I give Chloe a bright, happy smile before I answer her.
“I’m doing alright, thanks for asking”
She gives me a disbelieving gaze while she looks over my shoulder and then down under the table at my leg.
“Ya, sure? I know how bad those wounds were there’s no need to act tough.”
I shake my head and continue to give her that warm smile.
“Truly, I’m alright, I wouldn’t have been without your help, but trust me when I say that I am fine now.”
I smirked slightly as I got an idea into my head. I stood up from my seat before I stretched out my previously injured shoulder. The muscles were stiff from working the forge but were otherwise undamaged. I leaned down to touch my toes before lifting my legs up off the ground. I could never do this in the real world but this was EO and I had decent strength and dexterity. I stood there doing a one-armed handstand on what she thought was my injured arm before setting myself down. I then balanced myself on the leg that had been mercilessly shredded by that wolf. When I was done Chloe gave me a well and truly dumbfounded expression as I sat down.
“That’s not possible. How are ya already fully recovered it doesn’t make any sense. Those injuries should have kept ya down for days if not weeks. That leg wound specifically should have left ya leg permanently disfigured. Yet here you are showing off things even I can’t do”
I simply shrugged my shoulders as the waitress set my food down in front of me. I didn’t know how to explain to an NPC that I could recover from pretty much any injury, though with this new update I should be careful of getting my limbs chopped off. I looked into her eyes before I responded.
“I don’t know, maybe I’m just a quick healer?” I said unconvincingly.
Chloe just sat there as she shook her head as she ordered some food from the waitress who was standing near enough to the table to hear Chloe without having to be too close to my stench. As I started to eat my food Chloe sniffed the air and looked at me with a scrunched-up nose.
“Ya know ya stink right?”
I nod as I finish the mouthful of food I was chewing before swallowing and speaking.
“Yeah, I’ve been working the forge down at Roan’s trying to pass the test he gave me before he will let me be his apprentice.”
She narrowed her eyes at me and gave me a disbelieving look.
“A scrawny boy like ya is a blacksmith? I know ya just did that handstand thing but that doesn’t mean ya can swing those big hammers blacksmiths use.”
I smiled internally about what I was about to do.
I put on a face of mock offense and place my hand over my chest trying my best to look well and truly offended.
“You think I can’t be a blacksmith, how dare you,” I said in the most Karen-eqsue voice I could muster.
Chloe’s face started to redden and she started to stammer out an apology.
“Well, I uh, well sure ya can, I mean uh well”
I couldn’t contain myself any longer. I let out a loud fit of laughter that caught the attention of the other patrons. I wiped the tears of laughter from my eyes and gave a polite yet dismissive wave to the others. Then looked back at Chloe who now had a face the color of a tomato, with an embarrassed rage starting to burn its way onto her face.
“Yes, I’m a blacksmith, Chloe. I know I don’t look like much, but I’m actually a pretty good one. Sorry about teasing you like that.” I said hoping to pacify her anger.
Her anger deflated and she let out a soft sigh as her cheeks began to cool. Then she looked at me as the waitress set down her food. She let out a surprised squeak at that which brought another chuckle from my lips. She glared at me before thanking the waitress.
“Thanks, Denise”
Huh, so that was that foul-mooded woman's name. Though I guess I never gave her a reason to be nice to me, I also don’t know what I did to make her so upset with me either.
I began to eat my food again as I saw Chloe doing the same. As I was nearly finished I heard Chloe speak softly.
“So, why did you decide to apprentice under Roan? There are a few other shops in town that should be easier to get a job at if ya are as good as ya say. I mean that elf won’t even make weapons,” she said the last bit in an almost exasperated tone.
I wonder what kind of weapon Chloe had sought Roan out to make. I slowly finish my food before speaking thinking of the best way to word my response.
“Roan is by far the best smith in town, he also gets the most work so there’s more work to go around. I mean if you need some household item made who do you go to”
She gives me an appraising look before speaking again.
“I guess ya are right there. No one else but Roan will make stuff like door hinges and nails that everyone needs. Though ya speak like ya know this town yet I’ve never seen ya before, and I’ve lived here my whole life.”
I nod at her and give her a soft smile not really knowing how to respond.
“Yeah, It’s been a few years since I’ve been here but I know a lot about this town.”
“I would still remember ya,” She said flatly.
I shook my head, how do I explain to her that I was a different person from the one I was when I visited previously? I needed to think of something that would make sense without trying to explain complicated things to her, besides I probably shouldn’t tell NPCs that I’m a player on a new avatar. That was a bannable offense. So I decided to try and change the subject.
“So, why were you in the forest when you found me?”
She looked at me with a mouthful of food and swallowed before speaking.
“Well, that’s how I make a living.”
“You find and rescue people in the forest?” I said in a disbelieving tone.
“How do you know if they can even pay you for your service? Or does the town pay you for rescuing people?
Chloe put down her spoon and glared daggers into my soul.
“No, ya dunce, I hunt creatures in the forest, though I do help if I find someone careless, or dumb enough to get injured while they’re in the forest.”
She looks directly at me when she finished that sentence.
I smile at her sheepishly as I finish my food.
“I imagine you do fairly well for yourself then, I mean I saw firsthand how deadly you are with that bow of yours.”
She nodded in agreement as she finished her food.
“Let me ask ya one last time, are ya sure that ya are fine? I know ya showed me whatever that was to try and prove that ya are but I need you to tell me.”
“I’m fine don’t worry about it, and I will pay you back for saving my life, Chloe.”
She gave me a wry smile while she shook her head.
“I didn’t save ya to get some sort of reward. I just want to help those who can’t help themselves when I can.”
“I promise I’ll pay you back somehow. It may not be for some time but I’ll do something.”
She shook her head and stood up making to leave.
“If ya want to pay me back how about you take a bath before next we meet,” she said while holding her nose.
I chuckled softly and nodded at her.
“I’ll do that for my own sake.”
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She turned and left while letting out a soft chuckle.
Once she was gone I stood and stretched out my muscles to relieve some of the stiffness. These last few days of working on the quest Roan had given me had left my muscles very sore. I still wasn’t used to that part of this update. When I felt that I had stretched out my muscles enough I left the inn and made my way back to Roan’s workshop.
When I arrived at Roan’s shop I made my way around to the back where the workshop was. I noticed that Roan had set my anvil aside and was working on something of his own. I stood there quietly watching him work to not interrupt him. It took me a few minutes before I realized he was forging his own stake anvil. I smiled softly thinking about how the old elf still loved to learn new things. I decided now was a good enough time to go look for a log to use as my anvil base. Roan said I could use anything in his shop so I snuck around to his woodpile and grabbed a log that was meant to be split for firewood. It was a bit smaller than what I would have liked, but it was free. I could still hear hammer meeting metal as I made my way back to the workshop.
When I got to the workshop I saw him putting the anvil back into the forge to get its heat. He noticed me finally and saw the log under my arm. Without a word, he made room for me near the forge. I smiled at him and put the stake portion of my anvil into the heat allowing it to get red-hot. I then pushed the hot metal into the log. It burned a hole down into the wood. I hammered it a few times before I was happy with how it was set into the wood. Roan was watching me the whole time as if he was trying to pull out the secrets of this new type of anvil.
I wanted to finish my quest tonight, but I didn’t want to interrupt Roan's work. I would offer to help him but he seemed intent on making the first one himself. So I stand there watching him hammer away at the metal. It wasn’t until just after sundown that he finished. He held his new anvil in a hand with a smile on his face. He looked at me with a nod before going inside his shop. I smiled at him as he walked away. I decided to check the time to see if I might be able to get the axe done tonight.
“It is currently 6:03 p.m.”
Nice I should be able to get it done before it’s too late and annoy the people living around Roan. I quickly place two pieces of metal into the forge, one iron, and one steel, before adding some more coal to the fire. Next, I pump the billow to get the forge back up to the proper temperature. I set my little anvil up next to the forge. It is much shorter than what I would like it to be, this is going to be hell on my back. Once the iron is up to heat I pull it out with my tongs and set it on my anvil. I pull up my hammer and activate both of my skills for this.
“Skill ‘Work Metal’ activated.”
“Skill ‘Hammer Strike’ activated.”
I have made dozens of axes in my time playing EO before, so the shape came to mind easily enough. I strike the metal molding it into shape easily. Those skill-ups and the added strength were really coming in handy. Once I got the shape I wanted I placed the roughed-out axe head back into the forge to get back up to heat. I move the steel out of the heat slightly so it doesn’t overheat.
I pull out the axe head and the piece of steel. I place the steel at the front of the axe head and pour some flux on it before I began hammering away with both my skills. Once I was satisfied with the forge weld of the cutting edge I go to work on the eye of the axe, making sure it can fit a handle properly.
When I’m satisfied with how everything looks I quench the axehead and set it down to cool properly while I look for a handle. It didn’t take me long as Roan made plenty of axes for the lumberjacks in the village. I fit the head onto the handle before driving in a wooden wedge to affix the handle to the head securely.
“You have successfully crafted the item ‘Well Made Lumber Axe.’ ”
“You gain 20 EXP for crafting the item ‘Well Made Lumber Axe.’ ”
“You gain an additional 30 EXP for crafting a ‘Well Made’ item.”
“EXP needed until next level up 492.”
I smile at the successful craft prompt before I turn to leave the workshop. I leave the axe behind on Roan’s anvil for him to find in the morning. I make my way back from Roan’s workshop back to the Oakstump for the night. I pass a few people milling about but the streets are mostly empty at this time of night.
As I close in on the Oakstump Inn I notice the old man I had helped this morning and go over to help him take down his shop for the night. He gives me a bright smile when he notices me. I quietly help him take down his stall for the evening and he gives me his thanks before I step into the inn.
I see Denise at the counter and she scowls up at me. I pull out three of my remaining coins leaving me with just a single copper coin left. I pass them to her with a smile.
“I’d like another night, could you bring me up a washing basin?”
She took the three coins from me and let out a sigh before nodding. At least she did her job well enough.
“Yes I can young sir,” she said in a soft customer service tone.
I gave her a polite nod before I made my way up to my room and started to undress. When I lifted my arms to remove my shirt I got a full whiff of my own stench and scrunched up my nose. If it’s this bad for me I can only imagine what it must be like for everyone else. When I heard the knock at the door I opened it and smiled at the girl there. When she looked at me I noticed a slight blush on her face. I looked down and saw that I had forgotten to put my shirt back on before opening the door. I quickly take the water basin from her and smile at her.
“Thanks, Denise,” I said in a soft polite tone.
She looks up at me giving me a brief nod before shuffling away quickly. I know I smell bad but I didn’t think it was that bad.
I quickly place the water basin down on my desk and close the curtains before locking my door and undressing. I dip the towel into the water and notice that it’s pleasantly warm tonight. I hear a thump on my floor and look down. There was a bar of soap there. She had given me a bar of soap. I smile brightly at this and quickly pick up that bar of soap. I wash myself off thoroughly until I can’t smell myself anymore. This may have not been the bath I was hoping for but now I was far better off than before.
I lay down and slowly drift off to sleep.
I open my eyes and see that I’m back in my own room not the one at the Oakstump. I sit up in my bed and look around the room. I’m back home, was all of that just some crazy dream? I look at my TV and see that there is an isekai anime on. I need to stop falling asleep to weird stuff. I stand up and stretch my muscles. They feel stiff as if I’ve been sleeping for way too long. I try to use the system to check the time before shaking my head.
“That was just a dream,” I say to myself.
I look at the clock on my bedside table and notice that it’s only 3 a.m. I sigh softly and go to my dresser and pull on some clothes. It may be early but after a dream like that, I don’t think I’ll get back to sleep. I make my way to my kitchen and make myself a small breakfast of eggs and toast. I take a bite and scrunch up my nose. This tastes awful compared to the food in that dream. I quickly finish my food not taking time to savor its taste like I had with the dream.
There were a few hours before I had to go to work so I decide to log into EO. I pull on my VR headset and lay down on my bed. I pull up the EO login screen and hit log in. Nothing happens, I try a few more times before pulling the headset off.
They must be doing an update or something. I don’t remember them talking about doing one. It must have been an emergency update, that happens sometimes with games as complex as EO.
I let out a sigh as I think of what I could do to kill the next few hours. I decide to pull up some videos on blacksmithing on my computer. I find one that I’ve seen plenty of times before but it was fresh in my mind from that strange dream. It was about forging axes using a traditional method. I enjoyed this one since it was something that if I had a yard I could do myself.
I had always dreamed of having my own space to try my hand at blacksmithing. For a while, I had played with the idea of doing it in my apartment and just using a fan to vent the smoke out a window. I had ultimately decided against it for fear of setting my apartment with all my belongings on fire. Once the video was over I decided to go make myself a cup of coffee. That was the one thing that I missed in EO, they had various types of tea but no coffee. The devs said something about it not being realistic to the setting. If the setting is fantasy, then isn’t anything realistic? I wonder what coffee would taste like in EO. I’ve heard stories of how amazing it tastes in other VRMMO but I’ve never really bothered playing anything other than EO since I found it.
I let out a wide, loud yawn as I finished my coffee before I decided to look at the time. It was only three-forty in the morning. I had not killed nearly as much time as I had hoped. Maybe I could take a little nap before work? I let out another massive yawn just thinking about how good a nap sounded right now, and then my stomach rumbled. I went back into my kitchen to look around hoping to find something to eat. Sadly there was none to be found, I should probably go shopping after I get off of work tonight. That doesn’t really help me with my current problem though. Then I remembered that there was a store just down the road from my apartment complex. Heck, maybe a walk would do me some good after that crazy dream.
I pulled on some socks before putting on my shoes and headed out the door making sure to lock it behind me. I walked down the stairs of my apartment building trying to be quiet so as to not wake my neighbors. I made my way down the street looking around at the city as it began to come to life. Lights in shops began to turn on as workers prepped for the early morning breakfast rush. It always amazed me how early some people had to go to work. Though, I guess someone had to get to work to prep food for all those nine-to-five workers. The store I was heading to was just a typical twenty-four-hour gas station. It was the perfect distance from my apartment to allow me to have a nice walk to think, without it being too far. As I closed in I saw that the parking lot was empty, which was normal for this time of night. I approached the door and saw that there was just one customer at the counter.
When I got inside I saw a scene that felt all too familiar to me. It was like at the start of that dream I just had. The store was being robbed. I turned to leave but the door wouldn’t open. Why wouldn’t the door open? The sound of me trying to open the door grabbed the attention of the robber. He turned to look at me and pointed his gun directly at my chest. I held my hands up in front of me.
“I don’t want any trouble,” I said trying to get out of this situation better than I had in my dream.
He pulled off the ski mask he had over his face. Underneath that plain black mask, he had the most horrific smile I have ever seen on a person. I tried to look him in the eyes but I couldn’t manage to meet his gaze. Something was stopping me from seeing the face of the man before me. I could only look at that horrible smile. There was something about it, it seemed too happy, almost inhumanly so. All I could tell from that horrid smile was that this man wanted to hurt someone, and he was going to enjoy every second of it. I looked over to the cashier, they were gone, where did they go?
The man took a step toward me and I tried to take a step back, but I was already up against the door. He stood there in front of me and yet I still couldn’t see his face. He pressed the gun right up to my chest and whispered into my ear.
“I’ve found you, traveler, she tried to hide you from me. Don’t worry, I’ll be coming for you soon.”
Who had hidden me from him?
Why was this man, no this creature, even looking for me?
I was pulled out of my internal dialogue when he pulled the trigger. The bullet blasted through my chest. This sensation felt exactly as it had in that crazy dream I had. Was that even a dream? I couldn’t comprehend anything that was going on. I slumped down to the ground bleeding out. This felt exactly as it had before. As the darkness started to creep into the edges of my vision I caught a brief glimpse of the man's face. I didn’t know who it was but he had a single black, curled, horn jutting up from the right side of his head. His eyes were slits like cats. The pupil was a bright gold and where the whites should have been were a solid black that almost seemed to suck the light in from around him.
I cough up some blood as I try to speak.
“Who are you?” I ask in a gasping voice.
That terrifying grin grew somehow as he responded.
“You don’t need to know my name, not yet,” he said in a delighted tone.
As the light finally faded fully from my vision I caught one last glimpse of the creature before me. The last thing I saw was the black holes that he had for eyes seemingly. Then I was gone.