Silence I can finally hear silence for the first time in years. I smile at this. No voices telling me what to do and I relish in this fact grateful for finally getting a second of peace and quiet to myself. Because of this I fail to notice the character creation AI behind me for several minutes.
“Hello Brenner welcome to Soul Quest Online. What race would you like to be?”
(You can only choose your race in Soul Quest Online everything else is unchangeable in order to provide a more realistic experience.)
I thought for a second and with a shrug I said.
“Guess I’ll go Beastkin with my subrace being Fox-Kin.”
I then saw a image of me as a Fox-Kin and felt a weird new appendage behind me and saw my new tail swinging back and forth. I had some control over it if I tried but moved instinctively if I didn’t think about it. I also noticed my ears were moved to the top of my head with fur covering them. This body felt weird and would take some getting used to, but interesting and I enjoyed the soft fur that I now had as it felt soft and warm.
“What would you like your username to be?”
“Btwonderkid”
“Character creation complete teleporting you to tutorial scenario.”
I then felt a fuzzy feeling before I was teleported to a new room with four people in it, but they all felt eerily familiar. One of them then stretches back and says in relieve.
“Finally, having a body is so nice I was getting tired of just being a talking voice in his head.”
I looked to see a dwarf to my right that stood up to my chest with a ginger beard that stretched a good four inches down his face. He was quite muscularly built with some faint scars across his body. Having a short and stout body like what you’d expect of a dwarf.
“What’s nice is that I don’t have to listen to your stupid comments all the time Teage.”
I see a tall elf that stood a good two meters tall with pointed ears. Having an analytical and calculating face that looked at everything as logical as possible. All he was missing was some glasses to push against his face.
Wait? Teage? That has got to be a coincidence right?
“Finally glad to be in a woman's body. I hated being in those guys’ head listening to all those vulgar men all day.”
I then saw a draconian woman with bright green reptilian eyes start walking around stretching her legs and swishing her tail happily behind her. Her face looked human with long blue hair that stretched halfway down her back. But she had dark green scales that covered her arms and legs. They covered parts of her face as well as for her torso. Well… I couldn’t really tell and I doubt she’d willing show us any time soon.
I also realized my own tail was moving around unconsciously. Then with a booming voice a heard a man say.
“Finally I have free reign to help all that are in need!”
He looked like your average adventure hero having short blond hair and blue eyes. Spoering a tall, lean, and fit body while posing with both hands on his waist with a full smile on his face.
“Is that you John?”
“Hello Brenner I see you chose the Beast-Kin. Trying to be quite adventurous are we not.”
He said with a smile wait this doesn’t make sense there was Teage as a dwarf, John was the man in front of me, then the only girl in the room must be Elizabeth, and the only person left (the elf) had to be Matt.
‘Welcome btwonderkid to the ….. There must be a connection error why are there five people in one room? Please wait while I contact my supervisor.’
Great I’m guessing my multiple personality problem is out of the bag now. I wonder what's going to happen though this definitely seems like it shouldn’t have happened. A second later I heard a new voice that sounded human and not like the robotic AI voice from before say.
“Well this is the first time I’ve seen five minds in one body. Man what were you dealing with. Anyways as the only other incident of this was when there were only two personalities. I’m not sure how someone could possible have five… unless. Well I guess I’ll allow it but first some debuffs so that you don’t become to outrageous. Can’t go around with five people under the same account without some debuffs or they’ll be calling you a cheater.”
Debuffs:
You all have linked pain reception, XP gain reduced by ⅕, linked souls causes stat debuffs if anyone is 5 km away from everyone, you all share the username btwonderkid, and will have a personal name you will be seen as by others, and your friends list and reputations are shared.
“What the heck these debuffs are insane! ⅕ XP gain reduction and we have to be within 5 km of each other! What about the pain sharing how the heck does that even work?”
“Heck if I know. I just thought it would balance how one person has five characters. So I mean what did you expect. Also since you are all different races we can’t spawn you in the regular starter zones as they only have race specific starter areas. Hm… what if we implemented them into the event quest that's supposed to open that restricted zone we had?”
‘That is possible as they meet all the event requirements, but some rewriting will be necessary to smooth out the story for all the players.’
“Sounds good I’ll take care of all that. Set it up for them then, and let's get this show on the road. I just hope that they don’t get to mad at me for this. Well I’ve got to go. But I highly doubt that this will be the last time we see each other.”
Then before any of us could respond we were all teleported away. But, something felt wrong. We were going one way when all of a sudden we felt a tug and pull that forced us to go in another direction. It felt like being the rope in a game of tug of war and this second force was winning. There was a bright light as we got pulled closer and closer.
I then opened my eyes to see myself strapped to a stone table with shackles on my wrists and ankles with only a loincloth to cover my privates. I turned my head and saw that my companions were all in the same situation as myself.
(B) “Well this is definitely one way to start the game.”
(M) “Yes it would appear that guy messed up somehow when he sent us off.”
(T) “If we hear from that guy again I’m going to make him pay for this.”
“SILENCE. I have captured you all here after I caught your souls in the void and you will obey me as your new Master.”
We look in front of us and see crazed lunatic in a back robe staring at us with two skeletons behind him.
“You will be quiet and do as I say if you want to live I can find a use for you both alive and dead.” As he gestured to the skeletons behind him.
(T) “Great being to prisoners of a deranged lunatic great.”
Immediately the robed man produced a staff from his robes and struck Teage across the face with an annoyed look on his face.
We all immediately recoiled at this but only Teage actually took damage. But, dang did that hurt I really hope Teage shuts his mouth.
“You will be silent that is your last warning. AM I CLEAR!”
We all nod our heads at this and he turns and walks off to a back room for a while leaving us all on the tables not knowing what to really do as we couldn’t talk or else he’d kill us and we had no way to escape either. We need to get out of here there has got to be some way out. Maybe the restraints have some weakness.
I look at the clasps holding us in place and look at the design. All that held our wrist and ankles in place was a bolt. It seemed simple to remove but none of my limbs were able to reach any of the bolts. I then realize that the man had forgotten to secure my tail and try to work it towards the bolt.
Elizabeth sees what I’m doing and tries to do the same. After a bit of fiddling Elizabeth frees her hand first and works the other bolts off of her limbs before getting up and helping John. As she finishes freeing John I release the bolt holding my own limbs and stand up as the robed man sees the three of us free from our shackles.
“Dang it I forgot about your stupid beast tails, but no matter. Now that you're free I guess you have submitted yourselfs to your deaths.”
He smiles he then snaps his finger and eighteen more skeletons appear behind him with swords at the ready. He then points at use and commands them to kill us saying.
“Kill them all. I have no use for insubordinate subjects.”
The skeletons then approach us with their weapons drawn. Elizabeth cowers in fear with her back against the wall. Me and John though know what we have to do. We have to kill this man and get out of here.
“Come on guys let me out I want to kill this guy for that smack earlier.”
We didn’t answer him as we charged at the man throwing our shoulders into the two nearest skeletons and shattering them apart and take the weapons they dropped.
“Elizabeth free Teage and Matt we’ll hold them off.”
I then parry a sword and cut the attacking skeleton in half. Kicking another in the ribcage shattering him as well. John keeps charging into the skeletons trying to reach the man and just as he was about to bring his sword down a blast erupts from the man's staff and shoves John into the wall behind Elizabeth who had just freed Teage. But, instantly we all felt the pain in our backs and I had to back up in order to keep from being surrounded.
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“Dang mages and their fancy magic lets see how you like dealing with me.”
Teage then grabs a sword in each hand and drives into the skeletons breaking a skeleton with each swing of his blade. I then think of a stupid plan. Man I hope that Teage forgives me for this.
I get a running start and jump off of Teage’s shoulder leaping straight at the man who looks up too late in surprise as I drive my sword through his throat. He falls over gurgling in his own blood, but before he can do anything else I retrieve my sword and finish off the man with a swift cleaving of his head. The remaining skeletons fall apart as their master’s head lies dead in front of me.
It felt off. I don’t know why but it felt almost too real when I cut into the guy’s flesh. I drop the sword in my hand and slowly back away tripping on some bones and fall right on my back. I then hear puking in the corner. Guess Elizabeth couldn’t stomach it either. As I stand up and turn around I feel a hard smack to my jaw as Teage looks at the dead corpse. But, he forgot we have conected pain reception and everyone received a good amount of pain to their jaw as well.
(T) “Next time tell me you're going to do that and that was my kill. But, good job Brenner. Nice bloody end for that lunatic.”
(B) “You aren’t disgusted about this?”
(T) “No why should I he was trying to kill us and this is only a game right.”
(B) “Yeah you're right it's just …”
(T) “Forget about it kid lets see what he’s got hidden around here.”
(M) “Hey guys I could still use some help here.”
In the fight we had totally forgotten Matt who was still strapped down. I made my way towards him and quickly unlocked his restraints.
(M) “Well that could have gone better, but I guess it worked out in the end. Shall we split up and look for some supplies I’d like to find out where exactly we are.”
We all agreed to that and went about searching for clues about the place. There were three hallways to choose from. I decided to go down the one the man had come from and see what he was up to before we had arrived. John and Matt went down the other two hallways while Elizabeth and Teague stayed to look around the room for more clues and supplies.
As I made my way back I saw more and more blood on the floor as I kept moving down the hallway. It smelled worse and worse with the smell of death growing stronger as I navigated the hall. A door soon appears and resolving my nerves I open the door to see a gruesome sight.
There are bodies spread around some dismembered and disfigured from failed experiments I’m guessing. The bodies resembled monsters, but there were some humanoids mixed in with the rest.
I turn to see a desk and a pot with a stew that had potatoes, carrots, and some meat (at this point I’m afraid to guess) sitting atop a stand with a flaming stone blazing underneath it.
I look at the desk and see a journal of sorts, but I can’t make out the words so I just tuck it into a backpack that was hidden off to the side of the desk. Sadly it was empty but at least I had some storage.
Grabbing the stew (with some knitted oven mitts that were placed nearby) I made my way to the main room and looked to see what everyone else had found.
Elizabeth had grabbed the man’s robe and was washing out the fresh blood with a look of disgust before putting it on to allow herself some modesty while Teague had gotten all the swords together and was inspecting them looking for the best ones from the pile he had gathered. Looking at each blade and measuring which was the one he wanted to wield. They both turn in my direction as I walk into the room with the stew.
(B) “Hey guys I found some stew if you guys want some, but I’d be careful about the meat.”
They look at the stew and their eyes light up with joy. I was confused for a second and then remembered how they had never actually eaten or tasted food before. They each took sips of the stew with the ladle from the stew and savored each spoonful fighting over the ladle trying to get as much as they could.
John then came back with a face full of bread with a couple of loaves in his arms.
(J) “Hmh look ah what I found.”
He then noticed the stew and set his findings to the side and grabbed a full loaf and plunged it into the stew stirring it around.
(T) “What are you doing John we’re trying to eat eat here.”
(J) “I want to see if this stew will go good with this bread I found, and you guys are hogging the spoon anyways.”
They both went to get a loaf as John retrieved his bread from the stew and proceeded to scald himself scarfing it down his throat. Teage and Elizabeth soon joined them and before I knew it they had consumed half of the stew.
I laughed at the sight of them all enjoying a simple meal to this extent. They glared at me, but otherwise just focused on the meal in front of them.
(M) “Ahm! I think someone else needs that food you three.”
We turned to see Matt accompanied by two people with collars around their necks. They were both human woman and were dressed similarly to Elizabeth with simple robes, but looked half dead and starved. One was about as tall as Teage and had silver hair that went down to her shoulder blades looking to be around ten. While the other stood slightly shorter than her with black hair that barely reached her shoulders looking to be around five years old.
They looked at us with wild eyes not sure what to make of the scene around them. Their ‘master’ lied beheaded on the floor surrounded by his disassembled skeleton army, and here we were a mix of races eating a stew with crazed smiles on our faces in the midst of it all.
They looked to be relieved, scared, and curios. We’d just killed their ‘master’ and all his minions, and were all getting along together. They also were confused at their saviours’ choice of clothes wearing minimal clothing. One of them then asked
“Who are you all?”
I answered first “I’m Brenner a fox-kin, the dwarf is Teage, the human over there is John, the draconian is Elizabeth, and the elf who found you guys is Matt.”
“No who are you guys? How did you kill the necromancer?”
“You mean that lunatic over there.”
I pointed at the beheaded corpse. I then briefly told them how we had escaped and swiftly killed the man.
“But how? He was a powerful necromancer and and was an adept wind magician.”
(B) “We surprised him?”
(M) “No he was just overconfident and to confined.”
(T) “Yeah that guy was a real egotistical maniac. He had a smug look of superiority the moment I saw him. But, when we were free he panicked and underestimated our strength and Brenner scored a deadly blow from above ending him before he could build up any spells I bet.”
Teage answered after swallowing the last of his loaf of bread.
“So are we free to go then.” she asked
I looked around and answered “What's keeping you here? He’s dead so I guess you can just do what you want.”
One of the girls feel to her knees and cried with joy at being saved while the other ran to the man’s body fishing out a ring of keys. She then tried the keys on her collar and after three tries she heard a click and her collar fell off her now free throat. She rubbed the raw skin as she made her way to her companion and similarly worked through the keys until she heard another click and the other collar fell off her companion’s neck. They then embraced each other in a crying embrace relishing in their new found freedom.
Seeing the sight I was filled with happiness as we had just freed them from this crazy man’s evil plans. But Matt broke the silence of their embrace bringing me back to reality.
“So did anyone find an exit or some better clothes we could wear.”
“I think there was an exit where I came from. The hallway kept going but I found this bread first and had to bring us back some to try for the first time, but I see that Brenner found some stew first.”
I saw Matt facepalm at John’s actions wishing that he had brought some better items then just some bread. He went over to the girl holding the keys and told her.
“I need to borrow these.”
Before taking the keys from her hands and making his way were John had gone. To probably get his hands on some more modest clothing.
Elizabeth then asked the girls “So what are your names?”
The silver haired girl answered first saying her name was Holly. She felt a bit off for some reason. I couldn’t point to a single thing but her eyes had a weird knowing glance in them. The girl next to her was named Lydia. Unlike Holly she looked young and childish for lack of better words. Looking at at with joy and happiness instead of a piercing gaze.
“We were captured when we were gathering herbs in the forest by this necromancer’s skeletons. Then he forced us to put on those slave collars and be his assistants. We’ve been stuck under his control for about a week and if you guys didn’t show up I don’t know what he’d have done next.”
Lydia seemed more hopeful as I looked at them. With Holly giving her some emotional support. With both looking like they were glad to be rid of the at guy.
“While this is definitely interesting. I am quite full and I want to see what else this guy had in here.”
Teage said as he followed after Matt carrying off one of the swords from the pile he had made. John then addressed them with a smile stating.
“Don’t worry ladies we will guide you safely to the local authorities and see what we can do about finding your relatives so you both can forget about this whole tragedy.”
He smiled with as he stood up with stew all over his face. I stifled a laugh as he was practically naked and a mess from eating in such a hurry with food all over his face.
(E) “Sit down and clean your face up you're intimidating them.”
(J) “Sorry! I’ll get right on that”
(B) “You guys hungry?”
They looked over at the food and Lydia asked.
“We can eat it?”
(B) “Yeah I found it in his study and brought it out here. Though I would avoid the meat.”
I then handed them both a loaf of bread and they eagerly ate the meal they had been offered wholeheartedly. I then saw Matt coming back with some cloaks throwing one at each of us.
(M) “There are some clothes back here, but some of them are a little bloody.”
He then walked back down the hall. Me and John followed him with Elizabeth saying she would watch the girls for us. As we made our way down the hallway I saw the pantry that John had found earlier full of foodstuff. Further up ahead the cave opened up and I saw a pile of loot from his victims strewn across the floor. There were no bodies but you could still see their blood littered across the ill-gotten goods spread across the room. Teage was looking at a pile of weapon eyeing an axe that was quite large due to Teage being smaller as a dwarf.
I looked at the clothes and after some quick rummaging I found a set of simple clothes, a leather tunic, and a nice leather trench coat (must have been a player made item). I put them on put my tail kept getting in the way.
I grabbed a knife and had to cut a hole in the pants for my tail to fit through. It still didn’t feel comfortable but would have to do for the moment. I then looked at the swords scattered about and finally chose a steel shortsword attaching it to my waist with its harness.
Teague couldn’t find any clothes that could fit him so he wore some baggy pants with the legs cut to his ankles and wore a cloak that went down to his ankles. As well as carrying an axe he was eyeing earlier. He didn’t look happy though that he couldn’t find anything in his size.
Matt had gone with some simple plain clothes and some leather armor underneath his own cloak that went to his waist.
John wore a full set of leather armor, with a chainmail vest and iron helmet with a spear and shield.
(J) “Ha-ha can’t find anything Teague.”
(T) “Shut up you stupid soldier boy it's just that we are in an area that there aren’t dwarves around. I will find some clothes in town to fit me yet.”
Teage looked frustrated in his clothes but seemed happy with his weapon. He must like it quality and feel.
(M) “Well what is the plan gents. We have no idea where we are or what the heck is going on. I for one wish to formulate a plan before we continue further.”
(T) “Stop worrying so much Matt we just need to grab some supplies and we’ll walk around until we find something. It's not like there is anything else we can do at this point.”
(B) “Holly might know the way back to a nearby town that we can visit. Also you guys go explore outside while we get changed.”
Elizabeth then came in and ordered us all outside while she got her and the girls in some better clothes. We made our way to the door and opened it to see the sun rising upon a glistening forest beneath the mountain we stood from. There was a river that ran through the woods that led to an open plain and in the far distance I could see what looked to be some kind of settlement.
So this was Soul Quest Online in all its glory. I was excited at the prospects that awaited us. Though weirded out how all the voices in my head had now been given ‘life’ I found it interesting and couldn’t wait to see how it all played out.