I looked at Lloyd, who winked at me, "Go for it. I’ll be over there when you are finished." He pointed to the bar and walked away.
Not that I didn’t trust him, but he was acting awfully nice for someone who knew I was a fugitive, even if I knew I was not.
I accessed the shop as I concentrated on my HUD.
Outpost shop activated.
Due to your Fugitive Status, you have no access to personal shopping.
There is a 15% surcharge for non-residents and beings of low renown.
You can access the shop, bounty rewards, board, and messages.
No AI was detected.
Voice commands only.
Please say one of shop, rewards, board, or messages.
An additional 15% surcharge applies.
A 10% Tax applies to all transactions.
The nearest System-sanctioned law enforcement officer has been notified. Bounty Updated.
Despite the taxes, surcharges and even the notice about my status, I smiled. Maybe I could sort some of the crap out, get some cash, some xp and level up.
"Messages"
Messages are disabled due to your fugitive nature.
System-sanctioned law enforcement officers were notified.
Crap. "Board"
Bounty Board is disabled due to your fugitive nature.
System-sanctioned law enforcement officers were notified.
Crap, Crap. Double Crap. "Shop"
Due to your fugitive nature, basic shop features only.
Due to frozen assets, the shop is disabled.
Seek local assistance if needed for survival necessities.
System-sanctioned law enforcement officers were notified.
I sighed, "Rewards."
Scanning ….
The following have been detected:
Chaos Tokens
Do you wish to redeem 1 Tier 2 Chaos Token to complete the quest: Collect a Chaos Bounty (1) Y/N?
"Yes"
Quest Updated - Quest Completed.
Tutorial Quest: Collect a Chaos Bounty (1) Difficulty: Easy
Time Frame: None
The reward for success: credits, experience, and renown.
Collect a Tier 1 or higher Chaos Trophy. Redeem for bounty reward at any Outpost System Store.
1 Tier 2 Chaos Trophy has been removed from your inventory.
Awarded 20 Credits.
SYSTEM: Credits returned due to frozen assets.
Awarded 20 experience points.
Awarded 10 renown with Desert’s Edge Outpost.
Karmic bonus awarded for redeeming Chaos Trophy.
You have increased the positive energy of the universe.
You should feel good about this.
LEVEL UP.
Congratulations. You have levelled up.
You are now level 2. 380 XP is required to reach level 3.
Stat points are automatically allocated.
All stats are locked at 5 until Incarceration Collar is removed.
You may continue to accumulate stats and experience.
SYSTEM: Experience level is capped at level 9.
You may gain further experience, but it will be banked.
Future Negative Karmic Penalties are doubled.
Renown with Desert’s Edge Outpost Now Neutral.
Individual interactions may raise or lower this.
Tutorial Quest Received: Collect a Chaos Bounty (2) Repeatable
Difficulty: Normal Time Frame: None
The reward for success: credits, experience, and renown.
Collect a Tier 2 or higher Chaos trophy. Redeem for bounty reward at any Outpost System Store. This quest is repeatable until Level 10.
Do you wish to redeem 1 Tier 2 Chaos Token to complete the quest: Collect a Chaos Bounty (2) Y/N?
"Yes"
This quest is repeatable
Do you want summaries only or detailed ones? Say summary or detailed.
"Summary"
Quest Updated
Quest Collect a Chaos Bounty (2) Completed.
1 Tier 2 Chaos Trophy has been removed from your inventory.
Awarded 40 Credits. Credits returned due to frozen assets.
Awarded 40 experience points.
Awarded 20 renown with Desert’s Edge Outpost.
Title Awarded: Fully Epic.
Be first in the realm to achieve all stats over 100.
1-time bonus of 100 stat points.
Auto-distributed due to your fugitive nature.
1-time bonus 10 % regeneration
1-time bonus 1 Epic Skill (random)
1-time bonus 1 Epic Perk (random)
1-time bonus 1 Township Stone
1-time bonus 1 Upgrade to the township.
1-time bonus 1 Upgrade to city
1-time bonus 1 Legendary Boon
WTF. Another Title.
I could not see my stats, but that seemed insane. I remember starting with less than 10 in my stats, and now I had over 100 in each!
I’d have to sit and sort that out when I had my more of my HUD enabled. I wondered what and how these would affect me in the longer term. I had no accurate comparison of what the effects of high stats were.
The stupid collar had gimped me, and I had no frame of reference for anything else. Now, my stats were actually lower than what I started with.
It was interesting to note that the System seemed to reward people who pushed the boundaries and achieved milestones. I was lucking into most of these things and was very lucky that I was able to get them. I’d be so outclassed if someone competent had been enhanced before me. I imagined Jean or Dallas getting these titles and abilities. They would be terrifying.
It was also cool that I got the experience of killing the Grimclaws, experience for handing in tokens, and experience for the quests. I guess that this was the double dipping Tasar was talking about. Tasar said it would take one week to get to Level 9. The way I felt now, I thought I could knock this off quickly, kick back, and have some fun.
Thanks to the collar, I didn’t have to worry about going over level 9, so I could wander the woods looking for these things to laser-eye blast or shoot! I’d have to camp in the forest since I was not getting credits and could not afford accommodation. Maybe I could barter with Llyod to trade for some of my loot. I am sure some of it would be valuable, not that I had any idea what anything was worth. If I had access to the shop, maybe I could ask Hydrox.
Damn that Tasar and this stupid fugitive collar.
When I was finished, I went over to Lloyd. He slid a drink down the bar to me. It was in a soft grey metal cup with built-in cooling from the looks of the condensation forming on the outside. I sipped it and sighed.
It was water. I was confused with the mix and match of mana, tech, and old-fashioned stuff. These people had access to magic and technology and lived in the 17th and 18th-century earth levels of comfort. There were crappy old wooden buildings, neat tech shotguns, and auto-cooling glasses. Maybe these guys were future Amish.
"Food won’t be too far away, and you can rest. We will talk in the morning. Do you need a room?
"Um, I am kind of broke, and I’ll pitch my tent in the forest and come back."
He looked at me; his eyes widened for a split second, and his grin returned, "Look, kid, we have all been in trouble before. I’ll shout you a room and a meal, you got rid of some of those Grims, and tomorrow, maybe, you can help us out, it will be ok. I remember my youth. We all make some silly choices."
I sighed. I was sighing a lot lately, my previously reasonably simple, the most complicated thing in my life was Sarah and I enjoyed that, now, life was just getting complicated. I am not sure how many silly choices I had made, maybe one fuckin stupid one, to get dosed up and put all my points into luck, but that was another kettle of fish.
"I’m not that hungry.", with a traitor of a stomach growl. "Ok, maybe some food would be nice."
"We only got Desert Rat Stew on now. Not the most glamorous, but tasty and hot. Rooms top of the stairs, can’t miss it" he pointed to some wide stairs leading up into the gloom and tossed me a key.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Excellent, it was rat stew, not just any rat, Desert Rat. I hoped it was an Interlingual Reproduction issue, and the rat was just the closest word. I wondered if I would eat it if I didn’t know this was a simulation. Or was this real?
Argh. Shit. This was doing my head in. I wish I could talk to Mike, Sarah, even Dallas or Jean. They would be able to help me out. Julie would know. The one person I would not ask was Tasar. He would just come up with some bullshit I would not understand anyway.
I caught the key and made my way upstairs. The room was easy enough to find. Top of the stairs, right where I could not miss it. Although it took me a few minutes to wrangle the key in the lock, I guessed it didn’t get much use from the rust and stiffness of the lock. The stupid key jammed in the lock, and I spent a good few minutes working it out. If I ran the place, I’d have used some fancy tap card or even a system check, some magic or something —damn these future Amish.
Finally, I got the door open, and I was mildly disappointed but pleasantly surprised. The room was small and clean, with a real bed, thank God, and a small table and chair. A shuttered window was the only other exit. Exit if you were after a quick escape from a second-floor room.
I hopped out of my combat gear, worked out how to remove the under-armour and put on some super comfortable boxers. There was a soft knock at the door. I could smell the food, so I opened the door for Lloyd.
It was not Lloyd unless he had shrunk and changed gender. There was a youngish girl, maybe a year younger or older than me, very cute in an I am shy and novelty new kind of way, and very defiantly not Lloyd. My combat reflexes kicked in without thought, and I activated my Leet Parkour. I rolled over the bed, grabbed the top sheet, flipped, and covered my boxers.
Pity I didn't have those reflexes in combat. I smiled. Damn, she was cute. Crap, I was behaving like a 13-year-old.
The girl seemed just as embarrassed as I was as a red flush crept into her cheeks. "I’ll just put this over here, sir, and be on my way. Da said to ask if you wanted anything else. I put some fresh milk out with the meat since Ma said you were too young for ale. Although I know that Roy and the others sneak ale, it can’t be that bad…."
Was she rambling? "Thanks, and it is Luke, not sir."
"OK, Luke!" she looked up at me for the first time and smiled shyly. She put the food tray down and bowed as she left. "See you later, maybe ..." her eyes locked on mine as she closed the door and rushed away.
"Sure." What was all that about? She was soon forgotten as the smells wafted up from the food.
Desert Rat Stew.
This simple stew is made from fresh cubed desert rat portions, crumbed and slow-cooked with seasonal root vegetables.
It contains Spices and Herbs
+1 Stats 4 hrs.
Probability of enjoyment: 100%
LOG: Recipe recorded.
It was fantastic. 100% enjoyment, alright! I ate it all, licked the plate because there was no one here to tell me not to or yell at me that I was a pig, and I drank the milk and burped in honour of the cook.
Desert Rat Stew was a fine meal.
It gave buffs; holy crap. I liked this system now; nice food that could buff you.
I lay on the bed for about twenty minutes or two stupid beeps. I was getting irritable.
BEEP.
Return to your place of Incarceration to reduce and or remove bounty. System-sanctioned law enforcement officers were notified.
I felt very sluggish after a long day and a big meal. An ale would have been perfect. I’m not sure what the drinking age was in the Empire or in System worlds or even simulations and tutorials, but I’d been able to drink legally for a couple of years. Australia was sensible, 18 you could vote, join the army and drink. You were considered an adult. Not like some places where it seemed you needed to be 21. The next time I went near a shop, I was stocking up on some cold beer.
I drowsily reflected on my day: 2 Monsters killed, a new town and a great meal. I was having a crazy, scary but fun time. I didn’t have people telling me what to do, no bullies chasing me, although I was missing Mike and Sarah. Neither would ever believe this crap. Sarah would go wild for magic. I bet Mike would probably complain and end up wealthier than us, running some big cartel behind the scenes. He would do some weird business deals, meet a beautiful alien girl, and then marry her. If he did, I’d try not to make it too weird. I was dozing off, coming up with a plan for tomorrow. I had to talk to Lloyd first and then find a way to level up. I could see the beginning of a plan now I had a repeatable quest to complete, and I was going to get more power so I could go home and help the folks.
Damn, Amy and her psycho boss. Stupid, greedy business people. I smiled. Look at me; I was thinking all cowboy, help the people who needed help, and call them folks!
BEEP.
Return to your place of Incarceration to reduce and or remove bounty. System-sanctioned law enforcement officers were notified.
BEEP.
Return to your place of Incarceration to reduce and or remove bounty. System-sanctioned law enforcement officers were notified.
BEEP.
Return to your place of Incarceration to reduce and or remove bounty. System-sanctioned law enforcement officers were notified.
BEEP.
Return to your place of Incarceration to reduce and or remove bounty. System-sanctioned law enforcement officers were notified.
BEEP.
Return to your place of Incarceration to reduce and or remove bounty. System-sanctioned law enforcement officers were notified.
Eventually, I even managed to ignore that and sleep as the soothing tones of the beep lulled me into a fitful sleep.
I woke to the sounds of country life starting some rooster analogue, although it didn't quite sound like a rooster, just a bunch of loud, weird bird warbles. There were other animal snorts and movement up and down the road as the room got lighter.
I looked forward to wandering the woods, getting to level 9, and returning to Tasar. Well the forest could go fuck itself, but I needed to put up with it to get my rewards. It was time to move forward, get out of this tutorial and meet up with Sarah, Mike, Dallas and Jean. I now knew what training was required. Using what I learned, I could help the others, train up and maybe join up with the Legion.
I needed to make sure that Sarah and Mike got enhanced ASAP. We had enough for that. Then, I had to sort out Earth Inc. with Julie and Hydrox. I had no idea what they were doing with that, but as long as it made them money and I didn’t have to do too much, I was not too concerned. Part of my was easy come, easy go, but I trusted them not to do illegal stuff. More Hydrox than Julie, but she seemed pretty straight down the line. It was lucky they had taken over half my money. Otherwise, it would have been frozen, too. Or, more likely, I spent on random stuff that I may or may not use. At the moment, I wondered what I would do for money in the tutorial. Not that I cared now. I'd survive somehow.
Life was grand when I thought of it. I believe that after a good feed and a good rest, I was a lot more positive. I was starting the day in a good space. I was not even planning payback on anyone, bullies, Tasar, that drunk who spilt his drink on me, my Year 4 teacher, Mrs Thornton – although she was pretty nasty, I still owed her for being a total bitch. No one. Well, maybe my, Mrs. Thornton. Life was good.
BEEP.
Return to your place of Incarceration to reduce and or remove bounty. System-sanctioned law enforcement officers were notified.
Well almost. I was able to ignore it without gnashing my teeth too much. Good space. Every time it went off, I just repeated Good Space. I got dressed in my self-cleaning, self-repairing NanoGuard Under-armour. I loved it; I hated washing clothes. After I locked the door and put the key in my inventory, I went downstairs.
There were no clients in the outpost tavern. It was early, I guess, and the pub was probably closed to drinkers and eaters. Customers were the word I was looking for. If I wanted to make a mark in this new world, I had to get my brain in order and start to get the words in my brain working better, whether they were interlingual reproduction or not. Lloyd was doing some work on his tablet behind the bar. He waved me over. I half expected to see him cleaning glasses and wiping the bar down. I had images of Sam Malone from "Cheers", one of the few TV shows I enjoyed with my dad.
"Luke." He said with a nod.
"Morning, Lloyd", I returned the nod, feeling badass. I’d have to invest in a cowboy hat and grow a moustache.
"Now, we had a meeting last night, all the important folk around here, and we were thinking of offering you a quest in return for us not collecting your bounty. You help us. We help you, so to speak."
I nodded, "Sounds like a good idea to me".
"I can temporarily stop the notifications on your collar as a System-sanctioned Law Officer. Now, it’s not 100% right and really legal, but out here, remote, so to speak, I get a little discretion. As long as you do the right thing for us, I can work towards even removing it. I am not sure about your bounty, though. That might take more effort than we are willing to make for you. While you help us, I’ll pause it and notify the system that you are under my care, so to speak, which should stop most of the professionals from coming."
"Ok, what does it involve? And what do you mean professionals?"
"Bounty Hunters. Your bounty is interesting and worth a bit in some places. But let's get you going and helping us. Being newly minted Level 2, what do you know of lairs, ruins, and dungeons?"
"Nothing at all, but …."
He cut me off, "A Lair is essentially a concentration or build-up of Chaos or maybe Void energy, almost like a spawning portal."
"Spawning Portal?" I asked.
He laughed, "Well, now, you are a total newbie. One sec, I'll read this since I have not had to explain this for a long, long time."
He got an unfocused look in his eyes, "A spawning portal is a location where there is enough concentration of energy to stabilise a hole through the dimensional or energy membrane to another place.”
He finished concentrating and continued, “Think of a hole in space or time. Portals can be a much higher Tier, and most have a powerful being who directs their direction and evolution. A lair can be considered a Tier 1 or 2 localised concentration where chaos beasts can manifest. Now, this is all loose and can change on the ground. Depending on what comes through, there are all sorts of weird combinations and permutations."
I nodded, pretending I understood. I wish people would stop telling me stuff I had no idea about.
Llyod smiled and continued, "If you are unlucky, it could be a Void or Chaos Portal. That means that in the general area, there is a much higher chance of Chaos Beasts spawning in, displaced from wherever they come from here. They spawn around the concentration or Lair Stone, which is just a physical manifestation of the energy reality from their realm. Like a shop or city stone, except outside the System's bounds. Eventually, the creatures take over the surrounding area, displacing local wildlife and people. You might notice we have an infestation of Grimclaws. In the woods somewhere, off the path, there is a Lair. Your quest will be to find the Lair and recover the Lair Stone, killing all the Grimclaws."
"What does a Lair Stone look like?"
"Stones are energy repositories that take on a purpose, so a Lair stone anchors a spawning portal at Tier 1 or 2. They can be manufactured or naturally occurring. You will know it when you see it."
He was explaining so much better than Tasar.
I nodded. "Ok, so go kill Grimclaws, find and recover Lair Stone and come back…."
"Yes. But you will need to do it quickly. A Lair Stone can support a fixed number of Chaos Beasts. The longer it is here, the more energy it absorbs, converting it to chaos energy and increasing its power. Eventually, it will become Tier 3, and then there is the chance of Tier 3 and 4 Chaos Beasts spawning. Most farmers can handle a Tier 1, and a few of us could fight off a Tier 2 without too much trouble - only myself and a few others could handle a Tier 3."
I nodded. "Ok. What’s the difference between Chaos and Void?"
“Chaos can be considered the direct opposite of our Karmic system, of the balance between order and, well chaos. Karma strives towards neutrality through the promotion of ‘good’ in sentient beings to balance out entropy and survival instinct in non-sentient beings. A void is anything that aligns with the absolute ending of everything. Not sure on the philosophy and all that, it’s all a bit beyond our day to day experiences, but Chaos is bad and will want to kill you, Void is death.”
“Thanks.”
He nodded at me, "It should be a Chaos-affiliated stone. Now we think it can support about a dozen Tier 2 beasts, and we have a few more days from it becoming Tier 3. Each time you kill a Chaos Beast, the energy will dip. Some energy returns to the portal, but most to the person who kills the beast. The beasts will regenerate and respawn, or maybe they will be new creatures, depending on their origins. It can take about a day for the energy to build again. The more you kill, the faster you will continue to reduce the strength of the stone as well. Or maybe not, depending on the types. As I said, there are no hard and fast rules, and things can change on the ground."
"OK., Sounds fine."
Not. I was starting to think a bit like Tasar: how could I cheat the quest? Farming a Lair sounded fine. Set up a camp and farm away. I had a few days. By then, I might even be able to farm a Tier 3 one. Spawn camping was something that I didn't particularly appreciate when others did it in video games, but Mike seemed to get a kick out of griefing when he played. But hey, if it worked in real life and didn’t annoy anyone else, then I was all for it.
Lloyd kept his part of the bargain. He disabled the notifications on the collar. I could have kissed him, except he would have clocked me.
Confirming the details with Llyod, I exited town, heading back into the forest. Lloyd told me that somewhere I should be able to find the Lair ear, the meadow I had stopped at on the way here, I should be able to find the Lair.