by Rae Nantes
Smith eased back a bit, probably to get out of the man's breath. "We were escorting one on the way here, but we got attacked by bandits." A silence passed them.
"He didn't make it," the captain said.
"He didn't make it," Smith echoed.
The captain sighed and tilted his head back, not removing his eyes on Smith. "But ya brought somethin’, didn't ya? Why else would ya show your face after a shameful defeat?"
"Well..."
"The man trusted ya," the captain said, almost with pity. "And ya failed him."
Smith's ears were turning pink. "We found a letter."
The captain's eyes widened. "Oh did ya, now? Pilfering through his stuff. Looted him, ya did."
"It wasn't like that."
"Was it now?" The captain inched closer. His expression told us he was insulted. Sailors came out of the ship and walked toward us with guns in their hands. "Ya lead a man to die, then ya rob him." The captain spat. "Typical player."
"Hey now," Smith said as he pulled the letter out of his robe. The captain snatched it. Smith snatched it back, and they stood in each other's faces. Both the group of sailors and ours started over to intervene. The captain raised up his hand to halt us. Smith continued. "I want to know who was expecting this letter."
The party who was at the blacksmith had now walked over and were watching the drama unfold.
"And I want to know what's in those bags," the captain said. Without turning to speak, he ordered his men. "Search them!"
I felt a cold chill run up my back. Not only were we all carrying a suspicious amount of money between us, but I was the mule for all the spells we stole. We didn't even get to learn them yet since we left in such a hurry.
The sailors converged on us, roughly pushing us around and digging their hands into our bags. One of them even reached underneath Simone's armor.
"Hold up," Smith barked. A rifle jabbed at his back and shut him up.
"Wait!" I said. "I can explain." Everyone stopped moving and glared at me. Even the captain broke his gaze from Smith and bore it into me. "We-we're just noobs so when we were fighting off the bandits, another group hit the merchant." I cast my eyes down in shame. "We didn't realize until it was too late. By the time they retreated, they had already killed the merchant and looted his belongings." I gestured to Relce. "Our marksman took out one of the fleeing looters, and we found the letter on his body."
Relce looked around at each person nearby and nodded, his afro bobbing and his mustache swinging around.
Smith followed through. "As the leader of my group, the young and honorable White Lions, I wanted to continue this quest, even if it meant not getting my just reward."
A terrible silence followed. The breeze returned, the bells chimed, the gulls cawed. A deep breath. "Stand down, men," the captain said. Relief was felt by all. The sailors shuffled their way back up the pier. The captain looked around and spoke in a low voice. "I take it you'll be needing a ferry to Nisa."
Smith nodded.
The captain gave Smith a sly smile and brought his arm around him, leading him along the pier. Smith was clearly uncomfortable, but they whispered the way to the ship.
I sighed.
"Dude," Relce said. "Guns? They didn't have guns last season."
Trell looked at me, and from his crossed arms he offered a thumbs up. "Tactical."
I smiled.
The group of players nearby approached us. In front was the usual low-level knight, flanked by a mage and a swordsman. "Excuse me, m'lady," the knight said. He looked like a wannabe hero. A charming smile, flowing golden hair, shining armor. I was unamused.
I looked at him with blank eyes. "Yes?"
"You dismantled that tense moment with expert ability. Your skills at mediation are untold. You are by far the most capable nipsy I've met!"
I crossed my arms and stared daggers into him. "I'm not a nipsy, you little shit! I just look like one!"
He feigned a smile. Was he looking for a date? He already struck out. "But, that's impossible, my lady." He offered a soft chuckle and a shrug. His teeth glistened. His companions cringed.
"I'm from Stella Vallis, you rat. I grew up there as we all did. What must I say to prove it to you? We rediscovered humans twenty years ago, lost the war against Earth ten years ago, and now we’ve just started terraforming our planet.” I shut my eyes and pulled my head away in spite. For a moment, I was surprised at what I could recall in my anger. Were we really terraforming the planet?
I noticed the silence. I opened my eyes to see the stunned faces all around. Did I somehow convince them? The knight rushed me, and I stumbled back. He fell to his knee and bowed his head.
"Forgive me, my lady! I did not know I was in the presence of such a princess, such a master." He looked up at me with sparkling eyes and a face of resolve. "Please, I beseech you. Teach me the ways of oratory! Your lies are so expertly woven, even I was utterly convinced. You are clearly the Queen of Deceit!"
I felt the rage return. I swung my staff hard at him but stopped just at his face. "Wind."
With that, my gust sent him over the edge and into the water. The splash erupted, and his companions guffawed. Mine were doubled over in laughter. "Worry not, lady!" I heard from below. "I will one day earn your respect!"
My face was red with embarrassment, my ears hot. I stomped my way along the pier and into the waiting ship.
Chapter 9
Nisa
"The Earth war," Simone said, "was twenty years ago, not ten." She looked apologetic as if she knew the words would hurt.
They did. I turned away from her and stared into the horizon. I could already feel the tears welling up as the existential dread returned. Was everything a lie? Did I just make it all up from everything I learned from the players? How could I be ten years behind on knowledge? I felt arms wrap around me and the scent of berries flood my senses. Simone dug her face into my neck and nuzzled. "Meow, meow."
I chuckled. "Thanks." She didn't stop, and I had no intention of stopping her.
On the deck of the ship, I held onto the rope with every dip and rise of a wave. The water was by no means rough, but the sensation was still terribly foreign. The trip was short, and Smith spent the entire ride there in the captain's quarters talking about who knows what. Conspiracies maybe, something-something treason. It made no matter to me. In my cathartic state, I only wanted a hot meal and a place to rest.
Relce spent the trip geeking out with some of the sailors, studying their rifles and even giving firing tips. Did he know guns that well? Trell stood at the fore, crossed arms and feet shoulder-width apart, as he would anywhere. Like a statue, he was silent and brooding and just too scary to approach.
In the distance, we could see it – the capital. This world's equivalent of Venice. A collection of buildings along waterways and canals, a castle domineering over them, shepherding the town from the sea that surrounds it. There were ships... floating? Airships!
"Guys, look!" I said. "Airships!"
"No way!" Simone squealed. "Those weren't here last season!"
"A new invention," Trell said. "Magic machinery."
I looked in awe. How did they engineer something like that? Why were they shaped like ordinary ships but with a huge, puffy pillow as the sails? Would we look like ants from that height?
Before long, we were already upon the city. The sun was setting, casting golden rays across the stonework houses. The windows shimmered, and the waves glistened as our ship eased into a massive dock complex. Rows upon rows of piers packed with vessels of all sizes that led into the town and the waterway mazes. At this distance, the sheer size of the castle loomed over us - its walls higher than the tallest building and its keep higher than that. Airships were docked around it, long ropes that slid down within the walls and ladders that dangled in the breeze. There was an airship resting on the top of the keep, it's white airbag rustled in the wind, and it lifted off, easing further up as we eased into a spot at the pier. As we landed and as the gangplank
dropped, the airship vanished on the other side of the castle.
This truly was a fantasy world, and it filled my heart with adventure.
As soon as we left the port, we made our way to the heart of the city. The sidewalks were a mix of concrete and brickwork, the bridges aged wood or sometimes stone. It was reaching dusk, and the street workers would pass us by, carrying staves to guide their whispers, lighting torches and lanterns, candles and glowgems. Unlike the town I started from, the shops here were still open, and the streets had hours of life left. People of all sorts packed the sidewalks, some trying not to bump into each other as they passed by – unless they accidentally fall into the canals.
Countless mages, bureaucrats in robes or suits, soldiers of all types, players of varying levels, and scores of families out for an evening walk after work. We passed by a playground, filled with the laughter of children as they would climb the toy tower and slide off into the water, scurry up the net to do it all over again - all the while ignoring the pleas of their mothers as the kids bobbed and weaved through the foot traffic.
We crossed a bridge to the mage's quarter and passed a row of small shops. Mostly scroll vendors, trainers, mercenaries for hire. A young couple dressed in some sort of cosplay was handing out pamphlets for a show. I took one. The Princess and the Dragon, by the CircusMancers. I shrugged and tossed the paper in the next trash bin we passed. Were there even dragons in this world?
After crossing the next bridge over, we made it to Knight's Row. It was a long street that ran straight to the castle gates and right inside. The buildings here were much more affluent, some even boasting small gardens in the front. Perhaps this is where the aristocracy stayed. I noticed the ground was slippery from the countless flower petals that littered the walkways. Was there a parade recently?
We continued down, passing a line of upscale taverns and restaurants and hotel inns. The entire walk we were bombarded by the savory smells of roasted meats and finely cooked fish. It was as though they paid people to stand next to the open windows to waft out the aroma to the starving travelers. My stomach whined.
Smith finally stopped us in front of an inn. He pondered to himself, whispered back and forth with Simone, and led us inside. After a quick exchange with the innkeeper, we found our room, poured inside, and I collapsed on the floor.
"Smith," I grumbled. "I'm tired." I was face down on the carpet.
"Yeah," he said. "I need to log soon." He stepped over me and dropped himself in a nearby chair. He sat with his hands resting on his mouth, his eyes lost in thought. "We need a bank account for the guild."
Relce stepped over me and fell on the bed with a grunt. The floor rattled. "Yo, we need quests. I'm only level 9."
He was level 9 already?
"Yeah," Smith said. "I want to move quickly, and we have a lot to do before we start." He rested his head on his hand. "Relce."
Relce grunted.
"You and Trell go looking for quests tomorrow. Even better if Trell can do it tonight," he offered a single nod to Trell, who returned it. "Simone, get a map for us if you can. A few copies for the nearby cities and the region." His eyes fell on me. "Alex, go ahead and get out those spells. We'll split them now."
I groaned. I was just getting comfortable. "Yes, sir," I said with mock enthusiasm. After pulling myself from the floor, I swung open my backpack and dumped the contents over Relce's limp body. He didn't move.
For the next half hour, we split the spells between us. I took ice(), lightning(), earth(), shadow(), and light(). I didn't even know how shadow and light worked, and I was anxious to try them out.
Relce took snipe(), barrage(), wind(), and fire(). From what I could tell, he wanted to try combining the elemental spells with his archery ones. Fire arrows sounded neat.
Trell already had shadow and light with his rogue training, and he had no interest in traditional magic. Instead, he took the knight skill vanguard() along with heal(). There were some rank two spells he kept for himself though, likely to learn after his next training visit. Those were silence(), assassinate(), and smoke().
I asked him why he didn't learn fire since it was about the same thing as smoke. He explained that instead of focusing on elementals as a mage would, he could just skip the step and make smoke directly. Learning fire to learn smoke would be crossing over to magic to go back over to rogue. I figured it made sense as us nipsies got better by doing. It's what would divide the jacks of all trades from the masters of one.
Simone took the full elemental spread along with heal() and smoke(). I wasn't sure if she was trying to become a battlemage, but I had no issue. She also took the only shieldwall() we had and then forced me to take a heal(). Her precious heart wanted to make sure I could at least patch up a few bruises.
Smith took nothing but regen() and vanguard(). He explained that white magic branches out more in the second tier of spells, including spec points to invest, and that having attack skills would be a waste for a healer. We didn't argue.
"The rest," Smith said, "will be going to the new guild members."
"New members?" I asked.
"We'll need more," he said. "A lot more." The room had grown dim, and only the faintest blue hue reached in from the windows. He looked over at the unlit candle, dug out a match from the nearby box, struck it with a hiss, and lit it. The smell of smoke drifted over me. "If we want to become something great, we have to think big."
"Something great," I echoed.
"Something unstoppable."
Chapter 10
The Nipsy
I woke up at noon. Even though I was dead tired the night before, I tossed and turned in bed for hours mulling over the events of the day. Not only did the world hammer me back into being a nipsy, but I killed someone - a human person. I knew, or I thought I knew, that this was just a game. For the time being, or perhaps forever, this would be my reality. Would that make it any less wrong? Was it even wrong in the first place? How much humanity did these nipsies have? How much humanity did I have?
The thoughts swirled in my head in the hot bath. They swirled in my head at lunch. They swirled in my head for hours until I was broken free by a knock at the door. It was Smith and Simone.
"There's our darling little fire mage!" Simone sang. They were both grinning at me like wolves.
I backed away. "You guys are in a good mood today." I eyed them with a smile and caution. They were up to something.
Smith chuckled. "I want you to do something for me. Something only you could do." He and Simone got closer, close enough to smell Simone’s strawberry perfume. Their smiles never left them.
Was he giving me bedroom eyes? My eyes widened, and my face felt hot enough for steam to rise from it. I stepped back again. "Uh, and what's that?" I gulped hard enough for all to hear.
"Well," Simone said, inching closer to my face. She looked like a fox that had just outsmarted a hare. "You're really going to enjoy this."
***
"I'm not enjoying this."
I found myself in the busiest part of the city, dressed as a cat maid with a hand full of pamphlets. Those devils had spent the morning scheming the plot and even had the outfit ready. Simone spent the first hour here with me laughing and squeeing and doing my job while I could only sulk in my endless embarrassment. At least she sat in my lap when she did my makeup. Now she was shouting at the people walking by, advertising our guild to anyone who would look at us longer than a full second.
Relce and Trell were out looking for quests while Smith went to make a deposit. He also wanted to finish the "conspiracy" quest chain, but he didn't say how.
My ribbon vibrated.
Smith: Babe, how many noobs did you get?
Simone: Just seven. Five boys and two girls.
Smith: Aw only two girls?
Simone: Sorry, Jay, no harem this time.
Alex: >:|
Simone grinned at me. I narrowed my eyes at her. They might've both made my heart throb a little, but they were still devi
ls.
Smith: Haha, it's fine. Go to the Adventurer's guild for more. Aim for half nipsies, half players.
Simone: I'm on it!
I was still reading when a hand grabbed my wrist and yanked me along. Simone rushed us over to the next place, presumably to show me off as her handiwork. We soon arrived at a large tavern with a water fountain out front. Players and nipsies alike stood around in gaggles and at the tables, sharing tales of adventure and making trades.
It didn't take long to fill our quota. After we got everyone registered, we ran back out with the same speed as we came in. "We need maps!" Simone shouted.
"Why are you so excited?" I asked with a laugh. I honestly loved her enthusiasm.
"We just started our fall break, and Jay is super excited to finally get started!"
My breath was catching up with me. I could feel the cat ears bounce with every step. I felt every curious glance our way. We probably looked like a couple eloping, or a knight kidnapping a cosplayer. "I thought we already started."
She only returned a laugh.
We crossed over a bridge and made it back to the market square. After a moment of perusing the lines of stalls, we found a map merchant. Simone spent nearly a thousand gold on an armful of maps, and then we took off again.
I pulled my arm free from her and slowed down. I was panting. "Simone. Why are we still running? Aren't we done now?"
"Did you have something to do today?"
I paused for a moment, letting my eyes drift to the water that ran alongside us. "I want to see the scholar here."
She tilted her head in a smile. "You never struck me as the nerdy type."
"I wanted to find out more," I said. "You know."
She took the hint and followed my gaze to the waterway. "Why not? Let's go now."
"Oh, you don't have to come," I said. "I'll just go back to the room and change and—'"
"No changing!" Her eyes brightened again. She rushed me, took my arm, and we ran off again.