by Eden Redd
“I know. We can pick up a few at a wine shop before we begin our journey,” Edric said as he pointed down the street to a hanging sign with grapes and a bottle carved into it.
Leeta nodded and stood at his side as they walked. The ogre’s horned head was tilted forward and arms still crossed. Citizens didn’t seem to notice or care as an ogre walked alongside the summoner. When they reached the shop, Leeta’s eyes opened and a smile bloomed. Edric stepped in first as Leeta ducked her head and stepped in next. The ceiling was high enough that she could stand straight up once they were inside.
The shop keeper smiled and welcomed them in. The walls were covered in a vast assortment of wine bottles. The corners of the shop held many crates of wine. Leeta’s strong demeanor seemed to melt as she smiled brightly. Stepping over, fingers traced over bottles as she searched for her favorites.
“I think we may be buying a case,” Edric said with a heavy tone.
“Of course, take your time,” The shop keeper smiled.
Ten minutes later and a wooden crate was filled with an assortment of wines, Edric handed over a stack of gold while Leeta picked up the case and hugged it to her large chest. The shop keeper wished them well as they left the shop and stepped out onto the street.
“Give me the crate and I’ll put it in my inventory,” Edric said sheepishly.
“I can hold it,” the ogre said with a warm smile, the crate like a child in her arms.
“Leeta, I hate to say it but I think you have a problem,” Edric huffed.
“It makes me happy, how is that a problem?” the ogre snuggled her face to the wine.
Edric’s brow formed a slight V, “I don’t want to have this argument again. I’ll hold onto the bottles and give you one when we camp for the evening.”
Leeta’s whimsical smile faded and darkness filled her face. Head leaning forward, she reluctantly handed the crate over. Edric reached up and took it, the heft filling his arms. Mentally opening his inventory, he placed the crate by his satchel and it disappeared from sight.
“We are going to leave soon so I’m not putting you back in the stone. We can…” Edric trailed off when he saw a wood elf and a woman in armor walking toward them.
The summoner and ogre stood their ground as Faye and Claudia stopped before them, Faye in front of Edric and Claudia in front of Leeta. The wood elf gave a gentle smile while Claudia tilted her head forward, eyes on the cobbled street.
“I’m glad we caught up to you. Claudia and I talked a little after you left and we felt bad for what was said. We didn’t mean to be negative. We’ve been fighting the enemy for so long, it kind of jaded us on doing something new,” Faye smiled.
Edric nodded, “I’m sorry as well. I didn’t mean to come off harsh.”
Faye’s brown eyes seemed to brighten in the sunlight, “Let’s start again. We were in a guild together. Claudia and I think it shouldn’t be too much trouble to at least escort you to your lands and take a look.”
Claudia nodded; gaze still cast downwards, “It would be wrong to abandon you when you want to create something great.”
Warmth filled the summoner as he eyed the elf and knight, “Thank you. I’m happy to have the company. Once you see it, maybe you will want to stay and help build it together.”
Edric looked up to Leeta and then to the other players, “This is Leeta. Leeta, this is Faye and Claudia.”
All three gave each other a small head nod and barely a smile. Edric felt this was going to be a little odd going forward but he hoped it would work out for the best.
“Let’s get some supplies and be on our way,” Faye said with a bright smile.
Three
Shafts of early afternoon sun penetrated the thick forest canopy. Woodland scents drifted up through the still air and birdsong played on in the background. Vibrate green leaves glowed before brown tree trunks. Ferns shifted as small woodland creatures skittered away to several figures walking along a thin forest path.
Edric looked up, breathing in the serenity of the forest. He much preferred the smaller paths then the large Journey Road. Before the group set out, they all agreed the main road was too dangerous. The paths snaking through the forests and fields would be a prudent choice during war time.
Edric let his neck relax as he looked down to his companions. Faye took lead, her sensitive ears twitching every few moments. She moved easily along the path, occasionally glancing to the sides and focusing on the shadowed forest.
Claudia was second, with a spear in hand. Before they set out, Edric was confused when she changed her ornamental rose armor to a lighter, streamlined armor. It seemed to cover her torso and shoulders but there was less armor along her arms. Her legs only had thin armor plates on her thighs and shins. He didn’t expect her to wield a spear and when she saw his curious gaze, she gave a shy smile and told him she was a Lancer.
Edric knew of lancers but he never met one. They were another class of knight. They used spears and had the unique ability to jump very high distances. Lancers were often employed to fight larger monsters and Edric let out a relieved sigh that she was accompanying them.
The player was thankful for both of his new companions. If he and Leeta set out on their own, he was pretty sure they wouldn’t make it to Elora. The name hugged the summoner like a gray cloud. It drove him to a mild form of madness thinking he would name his future city after a virtual woman he barely knew, or so he thought. Their small conversations seemed brighter in his heart. He wondered if her death jarred him more than he thought. She was an NPC and not a living being so why did it hurt to think of her.
Leeta walked alongside the summoner, yellow eyes looking down at her master’s faraway gaze. The ogre pressed her elbow to his shoulder and the summoner seemed to wake from his walking trance.
“We should be alert,” Leeta said in a low voice.
“Sorry, just thinking about things,” Edric said softly.
Faye turned her head. “What are you thinking about?” the wood elf said in a subdued tone.
Edric smirked, “Life, and how cool it is that you can hear everything.”
Faye kept her head turned and smiled, “My natural racial ability and the sensitive senses of a monk let me hear a mouse crawling a mile away in any direction. So far, the only creatures out are harmless woodland ones.”
“It’s saved us on more than one occasion,” Claudia said.
“How bad did it get, fighting against the trolls?”
Faye looked forward. “Pretty bad at times, we had to retreat more than I would like to admit.”
Claudia spoke up, “The trolls improved the defenses of the middle kingdoms. They put magical scorpion crossbows along the walls and have large slave monsters roaming the area. They added crystal defenses along the high walls and set traps. They even had squads of soldiers marching to keep the peace.”
Claudia’s voice seemed to dim as she continued, “We used to attack the squads but they often used harpies to drop fire bombs on us. They set up roosts so the harpies could easily take off and dive bomb our locations. We had to keep to hit-and-run tactics but it never seemed to make a dent in their numbers.”
“There was a rumor that there are one or more portals inside the kingdoms. Either it was built or it was always there, we don’t know. We wanted to hit supply deliveries but the kingdoms seemed either self-sufficient or they are able to portal in their troops and supplies,” Faye added.
“It sounds like you both have seen some shit,” Edric said, his tone light.
Faye and Claudia both nodded.
“We always felt like we had a chance to win the kingdoms back but I think Caspian fed our delusion,” Faye said as she walked.
Claudia grew silent.
Edric looked to Faye and Claudia’s backs, “I take it, it wasn’t always roses and red wine.”
Claudia’s lips wrinkled but she remained quiet. Faye turned her head slightly, eyes to the surrounding forests.
“If you were there in the be
ginning, you would have thought you could have done anything with Caspian leading. He seemed so sure that our guild would be the one to break the troll’s control and retake what once belonged to the human kingdoms. He was there when the Middle Kingdoms fell. He witnessed King Lord Belmont’s madness as he sliced off his queen’s head. He fought along many others as the King Lord was slain and the kingdoms fell one by one. Caspian gave his life but he pushed his fellow knights to retreat when they knew it was a losing battle.”
Faye slowed her pace, eyes lost to retold stories. “For a game, many took it seriously. It wasn’t just about having sex. It became a way of life. Caspian created the guild and put out a call for members. I was new and wanted the sense of adventure. I joined up, ready to fight for a good cause.”
“He lied to us,” Claudia said in a harsh whisper.
Faye nodded, “He did. Caspian said he would never let anyone break the guild but after a long while, we began to see the cracks. The fight started to turn hopeless. Caspian and his captains spent more gold then we could gather. He armed many guildies with magical weapons and armor and tried to push a victory.”
The wood elf stopped in her tracks, “When the Long Night event happened, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
Claudia, Edric and Leeta stopped as Faye turned to them. “Let’s rest here. We can start travelling again in an hour.”
Edric looked to the stoic expression painting Faye’s thin face. Claudia moved to a tree, pressed her back to it and slid down until her rump touched the forest floor. Leeta did the same against another tree. Faye sat down on the path, legs crossed, hands resting on knees, palms up. The wood elf closed her eyes and calmness filled her brow.
Edric sat down next to Leeta. The ogre eyed him before her long arm curled around and pressed the back of his head to her large breasts. The summoner knew better than to fight her and settled in. Thoughts swirled as the peace of the forest washed over them. The heat from Leeta caressed worn nerves and the player’s vision took on a hazy edge. Faye and Claudia had been playing for a while and it didn’t take much to see that they were disenchanted with the events concerning the guild.
Edric wasn’t sure if it was because he felt like he was a new player or he simply missed something that others felt. They took the game seriously and it showed. They seemed to pour their hearts and time into a cause. Now, they seemed defeated because it didn’t work out. The thoughts needled at him and words bubbled up his throat.
“I know we just met a few hours ago but if you stay in Elora, I promise to never do what Caspian has done.”
Faye opened her eyes halfway and smirked, “Edric, that’s sweet but let’s hold off on promises until we know each other a little better.”
Edric nodded, “I know. I just had to say it out loud.”
Leeta looked down with adoring eyes and hugged the summoner a little closer. The pressure on Edric’s chest caused the air to leave his lungs and he began to struggle. Claudia watched and smiled as the summoner’s legs kicked out a little and he squirmed. Faye looked on, amused as Edric tapped the ogre’s arm several times as if he was tapping out of a wrestling match. When Leeta relented, the summoner took in a deep breath.
“You mentioned you’re a newbie summoner. I have seen summoners with starting humanoid monsters, demons and elementals, but I have never seen one with an ogre before,” Faye said with curious eyes.
Edric grinned. “It’s a funny story. We….,” The player was cut off as Faye’s expression changed.
“Shhhh! Trolls,” The wood elf said with a harsh whisper and stood up.
Claudia was to her feet, spear in hand. Leeta and Edric were to their feet. The player glanced to his stats, hand falling to his whip.
Edric Temple
Summoner
Hit Points- 65/65
Mana- 105/105
Armor- 5
Strength-12(+1)
Intelligence- 16(+2)
Wisdom- 11(+1)
Dexterity- 14(+1)
Stamina- 16(+2)
Charisma- 16(+2)
Spell Abilities
Charm- 22
Snare- 22
Channel- (+STR/HP/DEX)
Lock Stones (1)
Leeta (Ogre)- HP-220/220
Spells
Summoning Spell- 10 Mana
Light Spell- 5 Mana
Primary Skills
Spell Casting- 20
Spell Craft- 12
Gem Craft- 12
Rune Craft- 12
Enchantment- 12
Melee- 14
Wilderness Lore- 13
Equipment
Whip- 5 to 9 damage
Dark Green Robe- 5 Armor
A lackluster vibe took hold of the player as everyone took a defensive position. Spending so much time grinding for gold barely improved his stats and abilities. Lewd Saga was built on connections and gaining experiences, but as much as he tried to game the gold system, his other abilities stagnated. Nearly two months in and he was still as weak as a newbie player. Fire filled his heart knowing this had to change. If his new companions were going to take him seriously, he had to improve or they would look to him like they did to Caspian when the guild disbanded.
Leeta pushed the summoner back so he was in the middle of the triangular formation. Spiked mace in hand, the beautiful ogre took a battle stance, yellow eyes searching through the standing trees.
Faye’s eyes half closed as her pointed ears twitched. “There are ten trolls……and something bigger. I think it might be an ogre,” the wood elf whispered.
“Do we run?” Edric asked, eyes on the forest.
“We can take on ten trolls. The ogre, I’m not sure,” Faye said as her brow creased. “I can hear something else. Someone is walking in our direction.”
“We won’t be able to outrun them. My kind can smell flesh,” Leeta growled.
Edric looked up to the feminine ogre, “You never told me that.”
Leeta gave an evil leer, “How do you think I find those delicious cows. Humanoids are a delicacy to my kind and once you have a taste, you never forget the scent. If they have an ogre, they may already know we are here.”
Edric shook his head, “We have to have a serious talk when this is over.”
Faye’s fingers stayed loose as her eyes pierced the forest, “They are moving fast and in our direction.”
Claudia was silent as she bent her knees. Edric looked over to the crouching lancer as some power seemed to pulse from her very being. Legs snapping up, the lancer jumped straight into the air. Edric watched as she soared nearly sixty feet before extending a leg and stepping onto a branch. One hand took hold of a branch while she held her spear, point down.
Faye moved closer to Edric. “If you feel you’re in danger, run west and we will catch up.”
“We won’t run,” Leeta growled and looked down to Edric. “I will protect you.”
Edric squared his jaw, “No one is running. We stick together.”
Faye’s body was as still as a pond during winter as she ignored the summoner. Oval eyes pierced the forest gloom and stared as thick blue bodies moved through the trees. An ogre grunted and sniffed at the air. A thick finger pointed in their direction and the trolls doubled their pace. Dark eyes gleamed in the gloom and the faint sound of swords and axes being drawn touched the air.
Edric couldn’t see anything but forest. Pulling his whip from his belt, he unfurled it, ready to use it. He knew he couldn’t do too much damage but he could redirect the enemy as Leeta beat them to paste. Heart beating a little faster, he stared hard at the forest, looking for any sign of the enemy.
The gloom parted and muscular blue bodies emerged. Thick jawed trolls stepped along, black eyes locking on the wood elf, human and female ogre. Mouths tightened as they marched through the forest, weapons in hand. A massive ogre followed behind, yellow beady eyes on Edric. A lone horn shined in a shaft of sunlight while frothy saliva spilled from the corners of the monster’s open
mouth. Jagged teeth glowed like yellow pearls and the giant monster licked its thick lips.
The trolls stepped closer, black eyes on the small group as they formed a semi-circle twenty feet away. Some of the trolls wore leather armor while others wore nothing but a loin cloth. One troll wore a black leather uniform as it stepped from the group. He was smaller than the others and the companions could see he was the leader with a stern, tired look in his eyes.
“What’s your business here in Shade Willow forest?” The troll in leather asked.
“Simply travelling through,” Faye said with a calm voice. “We are looking to travel to the west in search of our fortune.”
The troll commander’s face smoothed to a blank mask, “All passing the Middle Kingdoms must be announced before they can proceed. We will have to take you into custody for your own safety.”
A wave of uneasiness flowed over Edric. Glancing to Leeta, the ogre’s grip tightened on her spiked mace. The summoner looked to Faye. She carried a calm demeanor but her brown oval eyes burned with an intensity he didn’t notice before.
“We are simply passing through,” Edric spoke up. “We have no part in the war and wish to travel to the lands to the west. I’m sure no one wants to go through the trouble of transporting two adventures.”
Leeta cleared her throat.
Edric nodded, “And my beautiful ogre companion.”
The commander’s eyes closed halfway as weariness seemed to crawl into the blue skin under his eyes.
“This was not a request. There are many lurking in these woods who would dispute the claims to the Middle Kingdoms. You may forgive us if we do not take you by your word.”
The commander turned to one of his trolls, “Chain them and take their weapons.”
Edric tensed. A troll moved to another troll carrying a pack. Opening the flap, he pulled out thick iron chains. Faye’s fingers flexed as the troll turned to her and took a step forward. Leeta’s low growl filled the area and Edric mentally readied himself for a fight.