Alpha World Book One: Gamer for Life

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “HELP!” Mary cried out.

  Gerald turned and got tossed into a wall by the boss as his attention deviated too much. “Get them,” he wheezed as he got back to his feet.

  Alburet had already crossed to the casters and thumped each of them, now having all the aggro for himself. He backed up a step as two of them began to cast while he parried the dagger strike of the one closest to him.

  Fluffball came across the room in a leaping bound, sinking her weapon into the middle goblin with a growl. “Got this one,” she said as she began to hack at it like a woman possessed.

  “Fine, I'll get the other one,” Rocksure said throwing a bolt of lightning at it. That wasn't enough to pull the aggro so it threw its fire bolt onto Alburet, who winced, which also got him stabbed by the dagger.

  “Bob?”

  “I'm on it,” the imp said, throwing Fire Blasts at the one Rocksure was attacking.

  The trio of casters died, leaving all the DPS injured, with Alburet being the worst off at 300/550 health. “All adds down,” Alburet called out.

  “Okay, get ready for the burn phase,” Gerald called out as the boss was down to 18% by the time the DPS went back to attacking it. “When it frenzies it will do double the damage twice as fast, so Mary might not be able to keep me up.”

  “I'm running low on mana,” Mary said. “I think you’ll drop, so do not run out of the room guys. Do your best to kill it if Gerald drops, otherwise it resets and we have to do it all over again.”

  Alburet nodded, throwing another Fire Blast and waited as he was going to hit the boss with Sap Strength as soon as it Frenzied. At 10% the boss began to flash red and foam at the mouth and it started swinging faster. Alburet hit it with his spell and hoped that would help before going back to Fire Blast.

  At 5% Gerald went down as Mary called that she was out of mana. She rushed in with her staff as the boss turned on Fluffball. As the boss did that, Rocksure edged towards the door while he cast his spells.

  “Bob,” Alburet said as he tilted his head towards the door. “Make sure he doesn't.”

  Bob nodded but kept casting his own spells as Fluffball was cut down. Mary was dropped with one shot right after that. Rocksure ran for the door, but Bob got there and stood in the door all two foot of him just enough to stop Rocksure from getting by easily.

  “Move, you fucking imp,” Rocksure said grabbing at Bob, who darted away just as the two handed sword hit Rocksure. “Fuck you, Alburet,” Rocksure said flipping him off as the next swing killed him, leaving just Bob and Alburet in the room with the boss at 1% health.

  “Bob, kill him,” Alburet said as he backed away from the Captain who ran at him with sword raised high. As the goblin got into range Alburet rolled in and under the leading arm, feeling the wind from the swing go over his back.

  “I think I can take one hit, maybe two,” Alburet said as Bob kept casting. He grunted as he was hit before he could get to his feet, knocking him flat. “Fuck,” Alburet said as the sword came down and took off most of the rest of his hit points, leaving him at 10/550.

  He clenched up waiting for the final stroke, but heard a loud thud behind him. Looking back, he found the Captain dead and Bob smirking. “Who kills all the mobs?” He jerked both thumbs into his small chest, “This imp, that's who.”

  Rolling over, Alburet groaned from the intense pain that washed through him. He breathed a sigh of relief as he started regaining health once he was out of combat. He was just getting to his feet when Gerald, Marysue and Fluffball came back into the room.

  “Where is Rocksure?” Alburet asked.

  “Kicked,” Gerald said bluntly, “he was told not to run for the door and still tried, which meant you wouldn't have been able to kill the boss like you did. Thanks for standing your ground,” Gerald said patting his shoulder. “Let's see about the loot then I have to step out and see about getting a new DPS.”

  Touching the bag Gerald nodded, “Nice, a ring with Strength and Constitution, +1 to each. Captain's Band is the name of it. I need it. Fluff?”

  “I would like to need it, too,” Fluffball said, “my main stat is strength after all.”

  “Okay. Use the random roll function in your UI,” Marysue said.

  Alburet watched as they both knelt and each rolled a die across the floor. A bright red 48 appeared above Fluffball while an 82 appeared above Gerald. “Looks like I win,” Gerald said as he took the ring and put it on.

  “Damn,” Fluffball said shaking her head, “congratulations on winning.”

  “Grats,” Marysue and Alburet said in near unison.

  “Okay, five minute break. I'll be back with another DPS,” Gerald said as he headed for the front door.

  Alburet walked over to the desk and sat down in the chair with a sigh. “Five minute power nap sounds awesome.”

  Fluffball came over to the desk taking a seat on the edge of it, “I'm curious about something?”

  Alburet nodded to her, “Hmm?”

  “You look like a thug with the scar and short cropped hair but you know Shakespeare so well. Which one of them is the real you?” Her voice was a tad uncertain as she asked the question.

  “Both, actually. I worked in law enforcement for years which is why the hair and scar, both match my real self. I thinned down the body a little, being in my thirties in real life, I've got a paunch, but who doesn't really? As for the Bard, I loved his plays when I was younger. The basic morality they talk about always drew me in.”

  “Worked? You retired or something?” Fluffball asked.

  “I am currently living off the government,” Alburet replied with a blank face. “Then again, all police live off the government I guess, technically, as do people with pensions from federal, state or county governments.” He chuckled and smiled at her, “What about you, why the Lunari race?”

  Fluffball blushed slightly, “It deters quite a lot of men from hitting on me in game. I would probably have played as a man if I could have just to stop it, but sadly Mindblown hasn't changed their policy on that yet.”

  “So, do you identify as male or just hate it when guys ogle you?”

  “The second. Last game I played I had a stalker following me around in game. He was trying to find out my real address as well. Scared the hell out of me.” She gave a small shudder when she said the last few words.

  “I must be okay then if you’re chatting at me like this,” Alburet chuckled.

  Fluffball groomed her ear again watching him closely for any signs of disgust and not seeing any. “No, I think you might be okay. If you were a cop at some point I'm sure you won't be turning into a stalker or anything like that. Honestly, you just seem safe, like a vibe you give off of safety and security.”

  Alburet let out a small laugh, “I'm sure the fact that if you nut punch me here I will fold like a cheap suit also helps.”

  “Now that you mention it, that does help,” she giggled. “So why can't you say, you know about the immersion?”

  Wagging a finger back and forth Alburet shook his head, “I can't say. I can't hint at, give clues, or anything like that. I would love to be able to, but my hands are tied.”

  “Fine,” Fluffball said with a long sigh mingling with the words. “How long you going to be around for after we clear?”

  One eyebrow raised, “That depends, did you have something in mind?”

  Fluffball blinked then stood up abruptly, “I was just thinking of killing more goblins was all. You know, outside the dungeon, that's what I was asking about.” Her words came fast, tumbling over each other as she spoke.

  Alburet raised both hands palms towards her, “Woah, hold up there speedy, it's okay. I'm sure that is what you meant. I was just checking was all. I will be more than happy to kick it around with you outside the dungeon and slaughter goblins. You get to tank though, as I don't want to be curled into a fetal ball half the time.”

  Laughing, she nodded, “Deal.”

  “You two seem to get along,” Mary said, causing
both of them to blink as they looked at her, as they’d both forgotten she was there. “It's nice to see that, instead of people like Rocksure who always bitching and complaining about others.”

  “Thanks,” Alburet said, “by the way, take this. You can use it when we get to the end boss.” He handed the small mana potion to her. “I don't think I'll get much use out of it and one more heal from you could make the difference.”

  Marysue smiled broadly, “Wow, thanks! These are hard to get at our level. What quest did you get it from?”

  “Found it in a chest, actually,” Alburet said. “It also had a health potion with it but I used that long before I met you.”

  “I'm going to have to find another weapon soon,” Fluffball said after a moment of silence. “Mine is fading. It should last until we finish, unless we die again.”

  Alburet pulled the rusty pitted great sword from his bag and set it on the desk, “Want to use this until it breaks for trash clearing, then?”

  Fluffball looked at it, frowning, then picked it up, “If you don't mind. I can use it, it's a small DPS decrease but it will keep my weapon going longer that way.”

  “Can you wear chain?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  Alburet looked at her leather, “Does that have better than 14 armor?”

  “Fifteen,” Fluffball answered in her full leather outfit.

  Placing the chain shirt on the table Alburet nodded to it. “Fourteen armor for chest, if you want to try out some chain for a bit, one armor difference won't hurt. Also, it's trash basically, barely worth a handful of copper.”

  Fluffball eyed him for a minute then picked it up slowly before she stepped out into the hall. When she came back in she was wearing the rusty chain shirt. Alburet chuckled, the game didn't go stupid with female armor but it still snug chain at least.

  “Not as form fitting as the leather, but it does show more of your fur,” Alburet said. “Looks good to me.”

  Fluffball smiled, “Just glad I have fur, otherwise my abs would be showing though the links.”

  “Yeah, but you make stripes look good,” Alburet complimented her.

  Bob gagged behind Alburet, “Lame.”

  Fluffball giggled as she blushed lightly, “The imp is right, that was a bit lame.”

  “It's been awhile since I’ve really talked to a woman,” Alburet said defensively.

  “Oh?” Mary asked her brow raised.

  Shaking his head, Alburet covered his head and placed it on the desk. “I yield, have mercy oh mighty healer.”

  The two women broke into laughter and Bob cackled as Gerald came back into the room with DrFrank followed by a skeleton. “Okay, we have another DPS. Let's head on into the cells below and take out the jailer.”

  “Heya Frankster, good to see you again,” Alburet said as he stood up stretching.

  DrFrank looked at Alburet and sighed, “Great, the fucking noob is still here. When you said you lost one I thought it was going to be him.”

  Alburet shook his head, “That's how the last one started and then he was removed from the group. Food for thought and all that. Which way, Gerald?”

  Gerald led them off with DrFrank looking thoughtful as they went to the set of stairs they had passed previously. “Okay, there’s a room at the bottom with a pack of mobs. Pull them up to us, Al,” Gerald said, stepping back.

  “Alburet please, not Al. I don't go shortening you name Ger. But first a buff for you and refreshing my Demon Skin.” Alburet cast the two buffs before going to pull. Walking down the stairs, he crouched so he could get a look at the group of four mobs. Two Goblin Swordsmen along with two Goblin Shieldbearers standing in the middle of a room which had three doors leading off of it. Targeting one of the Shieldbearers, Alburet pointed his finger, “Weaken.” As he cast the spell he turned and bolted back up the stairs and behind Gerald. “Two swords incoming, along with one shield, the other one is still trying to pick his shield up.”

  “Got it. Focus the swordsmen first,” Gerald said, bracing for the rush. The DPS held back as the trio of mobs appeared. Once Gerald had hit one of the sword users twice they unloaded on it. Fluffball seemed like a woman possessed as she hacked into the target with the two-handed sword. Frank tossed black balls of magic after he told his skeleton to attack.

  Alburet chipped in a second later, smirking over the fact he didn't have to command Bob. “See that Bob? You’re smarter than a skeleton.”

  “Too bad you are on the same level as the skeleton,” Bob snickered back.

  DrFrank frowned at them and Gerald sighed, “Stop the chatter, please.”

  Mary giggled as she tossed heals onto Gerald, but didn't say anything. As the second swordsman died the second Shieldbearer came up the stairs. Alburet targeted first one then the other, making them drop their shields as he hit them with Sap Strength.

  “The more damaged one first,” Gerald said as both lost their defense.

  Alburet was silently laughing, as after each kill DrFrank had to tell his skeleton to switch targets. Bob on the other hand, just followed along already knowing the drill. Once the four mobs were dead they looted up. Alburet got another Goblin Supply as well as a Broken Tower Shield.

  “Oh, junk for sale,” Alburet said leaning on the shield before placing it into the smaller bag. He quickly tossed the stuff he wanted to keep into his bigger bag. “Okay, room with three doors at the bottom.”

  “Yeah. We’ll do left then right before we go down the middle one which leads to the mini-boss.” Gerald said as he started to descend.

  Fluffball hung back a second, “Thanks for giving me the trash weapon, Alburet. I checked my abilities and with a large weapon equipped the base modifier goes up. It tells me the right way to play the Berserker is with a large weapon. I’ll give up on the idea of a dual wielding Berserker for now. I still hope an ability will make that viable later on, though.”

  Alburet walked with her down the stairs, “Luck, but I'm a horrible person for that kind of thing. After all, I picked the cosmetic ability at fifth level.”

  “I like the idea of being able to change spells,” Mary said from just behind them. “I’ll pick it up myself before level twenty, probably. I hate the whole 'I beseech my god to heal my ally' thing to cast healing.”

  “Right,” Alburet nodded, “that's what I thought.”

  “DPS should always take the DPS increase,” DrFrank said. “Anything else hurts the party. Healers can get away with some frivolous choices.”

  Gerald raised a single brow before coughing, “Okay, same as before Alburet.”

  Alburet renewed Retribution before opening the left door. It was another room with three Goblin Swordsman mobs and one Goblin Shieldbearer. He made the Shieldbearer drop the shield for the pull, running back to Gerald again, which wasn't far as Gerald was just inside the door.

  That fight as well as the next one went smoothly as the grouping was the same. “Very smooth,” Gerald said proudly. “Okay, middle door leads to a hall with cells down each wall. At the end is the Jailer against the back wall. The trick here is to put him next to a cell. The mob in the cell will help us kill him. Every 10% life he turns and one shots the mob and we drag him to the next cell. Once he gets to 10% he frenzies like the last boss. Do NOT run up the stairs. We all live or we all die. Once we get him to the last cell slip past him so we can use the hallway to retreat down. Any questions?”

  Bob spoke up, “What things are in the cells?”

  “Slaves that the goblins captured from the farmlands,” Gerald shrugged. “Not a Paladin so I don't care. We’ll use them as this boss has a truckload of health.”

  “Sounds like fun times,” Alburet said.

  “Everyone is full, so let's go,” Gerald said, opening the door into the dimly lit hall. There were nine cells, five down one side and four down the other with twenty feet between them. “Hit me, Alburet.”

  Alburet clapped his hands before touching Gerald, “Retribution.” Gerald walked down the hall with the
others trailing him. At the back of the hall against the wall stood a very large and very fat goblin in leather pants and hood but bare chested, holding a glowing poker.

  “Okay, on three I charge and drag him to the first cell,” Gerald said, then counted to three and rushed forward. He got three hits in on the Jailer before he got it positioned at which point the DPS opened up on it.

  As they fought, the slaves in the cells began to beseech the players to save them. Alburet blocked them out and checked how they were doing against the mini-boss, The Jailer level 11, 3800/4000 health.

  As they killed the Jailer Alburet noticed that the Jailer wasn't doing a lot of damage to Gerald. At 3600/4000 the Jailer spun and slammed his poker through the chest of the elf slave that had been attacking with them. He blinked as a buff came up on the Jailer’s health bar, Broken Slave. He focused on the icon and winced, “He gets a 20% damage increase for each slave he kills.”