“Has it been ten minutes already?” Brad chuckled, “It’s about time. My legs were starting to cramp from standing guard here.”

“If Vickie didn’t make it, how’d you survive?” Allan raised an eyebrow in suspicion, “I thought you were a noob.”

He nodded back in the direction of the humanoid monster with flaming arms, “If it wasn’t for that Phoenix, I’d be toast.”

“Phoenix?” Allan asked.

“You must have heard of a Phoenix, no?”

He nodded. Who didn’t? Phoenixes were cute little red birds that died in a blast of fire and were reborn in a pile of ashes. Until this moment, he had thought phoenixes were harmless little creatures. Now that it had assumed a strong humanoid form, he began to doubt his earlier mythological leanings. Perhaps every bit of his knowledge was wrong.

“I thought they were harmless!” he remarked.

“Oh they are!” Brad responded, a smile on his face. “Harmless unless attacked.”

“You call that harmless?” Allan asked, shocked at his friend’s reply. “That thing blew a gale-force wind at me.”

“You must have done something to incite its wrath.” Brad said. “What did you do?”

“I just want to go forward. This monster isn’t letting me.”

“Of course, it doesn’t. It wants you to go back. It senses danger, great danger.”

“What?” His tone came out raised, evidencing his disbelief. “I don’t follow.”

“These burned bodies… well, the Phoenix might have burned them, but only because most of them were undead NPCs that were under the control of a much more powerful monster that has moved on to the city, so the Phoenix won’t allow you to pass because it wants to protect you.”

Allan raised his brows. “So this monster is a friend?”

“Well, I’d say more a guardian than anything. It can still be deadly if it loses its patience.”

“Well… I really can’t go back the way we came. And neither should you.” Allan pointed to the plundered sword, “My buddy told me that some players react to stolen inventory with retaliation, and the only way out of here is by going through that city.”

“I figured I’d just wait here until Vickie finds me.” Brad shrugged. “But if you really need to get through the city, I recently learned that Phoenixes can be bargained with. If you can find a way past him, would you mind if I tag along?”

“I don’t mind at all. “Allan smiled, “What do I have that this creature might like?”

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

“It must be something worth convincing it to let us pass.” his friend explained.

“My inventory is nothing great.”

Brad shrugged, “Nothing in my inventory will sway it either.”

“Then what will?” he wished his friend would get to the point and not talk around in circles.

“A few days ago, I acquired another knowledge stone that gave me an interesting tidbit of information. It was regarding phoenixes and now I wonder whether it was coincidence or sheer luck that made me get it. Or perhaps the game engine had set me on a predetermined path towards you. I don’t know.”

“What did the stone say?” he asked, impatient.

“You can see it for yourself.” Brad removed a stone from his inventory and held it up in front of his eyes. It was a strange kind of gem that sparkled in whatever sunlight burned through the dark clouds. He took it from his friend and looked at it in a confused way.

“How do I go about activating it?” he asked.

Brad frowned. “Have you never come across a knowledge stone before?” he asked.

Allan shook his head. “Nope.”

“They are everywhere, dude. Everywhere. Especially near academies and universities, sometimes even in town centers and places of great interest to the quests. They give tidbits on all types of monsters in the game. What’s more interesting is the knowledge stones match the level of the person who finds it and adds it to the person’s stats.”

“How come I didn’t know about this?!”

“Well, all you need to do is pay attention to the game engine and the surroundings, you know. Everything is there, ripe for the taking.”

“Fine, fine,” he said, “So, what do I do with it?”

“Tap twice on the sides of the stone, and a screen will pop up in your NR enhanced vision.”

Allan did what his friend suggested.

Knowledge Stone Insight: Phoenix

A phoenix can be convinced to let you pass if it is impeding your way. The only way it can be convinced is by appealing to its emotional side.

“Emotional side?” He looked at his friend.

Brad nodded. “Yes, emotional side. Rumor has it that Phoenixes are quite emotional. If we appeal to that side then perhaps it will let us pass. It has to be convinced that our appeals are genuine, otherwise it won’t let us.”

Allan let out an exasperated huff.

The things I have to do!

He turned to the Phoenix, which still snarled at him as if he was doing something that was troubling him. He looked at him and then turned back to his friend.

He turned to the phoenix again and said, “Mighty Phoenix, please let us pass. Justice needs to be carried out and we need to find a fellow warrior. We worry that she will face a terrible task at fighting the monster in this city. So, please, let us help her. Let us go to her. Let us finish off this mission.”

The Phoenix stood rooted to its place. The fire that covered its hands flared bright with every word he spoke. Emotional appealing had never been his strong point. He wished James was here. That guy knew how to veer his way through dilemmas like these. He would know what to tell the Phoenix. Allan had no idea, but he had to try. If not for him, if not for Brad, then for Vickie.

The light in Allan’s eyes dimmed. Hope lost, his efforts in vain. He shifted in his place, having no idea what to do further. The Phoenix seemed to sense his discomfort for it moved aside, the flaring fires subsiding. His smile returned again, and he beckoned to Brad to move forward with their swords raised together. Allan cringed when the Phoenix roared and thumped on the ground, shaking it. It felt like a mild tremor running through the earth. But to his relief, it did not attack.

“Nice work.” Brad whispered.

----------------------------------------

© Copyright 2022 R.M. Mulder. All rights reserved.