The stench of death swept the lands of Versailles; the land bear witness to the horrors. In less than a year entire elven villages had been erased from the face of Versailles. Only players lived to recount the horror, all NPC populations were wiped out from the village and towns which were attacked. The only proof of these villages and its people were the stories and rumors people (players and NPC’s) alike had to offer. There wasn't a single proof of their existence only the mere memories carried by some. These unknown occurrences were often investigated by different guilds, groups and individuals, however, with no trace of the village left behind nor a single sign of struggle; everyone turned up empty handed. At best players concluded that it was best not to venture near elven villages (not that many of them discovered or unlocked). However, the elves were continuously being struck upon. Weary elvish players while travelling would find themselves killed instantaneously.
Many players complained to Unicorn, however, Unicorn refused to comment on the situation. Their only advice was that players must exercise caution. With news of these dire targeted attacks at elves, fewer and fewer players took the common elvish race. There were the brave who dared to take elvish race but most were cowards or too greedy and only eyeing the grand prize. Elves did not offer any significant advantage when compared to humans. So between a race that is being targeted by an unknown enemy and a race that is not, was it not obvious what players would go for? Sure, elves were creatures with greater elemental affinities but was it worth the risk to play long hours, beat a dungeon and when you finally succeed, be killed? No, it was not.
The mystery only grabbed attention of gamers and more and more users began playing Elementarem Vim. The game was described as filled with real adventure. The shift in experience from ‘your adventure’ to ‘be part of adventure’ could at best be described as the difference between forced and natural. When players played RREV, they never felt the game went around them forcing them to take on quests. There was a grander story in the background in play and one which they were striving to be part of. To word it differently, players forgot that they were playing a game. Emotions ran high all the time RREV and this was what players were looking for. A VR game which did not like a VR game.
New players who joined would not opt for the elvish race and like any folklore, the NPC elvish population ratio to other NPC races declined rapidly, till they were no more than mere stories and memories.
The neutral traders carried the memories. For years they would travel from one village to another buying and selling anything they could. Most traders in the game had fixed cyclical routes and would annually return to villages to trade goods they bought elsewhere. Now after a complete year; time when the traders returned, they find no villages, no farms, nothing. Their yearlong journey from the Fire Kingdom had been tough and behold here they are in Air Kingdom but what do they find? Nothing. No shelter, no place to trade goods for provisions, absolutely nothing.
There used to be a time when they could travel throughout Versailles freely. But now, women and even their children of their tribes carried weapons. Daggers were no longer concealed beneath clothes but carried out openly. The mysterious events surrounding elvish villages had forced them to take unreasonable measures. With changing times, it was demanded of them to carry weapons and hostilities in the open and so they did. Their clothes were ragged and dirty; resembling more like beggars than traders.
A journey through fire kingdom could best be described as a difficult one. Terrifying monsters plague most of that kingdom and few would venture away from uninhabited areas. Players too were struggling as monsters were significantly stronger than Royal Road. Exploration progress was varied across the Versailles continent and could at best be described stagnant.
The traders had set camp close to where an elvish village used to be. Most of the traders were inside their tents. Few were outside keeping watch. Merlock, a human player who wished to become a master trader, sat on a crate watching the sunset. Merlock sat and pondered how could so much change in a year’s time.
The last time he played came here as a beginner, there were at least a hundred or so elves. It was the turning point for him as a trader, he was the first trader to discover this village. He had sworn he would come back here annually to remind him of his struggle; like a pilgrimage. The non-noble version of his reasons were the better negotiating rates he received from the village for being the first to discover. This village was the very one, which always had plenty of rare fruits to spare.
Fruits commanded a fairly high price amongst chefs and nobility. So simply put, Merlock had the best margins in the region on them. The tribe of traders he belonged to was also very famous. So the added bonus effects left him with a grand margin that was rarely seen in trading. However, ever since the disaster or unnatural atrocities against elves began, his tribe also suffered greatly. From superfluous food that would last a year, the traders now barely had enough morsel to last a day.
It wasn’t just the elf dying phenomena but the Versailles continent was become a more dangerous place be in. Normally as a game progress starting regions become strongholds and players can roam through the lands safely. However, monsters were becoming stranger and wilder. Creatures which were previously restricted to higher grounds or mountains began descending towards the plains. And there were rumors amok of strange things were running loose on the land; some rumors sighted the appearances of dragons others sighted flocks of birds migrating to new lands.
Players often wondered if these occurrences were in anyway related to what happened six months ago. The incident at Skyholm city, was infamously known as the “Debut of Shadow” by pro-gamers . It was the day Shadow made his first public appearance and also the advent of strange happenings. Within the game, NPC’s referred to that as the day as “God’s Great Will”. However, dwarf NPC’s referred to it as the day of “Great Mourning.” With Unicorn Corp, releasing no new information, players could only assume that these events were somehow linked.
“Even if they are linked…how does that solve anything?” murmured Merlock. As a trader that information alone would be of no use to him. He only cared about his own quest. The remaining continent could blur out and vanish for all he cared.
Unlike Royal Road, RREV had more ways of beating the game than conquering entire towns and uniting the world. Unique quest was what all players appeared to be targeting at the moment. Merlock felt his unique quest was the easiest in the whole world. There were three parts to it and he had unlocked only one but the first part itself was so easy… ‘Achieve Master Level 1 Trader.’ Merlock was already at Intermediate Level 5. The other two parts could in no way be any harder than this he thought. After all, unique quests were defined by a player’s actions. Hence Merlock figured, if he struck to trading then what could possibly be the degree of difficulty in the other two parts?
'Aye , Merlock are you going to sit there all day-dreaming or help us with these crates' shouted Lombarch. Lombarch, an NPC and the head of the tribe, could see Merlock was worried. Merlock shared a very high relationship status with Lombarch. Lombarch was the first NPC Merlock ran into when he joined the game. Needless to say, Merlock stuck onto Lombarch after that encounter like a leech.
As an NPC, Lombarch didn’t mind having Merlock around him. In his eyes, Merlock was sincere and hardworking. He always had the tribe’s interest above his own. If anything, Lombarch was convinced he had found his successor and he could spend his old life in peace. However, just when Lombarch had thought he had seen it all in life, life gave him something new to taste ...fear.
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The formation of 4 large kingdoms brought the end to the era of warring factions, everyone expected to be some instability in this new era but entire villages being massacred was unheard of. Even in the previous era of warring factions, something so outrageous was unheard of. Though kings, councils and senates promised their people and the elvish race security, little was ever done. Since, only one race was being targeted it wasn’t even a point of concern for the other races. If anything the dwarves were rather happy that someone was exacting punishment on the haughty elves. Even human races were happy, since nobles who owned the most farmlands were profiting from the decline of food brought from the forest. In short, no one really cared.
Lombarch thought back of their visit to the last elvish village Sanoras. It was a small elvish village located at the borders of fire and air kingdom. They had crossed that village a few weeks back. The previously friendly elves were slightly hostile and even high strung. They knew they were being targeted and didn’t trust anyone. It took a great deal of coaxing from Merlock to let them trade supplies and other goods. The elves being secretive didn’t share any information with the traders but they were clearly upset over the disturbing occurrences. Most of the male elves had sent women and children back to their capital / major cities for safety. Only the strong stayed behind as a look out post. When Merlock went back to Sanoras the next day, it was no longer there. Trees, bushes, grass, vines, houses, shacks….nothing was left behind. It was as if the entire village disappeared into thin air without a sound….
Since then, it had been a fortnight. They had now reached Avia, another elvish village located in the interiors of Air Kingdom, however to their dismay it too was wiped out.
Merlock and Lombarch, together shifted last of their food supplies inside the tent. Merlock looked at Lombarch's troubled face; throughout his life he had never seen anyone so courageous. Lombarch had convinced NPC chieftains that the tides had changed and that they must leave for new lands; a place far enough from this terror. Where would they find such a place? Only Lombarch knew.
Lombarch was looking at the sunset; he knew he had bought some time to keep peace within the tribe but how much time? He did not know. For anytime soon the people would realize that he’s taking them nowhere. As a child Lombarch only visited human or elvish cities. His family’s profession excelled in trading between elves and humans. Now with all elf villages known to him being massacred where could he take his people? Trading between human cities would never work, the margins were stifling and would never be enough to support an entire tribe. He could have them trading with dwarves. Then again the dwarves hid their city very well. Even their more open cities were abandoned after the fall of Skyholm. The dwarves had all but gone underground…. ‘so where do I take them might gods?’ Lombarch wondered.
Just as Merlock was headed to camp, he saw a white horse rushing towards them. It seemed to be carrying someone injured. Lombarch too took notice and called the other to catch the horse. Never had they seen a beast so magnificent and that could run so fast. It took ten men to stop the horse. Slowly the animal stopped and calmed down. They pulled of the rider, a fair and slim man, looked more girl than man and more dead than alive.
Merlock checked the ears and nodded his head in disapproval; others too took notice of the pointed ears. It was an elf. The last thing that everyone wanted was more trouble on their hands. However, Lombarch would not stand for it. He could not abandon the injured just because they were being targeted.
Lombarch got the men to wrap the body and take it to his tent. Lombarch quickly sent the message to the tribe’s healers. The elf had been placed on the biggest table in the biggest tent. The healer tried all they could but the wounds refused to close. Merlock and Lombarch were discussing how to handle the situation when Merlock felt a tug on his shirt. It was the elf.
Merlock turned around and the elf slowly opened his eyes. The elf struggled to take off his necklace so Merlock assisted. The elf handed the necklace to Merlock with the last ounce of his life.
“give….queen…” The elf whispered.
Before Merlock could ask anything, the elf died in his arms. Merlock was just about to lay the elf back onto the table when it’s body burst into black flames and then into nothingness.
It wasn't long before the word of the dead elf reached all the tribesmen. Everyone tried to get a glimpse of him. Meanwhile, Lombarch and the chieftains were trying to decide what should be done next. Lombarch wanted to go to the capital with the necklace however the chieftains were too afraid of being further involved with elves.
The Gods must be upset, it is a doomed race and aiding the doomed with only bring misery onto ourselves; was the opposition’s argument. In the end, Merlock volunteered to deliver the necklace and meet back with the tribe in the water kingdom (more like it became a quest for him). Merlock took the same magnificent horse which the elf rode. Before long the tribe’s encampment was a small dot in the distance for Merlock who sped away.
Lombarch looked into the horizon, praying for Merlock’s safety when news of fire reached him. Everyone went to help. The tribe tried for hours to douse the flames but the ring of fire around their encampment sustained itself. Few who did understand knew that it was the work of magic, but why them? And why not just kill them all? Lombarch too lamented over this. Was the spell caster having fun? Were fire users really all that powerful?
Just as they thought that the fire would die out...It rushed towards them like a snake and engulfed everything in its path. It devoured all, only painful screams could be heard. Lombarch watched his people burn and die, till he too was engulfed in the raging flames.
The flames turned from red to blue to black before dying out. The caravans, tents, the people and the elves corpse all vanished. A stranger in the distance lowered his arm. A strong breeze blew carrying the stench of death; the stranger walked away with his duty was finished. A slight breeze ruffled his crimson hair, shades of fire danced in his eyes.
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Authors Note:
1. So six months on (or 1.5 years in VR)....OMG....wtf is happening in Versailles Continent!
2. Happy reading.
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Connect to Royal Road – Elementarem Vim next Chapter?YesNo
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