“Grandfather, what happened to your staff?” Mnamanth asked curiously. His grandfather never let go of the staff. It was handed down generation after generation; a family heirloom.
The old kobold smiled. “It was time we let it go, Mnamanth.”
He showed Mnamanth the key he acquired. “All the riches....of the Crissssto are now mine!!” He spoke with a crooked smile.
Mnamanth could not understand, no amount of wealth was enough to make up for the Great Black’s scale.
“But it’s our sacred tradition!” Mnamanth exclaimed in a panicky tone.
“Who need’s old traditions! We got all of Kendelbreu’s wealth!” The Elder replied gleefully as he put the key on a chain and around his neck.
Mnamanth was angry that his would be precious treasure was traded off for just more money. He had enough money hidden away from the elf and his grandfather, he didn’t need more. However, the staff symbolized power. It symbolized power to lead the tribe. He could only stare at the Elder with contempt.
-x-x-x-x-x-
Weed slowly made his way to the Great White Hall. He wobbled with every step he took; the mine cart ride was worse than what anyone could imagine it to be. It was self-explanatory why dwarves didn’t take the fastest ride to Skyholm.
His virtual stomach made several backflips whenever his mind thought of his ride inside the mine cart. Weed had taken roller coaster rides before. He even liked them. But 24 hours nonstop ride from Northern Mountain City to Skyholm, might have been a bit too much for anyone. After the parting kick from the Elder, he held on for his dear life as the cart dropped sharply. Apparently, the game developers thought it would be fun to leave cart controls in the hands of the players. This meant, if at any time Weed lost control, he would derail and die. So Weed couldn’t shut his eyes and clench his teeth hoping for the ride to finish. He had to be constantly vigilant and make decisions such as how to lean to turn the cart etc while his stomach lurched with every turn of the cart’s wheel.
Whenever he thought the worst was over, the mine cart track would prove him wrong. Up and down, round and round. Swirling in circles, falling through dizzying heights. He often felt the cart was making a circular overhead turn when his bodily gravity was pull toward his head; an unnecessary addition. Then, there were several very sharp turns which would leave Weed praying. He would lean extremely to the right, almost tilting the cart to manage those turns. He feared that the cart would surely be dislodged from the track and throwing him into the abyss.
It was as if some demon coded the game, at these very twisted ‘Temple Run’ like turns a number of pop messages would block Weed’s view.
- You are dizzy.
- Alak is dizzy!
- You are dizzier.
- You are nauseated.
- Alak is feeling nauseated! You should avoid moving in such away that causes discomfort to the fairy.
This particular message grabbed Weed’s attention. He really wanted to kill the screen when he read it. ‘If I could avoid discomfort, I would have done so you stupid ….’
- You threw up.
Weed had to quickly close them, or time the turning perfectly in order to avoid being thrown off the track.
The worst experience Weed had was probably the feeling of the cart being completely airborne with him having zero control over it. Every time the cart jumped into the air, Weed would have to pull the cart on it’s hind wheels to survive the landing impact. Weed was terrified of the landing but the jump in itself would be the most pleasant part of the ride. As the cart sailed through the air, the rickety ride would momentarily pause. As he did not see the tracks at the other end, numerous times the cart would crash land before continuing its course. This left Weed’s rear completely sore.
It would be better if the mine track was dark. However, most of the track was dimly lit with shining lanterns of sorts, being able to see the track did not help with his nausea. Even stretches of the track that had no lighting, were lit up by his whole body was illuminating skin. excecive; e.g: were lit up by his illuminating body.
As Weed slowly exited the mines, another message popped up.
Alak fainted.
Weed smiled; at least the suffering was shared. Weed looked around and found himself in open grounds. Weed fell to his knees and kissed the ground. How many days had it been since he last saw the sun? The clouds? the trees? Weed didn’t mind the dwarvf’s underground city....he did however mind the ‘Great Shortcut.’
Two dwarves passing by wondered why the elf was rolling on the ground and laughing away crazily.
“Excuse me.” Weed asked them as he got up. Weed snapped his fingers, dwarves won’t reply to him, they hate elves. He completely forgot about the discrimination after living with the Kobolds who treated him as one their own.
One of the dwarf turned around and looked at Weed. “Yes?”
“Are you players?” Weed asked with a glimmer of hope.
“Yes.”
Weed jumped and hopped in the air! No more discrimination!
The two players stared at Weed and started laughing who was making a fool of himself.
The player socked Weed in the eye. The helped Weed calm down. Once Weed calmed down, he turned to the dwarves, “Great White Hall in Skyholm, how far is it?”
Both players pointed towards a lonely castle in the distance.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Will take you two-three hours. Are you heading there for the blacksmithing competition?” asked the dwarf.
“Yes.” Weed enthusiastically replied.
“No use. The tickets for the event are sold out.....”
Weed had already left running at top speed. The two dwarves were left with their mouths open, Weed was like the ‘Road Runner’ when he ran. He left only a trail of dust behind him.
“Who was he?”
“I have no idea...”
“Fuck, this game is filled with weirdos.”
“You think there is a way to get in and watch?”
“Only, if you kill the entire army deployed there.”
“I guess not then...”
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Weed paid no attention to the surroundings as he whizzed by. His running speed now felt somewhat slow compared to the mine cart.
You are still reeling under the effects of nausea and imbalance. Slow down!
Weed ignored the message and continued to run.
You are dizzy!
Weed resisted the dizziness and continued he was only a few hundred meters away from the castle. Since he had been dizzy and nauseated he didn’t realize there was someone in front of him until he ran into the stranger’s back and fell to the ground with a solid thud.
“Ouch” Weed said, as sat on the floor dazed trying to understand what happened.
“Sorry laddie, I did’na see you there be’in as though youse a wee little elf”
Weed looked up, and then up some more to realize that he crashed against what could only be a giant. The giant offered a hand and pulled Weed up like he was light as a feather.
“No… no problem, I was lost in thought …. not paying attention. My name ... Weed” Weed fumbled around with words. He was so used to speaking with the kobolds that he forgot how to speak naturally!
“Ach well thankee but I shoulda been payin’ more attention meself. I was caught by the spectacle of it all lad”
“Spectacle?” Weed asked with surprised tone.
“A’ course, the competition. I mean even you an elf ha’ come to watch. Name’s Gengis.”
“Watch?” Weed asked completely confused.
“Aye! The Blacksmithing competition!”
Weed looked around; there was a complete festival like atmosphere to the competition. Vendors had setup stalls outside the castle, selling all sorts of refreshments. Many blacksmiths had also opened stalls, claiming to be able to repair any item just as good as the apprentices of Theodore Balkan. Merchants too flocked here, hoping to buy goods of the apprentices. Weed side stepped the giant and looked ahead; there was a long queue of players waiting to buy tickets.
Weed was shocked to see the overwhelming number of people trying to watch the competition. He did not think that so many people would be interested in the competition. Little did Weed know, that word of the participants entering the Northern Mountain City had spread far and wide. More and more players were curious to know the exact location of the secret city. Thus, they turned up to watch the competition and interrogate the finalists.
“Che! I think I need to wait all day fo’ th’s competition to start. Guess I should be appy I bought me standing ticket.”
“It hasn’t started?” Weed asked.
“Naah. I think whole day to go. None of the finalists have arrived either. I ‘ear there were only 15 finalists. ‘ll twelve apprentices made it. I’m much ‘ore curious to learn ‘bout the other three. Say who do you reckon ‘ill be winner?”
“…”
The Giant looked around and noticed that Weed was nowhere to be found. “Oh well.”
Lee Jun logged out and fell to the floor. Though he felt no dizziness or nausea now, his mind was trying to overcome the terribly illusionary nausea. Lee Jun slowly crawled to his bed. ‘Just need to wake up in another 8 hours or so.’
After setting the alarm, he looked one last time at the computer screen, checking the alarm, before conking off…
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“Jun?” His mom walked into the room. She had been on a marathon work stretch. She looked at her sleeping drooling son and smiled. He too had been working hard in his game. She sat beside him and stroked his hair, she was well aware intellectual brilliance. Geniuses are difficult to raise; they live in a world of their own. She could not comprehend that world but decided to support him in whatever she could; as long as a healthy balance was maintained.
Lee Jun’s mother, tucked him in bed and kissed him on the forehead.
She looked at the computer screen, it was reading a countdown for the alarm. You have worked hard enough today. Health is more important.
“Computer, terminate alarm.”
- Alarm terminated. -
“Sleep well.” She said as she switched off the lights and closed the door.
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Authors Note:
1. Partially been proof read by Zapper. O_o? Hope I got the name right this time.
2. Thank you so much V4LKYR13 and Tewlve for writing this.
3. A short chapter....but whatever...(PS: 5.6 wont be longer to compensate.)
4. We are nearing the end of Arc 0.
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Connect to Royal Road – Elementarem Vim next Chapter?YesNo
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