Chat:

Arlexior: seriously how long is this guy gonna walk for?

DarkAssassin: I’m about to pass out from boredom.

Billyboy: ndjsiqBIB@*81b83bajw

Unkillable: LOL Billy has fallen asleep again…

Groundable: rofl

Arlexior: I honestly don’t blame him… this shit is zzzzzz

Lionfury: Don’t listen to the neigh sayers! Get in your steps bro!

Arlexior: The expression is nay sayers mate…

DarkAssassin: yeeeehaww!

Groundable: Giddy up cowboy!

Users online: 18

Desmond's thoughts were all a-jumble as he trudged down a winding path towards his quest. His goal was crystal clear: he had to prove beyond a shadow of a pixel that he was no cheater.

What other option did he have?

He needed to prove he was a somewhat normal player with normal magic. In this realm of Fanswald, he needed to present himself as a credible magic wielder, which meant adopting a subclass resembling a mage, sage, or wizard – something that could withstand scrutiny from both NPCs and rumourmongering players.

Sighing, he ignored the incessant, unhelpful, textual flashes from the viewers who watched his every move. The path beneath his feet felt a bit rough, but there was something fascinating about it. As though it had been meticulously designed by some sort of artisan, each cobblestone placed with meticulous care withing the depths of an untamed forest.

His mood brightened as he soaked in the fresh surroundings. The forest began to yield to more open spaces as he moved north, revealing small meadows on either side of the path. Remarkably, dew glistened on the grass throughout the entire day as if the digital climate had been magically altered by an unseen hand.

Each meadow offered charming vistas of local wildlife, all of which appeared completely unfazed by his blundering presence. He supposed it was thanks to his chosen Elvish avatar that he blended in with this mythical nature wonderland, avoiding any awkward confrontations with the local fauna.

His eyes wandered to across the closest meadow, and there it was - the pièce de résistance of splendour: a gargantuan stag, towering within a grassy knoll to his left. Its antlers were the size of a guild of knights' lances, sharp enough to make a porcupine blush. The moment the stag shifted its massive frame, its fur caught the sunlight, dazzling Desmond's senses.

Chat:

Lionfury: Oh wow soooo puurty!

Unkillable: Holy crap what is that?

Arlexior: Seriously?

Groundable: Dude what level is that?

Arlexior: Stay still a sec ima take a screeny

DarkAssassin: that thing is massive!

Users online: 18

"Oh, damn," Desmond muttered in awe at the sight before him. The stag was a majestic sight to behold, both beautiful and undeniably formidable. With a nonchalant glance with intelligent eyes, the massive creature seemed to offer a shrug, in Desmond's direction clearly unimpressed by the newcomer's presence. Desmond guessed he hardly registered as a threat on the stag's radar. The majestic creature resumed its peaceful quest for whatever hidden gems the grasses held beneath its hooves.

Scanning the space above the stag he noticed that there was no readable text above the beast.

Is his level too high? He wondered.

Desmond wisely chose not to pester the tranquil beast, realizing that provoking it would be about as clever as trying to beat a boss battle with a wet noodle. Instead, he continued his journey down the road, steadfastly ignoring the continuous stream of chat messages that scrolled alongside him.

Chat:

Unkillable: Dude try attacking it.

Lionfury: I wonder if you can make friends with the spikey pony?

Arlexior: Mate I told you to stay still, I wanted to take a bloody screen shot!

Groundable: lol unlucky…

Arlexior: ffs

DarkAssassin: I wonder if you kill it, you can use its meat for cooking?

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Groundable: rofl mega Rudolph burgers

Lionfury: leave my new buddy alone!

Users online: 18

After trudging along the road for what felt like eons, he finally stumbled upon his first inkling of civilization. There, suspended from a drooping branch obscuring the path beyond, hung an enormous wooden sign swaying eerily in the breeze. As Desmond drew near, he strained to decipher the intricate, golden lettering that adorned the sign.

GoldenLeaf Outer Border

Desmond exaggeratedly mouthed the words, struggling to sound out the fancy lettering that seemed to prioritize style over substance. The text, adorned with extravagant swirls and curls, proved to be a whimsical challenge to decode.

"I've made it!" Desmond cheered with an exuberant grin plastered across his elvish face. His eyes darted toward the chat, where he quickly caught snippets of a conversation about the stag he'd left far behind. The chatter of cooking the poor beast both disgusted and strangely stirred his appetite, creating a bizarre hunger within him.

Surveying the undulating landscape of grassy hills that lay before him, his hand idly scratched his chin. He flicked open his trusty virtual map, running calculations to determine just how far he'd journeyed since bidding farewell to the farmer. His gasp of astonishment resonated in the air as he realized that he'd covered an immense distance without taking even a single moment's break. The statistics provided by his newly acquired jewellery and weapons had propelled him to levels he'd never dreamed possible, yet he felt a twinge of ache in his limbs.

"I suppose even the mightiest adventurers need a breather," he muttered to himself. With deliberate movements, he sidled over to the roadside and spotted an unassuming dip in the grassy gutter. It was the perfect spot to place his portal box. With a practiced hand, he flipped open the lid and gingerly inserted his hand, bracing himself for the familiar sensation of plunging into the pocket world within the box.

Chat:

Lionfury: I want a magic box house…

Unkillable: Are we sure this guy isn’t a GM or something?

Arlexior: …cheater

Groundable: What item was that?

DarkAssassin: This is the place he disappeared to before… Hey Ph0en1x how much did this thing cost?

Arlexior: I bet he stole it

Lionfury: Ph0en1x would never!

Unkillable: Honestly, I’m starting to doubt a lot of things.

Billyboy: 32rr1eddsqw141241231fawqqw

Stargirl: Wait that’s an item? The box thingy.

Arlexior: is it lootable?

Groundable: ….

Unkillable: …….

Lionfury: Uh oh!

Users online: 18

"Master has returned!" erupted a joyful voice, and Desmond spun around to find the once-notorious bandit now diligently at work. Beads of sweat glistened on his brow as he tended to a roaring fire within a blazing furnace.

"Are you?" Desmond began, his words trailing off in disbelief.

"Learning to blacksmith? You bet!" Nev chimed in with boundless enthusiasm. His face was smudged with soot, creating a comically eerie contrast to his gleaming white-toothed grin as he proudly showcased his newfound blacksmithing skills.

"At first, I was a tad annoyed with all the mess you'd left me," Nev continued, pausing to let his words sink in. Desmond tried to muster up an apologetic expression, at least in spirit.

"But as I was cleaning up and removing the debris, I stumbled upon a skill. Can you believe it?" Nev’s excitement was palpable. “Me with a blacksmith skill!”

"Yeah, imagine that," Desmond replied.

"Thank you so much, master! Now I'm a productive member of society!" Nev declared with unwavering cheerfulness.

"Um, good for you, buddy," Desmond replied, though he couldn't shake the feeling that, entirely by accident, he had somehow condemned the poor bandit to a lifetime of servitude. Yet Nev appeared genuinely pleased with his change in circumstances.

Before Desmond could even inquire about Bill’s whereabouts, the other bandit popped up like clockwork.

"Ah, Bill, did you become a blacksmith too?" Desmond asked with curiosity dancing in his eyes.

Bill grumbled and shook his head in response. "Nope, I was in charge of removing the bodies you had jammed in the box."

Desmond gulped, bracing himself for Bill’s next words.

"Before you ask, yes, I learned a skill – cooking."

Desmond's eyes widened, and his stomach gave an audible growl. "Perfect, I'm starving!"

Bill eyed Desmond with a mix of annoyance and amusement. "Oh, you're hungry? Well, that's just perfect. Right this way, master. I've got a little treat in store for you."

Desmond didn't quite like the way Bill emphasized the word 'master,' but his hunger overshadowed any reservations he might have had.

"Lead the way," Desmond replied eagerly.

Bill beckoned him toward a nearby tower. "Come on, come on. Into the tower, right here, master. Take a seat, and I'll whip up the grandest of meals."

Desmond's mouth watered as he found a comfortable spot within the tower. The furnishings had been meticulously repaired and polished, as if prepared for esteemed guests – which, he supposed, technically included him, given his newfound role as the master of the tower.

"Now look who's back!" barked a voice that could shatter glass.

Desmond swivelled in his seat to behold Nuecus, the perpetually high-strung painting, who regarded him with a somewhat friendly expression. He figured that adhering to proper etiquette might keep the thaumaturge from unleashing a verbal tempest.

"Hello, sir," Desmond greeted him, opting for courtesy. "How’ve you been?"

Nuecus teetered dangerously close to an outburst but managed to sigh instead. "Honestly, bored out of my painted mind. These two lads have gone from fearsome bandits to obedient servants, saying 'yes sir' to everything. It's become dreadfully monotonous."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Desmond ventured. "The bandits have turned over a new leaf."

Nuecus harrumphed, clearly unimpressed. "Still boring."

Desmond smiled sweetly, then shifted his attention back to his seat, where he waited patiently for Bill. He couldn't help but appreciate the newfound orderliness in the tower. Yet, he mused about the possibility of making this enchanted tower his actual house. He pondered whether he could spruce up the landscape outside, maybe add some greenery to mask those bright pink boundaries. He shrugged, unable to find a compelling reason not to try. He planned to ask Nev after his meal and see if the blacksmith could or would help.

"Master!" Bill's enthusiastic call pulled him from his musings as the butler emerged from a nearby doorway, carrying a tray laden with the tantalizing aroma of freshly cooked meat. Desmond had to blink twice at the seemingly miraculous room that had materialized beside the tower, but his attention quickly zeroed in on the tray of delectable delights before him.

"What's on the menu, Bill?" Desmond inquired eagerly.

Bill grinned with the air of a professional chef unveiling a masterpiece. "Today's special, master. A rotisserie of exotic meats, gathered especially for you."

The tray descended gracefully onto the polished table. Desmond's mouth watered as he gazed upon the glistening, savory meat bathed in a thick, delectable gravy.

"Thank you so much," he managed to utter before seizing a meaty leg and voraciously biting into the succulent haunch. The meat practically melted off the bone and exploded with a symphony of flavours as it danced across his taste buds. It was a harmonious blend of sweet and savory that sent waves of pleasure through his mouth.

Desmond has gained EXP.

"What?" Desmond stammered, trying to catch his breath between mouthfuls.

Bill smirked sweetly. "I'm delighted you like it."

Nuecus burst into laughter.

Desmond, with another mouthful of food, turned to the magical portrait. "Huh?"

"Do you know what you're eating?" the miracle worker inquired with a mischievous glint in his eye.

Bill's smirk took on a more malevolent edge.

Desmond shook his head, panic beginning to creep in.

"I don't see any meat around here, do you?" Nuecus asked, his tone playfully sinister.

A surge of nausea filled Desmond's mouth as he stared down at the tray. The little bones scattered among the meat were roughly the size of pixie goblins. He swallowed hard as the reality of his meal sank in.

Desmond has gained EXP.