by TJ Reynolds
So, buddy, which do you prefer? I asked him, grinning at his bewildered expression. He looked like a boy who’d tried candy for the first time and was being asked to choose between chocolate and caramel.
He looked up at me sheepishly and answered, I would prefer them all. How much can we afford to buy?
I laughed out loud, startling an older couple who had come to buy a bit of chicken. Lernon gave me a questioning look. I told him what Tejón had asked me.
“You can have anything you like, but I can’t give all of my wares away. Everything has a price, though I will gladly consider what I fed you so far as mere samples. No charge for those.” He walked bravely toward Tejón and lifted a hand to pet the huge bear. His hand hovered above his head as if asking for permission.
Tejón shoved his head into the man’s palm in answer.
Gold was not an issue, not in the slightest, and if I ran out, it wasn’t like I couldn’t transfer a few thousand YD for as much gold as I needed in-game.
I grinned at the man and made my order.
“I’d like a side of beef delivered to our room at the Rooster’s Head. I don’t know what room we’ll be in, but just ask for Madi and Tejón. I’ll tell the owner to expect you. We’d also like a whole lamb and a few chickens brought over tonight as well. Then, in the morning, if you could bring two pigs over, that would be great. I’ll come by tomorrow midday for another order. Is that fine, or will you run out of stock?” Each item made the man’s eyes widen further.
Lernon shook his head and held his hands up. “Not at all, Madi. I’ll have the beef sent over within the hour and bring the lamb and chickens tonight for dinner—just before sunset, if that’s fine.”
“It is. Now, what do I owe you, sir? And remember, we will be the best customers for at least three days. Any discount you could offer would be appreciated.”
The man didn’t hesitate at all, knowing the cost of his goods well. “The side of beef is 12 dragons, the lamb 2. I’ll give you five fat chickens for 1 and the two pigs at 2 gold apiece. That is 17 gold dragons. I’ll send over a few ducks and a goodly portion of mutton to boot, just to sweeten the deal. How does that sound?”
I shook with Lernon and handed him 20 gold. “The rest is for delivery costs. Thanks a million!” I turned to leave, having to drag poor Tejón away forcibly.
I had one more place I wanted to visit before going to the Rooster’s Head and cleaning up. At first, I thought it would take some time to find the armorer, but after a few minutes of walking down Common Street, a familiar, rhythmic clanging could be heard.
We found the smithy a quarter mile or so down a side street, the smell of coal smoke and smelted metal tingling my nose. Though I wouldn’t admit a thing to Wardeen, I missed the smell.
I had to walk down a short flight of stairs to enter the forge. It was tucked into the basement of a brick building. On the upper floors, other workers milled about, some working wood or leather. It had to be some kind of craftsman’s hall or guild. I figured I might be able to commission some other items if I had time during my stay. Soon I found the burly dwarf bent over a steel breastplate, inspecting his work.
“Are you Wardahl?” I asked, hoping the dwarf’s disposition wasn’t as prickly as his brother’s.
One look into his shadowed eyes told me that my hopes had been in vain. “I am, and I’m not interested. Too much to do already. There’s another smith on Noble Street. Makes pretty, shiny bits of armor that I’m sure you’ll love.”
I grinned despite myself. What kind of mother or father had these two dwarves had to make them so damn happy all the time?
When I didn’t immediately depart, the dwarf sighed, blowing out his mustache dramatically. Then he pointed his black steel hammer at my chest. “I said leave. Goodbye, huge woman. I hope you find a man that is properly tree-sized and make a litter of giant children together.”
Well, that was a bit too far. I bit my lip and replied as calmly as I could. “I was told to come here by Alysand Deschaney. I’m also your brother’s apprentice. It is interesting to find out that all dwarves are such big dicks. Too bad their bodies are so small, or I might just find one for myself. After all, you know what they say about huge women.”
Wardahl choked a bit, then coughed into his fist. We stared at each other for a bit, then a slow smile passed between us. I laughed first but not alone.
“Okay, well I’m properly impressed by the degradation of your sensibilities,” he said, his teeth flashing out from his beard. “I would like to say that although I’m not as big of a dick as my dear brother, I’m also less wanting.” Wardahl set down his hammer and held out a hand to me. “Well met. You must be Madi, then. Those wyvern scales that were delivered to me are simply majestic.”
I shook his hand, noting that despite the rocky start, this was most likely the nicer brother. “Was hoping they might be made into some majestic armor, too. I had the armorer take my measurements and those of my friend Hana. Alysand said he didn’t want any of the armor himself, so that’s on him. Besides, the old man just kills things so quickly they never get a chance to hit him. I figure he doesn’t need any.”
Wardahl nodded grimly. “That gunsinger is a terror to behold. I once watched him kill twenty orc berserkers in less than a minute. Had to yell at him to let me have one to fight myself. Wardeen was so mad he didn’t speak the rest of the day. Nothing quite like stealing the chance to kill an orc from a dwarf to make an enemy.”
“Wait, Wardeen is a warrior?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“Aye. Was, at least. Don’t tell him I told you either, but he’s the strongest axe I’ve ever seen. Loses his wits in a fight and covers himself all in blood and bone. But when Alysand just punches wee holes in their heads and steals the glory for himself, well, let’s just say the man is lucky Wardeen considers him a friend.”
I stared at the breastplate that the dwarf had been hammering and pictured my master using an axe in battle. I’d seen him pound steel like it was butter, so it wasn’t a stretch. But as my teacher, the concept of him killing just felt odd.
Rifling through my bag, I brought out the parchment the Benham armorer had written down our measurements on. “Here,” I said. “These are the measurements of one huge woman and one small.”
He took the paper from my hand and glanced at the numbers, nodding. “I’d say I’m sorry, but then you’d know I’m a liar, too.”
I laughed again. Funny bastard. “Well, when do you think the armor might be ready? I’ll be in town a few days, as I’m trying to find as many adventurers as possible to fight against the Rat King. Will it be done soon?”
The dwarf smiled up at me, mischief in his eyes. “It’s already made. The scales came in two nights ago, and I’ve never had a chance to work with a material so fine. Other than mithril, that is, but even so, if I had to choose between the two, I’m not sure which way I’d go. Anyway, I made two suits of armor, one large and one small, though I will still need to make some adjustments. Come back tomorrow morning and we’ll see if we can make it all fit.”
Surprise and joy played tag in my guts, but I had trouble responding. I just nodded and thanked the dwarf, then headed out of the forge, my head spinning.
The leather armor I’d been wearing was okay. Yet only one piece, the studded skirt, was Rare. The rest were all Uncommon and Common items. I had a feeling that the wyvern scale armor would be Epic or even Legendary. My game would be on point.
I nabbed a street kid and asked him to point me to the Rooster’s Head. The day wasn’t getting any younger and I was getting hungry. Tejón told me the same thing three times before we came to a tall wooden building that looked like it had been dropped out of a western flick and barely survived the fall.
Looking up, I got a cheap laugh from the “establishment’s” sign. A rooster’s body was stretched out over a log, long and stiff in a very suggestive way. A hatchet was sunk into the neck, and the head of the bird tumbled away, red and leaking blood. It was profa
ne, underhanded, and offensive: This was my kind of place.
The front door was a stereotypical set of double doors that spun in and out on hinges. The top and bottom of the door did little to hide the inside, but it seemed like more of a gesture.
Tejón followed me in and sat on his haunches while I waited for the busy barkeep to notice me.
“No, no,” the man said, using his hands and arms more than was necessary. I’m sorry, sir, I just won’t allow it.”
A traveler wearing chainmail and holding a huge shield stood before him, complaining. “But I heard that you accepted companions here. Where am I supposed to stay if not here?”
“Sir, we accept companions, and we always will. But not ones that breathe flame. You’ll probably have to camp outside the city walls or have your beastie do so in your stead. I’m very sorry. At least you have a drakeling as a companion. They are very rare and will be a boon to you in the tournament. Good luck and goodbye!” The barkeep finished his lecture with a flourish then turned to me. “Ah, a warrior with a sensible companion. But wait, I should ask first: Does your bear shoot fire from its butt or spit acid?”
“No, though I wish he did—it would be worth camping out for that,” I said, already liking the crude man. “We need a room. Do you have any open?”
After eying Tejón a moment, the man nodded. “I think so. He is not a little fellow, though, is he? Not sure how much coin you have, but the only room that will accommodate this one is the master suite. It’s on the bottom floor and has a twelve-foot ceiling. He can’t go in through the front, but around the side of the building, there is a patio. The room opens out to a veranda. I’m sure we can squeeze him in through there.”
I thought about it before replying. “But doesn’t it get cold at night? What’s the point of a room if it has a wall missing?”
“Good question. You’ll have to see it for yourself. To make it brief, though, a huge fireplace and a curtain thick enough to smother a queen with. Cost is 5 dragons a night, though. Can you afford it?”
I looked over to see Tejón studying the far wall with great scrutiny. “I can. We want it for the next three nights, if that is possible, maybe a fourth, but I don’t know yet. Is that okay?”
“Yes, ma’am, and well met. My name is Rodrick.” The sound of my coin leaving my purse making the barkeep noticeably perky. Damn clerks and their greed.
“I’m Madi,” I said. “We’re gonna head to our rooms, if that’s fine. Where might I find a suitable bath?”
“No need to leave. The suite has its own tub, though not nearly big enough for your friend.” The man rubbed his chin a moment and amended, “Since you are paying in full, why don’t you have him come around the stables. I’ll have the grooms clean him up as nice as if he were a prize pony. For you, I’ll have the maid fetch hot water immediately.”
The thought of a hot bath made me want to drool. I finished quickly, telling Rodrick the last bit of information he needed to make my stay here at the Rooster’s Head as lovely as possible. “We’ll be getting a considerable amount of meat delivered from Lernon’s. Please tell them where I’m staying. Maybe you could leave it on the veranda so as to avoid bloodying the room.”
“Ha! That’s a good idea. Normally, I prefer guests to have their herbivore friends eat in the stables and their carnivore friends eat in the side street, but the veranda will do as well. We can have the staff water it down after to avoid stains.”
I left the man with a handful of gold and he immediately fell to barking orders at several servants.
So, Tejón, how would you like a bath? I asked the bear. He stood up and started backing away toward the door, but I reminded him of the feast that would show up soon. Besides, if you don’t clean up, I won’t let you in the room.
Okay, Madi, but only because you bought me many animals to eat.
Tejón and I followed a servant around the side of the building until we came to the stables. I had the great pleasure of watching several men toss buckets of water over the bear’s hide, then scrub him down with lye soap using brushes attached to wooden handles. The brushes did not need to be improvised, so I had the notion that the bear was not the strangest and perhaps not even the largest animal they’d cleaned.
In a few minutes, they doused him with more water and even toweled him off with leather shammies.
The same servant then brought us around to the veranda. A side door had been opened, but I stepped over the railing of the veranda alongside Tejón, then into the room itself. The curtain, truly a monstrosity that must have weighed over a hundred pounds, was pulled back, and the inside of the suite was on display. It was a gaudy thing of marble and gold paint. Though to some eyes it must’ve looked expensive, to mine it just looked like a hangover waiting to happen.
But none of that mattered, for in the far corner of the room, in a bronze tub big enough for four, steam roiled up. My bath was ready.
Thankfully, there was an elegant shoji screen waiting to be extended, so I didn’t even have to close the curtains to get some privacy.
Right on time, just as I was removing my boots, two men pushed in a handcart loaded with meat.
Tejón, you’ve earned this. Hope you enjoy. I tossed each man a silver coin as a tip.
They were soon gone with their cart, and Tejón sat down, only his head and shoulders poking out of the room. He began to crunch through the side of beef.
The sound of him eating somehow didn’t gross me out. I was far enough away to hear only the crunch of bone.
As I shimmied out of my disgusting gear and clothes, I slipped into the scalding hot water and closed my eyes.
Next to the tub, I noticed a small brass bell. Well, isn’t that thoughtful? I rang the bell, and closed my eyes until a young maid scampered into my room.
“Yes, ma’am? Did you ring?” she said, her nerves making her voice quiver.
“I did. I’ll soon be very clean, and do not want to have the displeasure of putting those clothes back on as they are. Please, can you have someone clean my gear and clothing? I do not mind paying extra.” I hoped the prospect of more coin might move the process along.
She shook her head and responded, “No need for that. The suite comes with laundry services. I’ll have your clothes washed and pressed in less than an hour. I can see to your gear. That should be done…” She eyed the bloodstained and torn leather on the ground. “Well, before nightfall at least.”
I nodded and thanked her as she took an armful of the soiled things and scurried away. She was a polite girl, probably only fourteen, maybe younger, and I noticed she just turned her head and held her breath to avoid the stink of the gear. I didn’t envy her work, but she faced it with bravery.
The only thing I was missing was a beverage or maybe even something sweet, but even as the thought occurred to me, a knock came on my door. When I answered, a tray of refreshments was brought in by another woman. She set it down beside my tub and disappeared again.
In the real world, I’d had luxury in plenty, and had found it lacking. How awkward was it to have someone wait on you hand and foot when you hadn’t done a thing to earn it? Here, though? Well, having killed dozens of vile enemies, forged alliances with valiant forces, and traveled hundreds of miles on foot and on bear, I finally felt that I deserved it.
4: “They say necessity is the mother of invention. They’re wrong. Desperation is.”
— Shin Seong
HANA
Enjoy our new home, I said to Pachi when I was finally ready to log out. I promise I won’t be gone long. Maybe four or five hours max. I’ll come back and sleep with you here.
She nodded to me and curled up on the floor of the cave. This place feels clean, and the wind does not come this far in. I will be happy to sleep here. You can sleep under my wing when you return.
I took a few steps towards the entrance of the cave, the evening sky a soft plum. It was still light enough to see the distant mountain peaks, but already a few stars had begun to emerge.<
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I’d scouted the patch of forest that I now called home and had found a stand of young trees that grew close together and uniform in size. They stood up like white spears, and I thought they were a kind of ash.
The trees were big enough to be useful for building, but their wood was also young enough to cut through easily. I hacked down two dozen of them and removed the branches in a couple hours, then lined them up at the base of the mountain that led to my cave.
I hadn’t stopped there. Pachi had been complaining about still being hungry, so I told her to bring another deer, and this time, to leave me the hide. When she returned, I skinned it and gave her the rest to eat. I hung the hide up to dry in the sun, choosing not to build a fire to cure it for now. I’d have more time later.
I ended my preparations by gathering a large pile of stone from the stream and hauling it all back up to the cave.
When I was done, I was sweaty and sore, and had little time until my meetup with Shin. I took my time bathing in the stream, scrubbing myself clean and hanging my gear up to air out. Then I ate a small meal and headed back up to the cave with Pachi.
This latest session had been long, so giving the command to log out was a relief. Yet it was a bit alarming to see how much I preferred Eternal Online to the real world. If only Pachi and Madi could meet me in the real world—maybe then I’d start to enjoy my time there more.
Well, at least there was Shin.
I opened my eyes within my EO room and began my routine for rousing myself from the game. My recovery time had gotten smaller as my body synced with the system.
“Good day, Hana. How are you feeling?” Elendil said cheerfully.
“I’m groggy but good,” I replied, rubbing my eyes with my knuckles.
Elendil responded immediately. “Should I summon a coffee for you?”
“I’m meeting with Shin in a few minutes. We’re gonna have some tea, so I’m good. A shower will do more at the moment.”