More Than a Game

by Andrey Vasilyev

  “Hey, buddy, what’s going on?” I turned him over. Through the hole in his breastplate, I could see a jagged wound that looked to almost reach his heart. Or maybe his lung? I wasn’t a pathologist.

  Gunther groaned almost inaudibly and mumbled something.

  “What’s that?” I leaned directly over him.

  “Is he dead?”

  “Who? That devil? Yes, of course. Master Hugo carved a big old hole in his sternum.”

  “That’s good. Now, I can die, too. Like a samurai.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  I looked at the crowd standing by the Fladridge gate and listened to the chatter going on.

  “That’s so cool! There wasn’t even anything like that on the Klaternah raid.”

  “Seriously. Wait, who bet on the guy with the mustache?”

  “Not me.”

  “I bet on the hot one.”

  “Nobody bets on NPCs!”

  “Ruslan from the Collectors actually bet on him. Everyone was picking favorites, and he said the NPC would do it. He was right.”

  “But what about the loot?”

  “The players get it.”

  “No, that can’t be. Nobody bet on the NPC.”

  “That’s crazy—nobody won.”

  “Ha, sometimes everyone walks away with nothing.”

  A dwarf, who was obviously in the know, had figured the whole thing out. “We should have bet on how long it would take them to kill that guy.”

  The elf girl snapped back at him. “Hindsight is 20-20.”

  “All right, show’s over. Let’s head back to the city.”

  The group stirred and started moving toward the gate.

  I shouted at their retreating figures. “Hey, hold up! Someone heal Gunther!”

  The players stopped and looked at me.

  “Are you crazy?” The dwarf stared at me and circled a short, fat finger around his temple. “He’s an NPC!”

  “He’s a good guy, and he saved my life yesterday. Well, and he helped us today, too.”

  “Really, boys. One of you is probably a healer.” Kro piped up in support as she rummaged through the witcher’s corpse. “Gunther’s cute, and he promised to give me a ride on his horse.”

  “Oh, come on. He’ll die and come right back to life. Maybe not here, of course, but still…” The dwarf stood his ground.

  “This one won’t. His kind just leaves amulets behind,” I answered gloomily. “Fine, if no one wants to heal him out of the goodness of their heart, I’ll be happy to pay.”

  “Relax,” the gray-bearded Petronius said calmly. “I’ll do it.”

  He walked over to Gunther, reached out his hand, and whispered a spell.

  A blue ray of light flashed into Gunther’s chest, and the knight quivered slightly.

  “Done. Healthy as an ox,” the mage said.

  I turned to him happily. “How much do I owe you?”

  “Kids these days are all about the money. That isn’t all there is, not even in this world.” The mage shook his head reproachfully. “Some things don’t come with a price tag.”

  Gunther pulled himself up on his elbows, lowered his head, and studied the gaping hole 1 his chest.

  “I’ve heard of mages healing wounds so well you can’t even see where they were, but I never thought I’d see it happen. And certainly not to me. Thank you!” He hopped up and bowed to Petronius.

  “No problem.” An obviously touched Petronius smiled. “That’s what we mages are here for.”

  “Can you fix the hole in my breastplate?” the knight asked shyly. “It’s just that my dad gave it to me, and if he finds out that I didn’t take good care of it…”

  “Don’t get cocky, knight!” Petronius’ tone was sharp, but I could tell from his face that he was enjoying Gunther’s naivety.

  “I would like to thank you, wise one, on behalf of myself and our order, for saving this blockhead’s life.” Hugo von Shlippenshtain walked over. “Know that you will always be a welcome guest at the Tearful Goddess Order.”

  “I’m flattered and grateful.” The mage bowed his head. “But with that, I must take my leave.”

  Petronius nodded to us all, as the rest of our witcher-hunting band had come up to join Hugo, Gunther, and me, and turned toward Fladridge. The rest of the crowd was already moving in that direction, and the dwarf was still going on about how if you heal NPCs, then you’ll stop killing goblins, too. Soon we’d all be nothing more than farmers growing turnips and tobacco. Dwarves will be dwarves.

  “I’d like to invite you all to the order mission,” Master Hugo said. “We’ll celebrate our victory and tie up some loose ends.”

  “One second, let me untie Duke.” Gunther ran over to the oak, where his stallion was already tired of waiting.

  “Hey! You promised to take me for a ride!” Kro ran after him incensed. “It would have been fine if you died. But you didn’t, so a man’s got to keep his word! Well, okay, not a man. Yes, I get it, you’re not a man; you’re a knight.”

  “This is ridiculous.” Reineke shook his head. “Master, do you have any drinks at the mission?”

  ***

  “Tsimiskhy!” Von Shlippenshtain bellowed out to the little brother as soon as he walked through the door. “Bring our best wine to my office for my friends and me.”

  The scribe, who had apparently observed the entire battle, was somehow sitting at his desk. He stoically sighed, though he went off to get the wine without argument. The wine looked to be somewhere in the basement.

  “After you, my friends.”

  Less than an hour after leaving for the battle, we once again found ourselves in the cozy room. A fire was again crackling in the fireplace. We had chalices of wine in our hands, though it still felt like the battle never actually happened.

  Also, Kro and Gunther weren’t there. Kro was off riding the horse and driving Gunther crazy with her questions. “Do you have a girlfriend? Have you ever?” She had plenty of stories for him, too. “So he came at me, and I smacked him in the mug with my sword—bam! Oh, sorry, you’re blushing. You’re so adorable!”

  “That was quite the witcher. Level 107 is no joke.” Romuil jumped in suddenly. “When he knocked us off to the sides and smacked Kro with a fireball, I thought we were goners. If it hadn’t been for your guy…”

  “Yes, von Richter performed admirably. In another year or so, I’ll recommend him for the order’s Chapter. That’s why I’m so hard on him—things will be tougher there. The supreme master is a tyrant, and the Secret Keeper is no slouch either. He’ll be smashed right up there in the armpit of power. I hope he’ll be ready.”

  “That’s for sure.” Reineke exhaled. “I’m just afraid even you will be a piece of cake after he finishes dealing with Kro.”

  “She’s a nice girl and a good warrior,” the master said. “I saw how she got up after she got hit by that fireball. She was smiling.”

  “I don’t think that was just bravery. She isn’t the brightest tool in the box.” Reineke chuckled. “Though, to be fair, we all underestimated that guy. Good thing Hagen convinced me to bring another tank, otherwise who knows what would have happened. He’d probably have killed us all and gotten away.”

  “No, he wouldn’t have gotten away,” I said. “Everyone there would have jumped in and killed him just to see what would happen.”

  “Agreed.” Reineke nodded. “Players have a policy of their own, regardless of what they write in the papers. It’s just that their policy differs from the government’s policy. Well, put it this way: it’s in a different dimension.”

  Romuil laughed. “You’re high as a kite! I have two questions for you. First, where do you get weed that strong? Second, how do you find the time to smoke it?”

  Reineke and I laughed with him. Von Shlippenshtain diplomatically smiled, obviously not understanding the joke.

  “Boys, that horsey is incredible!” Kro whirled into the room like a little hurricane. Behind her was Gunther
, and I could see that it was all over with him.

  Kro turned to Master Hugo. “And your Gunther is a peach! By the way, can he name me the lady of his heart? You know, do feats of valor in my honor, praise me in different countries, tell everyone that I’m the most beautiful in all the land, that type of thing? Like a normal knight?”

  “That is not forbidden.” Von Shlippenshtain’s answer was somewhat evasive. “So long as he himself wants it.”

  “What say does he have in the matter? Kro got an idea in her head, and she’s not going to let it go. Gunther, just be done with it and do what she says,” Reineke said.

  Gunther, who was less embarrassed than scared of the actually frightening expression on Kro’s face, hurriedly addressed the group. “Yes, I am proud to announce that, from this moment on, Lady Krolina is the lady of my heart. I will cherish her devotion and, if need be, die for her honor and for her smile.”

  “That’s so sweet!” The lady of his heart was touched and clasped her hands to her chest. “Dear von Richter, I give you my kiss and, to remember me by…” Kro dug in her pockets, coming up with a bunch of little knick-knacks: feathers, an earring, part of a chicken bone, a small diamond, and some sticky candies. “To remember me by…Oh! My hairpin!”

  She thrust a hand into her long mane and dug out a shiny hairpin bedecked with a jewel.

  “Tie it to some string and wear it on your chest. That way you’ll remember me when you feel it or see it.” Kro let out an emotional sob.

  “Of course, fair lady.” Richter got down on one knee and accepted the hairpin from her.

  When he stood up, Kro kissed him on the cheek and wiped a dutiful tear from her eye—for some reason, from her right one.

  “And with that, let’s move on to business!” Reineke clapped his hands and pointed toward us. “Krolina, please tell everyone here what you got from the witcher’s body. I saw you stripping him!”

  “I didn’t strip him—I gathered the fruit of my victory.” She sniffed with dignity.

  Romuil jumped in to correct her. “Our victory.”

  “Our victory.” Kro wasn’t about to argue, and instead began counting on her fingers. “Okay, let’s see. There was a magic book, 5,000 gold, two rings, and that’s it.”

  Von Shlippenshtain jumped. “Speaking of gold, I just remembered my promise to reimburse your mages for sending you to Fladridge.”

  “Please, don’t mention it,” Lis said firmly. “We’re now friends in arms, so… Plus, the gold we got from the witcher will more than compensate us, and there’ll still be 500 left over. We can’t forget to split that, by the way.”

  “Well, now that the gold’s out of the way, let’s discuss the book,” continued Kro briskly.

  “I’d like to ask you to give the book to me. Neither I nor von Richter nor our order asks or will ask for any other part of the loot.” Von Shlippenshtain’s voice was quiet, if very distinct.

  “You need it that much?” Kro looked at him with a seriousness in her eyes that I did not expect.

  “It was created by evil, it serves evil, and it was left by evil. And never again can it fall into the hands of evil.” The old knight’s tone was still just as soft.

  Romuil chimed in, though he wasn’t looking at or addressing anyone in particular. “A book like that probably has lots of spells from the dark side, with eighty or ninety percent of them for battle.”

  “Take it.” Krolina held a fat tome out to the old knight. “If I have to, I’ll answer to the clan council myself.”

  The book was thick and old, with red leather binding and bronze clasps. Master Hugo weighed it in his hands.

  “That’s strange,” I said. “I thought I gave him a different book yesterday.”

  “You did give him a different book.” Von Shlippenshtain looked at me. “I told you, witchers collect knowledge. They find magic books and other documents with spells, and then they perform a reunification ritual. The knowledge from all the different sources is gathered in their magic books.”

  “That makes sense.” I nodded.

  “This,” Hugo said as he shook the tome in his hands, “is quintessential evil. There’s only one thing to do with it.”

  He shook it one more time before sending it hurtling into the fireplace. The fire flared, hissed, turned green, and…the book was gone. Von Shlippenshtain thoughtfully looked on and sat down in his chair.

  “Screw the book,” Reineke, who was also looking at the fireplace, said. “There never was a book in the first place. Right, Romuil?”

  “What?” Romuil was staring in the same direction. “What are you talking about, Lis?”

  “Nicely done!” Krolina clapped. “All’s well that ends well.”

  “Of course,” smiled Reineke. “So what about the rings?”

  “Oh, come on!” Kro visibly deflated. “I was hoping you’d forget. They’re nice. One’s rare, for mages, with four attributes. The other… Lis, please, it’s so cool, and it’s for archers. Look!”

  She pulled it out.

  Ring of Wind and Sparks

  +15 to agility

  +10 to stamina

  +11% to accuracy

  +13% damage done by the Triple Strike ability

  +9% chance of doing critical damage when using the Straight Through ability

  Durability: 330/330

  For class: archer

  Minimum level for use: 65

  “You’ll turn it in to the clan storehouse,” Reineke said sharply.

  “But Lissie, please! It’s even for the abilities I use. Please, please, please?”

  Lis finally had enough. “Oh, stop it! You can keep it, but you’re turning in the mage ring.”

  “Of course. You’re the best!” Kro gave Lis a peck on the cheek.

  Gunther frowned from the corner where he was sitting.

  “Well,” said von Shlippenshtain, who got up again from his chair, “now it’s my turn to hand out some rewards. The witcher is dead!”

  For completing the Kill the Witcher quest you get:

  1500 experience

  Other rewards: variable

  I heard another ding. What a day!

  You unlocked Level 31!

  Points ready to be distributed: 5

  Fantastic. Level 31 was much better than Level 22, where I’d been stuck for so long.

  “I would also like to reward each of you individually. Although…there’s one more reward I have for you all.” Hugo waved his hand. “Forgive my presumption, but I consider friendship with the Tearful Goddess Order a reward as well.”

  “Of course, master,” Reineke said with a nod. “This is an enormous honor for my friends and me.”

  Master Hugo looked at our whirling dervish, who was, for the moment, quiet. “Lady Krolina, I am pleased to give you a scroll that has been kept here in the Fladridge mission since time immemorial. It contains an ability called Through Walls that you will find useful as an archer.”

  “Thank you!” She did a small dance. “I’ve never heard of that!”

  “As far as I know, it gives your arrows incredibly destructive power. I would also like to personally give you this katzbalger. I believe you took a liking to it.”

  “Thank you. Really, thank you!” Kro spun around to face us. “An ability, a gorgeous sword, and my own knight. How lucky am I?”

  “An entire order,” von Shlippenshtain said with a knowing smile partially concealed by his mustache. “When the young men in our order hear about you, they will certainly wish to take the place of von Richter in your heart. I suspect your smile will be the cause of many a duel.”

  Gunther frowned deeper in his corner and drifted off into his thoughts.

  “And now, you, gentlemen.” Hugo looked at Reineke and Romuil. “I give you swords. Both were bound for warriors of our order, and I am sure that in your hands they will serve only the cause of good.”

  “Wow,” whistled Romuil. “Elite!”

  “Yeah,” Reineke said in confirmation. “Thank you
, master. Know that our swords and those of the entire Thunderbirds clan will always be ready to serve the Tearful Goddess Order.”

  Von Shlippenshtain turned to me. “And for you, my friend, I would like to start by giving you this.”

  He pulled a shield off the wall and handed it to me.

  “It belonged to a great knight, one of the founders of our order. The legends say it was the Goddess herself who gave it to him. She also gave him a sword, but, alas, it was lost. Derek von Lichtenshtain is a legendary figure in our order, as he left the common people, taught himself the ways of a knight, and was knighted by the crown for his deeds of valor and true greatness of spirit. He was a mighty man.”

  You received an additional reward for completing the Kill the Witcher quest.

  Reward:

  Shield of Derek von Lichtenshtain

  A shield? They’re always good.

  Shield of Derek von Lichtenshtain

  Belonged to one of the founders of the Tearful Goddess Order, and is said to have been given to him by the Goddess.

  From the Shield and Sword set

  Set includes:

  Shield of Derek von Lichtenshtain

  Sword of Derek von Lichtenshtain

  Protection: 880

  +22 to strength

  +30 to stamina

  +32% to dodge ability

  +14% to critical strike chance

  +7% gold looted from dead enemies

  +24% life energy restoration speed

  +18% mana restoration speed

  +12% experience received by killing enemies

  Durability: 1160/1160

  Minimum level for use: 45

  For class: warrior

  Cannot be stolen, lost, or broken.

  The following bonuses are unlocked by using the complete set:

  Flash of Light ability

  Bloody Mark ability

  Life-Giving Tree ability

  +15% to your chances of getting items from dead enemies

  +17% gold looted from dead enemies

  “Oh wow,” I said. “Legendary. Cool!”

  Hugo raised his eyebrows, not understanding me. A second later, they dropped back down—the wise old man understood and understood correctly.