Deran woke to the sound of faint talking, his character sheet still in front of his eyes. Wiping away the bleariness from sleep, as well as the sheet, he looked around the room. Luke and Gorgath were sitting on the far side, speaking softly and eating. For a long moment, Deran just watched the two interact and even with his increased intelligence, he found it hard to tell the two apart. Somehow, the developers of One Life had managed to capture enough of the human spirit to make their NPC's seem real.

It was mildly terrifying.

"Hey jerks, I see you started without me." Deran rolled to his feet, stretching more out of habit than need. He hadn't felt this good waking up in a long while.

"We thought about waking you but figured we would let you get some more sleep, given the fact that you no longer need to eat," Gorgath mumbled around a mouth full of bread. Deran played with the ring on his finger idly before shrugging.

"I suppose I should thank you then. I always forget about the ring, though I also never really feel the need to eat or think about food in general. This ring is wonderful, I'll have to figure out how to charge it in..." He checked the status of the ring and saw it still had 91 charges left. Plenty of time. "Three months."

Luke swallowed the last of his food and stood, walking to look out the small window. It let just enough light into the room to make everything out in dim light, the sun just starting to rise. "Yeah. If we're still alive in three months."

"What news do you bring of our journey?" Gorgath intoned in his deep voice, forest green eyes boring hard into the rogues back, "Did your informant have the knowledge you were seeking?"

Luke sighed, running one hand through his hair, "Yeah. They did. Kind of." He shook his head frustratedly as he sought the words, "Turns out we have a small stroke of fortune. The man we need to talk to is an old buddy of mine. From the war days... I don't know how he's managed it but the bastard's achieved immortality or something. At least, a man of the same name and description is in the Kingdom we fought for, doing the same stuff... over 500 years later."

"Excellent! If he can remember you, I'm sure he'll be more likely to help us out!" Deran grinned, wondering at his friend's distress. This was fantastic news! "Where is he?"

"Currently in Goron's Spire. Which is surrounded by about half a million orcs."

Deran looked at Gorgath with shock, only to see a look of understanding dawn on the orc, "Oh. That."

"What do you mean, oh that? Did you know about this?" Deran felt a sense of outrage towards his companion, along with a feeling of betrayal. He barely knew anything about this world and yet it still felt like home.

Gorgath hurried to clarify, "Only a little. There was talk with our clan about some big movement, right before I was run out and forced to live on my own. I only knew they were planning a fight but I had no idea it was so large. I don't even understand how they managed to get that many in one fight, our tribes are extremely aggressive and territorial."

"It's the damned world event and it's keeping us from getting into the city. They have it under siege, though from my understanding unless they overrun the city, it will last for months. They have food storages to feed millions. They just lack the manpower to sally forth and maintain the defense, even with the adventurer's lending their support. This is a hefty event, though the glory of it is quite tempting."

"There's a more important war going on, they just don't realize it. We have to figure out how to get into the city. I see a couple of solutions." Deran spoke and was surprised to find out he actually did. He could see in his mind how a various amount of plans would turn out, "We can find some way of teleporting, though that will probably be blocked. Otherwise, the orcs would do it. We can try and sneak through the orc army and convince the city to let us in. Or we can break the siege ourselves."

"I'm sorry, you want to do what now?" Luke turned and stared at him in shock, "Are you literally insane? You want the three of us to break a siege of half a million orcs?"

Deran looked at his two in wisdom and winced, "Maybe I am. Hear me out first. I'm not proposing we run in and fight the damned things. We wouldn't make a difference. However, I might be able to round up a few NPCs back in Tarth. With a big enough group, we don't have to hit the army. We just need to take out their supply lines."

Gorgath opened his mouth to argue, then slowly shut it, "You know... He has a point. The army is far from home and it looks like no one has food around here. With enough advance notice, your king would have razed the fields. Those supply lines would be quite crucial."

Luke threw his hands in the air, "I'm surrounded by idiots, I swear. Why hasn't anyone done that yet, if it would be so effective? Also, if it's so bloody important, what makes you think the orcs won't have their caravans guarded out the ass?"

Deran took a deep breath, thinking carefully about his answer, "I would assume, though I don't have all the information, that no one is doing it because no one has the numbers for it. Most of the adventurers are in the city under siege, from my understanding. And I don't know about the king but I'm assuming he brought in all the militia he could from the surrounding area to hold off the threat. The siege must be very closely balanced if neither side can risk numbers. The orcs can't leave and the castle can't break them. The caravans being heavily guarded is a worry, however. I'm not sure how many people I'll be able to convince. Or how we would arm them."

Gorgath spoke up, his voice a lot quieter. It was obvious that he felt responsible for the actions of his people, even if they had kicked him out for being different. "They won't be that guarded. Less than a hundred orcs, most likely. We are an arrogant people who think they can't be beaten with no real opposition from the land. Maybe at the beginning of the war, they would have been more diligent. If it has been any sort of time, they would have slacked off. As I said, the plan is insane. But it has merit."

Luke sighed, eyes darting back and forth between the two of them, "Fine. If that's the course you two are bound and determined to take, I suppose I shall just have to pray for luck. Speaking of, I know how we can arm whoever you end up finding to fight." Receiving nothing but blank looks, he shook his head and continued, "You friend mentioned it. The bandit's you were supposed to finish off. We never got around to it with everything else happening, they will have most certainly grown in size by the time we get back to Tarth. If we go back with Harvey, that would be five more days."

Deran began to hurriedly put on his clothes and armor, "Well, we can just leave early. Every day counts."

"True but you forget quests. You can pick up a lot of new side quests here in the next two days that finish quickly enough. Errands really but better than what you'll have left at Tarth. From the sound of it, you had pretty much cleaned it out of anything but big named quests and randoms. The added coin will be helpful, plus you already paid for the room. No refunds, sadly."

The impatient man sighed, "Fine. We will stick it out for two more days and grind on some quests. However, if Harvey's wagons are light, we pay extra to double time." For the first time, Deran realized something in the room was missing, "Oh no, where's the egg?" He leaped over to the bed, flipping it to see if the egg had somehow rolled underneath it.

"Calm yourself, nofang. No need to ruin the room. Our lucky friend here was able to secure an amazing bag that somehow fit the entire egg in it. Catch." Deran had to dive to catch a small pouch, barely bigger than both his hands put together. Reach into it cautiously, he was surprised when his entire hand went in up to his elbow. It was then that he could feel the top of the egg.

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"The bag has it in an extradimensional space. Or something. I don't know the specifics of it really except that it can't be harmed by the bag falling and weighs next to nothing. Even better, I spent a little extra to get an added enchantment placed on it. Anyone who isn't us who reaches into it just encounters an empty pouch, barely bigger than a coin purse. Took pretty much everything I had saved up but it's a definite worry off my shoulders." Luke gathered up their dishes and walked to the door, "Well? No sense wasting the day away in this room, we have shit to do."

***

As much as Deran hated to admit it, Luke had been right about sticking around the extra days. He spent the entire first day running back and forth across the entire town, doing various errand quests that popped up. Most of them just gave a chunk of experience and small coin reward, though Deran pushed the coins back into their hands with a smile. He knew that they would need it to survive in the days to come if the war went on much longer.

A few of the quests gave different rewards, however. One older lady spent ten minutes after he fetched her yarn teaching him how to weave. Inwardly, he cringed at another skill he would never use but thanked her anyway. The five experience from getting a skill level was something at least. Or so he told himself.

Another man gave him an ax and shovel to chop up a tree that had fallen in the street and let him keep the tools in thanks. With a shrug, he stashed them in the back with the egg, having been assured by Luke that nothing in the bag could harm anything else in it.

The best reward was an earring. He had gotten it for doggedly sticking through a quest for a crazy old man who turned out to be a mage of some kind. It had taken almost a quarter of the second day to finish, but the reward certainly proved worth it.

Flashy Earring

Durability: 5/5

Effect: +1 to Charisma and Charisma-based skills

Value: 5 Swans

He whistled at the value, knowing that before the man enchanted it, it couldn't have been worth much. It made him wonder about pursuing enchantment but when asking the man about it, got nothing but nonsense. Making a note to find out more of it, he grimaced and jabbed the earring through his lobe, wincing at the blood.

What made matters worse was seeing Luke that night, dried blood still caked on his ear. "Woah, nice earring. You do know there's an equipment slot for it though, and you didn't have to jab it like that. I'm certain you got some roleplaying skill points for it though." He said slyly, looking at him from the side.

Sure enough, Deran looked at his interface and saw that the earring was equipped. Taking it out from the ear it was on, he placed it in the slot for the other ear and was surprised when his ear instantly pierced and healed around it. "Well then. Now I feel dumb. But I already know  that there's no such thing as roleplaying skill points, nice try though."

Luke shrugged and chuckled, "The ear will be healed in no time, especially with your constitution. I'm doubly grateful you have that ring, I can't begin to imagine how much money we'd be spending to keep you fed. Speaking of money, what was the haul today, other than the bling?"

He blushed, "I didn't get any money. I let them keep it, figured we had enough to get home. I did get a few levels, though mainly useless things like weaving and pottery. Why anyone would get those is beyond me. A woodcutting ax and about six hundred experience."

Luke grimaced at the lack of funds but shrugged, "Don't scoff at the trade skills. In this world, combat skills are easy to get but hard to level, seeing as you have to stay alive while using them in combat. Max combat skills are super rare. Crafting skills are the opposite; getting them on your own is a pain in the ass but once you get it started, leveling them just takes time with little risk. A lot more people have the high-level craftings, which with the xp bonuses you start getting with the higher levels, increase your main level quicker as well. Never turn down an offer to learn a trade skill, even if it isn't something you think you'll use. You never know when you might have some free time and ability to power level it for xp."

Deran felt stupid all over again, realizing how little he still knew about the game, "Damn, I thought it just gave the 5xp every level, I didn't realize that goes up. Makes sense I suppose, later levels seem like a pain to get to and I'm only level 4."

"Should be getting to five soon, no worries there. We leave tomorrow, I already talked to Harvey. He did hire a few more guys but said he was happy to have us on and even has some food for us. We do need to start thinking about our money situation though, even with you not eating it's gonna be expensive."

Gorgath broke the ponderings with a grunt, "If we are off tomorrow, we should get some sleep. I will be grateful to finally be out of this room, the past few days have been insufferable." He had been moody all night, not even laughing about the earring incident. Deran frowned, trying to come up with a way to make it up to him but instead just said, "You're right, we should get some rest. Tomorrow can't come fast enough."

***

Harvey was happy to see them, "Hey, I'm glad to see you coming back with us! Normally no one comes back to our town once they leave, so I wasn't really expecting you to take me up on my offer. Welcome back, my friends!" He was busily re-tacking the horses, two new young men standing awkwardly nearby. 

"Must be the new guards," Gorgath grunted, throwing his pack into the nearly empty wagon. It was probably a quarter full of supplies like metal and cloth. When asked about it, the trader shrugged.

"Not a lot of reason for coin back in Tarth but there's always use for the goods we can't produce. Got a good haul this time, seems like there's a food shortage around here. Something about a war near the capital."

"Why aren't you more worried about it? A war seems like a pretty big deal, especially if it's making all these people go hungry." Deran put his pack next to Gorgath's, holding on to his pouch. Even though no one was supposed to be able to get anything out of it, he didn't really trust leaving it out of his reach.

Harvey tightened the last girth strap and sighed, "Well, there's a bit to it, I suppose. I'm more worried than I seem. Tarth must have gotten lucky and been too far out for the collectors before the war started. Otherwise, we would have just as little food as these folks. Still, what we have won't last forever, especially if the war goes poorly. There's naught for me to do really, so I will go home and go about, business as usual. I will hope the ramifications won't reach us."

Luke rattled a pair of dice, "Well. What if you could do something? We are going to have need of some supplies soon, for a lot of men. If it could make a difference in the war, would you do it?"

"I suppose so." The trader looked at the three of them with a question in his eyes, "Do you plan to go to war? It is some distance away, and three won't make much difference. But aye, if there is something I can do to help, you have my word. I'm certain if our young master here has something to do with it, nothing will stop him from achieving his goals." He nodded to Deran respectfully, "Now, we must away before the light fades. The longer the war goes on, the worse the bandits will be, what with the royal soldiers' being held up in battle. I'd like to be home, safe in my bed, as soon as I can."

"Right. Let's be on our way then." Luke grinned, hopping up on to the wagon, "If it's alright with you, I'll ride. It looks like everyone but me and the orc have a ride and you did say you wanted to go faster, master trader. Just trying to be of help."

Harvey rolled his eyes, throwing a rock into the back of the wagon and grinning at the resulting yelp. "Aye, you can ride all you wish, lucky knave. Your friend as well, less attention that way."

At the mention of the orc, both the new guards looked uneasily at each other, "Uh. Orc? Ain't them the ones we're currently at war with?"

Deran began to speak but was interrupted by Gorgath stepping forward, "No need to fear. I am not an orc like what you are familiar with. I am but a humble musician." He held up his hands in a placating gesture, long green fingers splayed wide, "I have nothing to do with what the savages are doing to your homeland and seek to put an end to it myself. Along with my friends here."

 His words did little to ease the worry on the young men's faces, the older one finally making a decision, "Fine. But stay in the wagon. I don't know you and I don't trust you. Just know that we'll be watching you as closely as the roads."

Gorgath shrugged, his face showing nothing of the pain Deran knew he must have felt. Inwardly he sighed, knowing there was nothing he could do to change the young men's minds. They had grown up hearing stories of orcs and hating them. Words would do nothing to change that.

Deran jumped on to the back of Misty and shrugged, "Let's be off then. Get these next few boring days over with."