The wall was as hard as it looked as I slammed into it at a blind run. I had awoken in a panic, dashing to my feet and running as fast as I could, right into the wall. I bounced off, stumbled backward and hit the floor. My head slapped the floor and I just laid there groaning while my vision danced.

“Nick?” Lexi said as she fluttered around my head, hands on her tiny hips while she tried to find out what was wrong with me.

“I’m okay, just a nightmare,” I said groggily. A strong hand grabbed my shoulder and lifted me up in one swift move. “Thanks, Alissa,” I mumbled, holding my head while I tried to figure out what happened. She guided me to the bed then gently pushed me down until I was sitting on the edge.

“Do you often have nightmares like that?” Lexi asked as she came to land on the headboard where she had slept.

I shook my head, groaned from the sudden pain of doing so, then froze. It all came rushing back, the dream, the monster, the army...

That fucking army.

“I saw him, Lexi, Kojiman, in a dream or maybe it was a vision, but I saw him...”

“Who’s Kojiman?” Alissa asked, stumbling over the unfamiliar words.

“Maybe it was just a dream, Nick, you have had a rough couple of days and it’s possible—”

“Lazieboiroy,” I said.

Her face went pale blue at the mention of the name. Then her eyes narrowed. “How do you know that name?”

“He told me, Kojiman, he said Roy had joined him and was leading an entire legion to come wipe us out while he turned his army south... I don’t remember for what.”

“A whole legion?” Lexi whispered. “We’re doomed.”

“No, we’re not. He underestimates us. Besides, what kind of idiot uses his in-game name in the real world?”

“Now who’s underestimating?” Lexi countered.

I nodded and grinned. “Fair enough, but seriously. I get that he’s good, but with the proper amount of planning, we can beat him, I know it.”

Lexi looked past me to Alissa and pointed.

“What are you talking about?” Alissa asked. “An army, coming here?”

I wiped my face with the back of my hand then shifted myself so I was facing the beautiful half-orc.

“Alissa, I’m not just a rando human looking for adventure. I was chosen by Adora, queen of Underdown, to come here and save Mystaria from Kojiman,” I said, knowing how crazy it sounded I had expected all of these people to know they were at war, but in an age with no mass communications, how would they know? And if someone told them that an army larger than a inland sea was marching to destroy them, would they even believe it was possible? Alissa was just as likely to think I’d lost my mind and abandon me to my quest.

Instead her mouth dropped open and her brilliant blue eyes went wide. “No,” she whispered. Alissa shook her head, suddenly standing. “No, this has to be wrong,” she said as if she were speaking to someone we couldn’t see. She took two steps back, turned and walked to the door. She had left her massive sword with the blade that was wider than my head, leaning against the wall. In one swift move she grabbed and sheathed it on her back.

“Alissa?” I asked.

“I must go, I have to... I must go.” was all she said as she opened the door and left without another word. Now I was confused. Did she think I was crazy?

“Will you be back?” I called as the door shut. Her stomping down the stairs was her only reply.

“What just happened?” Lexi asked.

“I don’t know,” I said letting out a breath. My head was clearing, and I decided it was time to get the show on the road.

Standing up I broke into a full body stretch. Then, retrieved my own sword and headed down stairs. I had nothing to pack since I literally had nothing but the close on my back.

After a breakfast of eggs, bacon, and bread, Lexi and I set out. As we were leaving the inn, Camilla came over and wrapped me in a bear hug.

“Now you be careful youngin, don’t go trying to prove you’re a mighty warrior. And here, take this,” she said, handing me a leather bag with straps like a backpack and a flap on top that cinched down. It was heavy, so I looked inside. To my delight, it was stuffed with food. Wrapped cheese, bread, dried pork, enough for a couple of days at least, and a filled waterskin.

“Camilla, I can’t afford this,” I said.

She harrumphed and jabbed me in the stomach. I won’t lie, it hurt. I managed to suppress a groan.

“You listen to ole Camilla now, dear. You take the food, and you keep this beautiful butterfly and that pretty young orc girl safe. You hear? If you come back without either of them... well, you best not comeback without them.” She wrapped her arms around me one more time and squeezed, before heading back to the kitchen.

I had to admit, that woman had grown on me.

I shook my head, hefted the backpack over one shoulder, then used the other to push open the obscenely heavy door.

“This has got to be against the fire code,” I said as I finally got the door open.

The next surprise of the morning was waiting outside for us.

Daisy, clad in a chest piece of banded metal, and sporting soft brown leather armor everywhere else, stood in the pre-dawn light, looking amazing. Sitting on the ground next to her was a backpack that was as big as my torso, a large bronze colored shield with an eagle’s head engraved on it, and a sword wrapped in a sheath leaned against the shield. I was no expert but the sword, with its ivory handle, straight blade, and long pointed end, looked like a gladius.

I glanced at the sword, then the red-head clad in her tight armor, then back to the sword.

“What?” she asked as she hefted the pack on her back like it weight nothing. She picked up the sword, buckled it around her hips, then finally she retrieved her shield.

She looked glorious with her flame red hair wrapped around her head in a crown-like braid. Her gorgeous green eyes sparkled, made all the more bright by her Irish skin tone and red freckles that danced across her nose and cheeks.

“Uh, I thought healers only used blunt weapons?” I asked.

She screwed up her face like she’d just stepped in dog poop. “Why in the name of T’suni, would we rather beat someone to death with a blunt object, then just end their life quickly and as pain free as possible? T’suni’s grace, Nick, is that how healers are where you come from? How barbaric!”

She turned to walk away, then turned back looking past me and then around. “Speaking of which... where is the half-orc?” she asked.

“Alissa, will joining us on the road... I hope,” I said the last part in a whisper and with a glance at Lexi. The little faerie just shrugged her shoulders.

The sun was just breaking over the Ridgeback mountains and warming the cool morning air. Steam drifted off the river as we headed west out of town. Other than the farmers, who were up before the sun, the town was quiet. Only the occasional cough interrupting the silence that fell upon us.

After a few minutes we were back in the forest. I took the lead, holding my sword awkwardly over my shoulder since I had forgotten to find a scabbard, not that I could have afforded one.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Daisy’s armor clinked and creaked as we walked, the many straps on her giant pack slapping against each other in a constant rhythm of leather on leather. I was amazed she made it ten feet, let alone out of the village, across the bridge, and into the forest. Clearly, she was stronger than she looked.

I scanned the sides of the path, watching as the forest crept closer and closer, wondering if our elven friend had changed her mind. She’s said she would meet us outside of town, maybe she decided to get a head start?

As casually as I could, I dropped back a little, letting Daisy take the lead while I focused on her, evoking the magic of the gem and bringing up her character sheet.

The HUD that came with it showed the party. My name plate was displayed on the top left with a red bar for my health, which was full, and nothing else. A little circle in the bottom of the rectangular nameplate showed Lexi’s smiling face and a tiny red bar for her health and a green bar that, at least in the game, represented her experience points. I had no XP bar, which annoyed the crap out of me, but I had no control over that.

Below my nameplate there were five greyed out spaces for characters. I glanced away and then back again, thinking it might refresh but no, they were still greyed out.

What did I have to do to have them show up? I tabled the idea for the moment and focused on Daisy, trying to bring up her character sheet.

Daisy Valiant

Level 2 Priestess of T’suni

Body: 14

Strength: 15

Agility: 18

Endurance: 18

Intuition: 30

Willpower: 30

Charisma: 22

Movement Speed: 38 (Feet per second)

Armor:

Banded mail + leather

Shield of T’suni

Weapons:

Gladius of T’suni

To learn more about her abilities, add her to your party.

Damn. Great, add her to the party? I wished for a help menu, but nothing showed up. I tried willing her into my party... nothing. I tried imagining her face plate beneath mine, nothing.

I was about to let it go when she said, ” I can feel you staring at my ass, you know.”

“What?” I stumbled and caught myself before I fell. “That’s not what I’m—”

“It’s okay, it’s pretty spectacular,” she said with an exaggerated sway of her hips. She twisted around and smiled at me. “Oh come on Nick, I’m joking. Your behind me, is all, and I figured maybe that was the reason,” she said with a shrug.

I wanted to slap myself in the face. I had stared at her, but it was to open the character sheet. “It wasn’t...”

“So, I don’t have a good ass?” she asked with a pout.

“No, I mean, yes, you do, very good, but that—” when her and Lexi both broke out into giggles I threw my hands in the air in surrender.

Then it hit me. I hadn’t actually asked Daisy to be in the party, and I had only asked Alissa to escort me to town... maybe I just had to ask? It couldn’t be that simple, could it?

I stepped up my speed, walking next to the smiling red head for a few seconds before speaking. “Daisy, would you join my party?”

She turned her head toward me while she continued walking. “You’re having a party?” she asked.

I shook my head. “No, uh, join my adventure group that I have formed to clear out the Haunted Halls?” I was trying not to sound like an idiot. Clearly, I was failing. I had to seem like a crazy man to her since we were on our way to do that very thing.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” she asked.

“Yes, but... Lexi asked you, or you volunteered, but... you see...” How the heck did I explain the game overlay to a person from Mystaria.

Hi, your life is a game to me and I need you to accept me as your leader so I can improve your stats.

I just don’t see that going over super well. At least not until I could show her, or explain a little better.

An idea hit me. “I’m not just a peasant with delusions of grandeur,” I said trying to sound like I knew what I was talking about.

“Sure,” she said with a shrug. “You do have a faerie-dragon that seems to think the world of you,” she said. “They aren’t exactly common.”

“I do!” Lexi zoomed between us. “Nick leveled me up and I’ve never felt better,” she said, taking a ninety degree turn straight up at full speed.

“Leveled? I don’t know what that means...” Daisy said.

“I suppose you could call it my magic, it’s what do. I see things about people and increase their own power by sacrificing mine. I gave some to Lexi and she said I was the first person to ever do that,” I said wincing out of concern for what Daisy would think. I needed her healing if we were ever going to advance. It wouldn’t do Mystaria or Adora any good for me to die in a newbie dungeon.

The beautiful red head threw her head back and laughed, her lips drawn into a big smile.

“You’re joking,” she said when she stopped laughing. However, as she looked between me and Lexi her mirth faded. “You’re not joking!” her eyes sparkled. “Ooh the possibilities.” Then her eyes went wide, and she stopped, grabbed my shoulders and turn me to face her. She pulled me right into her with her armor pressing up against me.

“Do me! Oh, please do me!”

I am pleased to report I didn’t take advantage of what she said to make some king of lewd joke. But as she stood there, staring up at me from my chest, I certainly thought it.

“I’d like to, but the first step—I think—is you have to join my party,” I told her when I had regained my composure. “Hence why I asked.”

She cocked her head to the side as she tried to figure out what I meant. “What is this obsession with having a party?” she asked in all seriousness.

“No, it’s just what we call a group who come together to achieve a specific goal. So, will you join me?”

She realized how close we were standing and she took a step back, extending her arms all the way as she still held on to my shoulders.

“Yes, I will join you,” she said with mock formality.

Congratulations. You have a new party member! Select to see character sheet.

Her previous stats remained the same, but now I could see her skills and spells.

Skills:

Herbalism and Medicine

Spells:

*Heal Light Wounds

Level: 1

Cooldown: 1 minute (can be cast multiple times per day)

Minor wounds, shallow cuts, abrasions, rashes, etc can be healed by this spell if concentration is maintained for ten seconds.

*Heal Wounds

Level: 1

CD: 5 minutes (can be cast multiple times per day)

More serious damage, deeper wounds, can be healed. If maintained for ten seconds.

Bless

Level: 1

CD: 24 hours

The favor of T’suni is granted and protects recipients from disease and sickness for twenty-four hours.

*Disclaimer: The more the caster knows about the severity of the wound, the more they can heal in one cooldown period.

Now we were getting somewhere. Her stats were good to know, but I needed more than just the stuff I could assume just by looking at her.

I scrolled through the list focusing on her spells. She was a healer, that was good, but the Bless spell looked interesting as well. Since we were heading for the Haunted Halls, being immune to disease would be a great asset. Then I noticed the cooldown on it, best save it for when arrived there and we know who’s with us.

“So, can you? What did you call it, raise my level?“ She asked, biting her lower lip and practically begging me.

I scanned her sheet for anything that would suggest I could and saw nothing.

“I’m sorry, Daisy. Not at the moment, but I’m sure I will be able to once we’re in the Halls.”

She tried to hide her disappointment, but she didn’t do a very good job. She dropped down from her tippy toes and slunk away muttering something about it being just her luck.

However, it wasn’t a total loss, her name plate was now beneath mine in the party bar. Not as a pet, like Lexi, but a full on party member. I saw her health and XP bar, which was almost full. The I noticed she had a glowing symbol, like a little flower, next to her name.

I focused on it, bringing it up.

Daisy has an affinity for daises (big surprise) if she is standing in a field of daisies or in any way touching a daisy that hasn’t been out of the ground for longer than twenty-four hours, her powers are increased by ten percent.

That was cool. I’m not sure how useful it would end up being, but cool. As I walked after her I scanned the ground looking for her namesake flower. I grabbed a couple as they appeared, not wanting to waste the chance to have her heals be more powerful.

“We’re far enough away from Griffondale now that I’m going to scout ahead,” Lexi said. Before I could tell her to be careful, she was gone like a crossbow bolt. Flashing through the sunlight leaving a fading blue streak behind her.

“She’s fast,” Daisy said, stopping to watch the faerie-dragon go.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t level you, but now that I can see your character sheet, I’m confident I will be able to soon,” I told her with a smile.

“I look forward to that. I’m sorry I was disappointed, it’s not you...”

I bumped her shoulder with mine and nodded my head toward where Lexi had disappeared too. She started walking again and we were side-by-side in silence before she finally started talking.

“It’s just that I progressed through the lower ranks so quickly. All the priestesses were quite impressed with my skill and aptitude with the healing arts. Not to mention I love to dance and sing... so T’suni seemed like a natural fit,” she said.

“You’re the best healer I’ve ever visited,” I said honestly.

“I would guess from how weak you are that you’ve visited a lot?” she asked. She didn’t mean it as an insult, just a statement of fact. I ground my teeth together before managing to answer.

“No, not really. But you are very good,” I said despite my frustration.

She smiled, turned her ahead away and sighed. “That’s sweet of you to say.”

We walked a little bit more and when she wasn’t forthcoming I decided to ask a question.

“If you progressed so quickly, why are you only level 2?”

“If I take your meaning right, you’re asking why I’m not more powerful? More versatile?” she asked. I nodded. “It’s the flowers... I love them so. I pick them and cultivate them, even dance among them. Once the studies got hard, I spent more and more time on the art side of the church... then as I got older, and I didn’t progress any further as a healer, the high priestess decided to send me to Griffondale as the village healer, hoping it would give me the experience I needed to break through the mental blocks I had created for myself.”

“You’re stuck,” I said.

“Yep. Like a cart in the mud. Healing is more than just anatomy and spells, it requires a connection with T’suni, and that means time healing. Something I didn’t do a lot of in the Apothecary.”

I opened my mouth but froze when I saw a bush up ahead rustle like something had sneezed.

Daisy saw it too. She dumped her pack on the ground and drew her sword. I did the same thing, taking a few steps to the right to put some distance between us.

“Nick, look out!” screamed Lexi as she came barreling down the path, her tiny fists ablaze with her Dazzle power. I heard the swish of air behind me, and I dove hard to the side, just as a spear passed through where I had been.

“Attack,” a gravely, guttural voice yelled.

Large, pointy eared men with flat noses and jagged teeth leaped out of the bushes.

“Oh darn,” Daisy said. “Hobgoblins.”