We spent a few more minutes discussing my pets’ future transformations. This, however, seemed to be the standard pitch he delivered to every customer. He just sounded too stilted, just like he had on my first day in his stables.
Compared to his initial emotional reaction to my menagerie, the rest of our conversation seemed too dry and mundane. Admittedly I was taken aback by his change of attitude. Then again, what could I expect from an NPC?
And still, if you took Droy and his stone-age gang, they seemed perfectly real. With them, I tended to completely forget I was in a game.
Having paid Rotim for his services, I headed unhurriedly for the exit. I lay my hand on the door handle when I realized I’d been followed by a very annoying sound.
That was the chat box again. Someone was insistently trying to PM me.
Okay, let’s take a look. Who might that be?
As I pushed the front door open and stepped outside, I opened the chat window. Several identical lines were typed one under another in ALL CAPS:
WATCH OUT! THEYRE WAITIN 4 U!
I didn’t get the chance to see the sender’s name. Someone attacked me.
Warning! Player Regron (112) has cast Gust of Ice on you!
Congratulations! You’ve successfully dodged your opponent’s attack!
Had I? How had I done that? The guy wasn’t a necro, was he?
But wait a sec... How about that achievement I’d received for defeating the lich? Didn’t it say something about improving my chances of dodging magic attacks?
All these thoughts had flashed through my mind in an instant. I’d never been known for my quick thinking under stress. This was a recent improvement. That’s exactly what constant interactions with mobs and high-level players can do to you.
Mechanically — blindly even — I set a swarm of fleas onto my attacker.
You’ve built the simplest mechanical creature: a Swarm of Fleas!
Level: 170
Number of swarm members: 8
There were eight of them this time! Level 170! I felt sorry for this Regron or whatever his name was. He was only level 112.
The wizard cussed, investing all his amazement in a few choice words. And that was only the beginning. Trust me.
I rolled over to the wall and froze in a crouching position, taking in the situation.
There were five of them, levels 100 to 130. I couldn’t make out their nicknames from this distance. Two wizards, judging by their outfits, the other three swordsmen. Their gear was “blue” but not top level.
The Alven player at the center was especially picturesque. His suit of armor glinted in the rays of the setting sun. His greaves and gauntlets were “purple”. He was quite a handsome sight. I had a funny feeling I’d already seen something very similar... somewhere.
I clenched the teleport crystal in my right hand, activating it, then scrolled through the impressive list of potential destinations. Yes! The Ennans’ city.
Would you like to teleport to your chosen destination: Yes/No
I was just about to press Yes when a nasty little voice disrupted my thoughts,
“Get that bastard! Don’t let him escape!”
How could I ever forget that voice! Talk about bad luck. It was Shantarsky Jr, a.k.a. Lord Melwas, as large as life and twice as ugly.
What was it his millionaire banker daddy had said about his precious son? “He’s too young and too quick off the mark; for him, you’re nothing.”
What else had he said? “Power is the only language he understands... You might say you’re a human being — but that’s not enough for him. I’ve been raising him to be a leader, proud and strong. I’ve taught him never to bow his head to any Tom, Dick or Harry...”
Very well. I might be a regular Dick but I wasn’t going to run from him this time. I wasn’t their quarry anymore.
Only now had I realized that I’d been waiting for this moment all this time.
I looked around me. Idle players started arriving at the scene. Rotim’s front door opened again, letting out a whole crowd of them. They weren’t in a hurry to interfere, though, too curious to see how this show might end for me.
I returned the teleport crystal to the bag but kept the summoning charms close at hand. Then I stepped back toward the wall to safeguard myself against any overzealous onlookers who might decide to stand up for Shantarsky Jr.
I found it strange I didn’t see any of the local clan’s members. This was happening on their territory and they didn’t seem to care. What was the name again — was it the Steel Fists? Oh well. They must have decided to turn a blind eye. Apparently, a neutral clan is supposed to remain neutral even on their own turf.
I heard screaming as the fleas had finally got to Regron. That was quick! Less than fifteen seconds.
The other wizard actually tried to help his colleague. He began shooting some sort of fireballs at the fleas while the swordsmen were trying to outflank me, brandishing their weapons.
Unfortunately, all the wizzy had achieved was to attract the swarm’s attention: some of the fleas left their victim and went after him with a vengeance.
A new system message promptly informed me of all the details. The other wizzy’s name was Zarlog. Level 104. His chances were even worse.
Melwas was full of surprises, however. He bared his sword and rushed to the wizards’ rescue.
He was actually quite good. He very nearly killed one of the fleas — no wonder, with his level 130. With a bit more durability, my little beauties would be priceless.
Right. While those three were tied down doing some pest control, I could turn my attention to the swordsmen.
They were almost upon me. The one to the right was a Rhoggh. Name: Armadan. Level: 128. The one to my left was a level-100 human called Ridd. They moved swiftly but cautiously. Their faces betrayed their anxiety about the strange behavior of the other three.
I wasn’t surprised. I would have been anxious too. It hadn’t gone exactly as their underage leader had planned, had it?
They tensed, preparing to attack me. Sorry guys.
You’ve built the simplest mechanical creature: a Scorpion!
Level: 150
None of them expected a steely level-150 insect the size of an SUV which had appeared completely out of the blue. Even I stood speechless, staring at his massive pincers and his long tail tipped with a sting.
The crowd gasped as one, recoiling. The swordsmen’s faces lost some of their enthusiasm.
Zarlog screamed, apparently expressing his displeasure with the venom of the Swamp Monk. That was my last vial, what a shame. This was a perfect psychological weapon.
My little babies had suffered some losses too. Shantarsky Jr. had managed to smoke two of the fleas. He seemed to be getting the hang of it. Not that it was going to last, though. Very soon the fleas were obliged to notice the new target.
The swordsmen began gulping down elixirs, changing their tactics. They stood shoulder to shoulder, preparing to defend themselves — or should I say to play for time?
I couldn’t help smiling. I could read them like an open book. They must have contacted some top-level colleagues who in turn must have asked them to hold the fort until they arrived.
I didn’t like the idea. At the moment, I was a cut above my enemies. Until now, I’d been a passive onlooker. But that might not last. Judging by the two swordsmen’s gleefully expectant faces, they were awaiting some heavy cavalry. And I couldn’t afford to face it quite yet.
Never mind. Impatient as I was to get to their “magnificent Lord Melwas”, I might have to leave it till some other time. Honestly, after what I’d just seen, it didn’t seem to be such a good idea anymore. If anything, I felt slightly ashamed of myself. Had I really wanted to wreak my revenge on this kid?
I activated both summoning charms.
The audience gasped their admiration at the sight of my two beasts. I leapt into the saddle as Melwas strained his voice over the melee,
“My clan guaran
tees protection and a fair reward to anyone who stops him!”
The crowd stirred. Exactly what I hadn’t wanted to happen. I hurried to issue orders, telling Boris to take off, Prankie to cast his shield, and the Scorpion, to cover our retreat.
Hissing and snapping his pincers, the Scorpion began to back off. I sensed Boris’ body tense up as he prepared to take to the sky.
That’s when a fiery spindle shot out of the crowd. Not the fastest of spells but then again, nothing seemed fast enough to me after Furius and his arrows.
The spindle barely grazed us as we took off and was completely absorbed by Prankie’s shield. I didn’t bother to strike back, afraid of hurting our supporters in the crowd. Still, I remembered the caster’s name. Just in case.
Chapter Seven
WE WERE ABOUT to drop into the clouds when the system informed me of the two wizards’ death. Despite the penalty I’d received for fleeing the battlefield, I’d managed to make level 98. Excellent. Me and my team kept growing.
Below, Shantarsky Jr. kept cussing and raging, promising to “stuff me” and “make mincemeat out of me”. Yeah yeah. The fleas must have turned their attention to him already. He probably had more important things to do with his time than chasing after me. Somehow I didn’t think his cavalry would make it here in time to help him.
The chat window flashed with new messages. I opened it.
That was cool dude
Totally awesome!
I luved it!
There were at least thirty more messages in the same vein, as well as a few friend requests. Naturally, I’d also received a few threats from today’s opponents and a long epistle in ALL-CAPS from Shantarsky Jr.
I shoved everything into the Recycle Bin. Having said that... wait a sec. One nickname seemed familiar. It was she who’d warned me about the ambush to begin with.
She’d left a brief description of her character in the letterhead. Normally, I never used that option. My friends already knew everything they needed to know about me. Still, it was a nice gesture.
I glanced over the information she’d so helpfully provided. Name: Elrica. Level 37. Race: Human. That was the extent of it. Not that I needed to know anything else. Actually, there was something else: a screenshot depicting a beaming blue-haired girl astride a pink panther. Judging by her light armor and the fancy staff behind her back, she belonged to one of the magic classes.
She merited a reply.
Hi Elrica,
Thanks a lot for the tip. Shame I read it too late.
I pressed Send. For a while, nothing happened. I was about to close the chat window when she finally replied,
Hi,
You replied to my message! I must be dreaming!
The letter was peppered with a variety of cheerful emoticons. I just couldn’t understand her. Then again, why not? For most people, this was a game. Unlike myself, they were in it simply for a good time.
Of course I replied to your message! I had to thank you. You were the only one who warned me.
You’re welcome! It was awesome! What a fight! A giant scorpion! Your pets are out of this world! And your fleas! Oh those fleas! You know what they now call those Gold Guild idiots in the forum? ‘Flea bags’ and ‘mangy dogs’! LOL!!!
She was something else. My eyes flickered with all the grinning little faces.
Then it must have dawned on her. Wait a sec. What do you mean, I was the only one? Do you mean to say that no one else had warned you?
That’s exactly what I’m saying, I wrote back. You were the only one who did.
But that’s not possible! she added a dozen of her bug-eyed dropped-jaw emoticons. I heard some guys in my group discuss the arrival of the Gold Guild warriors. It was Drox who tipped them off, apparently. I can’t believe they didn’t warn you!
Drox... wait a sec... I definitely heard that name before.
But of course. He cast that fire thing on us, didn’t he? Still, I had a funny feeling I’d heard the name before.
Drox is the one who attacked you with a Fire Twister! Wretched shaman! A sorry excuse for a Dwand!
Yes, of course! Drox! That was the funny guy hung with charms and ribbons who’d pestered me with questions last time I was here.
Is he a Gold Guild spy? I typed.
Yeah, I think so. Sort of. He’s basically a major brownnose who sucks up to Melwas. Our rich daddy’s boy Melwas, aka the flea bag! I just love it! You know your fleas took him apart, don’t you? Armadan and Ridd were really lucky. The Nerzul group saved them just in time. It’s a good thing you left when you did. Nerzul’s warriors are all level 200-plus. They’re the top.
Are they? How interesting. How long did it take them to kill my scorpion?
Not very long. But it did give them a good run for their money, LOL. A lot of people have got a bit more respect for you now.
Do they? Why?
Don’t you understand? You’re not a top level player and still you managed to defeat a whole group! They had to request help from a top level group because they couldn’t handle a single player! You’re a hero!
I winced. Oh, great. A hero! That was the last thing I needed.
Can I ask you a question?
Dammit. Here we go. Now she’ll want to know everything about me. All the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’. Of course. On one condition.
Which is?
Promise not to get angry with me if I choose not to answer it.
Of course! I mean, no I won’t! I understand!
Okay, I typed. Fire away.
You see, I study journalism.
Excellent. I’m very happy for you.
Thank you! The thing is, I have this vlog on the side...
How interesting. What’s it all about?
Basically, it’s about everything that happens here in the Glasshouse. I call it Elrica and her Little Mirror. I just update my subscribers on all the local news...
I’d love to check it out sometime but unfortunately, I’m pretty busy...
Of course! I understand! I just wondered if you might find an hour or so whenever you’re available...
To do what?
To allow me to interview you.
More emoticons, shy and embarrassed this time.
Interview me? Do I look like the President? Or a movie star?
I don’t think you have any idea how popular you are.
I don’t think I have. And what’s more, I don’t think I’ve ever been interviewed before. Not that I look forward to the experience.
In that case, let’s do it this way. I won’t insist if you promise not to say no. Let’s just file this conversation for future reference, okay? If one day you reconsider, we’ll discuss it further. Is that a deal?
Deal, I replied. I liked the fact that she was tactful and not pushy. She must have realized that my present situation was a bit sensitive.
Yes!! She showered me with another load of happy grinning faces. Feel free to write to me any time. I’ll add you to Favorites.
And so will I. Thank you. You can write to me any time you want. There’s one problem, though. I might not be in a position to reply promptly.
That’s all right! I understand! Oh, and... if by any chance you get the opportunity to make a few short videos about No-Man’s Lands, that would be fantastic. I could post them on my channel. That’ll definitely boost my subscribers numbers! These videos are very few and they’re crazy popular. And a battle video could guarantee millions of views!
Oh well. Why not? The girl seemed quite nice. The squeaky clean Doris Day type. And she’d been the only one who’d warned me of the danger...
At my wife’s request, I’d actually been filming quite a lot. I used to send her the nicest videos to show to our little Christa. I could give Elrica one of them, I suppose. How about the one taken from Boris’ back as we flew over the river, the one with all the giant fish jumping? She might like it.
I think I might have something you could use, I typed.
No way! Thank
you!
Ignoring a new emoticon attack, I pressed “attach file”, selected the 10-min river video and sent it to her. There you go!
More thank-yous and a new shower of emoticons grinning from ear to ear. Could she even speak without them?
On this friendly note we closed our exchange, with more promises from me to think about the interview. When I finally closed the chat window, I felt absolutely drained.
“That’s it, kiddo. Let’s go home.”
Boris — who’d all this time been soaring regally above the clouds — banked into a smooth turn and alighted with a single stroke of his big wings.
We were already within a few minutes from No-Man’s Lands when my inbox pinged. Who might that be?
Oh. Elrica again.
I braced myself for a new emo attack. That’s right. The girl was true to herself, ending every sentence with grinning funny faces. So, what did she have to say?
Ah-ha... it looked like I’d just got myself a spy all of my own. Apparently, Shantarsky Sr. had just visited the battlefield. According to her, he wasn’t happy at all. He’d yelled at the surviving swordsmen. The girl was standing too far to hear it all — but what he had heard was “a bunch of idiots”, “that wretched noob!” and “you missed him!” She seemed quite offended by him calling me a noob. Apparently, so were lots of other people, according to her. No noob would ever be able to do what you did today, she wrote.
The Twilight Obelisk (Mirror World Book #4) LitRPG series Page 8