— CHAPTER SIX —

The Gateway to New Horizons - Faustenburg

  -Fritz-

 The girl standing in front of me had shaggy black hair that went down to her shoulders. She clutched Captain Galactic tightly against her chest, her big green eyes wide with a mix of fear and relief. Her name was Lily of the Valley. Couldn't have been more than a teenager herself.

 "Jesus..." she breathed out.

 "Yeah." I nodded.

 "Well thank you for being there for him!"

 "It was plenty more than just me - I can't take all the credit. You stay safe out there!"

 "I'll warn anyone I meet!" Lily patted the Captain on the back, gently leading him away with a brave smile. "Come on, Robbie, let's... check out the restaurants! The food's gotta be good here!"

 "O-ok..."

 "Don't forget to party up so you don't lose each other!" I called after them.

 "Right, thank you!" she called over her shoulder with a small wave.

 Watching them blend back into the crowd, I had to wonder: how many kids were gonna play this game, and how many of those weren't going to have anyone to help them? And why would anyone want to do that? What could someone possibly get out of trapping any of us in the game? But asking 'why' wasn't going to solve anything; I had to focus on what I could actually do to help.

 With a sigh, I started walking and pulled up the group chat.

[Fritz Carlton]: The Captain has been returned to his sister.

[Flora]: Good; that's one worry off my chest. Has anyone been able to get a foothold convincing people we're in danger?

[Siegfried]: No, and there are still over five hours to go until the official announcement.

[Filius]: I admit I find it hard to believe myself - if it wasn't Rose telling me, I'd dismiss it as a joke in bad taste.

[Percival]: I've gone out into the forest. The mobs I've found so far are weak, so there's not much danger even if someone pulls a whole bunch of them at once.

[Rose]: Someone will Erik their way into danger.

[Filius]: You put enough inquisitive monkeys in a cage and they're bound to find flaws.

[Lady Lucia]: The man I was just talking to, when I told him the logout button doesn't work, started having a conniption, then it turned into a general rant against women.

[Rose]: You can't save people from themselves; move on to the next one.

 I slid the chat window off to the side.

 On any other day, Faustenburg would have been a beautiful sight. Colorful tiled roofs, streets lined with vibrant trees, bushes bursting with fantastical flowers. The skyline was dominated by two hills covered in lively magical decorations, shops, and industrial buildings.

 NPCs went about their routines, seemingly oblivious to the chaos unfolding around them. The players ran through the crowds, crawling and clambering over anything they could get their hands on like a swarm of toddlers.

 Floating lamps bobbed over the streets, serving as streetlights. Players used the trees to climb up, jump, and grab them, swinging and riding on them with whoops and hollers. Some had managed to parkour their way up to the roofs of the two-story buildings and were actively looking for paths to the three-story ones. Players that started Berserker had an advantage with their leap.

 Percival may have been right about how weak the mobs were, but fall damage didn't take prisoners.

 Not a dozen yards from me, someone was climbing across a crossbeam underneath the peak of a house, probably aiming to use the flower box under the window there to boost up to the roof. As I stopped to watch him, his hand slipped from the narrow lip of the beam. For a moment, he dangled off the side of the building, then fell. On instinct, I sprinted in, arms outstretched. He fell heavily into me, nearly bowling me over with him.

 "Woah there, man." I pushed him back to his feet.

 Taco Bellmont, as his nameplate read, smiled and slapped me on the shoulder. "Thanks, bro!"

 One of his buddies still on the roof called down, "You almost got halfway that time!"

 Bellmont jogged back over to his starting point. A couple of his friends reached down to help haul him back up.

 I called after him, "Take it easy there, man; you don't want to get yourself killed!"

 "Who cares?" another guy on the roof laughed. "We'll just respawn! My turn!" He hopped off the roof and grabbed the lip of the crossbeam with his fingertips, swinging dangerously before steadying himself and starting to inch his way across.

 "Don't be too sure about that! One of the guys in my tutorial group died, and his brainless body was just lying there. The admin, uh..." I trailed off. I immediately felt insane, and didn't even know where to start with that admin.

 One of the climber's friends scoffed. "Psh, who dies in a tutorial? He probably just rage quit out of embarrassment."

 Another chimed in, "Yeah, if people were turning into vegetated husks, they'd be piling up at the graveyard or wherever you respawn."

 "I think I read it's the church?" one of them added.

 I shook my head. "They're supposed to be deleted - that was a tutorial glitch. Just try the logout button in your menu - it doesn't do anything!"

 Bellmont waved a dismissive hand. "Look, bro, it's probably just a menu bug - which is kinda worrying, sure, but nothing to start fearmongering over." He tapped his knuckles against his skull. "They wouldn't sell these things if they were physically capable of killing people. That doesn't make any sense! Chill out, bro."

 Meanwhile, their friend had made it about three arm-lengths along the ledge before his fingers slipped. He plummeted headfirst onto the cobblestones below with a sickening crunch, his health bar dropping by a third. Springing back up, he wobbled around clutching his head. "Woah, that doesn't feel too good..."

 His buddies just laughed and helped boost him back onto the roof. I tried one last time. "Could you just... hold off until tonight?" But they weren't listening to me anymore.

 Shaking my head, I kept walking. You'd think people would at least err on the side of caution here. Honestly, it still didn't quite feel real to me either. There had to have been some safety checks on the Dive Units, right? He was right - how would they be allowed on the market? And what was the motive? If we were actually getting hurt, it couldn't be ransom, and... that was the only thing that made even the remotest of sense to me!

 What if that admin was just screwing with us? Sure, it'd be in incredibly poor taste, but what was more likely - one sicko messing with people, or the entire game being engineered to murder us? Then again, there was that look in his eyes. He was so... sad. That was a man telling a truth he didn't want to acknowledge.

 I could only hope it was a joke, but until tonight, I had to believe it.

  |Ace>

 A bell chimed as we entered the general store. It was a small place with a couple short aisles filled with displays flanking either side of the entryway. The rest of the store's perimeter was lined with shelves bearing all manner of adventuring goods.

 "Welcome!" The NPC shopkeeper behind the counter greeted us with a broad, slightly vacant smile and an enthusiastic wave. Feeling awkward to just leave her hanging, I waved back with a "Hey."

 Following me in was a woman that needs no introduction - Cherry Keane.

|Ace> We made our way down the aisles, perusing the eclectic mix of items. Anything you could need for a quest, all in one room! They had trail food - jerky, dried fruit, nuts - right next to a shelf of low-level potions in glass vials of varying colors.

 Cherry picked up a dark, muddy concoction and held it up to the light. "Whaddya think this one tastes like? Dirt?"

 "It looks more like root beer to me. Or one of those fudge things we used to put gummy worms in!"

 "We should get gummy worms! ... Later! How much will you give me to chug this whole thing?"

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

 "That tiny thing? There's not enough to 'chug'! Besides, it's 50 pfennigs - you'd have to pay me to let you blow all our money on a thimble of mud."

 "Spoilsport." She set it back down. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

 We moved further down the aisle. Metal racks from floor to ceiling were covered an assortment of tools - hammers, nails, basic cooking gear for both the kitchen and road.

 I picked up a shovel and pickaxe. "Hey, how deep do you think we can dig with these?"

 "Oooh, what if the world just... ends! No bottom, only void! How wild would that be?!"

 "Only one way to find out! These are only... 30 pfennigs for the pair!"

 Cherry picked a spear off the rack. "Yeah, but look at the quality of these weapons - they're even junkier than the starting gear. If we're digging into oblivion, we'll need the good stuff!"

 I set them down and we kept walking into the adventuring supplies. "Gear is always useful."

 "There's everything you need to go camping." She picked up one of the bedrolls. "Do you think it's healthy to sleep in here?"

 "We are in our actual beds in real life, and it's not like having a screen in front of your face; this thing is basically dreaming, right? You want to try it before the summer gets out?"

 "Dude, hell yeah! I dig it!"

 "Like we're gonna dig to China?"

 "Oh my god, what if they have another server down there?!"

 She darted ahead while I paused to look at the backpacks. They had to be physically carried - couldn't be put into your personal inventory - but provided extra storage. Decently large expansion, too. I was no where near maxing out my natural inventory, though, so I held off. Torches and lanterns however... You never know when you're going to need a light source until you're exploring some catacombs a mile under the surface. I picked up a hooded lantern and checked for a price.

 "Ace, check this out!" Cherry shouted, popping up from behind a shelving unit holding up a lute. She struck a rockstar pose and strummed a 'sound'. "We've gotta get this!"

 "How much is it? We only have 72 pfennigs."

 She read the description. "2 kingsmarks? How much is that?!"

 "200 pennies, I imagine."

 "Ugh, these prices are ridiculous."

 "We've only been playing half an hour!" I said. "Let's get collecting bear asses and get you set up as the next fantasy folk sensation!"

 But she didn't put it down. She got that distinctly Cherry look in her eye. That 'I'm about to do something wild - and I'm dragging you along with me!' look. "Or... what's stopping us from just... walking out of here right now?"

 I surveyed the shop. The only other being in there with us was the NPC, whose vacant smile hadn't so much as twitched. Just how advanced were Dawnfall's anti-theft systems?

 "... Let's find out." But why stop at a lute? The items had a warning in their descriptions - 'This item cannot be placed into your inventory' - but that didn't mean we couldn't grab an armful. I pointed over to the rack of travelling cloaks. "Grab one of those!"

 She smiled manically, snagging a dark grey cloak and running over to the potions. "We're gonna sample all the flavors, baby!" She started sweeping armfuls into the cloak, wrapping them up in a bundle. "Dibs on anything that tastes like blue raspberry!"

 I threw some jerky on top.

 "I saw some bread and cheese over there!" She flew down the far aisle, throwing in sourdough and Swiss.

 While she was looting the charcuterie board, I grabbed that lantern I was eyeing, then saw a black, write-able journal in the stationary section. Sure, we had places to write in the menus, but you can't beat free!

 Cherry joined me in the supplies aisle and picked up a bedroll, but I stopped her. "That's kind of big; it might be hard to carry. ... Save it for the second visit." She nodded and put it back, then I got an idea.

 I found a big backpack with a bunch of straps and slots on the side and attached the big stuff to it! Camping supplies, digging tools, sure, why not throw in a fishing rod? And while the items couldn't go in the inventory, there was still the physical space inside that was big enough for a couple bedrolls and blankets!

 I slung the pack on my shoulders, and Cherry tied the bundle tight and slung it over her shoulder. We gave each other a look. Deep breaths. This was the point of no return.

 We positioned ourselves near the door. The NPC attendant continued to stare forward over our heads with that vacant smile.

 "On my mark." I said. "Three, two, one... Go!"

 I drove my boot into the wood of the door, busting it open.

 The shopkeep jerked her head up, glassy eyes focusing in with fury. "Thief! Guards, thief!" Reaching under the counter, she produced a pump-action shotgun, its barrel glowing a cool blue. I hit the deck just as a blast of pure elemental ice exploded over my head, flash-freezing the door frame. It locked the door in a partially-open state.

 Cherry slipped right out, but my backpack was too bulky; I had to wiggle and squirm. She grabbed me by the collar and yanked, popping me through a heartbeat before another icy shell slammed into the door. The enraged shopkeeper vaulted the counter, running after us with murder in the eyes. But that wasn't our only problem.

 We turned to run only to see, charging in from both ends of the street, town guards carrying spears tipped with crackling lightning. The smattering of players between the two lines of guards dove for cover as they closed in.

 "Alley, there!" Cherry pointed across the street.

 We ran for it, me pushing Cherry's head down as another cryo-shell whizzed by to explode against the alley wall in a nova of ice shards.

 It wasn't ~quite~ an alley - it was a side entrance to one of the buildings, and the far end was walled off. I started to slow down to shoulder through the door, but Cherry kept going at the wall full-tilt. Feet flying, she ricocheted off the close-set walls and bounced over to the next street.

 "Come on; you know I don't know how to do that stuff!"

 She popped back on top of the wall and reached back for me. "Take my hand!"

 I leapt for all I was worth, stretching my arms up and faceplanting into the brick. Cherry's fingers locked around my wrists like a vice. I scrabbled at the brick, trying to get a grip with my shoes and climb as she heaved me up.

 With a grunt of effort, Cherry hauled me onto the crest of the wall. No time to catch me breath, though; I could see the flash of light.

 I rolled over the far side of the wall, falling underneath the trajectory of a blast of ice and landing on top of Cherry, flattening us both on the ground. I could already hear the guards double back, seeking another route to cut us off.

 We managed to roll away from each other, Cherry picking up her bundle while I used a box full of flowers to help myself stand.

 "Go, go, go!" Cherry chanted, running down the clear street. For a second, it looked like we were in the clear - no sign of guards ahead of us.

 "I don't hear them!" I said.

 "Hah! Another victory for Jack and Liz!" She punched the air. "Nothin' but W's, baby!"

 Then I heard a buzzing... above us? Looking up, I said, "Don't say that ye-" A large metallic bird flew low over the rooftops, a quick whirring sound come from the rapid flapping of its wings and a metal bow strapped to its belly.

 Cherry followed my gaze. "What the-"

 It swooped on us, and the box snapped open. A net shot out, unfolding as it flew straight for Cherry. She yelped as it engulfed her. "Aagh!" She tripped mid-stride, wiping out and rolling a dozen feet down the street. Bright blue and yellow sparks flew off the net. "Bluh-bluh-bluh-bluh!" she sputtered and convulsed.

 I skidded to a stop beside her and drew my sword, poking at the netting, but I didn't know how to cut it without carving her up. No time to think about it - shouting came from down the street behind us - the guards were back in sight and closing in. As the electricity died down, I got on my knees and started pulling on it, trying to find an opening.

 "Woah there!" someone shouted. Cherry slipped out of my hands as she was yoinked up by a skinny guy with dirty blonde hair and the ragged armor of a Lancer. "No time for that - just run!" He slung Cherry over his shoulder, net and all, and ran down the street.

 The guards were only a few second away now. I jumped back to my feet and ran after the man - Fritz Carlton, as I caught his nameplate - not looking back as we fled.

 We rounded corners, zig-zagging toward the edge of the city. Luckily, they only sent the one bird, and as long as we stuck to the alleys, it didn't seem to be able to get a clear shot. From there, it was a relatively clear chase - we steadily gained distance from the guards.

 At last, the buildings fell away and we burst out onto an open countryside road that rode the rolling hills out into the distance. Now that we were in the open, I was certain that we were no longer being followed.

 Fritz staggered to a halt and dumped Cherry in the dirt before collapsing beside her, chest heaving. "I can't feel my arms." he groaned, flopping spread-eagle across the road.

 "I can't feel anything!" Cherry mumbled, wrapped up in a ball.

 I tossed off my backpack and dropped to my knees with my sword in hand, setting to work sawing through the threads of the net. It took a few minutes, but it gradually started to loosen; we got some holes big enough to get her limbs out and managed to untangle her.

 The moment her last limb was wiggled out, Cherry sprung to her feet with a whoop, throwing her hands skyward. "Woo, yeah! Freedom! I love this game!"

 While she was retrieving her bundle of stuff, Fritz sat up. "What'd you two do?" he asked.

 "Robbed a place!" Cherry replied cheerily. "Want a root beer?"

 "Always." He caught the vial she tossed his way and kicked it back in one swig - only to double over, coughing and sputtering. "Ack! That is not root beer! It tastes like potting soil!"

 "Aw, man; I grabbed five of them!"

 "Notes for next time!" I shrugged. "What else did we grab? That jerky's looking good." And it was! A moment later, Cherry and I were both gnawing on some delightfully salted meat.

 Fritz said, "Maybe hold off on the crimes, guys - those guards didn't seem like they wanted to take you in."

 "Aw, what's the worst that can happen?" Cherry asked. "They'll take our stuff away? Make us wait for a respawn?"

 Fritz's gaze drifted, his brow furrowed in thought. "Look, I know this is gonna sound crazy, but just... hear me out here."

 That's when he dropped the bomb on us. The whole brain-dead thing.

 At the end, I said, "You're right, that does sound crazy."

 "Nice!" Cherry nodded. "It's like one of my Japanese animes! Talk about hardcore mode!"

 Fritz held up his hands. "I know, I know. It's wild. But I've got it on good authority. Just... try to stay out of trouble until tonight, okay? That's when the guy said he'll lay it all out for everyone."

 I was a little torn - something like that was... impossible. This was real life! Except, well, it wasn't. Either way, if it was just 'until tonight', I didn't see any problem with humoring it.

 "I think we've got enough loot for one day." I said.

 "Hey," Cherry asked, "how long do the guards stay hostile? 'Cause if it's permanent, that's gonna suck."

 "Like you've never fantasized about being a brigand." I said.

 "Ugh, I wish I was rich. Then the guards would help me steal!"

 "I'm not having that conversation with you right now. Come on, we got these shovels; let's find some pirate treasure!"

 Cherry said, "I thought we were going fishing."

 I said, "Oh yeah, that's how this started."

 "This game's got fishing?" Fritz asked.

 "It's one of the utility classes." I nodded.

 "Utility classes?"

 "Yeah, crafting, gathering, all that. They're on the side of the class tree. That's what we were trying to unlock when we got sidetracked."

 "Where do you learn to fish?" he asked.

 I brought up my map. "The guild office gave us a breadcrumb. It looks like it points to... the lake north of the city."

 "That's convenient." Cherry said. "No way the guards go that far, right?"

 Fritz chuckled. "Sounds like you two have plenty to keep you busy. Good luck!"

 I slung my new pack over my shoulder. "Even if this is a prank, thanks for pulling us out of there!"

 "Don't mention it! Really, I don't need the heat!" He waved as he started back toward the city.

 We headed off toward the lake, this death thing nagging at the back of my mind. Well, whatever. True or not, it was a lovely day with a refreshing wind. Perfect for a spot of fishing. ... If only I could get it out of my head. How? How many people would have to be in on it? And why? He said there would be an explanation tonight, so we just had to sit tight. That led me back to fishing, but this gnawing worm in my gut kept me from fishing, and it went in circles. Anticipation really is the worst.