“Oh, I’ve got one. Yeet,” he said and pulled the fishing rod’s tip high into the air and began reeling in the line with vigor. A foot-long fish broke the surface of the lake and came splashing back down a second later. “Get the net,” the man called, brimming with excitement.
I found a large net by my feet on the dock, picked it up, and poised myself to capture the man’s prey. The fish came into focus again, this time just below the surface. I scooped quickly with the net and heaved it up onto the dock. The man whistled a long high note, unhooked the fish, and held it up with both hands.
“Ain’t she a beaut,” he said, smiling at the large flopping creature. I nodded. The man then tossed the fish back into the dark water. He turned to me and said, “You think you can handle the bear?”
“I sure hope so. It’s my sole purpose at the moment,” I said solemnly. I was still sorely missing my friends.
“The bear destroyed my sauna a few weeks back. Told my kids not to eat in the thing, but they never listen to me. The bear has a deep hunger within it. If it smells a tasty treat, you had better not stand in its way.”
“Is there anything in particular that the bear likes to eat?” I asked and made a mental note to try to bait the bear at the earliest opportunity.
“Honey, of course. I suspect berries would draw him out of the woods quite fast as well. Bears like bear-E's, get it?” he said and started laughing like a loon. I rolled my eyes, but found a smile tugging at my lips.
“Do you have any other advice for me?” I asked, feeling I had better get out of here before I started making bad puns.
“Be careful, bub. I’ve counted ten deaths at the paws of this beast. I would hate to see you become the eleventh.”
“Thank you for your help. Have fun fishing. Also, the queen, she may need some help,” I said, feeling a little bad about how I had left that situation.
“Oh, she needs help all right. Don’t know why she bothers playing a VRMMORPG. She attacks anyone who ever comes near her. She should be playing solitaire or something.”
I left it at that. I’ll be sure to give her property a wide berth next time I’m around her neck of the woods. I made my way to a nearby gas station-slash-grocery store. Two generic-looking butlers appeared to be running the place.
“Hello…sir…what are you looking for?” the butler nearest me asked and approached. He had an arrogant aura emanating from him. It’s amazing to see the differences in personality and ambitions the creators of the game have been able to implement on such an expansive level, and yet all the butlers seem to have certain conceited similarities.
“I’m looking for some food to attract a bear,” I said plainly. I had a simple plan to bait the bear near the road, tranquilize it, and haul it away. Sometimes a simple plan is a good plan.
“Is that all?” the butler asked and turned away from me before I answered, “I thought as much.” He strode down an aisle.
“I was thinking berries and honey,” I offered, hoping that’s what the butler thought as well.
“Hmm,” the butler replied approvingly, “by the looks of you I wouldn’t have expected you to know a thing about bears.”
I didn’t exactly know how to take that comment. What is this butler’s deal?
“To tell the truth, I really don’t know much about bears,” I said, admitting the butler’s snap judgment had been correct.
“Hmm,” the butler replied, this time with a sad and disapproving tone. “Despite your ignorance on the subject, I believe your chosen bait will provide sufficient results. That will be thirty-five RM. You do have the funds, I presume?” He thrust a large bag of berries and a gallon of honey into my arms. I nearly dropped the goods before I had a chance to store them in my cape. I still had plenty of space in my inventory.
A payment prompt appeared in my vision. I also had the option to sell some of my gear, so I sold my two +1 strength rings for $20 RM each. I paid the butler the charge and was left with $5 RM. I really hope Ari pays me for this mission. As I exited the store, the butler called after me, “Don’t kill yourself, stupid player.”
How much intelligence do these butlers have? That one seemed smarter than me, or at least he thought he was smarter than me. The park with Ari’s van was nearby so I walked over to it. It is nice walking for a change. I took in the beauty of the world I lived in. A few cars sped down the small road, but besides that it was peaceful.
I can understand why the queen of this town likes her privacy. It’s a beautiful game if you can stay away from the violence and drama that seems to be innate in the more populated areas. I saw an old red van covered in rust sitting in an empty parking lot in front of a large swing set framed by two slides, one on each end of it. I also saw a baseball field and volleyball court past the swing set and slides. This would be a great place to play as a kid.
I approached the van and tugged on the handle. Really, Ari, you locked it? Who would want to get inside this thing?
I stuck my hand into my cape and pulled out the large van key. I unlocked the van and sat down in the driver’s seat, hoping the crusty old leather wouldn’t snag my cape. I stuck the key into the ignition and turned it, and the car sputtered for a full twenty seconds before it roared to life. I looked around to see if anyone had heard the atrocious noise emitted by the engine. Fortunately there was no one else in the park, and I could go about my business without feeling embarrassed by the old van.
I pulled onto the street and started driving down the road, unsure what I was really looking for. Dense forest surrounded the street, and I felt utterly alone in the dark landscape. I eventually noticed a few downed trees and ripped-up plants that had spilled onto the road. I parked the van near this anomaly and started to investigate.
It appeared as though something very large had smashed a hole through the forest. The damaged foliage stretched far into the woods, creating a path. I nervously took a few steps down this creepy trail. The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight out. This is not my element. I heard a stick snap somewhere in the forest and promptly fled back to the van. I need a better plan of attack.
I sat in the van and collected my wits, calmed my nerves, and slowed my breathing. I turned the van to point its headlights down the dark pathway, then exited and poured some of the berries and honey onto the side of the road at the mouth of the trail. I felt safe in the beams of light dispensed by the old van. I made sure to smash a few of the berries to allow their full scent to be released. There was now a fairly large and gooey, sweet-smelling mess on the side of the road. I crept back to the van, lowered the windows, and turned off the engine. Now I must wait.
Time crept by at a snail’s pace. There wasn’t much I could do at the moment, and my mind kept straying to thoughts of my lost friends. What a sad way to spend my day. My friends aren’t truly dead, they just aren’t playing the game right now. That thought made me feel a little better.
Everything began to shift from shades of black to shades of gray. Should I return to Ari’s house? The sun was beginning to come up. I swallowed my pride and began to dig myself a deep hole. I entered my den and covered myself completely with soft moist soil. Dirt once again covered every part of my body. I felt disgusting and dirty, but in mere moments my mind was shut off.
I awoke the next night and wormed my way out of the earth with frantic vigor. On the surface I shook, brushed, and scrubbed every inch of myself until I was sufficiently clean, yet still an earthy scent clung to me. A shiver ran through my entire body in a last effort to rid myself of dirt, but it was in vain.
I went to inspect my bait, and to my surprise, it was all gone. Was it the bear? Or some other animal? The ground was completely clean where I had left the food. I quickly emptied the rest of my honey and berries on the spot and resumed my waiting game. Hopefully whatever took the bait is still around and still hungry. I waited for only twenty minutes when a small squirrel appeared from the depths of the forest and began devouring my bear bait.
I waite
d for a minute to see if it would be satisfied with a couple bites and move on. How much can one squirrel eat, anyway? Evidently, this squirrel could eat a lot. After five minutes the squirrel was eating at least as fast as when it had begun. I watched carefully, and it actually appeared to be eating even faster now.
I’ve got to do something. I opened my door, yelled, and ran at the little animal. It flitted away without a sound. There was still some bait left, so I started back toward the van, then I heard something terrifying.
A deep snarl rattled my eardrums, and I spun in a full circle while trying to figure out where the sound had come from. I heard a strange galloping sound. I turned toward the noise. Charging from the forest was an enormous grizzly bear.
It looked almost as big as Ari’s van and was now standing between the vehicle and me. We were in a grim face-off. Adrenaline flooded my veins, and I was full of fear and determination. The bear roared as it reared up on its hind legs.
I was petrified. There was no doubt in my mind that the bear could overpower me if it reached me. I inched backward, and slowly reached into my cape.
I retrieved my pistol, loaded with the stun bullets. I took aim, but the bear knew it needed to make a move. It barreled toward me before I could get off a shot. I jumped back, but the bear leaped forward and slashed my leg with its powerful claws. My health bar was taken down to 85%. It let out a yowl that shook my psyche. Black liquid was slowly oozing from my leg. I can still make a break for it and run, before it’s too late. The bear dashed at me again, but this time I predicted its attack and narrowly escaped its strike with a last-minute dodge. The fight was still moving too fast for me to get a clean shot.
I activated my Time Warp ability as the bear charged. The bear's large eyes were angry, yet somehow wise. It swiped low, aiming for my injured leg. I jumped just above the bear’s swipe, and as I came down I crashed my fist into its long snout. The slowed time was just what I needed to get a slight edge on my enemy. The bear shook its head, trying to recalibrate itself. Its health bar was lowered by 7% from my punch. I reached down and picked up a handful of dirt. Before the bear had a chance to charge again I flung the soil and sand into the creature's eyes. It roared and began pawing at its face. I sprinted away from the beast, took out my pistol, and fired three quick shots. Then I began backpedaling away from the bear.
I was certain I had hit the large mammal with the stun bullets; however, it seemed to be just as dangerous as before. It loped toward me. I took another shot and hit the bear on its meaty shoulder. It hollered in agony but then sprung from its back legs. Before I could dodge or jump back, it was on top of me. Its huge front paws connected with my chest, instantly drawing blood, and I fell to the ground. My health now flashed to 65%. I began crab-walking on the heels of my feet and hands, trying desperately to put distance between the two of us.
The bear sensed I was at a disadvantage and crunched down on my foot with its powerful jaws. I was in immense pain. My right foot was mangled, and my health fell to 40%. I’m going to die! What can I do? I fired two more stun bullets, and this time both struck the bear’s neck.
The bear was looking worse for wear now, as was I. I started hopping away on my left foot as fast as I could. I screamed out in agony when the tip of my right foot grazed the ground. The bear, suddenly off-balance, ran toward me and swung its claws at me, but like a drunken fighter, missed completely, and fell to the ground. I aimed carefully as the beast began to get up. I shot it in the neck once more, then in both of its front legs. The bear let out a sad wail, then slumped to the ground with a sigh. It was unconscious.
I fell to the ground, laughing to the point of tears. I did it. I can’t believe I did it. My Time Warp ability turned off and a new timer began at the top of my vision.
“Your enemy will remain stunned for 4 hours,” the message read.
I better get moving. I sent a message to Ari asking where to bring the bear. He sent a message back after a beat with the coordinates. I was to bring the bear to the north shore of Lake Winnibigoshish. Easy enough, now to get the bear into the van.
I drank the last of my blood bottle and it restored my health to 70%. My open wounds instantly healed over. I took a tentative step. My foot throbbed when I put pressure on it, but it wasn’t unmanageable and wrecked like it had been a second ago. Then I nudged the bear to make sure it wasn’t playing me for a fool. The bear was motionless except for its slow breaths. I stood with my legs on either side of the bear, then looped my arms around its chest as far as I could reach, and heaved with my legs as hard as I could. The bear’s limp body moved a few inches. I let go, panting heavily. That isn’t going to work.
I resolved to roll the bear like a log on its side toward the van. The process was ungainly, but I made slow and steady progress. Finally, the bear and I were a foot away from Ari’s vehicle.
I swung open the van’s two back doors and again attempted to heave the bear. I got its head and front paws into the vehicle first. Then, with enormous effort, I managed to slide the heavy back end of the bear into the van. I closed the doors, got in the front seat, and took off.
I felt uneasy. There was nothing separating the knocked-out predator from me besides the relatively thin and crusty van seat I was in. Although I had a timer telling me how long the bear would remain stunned, I didn’t feel safe at all. Was that timer accurate? Maybe it’s based on how long a human would be stunned. The hairs on my neck pricked as I imagined the bear waking up in the van and tearing into me.
I reached the north shore of Lake Winnibigoshish after two and a half hours of fearful driving. I pushed the bear onto the lake’s sandy shore and gave its limp body a pat. It looked peaceful now under the stars on the sand by the lake, like a sleeping teddy bear.
“I wish you well, my friend,” I said to the bear and hoped it would be happier here away from the human players of Breezy Park. The huge expanse of Lake Winnibigoshish was breathtaking. I stood next to the bear and matched its breaths for a moment. A sense of happiness and calm came over me. Away from the struggles, missions, and guild wars, there was a lot of beauty in this world. I gave the bear one final farewell pat and headed back to the van. I drove back to Breezy in silence and remembered the fun I had driving with Katarina listening to emo tunes not that long ago. I tried finding something good to listen to on the radio, but I was only picking up static.
I parked the van where I had originally found it, and took a dip in Pelican Lake to get back to Ari’s cozy cabin.
I finally knocked on the familiar round door and it opened immediately. Ari beamed at me, and the delicious smell of freshly baked cookies wafted from the home.
“I knew you had it in you. Congratulations,” he said. A message popped up informing me I had five more missions to complete until I reached Level 10. “Here is something for your troubles.” He handed me a black and gold bracelet. I put it on and closed my eyes to view its stats. It gave a powerful +5 to strength.
“Thank you, Ari. This was a fun mission; however, I almost didn’t survive it,” I said and laughed uneasily as I remembered the bear crushing my foot with its teeth. I shuddered and tried to forget that moment of the mission.
“I have plenty more missions where that came from, but before we get to that, I have one more thing to give you for the mission you just completed. Here you go, bub,” he said and a message popped up on my screen informing me Ari had just transferred me $300 RM.
“Oh wow, thanks Ari, I was nearly broke,” I said, then let out a long sigh. I stared at the ground. My face and mind were blank. Everything felt numb.
“What’s the matter, bucko?” Ari asked and brought over a plate of cookies. I noticed I had been frowning.
“All of this has helped so much, but I still feel I’m leveling up so slowly. I’m trying to be patient and put in my time, but it's just hard. There’s still so much work for me to do.”
Ari sat and started chewing one of the chocolate chip cookies slowly. He made happy eating noises, let out
a burp, then started stroking his beard.
“I see great potential in you, Aker, and I understand your cause. Come to me tomorrow, and I will set you down a course of true greatness.”
I looked at him, and a sad smile was painted on my face. I nodded, then went to my rocky room of solitude.
I went to bed hopeful that night, and dreamed for the first time since I started playing the game. I dreamed of gaining enough power to ensure peace for the players of both Real Life Online and VampQuest. I was looking down over a dark metropolis from a balcony, high above the beautiful virtual city. Then I woke up to Ari’s wrinkled face staring down at me.
“Whoa, uh…what’s up, Ari?” I asked, a little freaked out both by Ari and the fact that I had just dreamed. How long had he been in here? I didn’t know it was even possible to dream in this game.
“Good eve, Aker. Sorry for the rude awakening, but you’ve been sleeping a good portion of the night away. I wanted to send you on your way as soon as possible. You are my first recommendation to Ra, and I am quite proud of you.” Ari beamed at me like he was my own father.
“Uh…who is Ra?” I questioned.
“You will soon know her better than I do, I suspect. If you continue to show a profound amount of promise, that is.”
“I’ll try my best, I guess.”
“Here is the location where you can make a sacrifice to Ra. If it is a worthy offering, Ra will become your teacher, or mentor if you prefer, or even professor,” Ari said. My map popped open and showed the location Ari had mentioned.
“I think there must be some mistake, Ari. This looks like it’s in South America,” I said, surprised.
“I made no mistake. This is where true power lies. Do you have what it takes to be great?” Ari inquired, raising his bushy white eyebrows.
“I guess so.” I got up, stretched and looked to see how far away it was. My map displayed a loading symbol for a split second, then showed an estimated 6,200 miles. Oh my god, my legs are going to fall off. “On second thought, I really don’t know if I’m up to the task,” I said, daunted by the near astronomical distance I would have to travel to complete the mission.
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