called by his name.” Alburet poured himself and Wilber a mug from the fresh pitcher.

  Eyes widening, Wilbur’s lips pursed as he accepted the mug. “Where did you meet my brother and for what purpose?”

  “At the castle. I was the guest of Sir Jones, he wanted to ask me about an artifact I retrieved. While Sir Jones’s assistant was taking me to him, we were stopped by Skippy. Some comments were exchanged before we went on to see our host. I do believe I’ll be seeing another round of assassins, as I do believe I insulted him.”

  Brow furrowing, Wilbur took a sip of the ale before taking a slightly larger drink. “You say that like my brother hired an assassin for you once before.”

  Eyes narrowing slightly as his face went cold, Alburet replied, “He did. The assassin who killed me three times told me that it was co
urtesy of Gilden House. I figured you weren’t the type to do something like that, so that left your brother or father. Not having met your father but having met Skippy, I figure Skippy was the one responsible.”

  Wilbur fell silent for a moment before letting out a deep breath, “That would have been my fault then. When I woke up after our scuffle I related to my brother why I had been brought home at the start of my shift. I was still pretty groggy, so I don’t recall his face but me being called by his name would have set him off. We don’t see eye to eye. He thinks I am besmirching the honor of the house by working as a guard.”

  Alburet felt his cheek twitch slightly, as his anger at having been assassinated spiked for a moment. Pausing a moment longer to calm himself, Alburet gave a sharp nod. “I don’t blame you. If I had known at the time I wouldn’t have slandered you as I did, Wilbur. Skippy is just one of the generic names I tend to use when talking to people I dislike or that annoy me. The fact your brother is actually named that came to light later. I asked you to come here so I could apologize for calling you by his name.”