“Wait,” Hawke said. “You didn’t disappear on launch day. Are you saying you kept playing for two months? Even after you heard about people going missing?”
“Well, not at first,” Desmond said. “After the news came out, I quit.” He glared at Nadia. “I thought she did, too, but she stuck with it. And she talked me into going back.”
“Why would you do that?”
Desmond shrugged. “I was stupid.”
Nadia was crying again, her head down to avoid looking them in the eye. “I had my reasons, okay?”
“Okay, never mind that.” For now. “What were you doing here, in the Warrior’s Quarter?”
“We heard about the Nerf Herders and figured they were people from Earth,” Nadia said, wiping her eyes.
Desmond scowled as he spoke: “Yep. We came to Akila, spent almost every cent we made killing random monsters to pay the gate fees, and when we got to the guild building, the guys at the entrance started asking all kinds of questions before they would let us in. And one of them started coming on to Nadia. Worse, he started putting his hands all over her.”
“Yeah, he was an asshole, but I was handling it,” Nadia told him. “And then you went all caveman and dragged me away. Our best chance to get help, and you got possessive.”
“It was more than that, Nadia. I really didn’t like their looks. Their attitude. Like we had to prove ourselves or something.”
“You might be right, Desmond,” Hawke said. “I’ve heard some bad stuff about the Nerf Herders. They might not be a Guild we want to join.”
“Where else can we go?” Nadia said. “We have no money!”
“Hawke seems to be doing okay,” Desmond said. “Look at his gear, Nadia. A matched set of Masterwork armor! But you don’t have a Guild listed in your banner, Hawke.”
“You got it. I’m doing okay and I did it without a Guild.”
“Where did you get all this stuff?”
“My starting area was worse than your swamp,” Hawke told them. “Long story. I did some Quests, made some friends. Cleared out a Lair; that’s like a five-man dungeon. That’s where I got some of my gear. I’m headed back there. Lots of Quests and loot available. You can come with me if you want. But it’s up to you.”
Truth was, he wasn’t sure if he wanted them to follow him. He didn’t like the way Desmond kept glaring at anyone who even looked at Nadia, acting like a dog with a bone, and he didn’t care for the way Nadia kept bursting into tears. They didn’t look like potential allies; more like people who would need to be looked after. A burden.
Crap. You are right.
For a moment, he’d turned into a complete asshole, thinking only of what his friends could do for him. They had gone through horrible things, just like he had, and they needed help. He’d been lucky enough to escape from his predicament and find a place where people were willing to give him a chance. The least he could do for his friends was to do the same.
“Where? Would we be safe there?” Nadia asked.
“Truth to tell, it’s not safe anywhere, and neither is the place I’m talking about. I have a number of Quests to complete before the area is pacified. But I have a handle on the situation,” he said. I think so, at least. “I can help you level up and get better weapons and items.” There is another Lair we can clean up, among other things. “But it’s not risk-free. I don’t think playing it safe is an option for us.”
“I notice you didn’t tell us where this wonderful place is,” Desmond said.
“I’m not going to, either, unless you swear not to blab about it. Your choice.”
The Warrior scowled. “Why? You don’t trust us?”
“No, I don’t. This isn’t a game. People’s lives are at stake. Next question.”
“What about the Nerf Herders?” Nadia asked.
“I want to check them out myself. Maybe they are okay and they are still getting a handle on the situation. Problem is, we’re dealing with gamers. Most of them are nice people, sure.”
“Yeah, but some are the worst,” she said. “I wouldn’t trust some of them with children or small animals, or want to ever meet them IRL, or be in the same room with them. Creeps and psychos.”
“Yep. And this as ‘in real life’ as it gets.”
“Is it, though?” Desmond said. “What if this is some sort of giant simulation? Just an advanced version of an MMO game?”
Nadia rolled her eyes. “Not that conspiracy theory again, Sean.”
“Call me Desmond. Hey, it’s not any crazier than the idea of a planet with real magic and fantasy creatures in it.”
“Bro, this is no simulation,” Hawke told him; he was running out of patience. “A simulation wouldn’t bother giving us pimples, or rashes in our asses if we don’t wipe properly, or sweat stains on our clothes. Pull on your nose hairs if you think it’s a simulation. I’ll wait.”
“It was just a thought,” Desmond grumbled.
“If you think like that, you’re going to get killed, over and over, until you are dead for good. Your Identities are down to, what, the high teens?”
From the way they avoided meeting his gaze, they might be in the low teens.
“If they keep going down, you’ll start forgetting stuff. And if they get zeroed out, you’re dead for good. They call us Eternals, but that’s just propaganda. We can die here. If we stick together and learn how to use our abilities, we have a chance.”
“I’m in,” Nadia said. “You were always a good raid leader, Ben. And a nice guy. I’ll come with you.”
“Are you sure?” Desmond asked her.
“There are no better choices,” she replied in an icy voice. “We spent all our money to see the Nerf Herders, and you almost got into a fight with them. What do you think is going to happen to two low-level people in a big city? With no money, no connections?”
“I’d have figured something out,” the Warrior mumbled.
Nadia was having none of it. “Hawke has been here longer. He has survived and is doing well. And I trust him.”
“I’ll help you guys out,” he told them. “At least, I’ll get you a meal and a place to sleep tonight. After that, if you want to go your own way, I’ll give you a gold denar each. That’s a hundred coppers, enough for a few days’ room and board, enough time to start earning your keep. A city this size must have dozens of Quests available.”
“Fair enough. I’m in too,” Desmond said.
Can’t kick him to the curb. And he was a decent Warrior. He liked to be DPS rather than a tank, but I’m a tank.
“All right. I need you to repeat after me: I, Desmond the Destroyer, swear on my life, my power, and my soul…”
Saturnyx helped him with the wording of the oath. The long and the short of it was that both of them swore three times not to reveal any information Hawke divulged without his express permission. If they broke their word, they would lose their power, life, and soul. Hopefully, that would be enough to keep his secrets if they decided to part ways with him.
“I’ll tell you my story, but let’s go somewhere more private. Like I said, it’s fairly long.”
Forty-Seven
Hawke found a decent inn near the Crafters’ Market, well away from the Adventurers’ Quarter. He rented a private dining room at the ruinous price of two silver denars, bought his fellow Eternals a nice and also overpriced dinner, and told them of his adventurers in the Common Realm, starting with his landing on top of a pile of corpses belonging to other, less fortunate players. He shared his encounter with the goddess Vitara and the disturbing news that Laughing Man Productions had been created by the Laughing Man himself, someone with more power than the gods, not to mention a sadistic sense of humor. And he told them about the Necromancer, the vow to save all the other players being slowly squeezed out of all their power, and the Undead Lair he had helped clean up. The tale went long into the night.
He omitted a few things. He figured they didn’t
need to know about his secret Elite Class, or that Saturnyx was a living, talking sword, let alone that he was in a relationship with her, one that was about to become part of a group marriage. There was no need to share those details, and Hawke was beginning to develop a healthy sense of paranoia.
They are only second and third level.
Hawke didn’t know Nadia’s or Desmond’s actual ages, but trusted Saturnyx’s judgment.
“Wow,” Nadia said when Hawke took a break from telling his story. “And I thought the swamps had been bad. Those poor people! One of them could be Esmeralda. I mean, if Desmond and I arrived together when we were brought here, you and her probably ended up in the same place.”
“If she is there, I will get her out. I made a promise.”
“And you have recruited a band of Dwarven mercenaries to help you out,” Desmond said. “Not bad.”
“Yeah. I wanted to see if the Nerf Herders would pitch in, too, but I’m having second thoughts.”
“From what we heard, there are over twenty of them. Their leader is level twelve, a Warrior and Battle-Mage. Goes by the name of Kaiser Wrecker.”
“Very German of him,” Nadia noted. “Unless he’s a fan of the Usual Suspects.”
Hawke’s father had mentioned that movie a couple of times, but he had never watched it. How old was Nadia? Older than him, he was pretty sure of that. He had watched Star Wars, of course, but the original trilogy was a timeless classic.
None of that is important, he reminded himself.
“Twenty Eternals can do a lot of good, or a lot of damage,” Hawke said. “And more are likely to come join them, once word gets around.”
“Over sixty thousand people had gone missing when we were taken,” Nadia told him. “You think they are all here?”
“Here, and on the other continents. It’s a whole planet we’re talking about, and then there are other Realms, although you have to be higher-level to access them.”
“From what the NPCs tell us, the Ruby Empire controls a good chunk of this continent,” Desmond said.
Oh, you freaking didn’t say that!
“They aren’t NPCs,” Hawke told him. “They are people. Just like you and me. And if you are going to hang out with me, I don’t want to hear you refer to anybody as an NPC. Is that understood?”
“I was only joking, bro.”
“Nobody in my party is going to treat the people of this world like they are mindless bits of code. We good on that?”
There was a moment of awkward silence before Desmond relented. “Okay. My bad. Won’t happen again.”
“Okay,” Hawke agreed, letting the matter drop. “Anyway, yes, it’s a big place, and from what the Goddess told me, a lot of the gods and other forces in it are trying to cut down on the number of Eternals coming here. The whole thing with the Necromancer was designed to get rid of at least some of us.”
“Great. So what is the plan?”
“I am going to see the Nerf Herders tomorrow morning. You guys can meet my friends at Dwarven Hills. I’ll give you the address and directions, and let them know you are coming. And I’ll leave ten silver denars with each of you in case you need anything.”
“I suppose your friends are also covered by the oath,” Desmond said.
“You got it.”
Hawke felt disappointed with his old gaming friends. For the first few days since he’d arrived, he had wished with all his heart that he would find other people like him. Now, he didn’t know if he would ever feel comfortable around them. He wanted to be back with Kinto’s family, especially Tava.
Desmond nodded. “That’s fine. I’ll keep Nadia safe.”
Nadia looked upset but didn’t say anything. After getting single rooms for everyone, he said good night and went to his room. Once he was alone, he tried to contact Tava through Saturnyx’s mental connection. After a few moments, she responded:
Hawke and Saturnyx! I am glad to hear from you both!
“Same here,” Hawke told her. “How did it go on your end?”
The Sterns were glad to hear from Dorrham. They are gathering a group of five Adventurers. They should all meet us here in the next day or two.
“Awesome. I found two possible allies,” Hawke said, and told her about his former gaming buddies. “I am going to send them your way tomorrow, before I go see the Nerf Herders.”
We will welcome them as if they were family, Tava assured him.
“Keep an eye on them, though. Especially the human Warrior. They are new to this world and are ignorant of the ways people do things around here.”
Ignorant strangers? Where have I ever met their like? Tava said with a mischievous tone.
I will help them learn. And I will think of you, my Paladin.
“And I of you.”
After saying goodnight, Hawke got undressed and went to bed.
No more ‘masters,’ please. Makes me feel like I’m in a 50 Shades movie.
No 50 Shades. Is Tava going to be okay with this? With us, I mean?
She wants you to make her a porno. An educational porno.
Just when things were about to get interesting, there was a soft knock at the door.
Hold your horses. I’m not ‘bedding’ anyone else right now, Hawke said. I’ll go see what she wants.
He opened the door and let Nadia in. She looked even more upset than she’d been earlier.
“Please don’t leave me alone with Desmond,” she said as soon as he closed the door.
“What did he do to you?”
“Nothing. Yet. I mean, I always thought he was a bit creepy, back with the Guild and all. Always trying to make friends with all the female players. Being the ‘good guy’. Always giving us gifts: components, magical items, he even bought Esmeralda a prestige mount that cost over two hundred bucks!”
“That makes him a lonely gamer. Sad and annoying, but mostly harmless.”
“I thought so too, until I convinced him to keep playing the damn game. He did it only after I gave him my phone number; he was calling me almost every night and talking my ear off. And getting personal. It was creepy. Started talking about falling in love with me.”
“But you thought you were just friends,” Hawke said, sighing. Oldest story in the world.
“Yes.”
“You aren’t blameless in this, you know.”
“Why? I never made any promises to him.”
“You asked him to risk his life for you. You both knew people had disappeared, and nobody knew what happened to them. For all you knew, everyone who disappeared was dead.”
“We were both pretty sure the game took people into its fantasy world. What else could it be? Do you remember the opening titles? Right on the first loading screen?”
“Something about going to a new world, was it?”
“It said: ‘Prepare to be transported to a new universe of wonder and adventure. A place where great danger and great opportunities await.’”
“Even so, it said there would be a lot of danger. Sean put his life on the line for you. Sure, he shouldn’t have expected you to jump into bed with him. That’s not how it works. You knew what he wanted, tho
ugh.”
She lowered her head. “Yeah, you’re probably right. I was scared to go into it alone, and I dragged him into it.”
“You both screwed up. But he needs to get over it and maybe realize that being a ‘nice’ pushover is not how you get women to like you.” He paused for a second. “Why did you keep playing, anyway?”
“It really is a long story,” she told him. “I will tell you now if you insist, but…”
“That’s okay. It can wait.”
Truth was, he wasn’t that interested. He wanted her to go away so he could have wild crazy sex with his sword.
“Back to Desmond,” he went on. “I take it that after you arrived, he started to get possessive.”
Nadia nodded, looking miserable. “I was beginning to be afraid of him. And then he antagonized the Nerf Herder guys and I thought I was stuck with him, with nowhere else to go. Like he purposely wanted to keep me isolated and dependent on him.”
“That’s not going to happen. Do you want me to tell him to get lost? I’ll give him some money and kick him loose. Warriors can always find work.”
She thought about it before shaking her head. “That wouldn’t be fair. And he did protect me. I just want him to leave me alone.”
“He will. Talk to Tava. She is good people. I’m actually seeing her, or courting her, as people call it around here.”
Nadia’s expression stiffened up a little when she heard that. Hawke ignored it and kept talking:
“Let her know what’s happening. If Desmond bothers you, she will put a stop to it. Even her little brother is two levels higher than Desmond; either of them will kick his ass if he steps out of line. And if Tava’s father gets involved, well, it won’t be good for him.”
“Okay. Thank you!” Nadia said, fighting back tears “Ben, I don’t know how to repay you.”
“Level up, become the best magic damage-dealer in the group, and help me kill the Necromancer. That’s all I ask.”
Her laughter was a little shaky, but he could see the relief in her face. Had she been worried that Hawke would ask for something else in return for his protection? She probably had. Being a woman couldn’t be easy, either on Earth or the Realms.
Twilight Templar (The Eternal Journey Book 1) Page 28