“Oh, tha’ could be fun,” Stacia chimed in. “We can run a group event to see who can kill the most of a certain creature in a four hour span.”
Alburet chuckled, “I’ll let you and the rest figure those out, dear. Let’s head out to the goblins and see if our lowest members are still there or have moved on.”
“As ya wish, Asthore,” Stacia said, taking his offered arm. “We be seein’ ya later, Kim.”
“Have fun,” she said in parting as they left.
They took the portal out to the Goblin Fort, but didn’t find any Alpha Company members. The area was still pretty heavily hunted, and some of the players wore guild tags for other newly formed guilds.
After a quick hop back to Stormguard and walk back to the Portal Guild, they visited the Orc grasslands. They found a few groups scattered about with enough distance between them so everyone could pull without issues.
Alburet stopped for a moment to talk to Jaxton, Brightlight, and their group. They were doing okay, so he moved on to speak with Ironhand, Greenbeard, Leggylass and the other two with them.
“Thanks for the push the other day,” Ironhand said after they’d talked for a bit. “With the others, I feel like I can really make a difference and help out. Even got my level ten ability, which lets me up the number of traps I can carry.”
“It really is more fun in a group,” Leggylass added. “Even when we have to pause between groups we chat about stuff. That really helps stop it from feeling like such a boring grind.”
“Yea. Even though this game seems pretty heavily skewed towards grinding, she’s right. It feels different with a group. Maybe it’s because we’re really here and not just in a VR suit or in front of a keyboard. The interactions just seem way more real,” Greenbeard said.
“Glad you’re all finding joy in Alpha World,” Alburet chuckled. “Keep going. In a couple of days you’ll hit the Orc Village. That can be a bit tricky until you learn how to handle things, which will really depend on who’s with you. I’d suggest waiting until fifteen, the extra abilities can make a huge difference.”
“Yeah,” Greenbeard agreed, “we found that out when we tackled the Goblin Fort after we hit ten.”
“Wait until you get to the gnolls,” Alburet chuckled. “That is a learning curve.”
“They weren’t bad during the beta,” Leggylass commented.
“The gnolls have grown since then, expect new tricks. Have fun, we’re off to check in with others.”
Alburet’s message icon started flashing at him halfway to the next group.
Message from Kim Magiblood:
Just got word from House Theron, hosting dinner for four tonight is a yes. I’ll make sure a carriage is here, the invitation says to show up two hours after sundown.
Alburet sent a message thanking her, then he turned to Stacia who was looking at him quizzically. “Kim got word from House Theron. They’ll meet with us tonight, so dinner is on.”
“Ya think Wilbur be the answer to her quest?”
“I hope so, he fits the criteria she gave me. But it will take both of them agreeing with me for it to move forward. Erin might see the opportunity and make a play to help Wilbur move forward as well.”
“Aye, by getting’ him away from his family, he would be free to pursue her.”
“Exactly, my little fire kitten,” he chuckled as they walked the grasslands unimpeded, since the groups out here hunting pulled each patrol as they appeared. A few minutes later his icon lit up again.
Message from Fluffball:
Me and Karen are about to head out to the gnoll area. Are you free to come along? We were also thinking of hitting the next area tomorrow.
Alburet told her they would be glad to come along, then filled Stacia in on the development.
“Aye, it be good to hunt with our friends,” she said.
They used their Homestones to jump back to the city and headed to the Portal Guild to hit the Gnoll Forest area. He gave Karen and Fluffball both hugs, as did Stacia, in greeting.
“So, gnolls for the last time today, then?” Alburet asked, getting nods in answer. He summoned Tiny first, “Hey, big guy, gnolls again today.”
“As you wish, master,” Tiny rumbled.
Summoning Bob produced the expected results. Bob turned to see who was there and began to bounce happily in place. “Karen and Fluff, woohoo. I love the babe parties, so much fun.”
Karen snickered, “Hello, you over sexed Imp. No hugs today unless you really earn one.”
Bob skipped off towards the tree line, “Let’s not waste time then,” he called back over his shoulder.
Shaking his head, Alburet quickly summoned a Copy of Stacia as he motioned them to follow the over-eager Imp. “After you, ladies.” He turned to Tiny, “Tiny, take the lead so Bob doesn’t get one-shotted.”
“Yes,” Tiny rumbled, breaking into a jog to catch the Imp.
“How have you been today?” Fluff asked as they walked.
“Doing okay. Gerald is handling the nobles. Once he’s done with today’s meeting, we’ll probably hook up with him and Marysue for the rest of the day. Tonight, I have a formal dinner to attend and Gerald has another noble to meet with. What about you two?”
“Marian’s been giving us massages every night before Fluff meets with Lilith. Last night I told a really bawdy joke and Fluff didn’t even turn pink,” Karen said.
Fluffball looked away, “It was still pretty bad.” She groomed an ear absently, looking over at Alburet, “I think Lilith is really helping me. Do you think it’s odd that a Succubus is helping me when a number of psychologists couldn’t?”
“Not really,” Alburet said as he chewed his lip. “This world is much more than just a game, after all. I recall seeing somewhere once that Succubi were also known as dream demons, able to influence a person’s dreams. Is that how she’s helping you?”
“She puts me into a trance then helps me look back at parts of my life. She points out where I’ve blamed myself when I wasn’t at fault. It’s funny now that you mention it that I should even be able to do that here.”
Alburet looked away, his lips pursed, “I’ve been having dreams of things from my past as well. Maybe it’s part of being immersed in the world instead of just using a VR suit.”
“I haven’t had any dreams like that,” Karen added.
“Master,” Stacia said softly. “I be plannin’ to ask me Ma iffin she can teach me some of her tricks. Mayhap I can help ya with ya dreams, then.”
He looked over at Stacia seeing the fear of rejection in her eyes, along with the hope that he would let her help. “Okay, Kitten, go ahead and ask her. I don’t see how it can hurt and maybe it’ll help with whatever is going on.”
“Thank ya, master,” she said, leaning in from either side to kiss his cheeks.
“Patrol,” Tiny rumbled as he caught sight of the Gnoll Wanderer.
An hour later Gerald and Marysue caught up to them just as they finished clearing out a camp. “The nobles here might be even worse than the people I’m used to dealing with,” Gerald said to announce their arrival.
Alburet winced, “Damn, sorry about that.”
Gerald and Marysue accepted the invites to the group. “It is what it is. They’ll settle down soon enough. Once they realize that they can’t get what they want, that is. Though I found it vastly amusing to be offered riches.”
Marysue giggled, “Then he offered to let you marry into the extended family if you would give them what they wanted. You should have seen Sir Renad’s face when he turned that offer down.”
“Piqued, was he?” Karen laughed.
“He was less than pleased that I turned down his niece once removed,” Gerald sighed. “I mean, she was okay and all, she didn’t have buckteeth or anything like that. But seriously, why would that be your trump card?”
Marysue smiled as she took his free arm, “Some people are swayed by such things. Not my Gerald, though, he knows what he wants and will accept nothing le
ss.”
Alburet blinked and exchanged a glance with Karen, who had also caught the possessive. “Well, now that we’re all here, let’s go hit the cave one more time. That should push me to level. It might get Karen and Fluff to twenty, as well.”
Gerald looked at Marysue with unreadable eyes before he nodded. “Yes, killing sounds good right now. Tomorrow, how about we move on from the gnolls, though?”
Everyone agreed that sounded like a plan. Alburet offered his arms to Stacia. “Ladies, shall we away?”
“Aye,” Stacia said, taking his arms on either side.
Karen took Fluff’s arm as well, “Just a quick stroll through gnoll infested woods at noon, what could go wrong?”
Fluff giggled, “A take on the Princess Bride line?”
“It was that, or start rhyming,” Karen chuckled.
“Anybody want a peanut?” Alburet laughed.
The others started chiming in lines from the classic movie, with Stacia paying close attention. When they paused to kill the next patrol, she began asking questions about the lines they’d been quoting. The group started explaining the Princess Bride to Stacia as they started in on the dungeon a few minutes later, even going so far as to act out some scenes.
They had finished explaining it by the time they finished the dungeon. Alburet had hit his next level, as had Karen and Fluff, who could now train their level twenty abilities. They went back to Stormguard a little past noon to train, and Alburet took them to Giardino and Family for lunch. The entree for lunch was a garlic pesto with penne noodles that was perfectly prepared.
“That was really good,” Marysue commented as they left. “The wine was the perfect accompaniment for the pasta. It tempered the garlic just enough for the rest of the sauce to shine.”
“Rolland showed us the place a while ago,” Alburet informed them. “He said they can always match the wine to the meal.”
“They make good food,” Fluff put in.
“Who has what planned for the rest of the day?” Karen asked.
“We have a dinner engagement for sunset,” Alburet told her, as he hugged Stacia gently. “Nothing before that though.”
“Another noble after sundown,” Gerald sighed. “And many days of this, still.”
“I’ll go with you,” Marysue told him. “I like getting to watch them balk and get all sulky when you tell them no. I find it funny.”
“I am to meet Lilith tonight, but that’s all for now,” Fluff added.
“Then why wait for tomorrow?” Karen grinned. “We should head out to the next area now and check it out, am I right?”
“Should have seen that coming,” Alburet laughed. “She’s never satisfied until she gets it all.”
“Aye, tha’ I know well,” Stacia smirked. “She always wants just a bit more.”
Fluff pinked just slightly as she groomed an ear, “She always wants more?”
“I just want as much as I can get,” Karen said a touch defensively. “Nothing wrong with that.”
“Okay, then, shall we go off to the Webbed Woods?” Gerald asked, shuddering slightly.
“Spiders?” Alburet asked.
“Yes,” Fluff nodded. “From frisbee sized up to Labrador retriever.”
“You’re fucking kidding?” Alburet frowned.
“We could shoot off in a different direction,” Marysue told him. “There are red-shelled people, Langistors, to the south around a lake. Their shells give them a very high defensive value.”
“Hmm, lobsters or spiders?” Alburet shrugged. “Fuck it, either one is fine. Just a little surprised that the spiders come after the gnolls.”
“I would rather go after the Langistors,” Karen stated. “The spiders are a pain with the immobilization effects they do.”
“Can fire burn the webs off?” Fluff asked. “I didn’t go after the spiders before.”
Gerald grinned, “Yes, yes it can. We might take a little damage from the webs burning, but they do burn.”
“Let’s go burn the forest down, then,” Marysue said. “Bob will be happy.”
“Okay, so split up, grab any gear or potions you need. Fluff and Karen can go train their abilities and we can meet up at the Portal Guild in, say, twenty minutes?” Alburet suggested. Everyone agreed and broke off in different directions. Alburet and Stacia headed for the Portal Guild to wait, as he didn’t need anything. “This ought to get interesting.”
“I can nay wait to see Bob advanced, he should be happy,” Stacia said as they walked.
“Oh gods, does he become even more lecherous?” Alburet mock asked.
Stacia giggled, “He will have grown in stature and he will do more damage.”
“Good,” Alburet said, checking the newer spell and adjusting the words to reflect the old spell. “I hope he is happy.”
Alburet
Human Summoner
Level 21
Strength: 47 (42)
Agility: 47 (42)
Constitution: 30
Intelligence: 102 (72)
Wisdom: 154 (94)
Charisma: 77 (42)
Health: 1350
Mana: 2590
Spells:
Demon Skin-Rank 2
Demonic Retribution- Rank 2
Summon Lesser Imp
Fire Blast- Rank 2
Sap Strength- Rank 2
Demonic Haze- Rank 2
Summon Lesser Destroyer
Demonic Vitality- Rank 2
Fire Burst
Summon Lesser Succubus
Abilities:
Personal Spells
Flame Weapon
Copy
Infernal Upgrade: (Succubus- Ally)
Chapter Eleven
Walking up the stairs in the Portal Guild, Alburet chuckled as he finally noticed that each floor was divided up to reflect the level of the areas the portals went to. He and Stacia continued past the floor serving the Gnoll Forest to the next floor. He took a quick tour down the hall and found both the Langistors Lake and the Webbed Woods.
“Well, off to see freakishly large spiders,” Alburet said as he paused outside the archway to the portal. He motioned Stacia through then stepped through himself.
A fort much like the one at the Gnoll Forest greeted them. This time the inn was a touch larger and the Blacksmith had an apprentice. The two guards at the gate came slightly more alert as they appeared.
“Two-souled are back,” one mumbled.
“About bloody time,” the other said quietly.
“With the gate between the worlds constantly needing attention, it takes us time.” Alburet said, having heard them clearly. “The rest of my group will be along shortly. Can you let them know we’re waiting in the inn, please?”
“Sir,” one said, coming to attention, his face flushing slightly at having been overheard.
“It’s fine,” Alburet chuckled as he took Stacia’s arm and started into the yard. “We are but the tip of the spear. More will be following us in the next few days and weeks.”
“Thank the gods,” the other one breathed out. “The spiders have been getting over bold the last few weeks.”
“I’m sure we can dissuade them,” Alburet chuckled.
The inn was called The Widow’s Peak, and the sign showed a black widow perched at the top of a web. Alburet ordered tea and scones, and as they waited for the others they sipped and nibbled in comfortable silence, just watching each other.
“So lovey dovey,” Karen said by way of greeting as she came in a few minutes later.
He looked up to see Fluff and Karen coming towards them. “Huh. Thought Gerald and Marysue would beat you two here.”
“Maybe he got sidetracked?” Karen said with quirked lips.
“He would nay,” Stacia added. “He wants it to be perfect the first time. Ya can tell by his eyes.”
Alburet agreed, “Point, Kitten.”
“Speaking of,” Karen chuckled as she glanced out the window, “there they are.”
“Le
t’s go grab the quests,” Alburet got to his feet, nodding to the innkeeper on the way out. “Very good sir, thank you.”
Inside the keep proper they found the sergeant behind a desk. Alburet was momentarily taken aback to see that the sergeant was a dark furred Lunari. “Sir,” Alburet said, coming to attention before the desk. “Alpha Company here to help with the woods.”
The deep rumble of the sergeant’s reply was almost on par with Tiny’s. “Very well, Alpha Company. Kill twenty Trappers, twenty Widows and ten of those bastard Mutated. If you still want to help after that, then find their damn Queen and kill her as well.”
Alpha Company (Alpha World Book 3) Page 13