“Hey, you three! Hold up a minute!”
All three of us spun around at the unexpected voice calling out to us from behind. Celeste immediately raised her shield and held her spear at the ready while Aurora ducked behind me. I slightly questioned her choice for a shield, but I didn’t say anything and gripped the hilt of my dagger and glanced over the swordsman running towards us with his two companions, a mage and a lightly armored man with two daggers, trailing behind him. The swordsman wore a basic plate armor on his chest and had a large shield on one arm and a one handed sword in a sheath at his waist. Seeing us immediately preparing for combat, he threw his empty hands up.
“Woah, woah. Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I just wanted to talk.”
I was still a bit cautious, but relaxed my grip slightly as Celeste lowered her weapons as well. I heard Aurora sigh behind me, but she stayed where she was.
About that time, the swordsman's companions caught up. The lightly armored man had on leather armor that was dyed a dark color that seemed to blend in with shadows. Or it would, if he weren’t in the middle of a grassy field at mid morning. His sullen, glaring expression really didn’t fit with the bright sunny skies either.
The mage was the only woman of their group. Her skin had a dark tanned tone to it, and contrasted well with her bright red, shoulder length hair. It wasn’t a combination that I had ever seen happen naturally in the real world, but it worked pretty well. Her robe was a light blue, and she carried a standard wooden staff. As she caught up, she immediately began lecturing the swordsman while standing between our parties with her back to us. Every sentence she yelled at him was punctuated by a blow from her staff to his head.
“Idiot! *thwack* I told you not to just yell out to them out of nowhere! *smack* You nearly got yourself attacked, and frankly you would have deserved it. *wham* I might have even chipped in and hit you a few times too.*fwap* Maybe then you’d learn and stop doing these types of things. *thud* I doubt you’d be able to take more than a couple hits from my lightning right now. *bwak* You might have become the first player to be killed by friendly fire. *whap* Maybe you’d get a title for it. *crack*”
“Ow, stop it. I said I was sorry.”
The mage turned to us ignoring the swordsman, who by now was grovelling on the ground holding his head in pain, and rogue who was knelt down trying to comfort him.
“Sorry about this idiot. He gets excited and does stupid things without thinking. We don’t mean any harm.”
“No worries, nothing really happened after all. But you should probably stop, it might break after all.” I indicated her staff. I’m pretty sure I just heard it start to crack.
“Naa, his head’s too thick for me to do any real damage. Trust me, I’ve hit him harder in the past.”
“Well, I kinda meant your staff, but whatever. Anyway, what were you calling out to us for? If I recall correctly, I saw you all hunting dogs earlier as well, right?”
“That’s right, and that’s part of why we approached you. We’re trying to get to level 5 on dogs so we can get our classes. After that we were going to hit a dungeon we heard of nearby. We saw you all hunting and were wondering if you wanted to join us. All three of us are damage focused, but the support members of our usual group are in other beginning areas. If you want, we can join our parties temporarily, get everyone to level 5, then hit the dungeon together.”
I see. They needed some support players, and our party is definitely support heavy right now. This combination does make sense, and both groups would profit from it in the long run. I looked over at the other two with me.
“It sounds good to me, but what do you guys think?”
“Sure, more people would make the fights easier, after all.”
Celeste agreed immediately, but then Aurora’s response caused all three members of the other party to open their eyes in shock.
“...um, I don’t mind, but what’s a dungeon?”
Oh, right. They’ve never played an MMO before. Looking at Celeste, she also didn’t seem to know what we were talking about. I’m a bit concerned with how easily she agreed to something without knowing what it was. After all, I couldn’t help but think of them as anything but couple of high school girls. Sure, for all I know they might actually be a couple old guys playing from a nursing home, but I can’t help but go by appearances. I generally just find it easiest to assume people are similar to their characters until they tell me otherwise.
As an aside, this wouldn’t be the first time I met a couple nursing home patients playing as young women. The arguments over who should hold the title of “hottest nurse” got alarmingly heated at times.
“Right, I had forgotten you two haven’t played this type of game before. I don’t know precisely how they are in SWO, but a dungeon is generally an area with a lot of monsters in it. They are usually instanced, so every party that enters has their own copy of the area so you won’t run into anyone else while inside. Usually there’s a tough boss at the end, and sometimes a few others scattered about. In most games, enemies inside a dungeon don’t respawn, so if you want to fight them again you have to leave the dungeon and restart.”
She nodded and I turned back to the other players.
“Looks like we’re all for joining forces. I’m Lilith, a mage focusing on crowd control rather than damage. Actually, currently I don’t have any damaging magics at all, so I’m fighting with a dagger until I can get to a shop and buy a magic weapon. This is Celeste, and as you can see she uses a spear and small shield. The one hiding behind me there is Aurora, our healer. As you just heard, they’re new to MMOs, so I’ve been trying to teach them the basics while we go.”
“Healer, crowd control, and damage. Looks like our parties combine pretty well, then. I’m Kiera, a mage focusing on lightning spells. The angry looking guy with the daggers is Richter. He’s not really mad, he just thinks that’s how an assassin type character should be. And the idiot on the ground is our tank, Jayren. You’ve already seen what he’s like.”
After introductions were over, we headed off to fight some of the larger packs of wild dogs. We found that with our combined strength we could easily take on 5 or 6 dogs without any major risks. There wasn’t a lot of strategy needed. We would start with me charming one of the dogs, much like how we had hunted with the three of us. Then if it was a pack of 5, each of the damage dealers would take on one of the remaining dogs while I finished off the charmed one. If there were 6 we would ignore the charmed dog, and whoever finished their target first would move to kill it.
With this, our experience grind became much faster. Also, because of the minimal risk, I was also able to instruct Celeste and Aurora more on techniques. Particularly Aurora, who was initially trying to heal every injury as soon as it occurred, no matter how minor. This would put a fairly heavy drain on her mana, and later might cause problems in large fights. I took some time while we were regenerating our mana to explain to her the dangers of overhealing, and taught her to pay attention to the situation as well. If someone wasn’t likely to take any more damage, there was no need to heal them right away. Depending on the type of injury, it could even wait until after the fight was over.
A little while into our joint hunting, my Mind Magic skill reached level 3. It seems the experience needed to level skills up increased exponentially, and it was slowing down noticeably already. But finally reaching level 3 unlocked a spell I had been hoping for, the Frenzy spell.
Frenzy
Causes the target to attack the nearest being to them, regardless of whether that being is a friend or enemy. This spell can be completely resisted with willpower. If successful, duration varies depending on the caster’s intelligence and the target’s willpower.
Mana cost: 25
Ok, so it’s not completely amazing. The target may still attack me or my allies if they are close to it. And that mana cost in pretty high, especially right now with our low levels. Still, it might be a good way to start fights. It will tie up more than one target, and cause some damage as well.
After getting this spell, we switched to starting fights with it rather than charm. Much like the rats before, the dogs did not have much willpower and I was able to consistently frenzy the dog farthest from us. This would cause it to attack the nearest dog to it, then the damage dealers in our party would focus on the remaining dogs, only turning to the injured dogs who had been fighting each other after killing the unaffected dogs. The spell had a very short duration so usually it would have worn off by then, but the remaining dogs were both injured had been distracted long enough that it wasn’t a problem.
After a while hunting like that, I received a message of Horvath.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Horvath: Hey, I just got my class and found a group headed your way that I could join. We should be arriving in about three game-days.
Lilith: Perfect. I might have found us a healer and a melee fighter that can offtank if needed, though she doesn’t really like the idea of taking hits. I haven’t brought up coming with us long term yet. They’re both new to MMOs, so I’m trying to teach them as much as I can for now. We’re going to be hitting a beginners dungeon once we get our classes, but we should be finished around the time you get here.
Horvath: You aren’t teaching them anything strange, are you? Who am I kidding, of course you are. We don’t need another healer like you.
Lilith: Hey, I kept you alive.
Horvath: and as low on health as you possibly could. Most of the time I was only a hit or two from death.
Lilith: But alive. Your class got extra bonuses when you had low health, so I just tried to keep them active as much as I could. And no, I’m aware that’s not the usual method, and I’m teaching her a more conventional healing strategy. We’ll save that kind of advanced tactic for later.
Horvath: How about not doing that at all. It’s reduced, but keep in mind that injuries do still hurt here.
Lilith: Whatever, anyway we’re about ready to get back to fighting mobs. See you in a few days.
Horvath: Later.
“What’s so funny?”
Celeste was looking at me, trying to figure out why I had suddenly started grinning.
“Oh, I was just talking with my friend who’s coming here later. He says he just got his class and will be here in a few days, so we should have just enough time to get through the dungeon before I need to meet him.”
“Hmm, that doesn’t explain what’s funny, though.”
“Ah, we got to talking about some stuff that happened in a previous game. Maybe I’ll tell you about it some other time. For now, let’s keep going.”
---
After that, we continued hunting dogs until shortly after noon, when at last all six of us reached level 5. After reaching level 5, it seems experience gain is greatly reduced until we get a real class. So even though we started at different amounts of experience, now we were all at almost the same exact experience level. Since there’s no real benefit to continuing to fight right now, we all decided to head back to town. After talking it over, we rented a meeting room in one of the inns. After getting our classes, we would meet up there to plan for the dungeon run.
As a note, my satiety was down to around 70% at this point, but because Kiera and Aurora were going to the same place I was, I couldn’t exactly sneak off to the slums for a “meal”. Since we didn’t have a set time to meet after we had classes, I figured I would go fill my satiety before rejoining the others. Given we would be in the dungeon for around a day at least, I would need to tell them about my race, and particularly my feeding method. However, I didn’t want to tell them in a place where NPCs can overhear me, so it had to wait until after we got our classes and we were in our private room in the inn.
Kiera, Aurora, and I walked to the western district together. As I recalled from my guide the previous day, the Mage’s Association where we could get our classes was located there. I assumed they could help Aurora since healing was a magic class, and I hadn’t seen any temples or anything that would usually be associated with healers. Celeste and Jayren had gone to the guards training ground where martial classes were taught, and Richter had gone off to the Slums to look for someone to teach him.
As we walked, we also did a bit of window shopping. This district was less crowded than the central shopping area, so we were able to leisurely make our way while examining the merchandise. There was numerous larger stores that carried a variety of wands, staves, and robes as one would expect for a mage. There were also a number of stores in small buildings that specialized in specific types of magical equipment or equipment for specific types of mages. For example, we came across one store that had it’s open doorway covered with a heavy black cloth. The inside of the store was dimly lit with candles, giving the feel of questionable and taboo types of magic for which the merchandise clearly seemed to be intended. There were skulls with strange patterns carved into them, strange ceremonial looking daggers, and voodoo dolls amongst other things. It seems this is the magical analog to the wide variety of weapon types and styles available to martial classes. I couldn’t confirm it, but I suspected the different regions will also have a different variety of magic tools and types available.
Kiera was particularly interested in the various weapons we saw. “Hmm, I think I’ll stick with a wand or staff. I like the traditional mage look, after all.”
“True, there is something to be said for that. I’ll probably end up with a class casting item. Although, first I need to figure out what class I want.”
“Well, since you already have a magic skill, I imagine you’ll get a class related to that.”
“That was my intent, but who knows if that’s even available. I’ll have to see once we reach the Association. How about you Aurora, are you going to stick with a staff or find a more specialized weapon?”
“... I don’t know. I think it will depend on what the item is. I wouldn’t want to carry something like a skull.”
I smiled at that. Most of the conversation was between myself and Kiera, but I figured out a little while ago that Aurora was actually fairly invested in conversations around her, just wasn’t actively taking part in them. So I started asking her opinion from time to time in an effort to draw her out of her shell a bit, and was beginning to see some results. I think this is the first time she’s said more than one sentence in response. It’s not much, but it’s still progress at least.
“Well, I don’t think you’ll need to worry too much about that. I have a hard time picturing any healing class that uses a skull or something like that as a tool. I wonder if there are any magical stethoscopes…”
“Pfft… I highly doubt that, though you never know. I’ve heard that gnomes and dwarves are more technologically focused than most races, so they might have something like that.”
With that idea planted in my imagination, I began plotting to drag my friends north after we picked up Simona to find out. And since, though they weren’t aware of it yet, I did plan to bring Celeste and Aurora along with us, I began imagining finding Aurora a nurses outfit to go with the stethoscope.
As I was slightly distracted, my companions and I finally reached the Mage’s Association. The large lobby we entered was lit by ornate chandeliers that seemed to have magical lights rather than candles. The walls, pillars, and ceiling all seemed to be made of a single, giant piece of marble, with the room carved out of it. A large door stood opposite the entrance, and to one side there was a wooden desk with a few other players in a line, which we joined.
The line moved quickly and before long we reached the desk. There sat an elderly woman wearing an odd pair of glasses with a large crystal ball in front of her. As we approached, she reached out and touched the ball, and spoke to us without looking up.
“Greetings. What can the Mage’s Association help you with?”
Kiera decided to go first and stepped forward.
“We were hoping we could get our classes here.”
“I see. What is your name?”
“I’m Kiera”
“Very good, and what type of magic would you like to specialize in?”
“I would like to focus on lightning magics.”
“I see, very good. Just wait one moment.”
With that, the woman finally looked up from her crystal ball at Kiera. She then turned to one of a number of assistants that were standing nearby. She mumbled something to her, then turned back to Kiera.
“Please follow this apprentice. He will take you to a trainer to teach you an appropriate class.”
The apprentice and Kiera then went deeper into the facility, leaving me and Aurora. I nudged Aurora forward to let her go next.
“Are you also looking to get a class?”
“...yes”
“Alright, what is your name, and what type of magic would you like to specialize in?”
Ah, she picked up on Aurora’s reticence pretty quickly and tried to speed things along. Clearly, this lady had been doing this type of work for a while. Still, she would probably be less intimidating if she looked up from that crystal ball once in awhile.
“...Aurora. I would like to learn healing magic.”
“Okay, just a moment.”
Again going and getting one of her assistants, she came back to Aurora.
“This apprentice will take you to a trainer who specializes in healing magic. She will teach you.”
“... Thank you.”
With her head lowered, Aurora followed the apprentice in silence. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little worried how that would turn out, but there wasn’t much I could do, as I had my own training to look to.
“Alright you’re next. I assume you are here for a class as well?”
The woman at the desk was back in her seat and once more staring at the crystal ball in front of her. She spoke without looking up.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Very well. First off, what is your name?”
“I’m Lilith.”
“And, what type of magic class would you like to learn?”
“Well, I already have the Mind Magic Talent, so something that uses that would be preferable.”
At that, the woman looked up at me for the first time, then her eyes went wide. Something about that expression worried me, and I began to contemplate fleeing and skipping town immediately. Before I could do anything. the woman’s eyes locked on me and I froze in my place. That glare clearly communicated that I was not allowed to leave. As she stood up, she yelled to one of the apprentices behind her.
“Margret, take over the desk for a bit!”
With that, she handed the glasses she had been wearing to another woman, who I assume was Margret.
“You come with me.”
Her words and expression told me this wasn’t a request, and I had missed my chance at escaping. I could try to fight my way out, but this was the Mage’s Association. I was still only level 5, so I had practically no chance of getting away if it came to a fight. Most likely, the elderly woman in front of me wouldn’t even need help to stop me if I tried. I decided to obediently follow and hope I could get away alive. She hadn’t immediately sounded the alarm, so maybe I still had a chance to survive this.
She led me to a smaller office with an elaborately carved wooden desk on one side. As I followed her in, the door behind be swung itself closed. The woman reached out and touched the desk a moment, then turned back to me.
“First, a few warnings. This desk has a spell cast on it that creates a barrier around this room. Without both defeating me and destroying the desk, you will not be able to leave unless I permit it. And destroying the desk will raise an alarm throughout the rest of the association, alerting every staff member we have to the attack.
“That said, if you are cooperative with me, no harm will come to you. In fact, this whole situation may even be beneficial to you. I simply want to ask you a few questions, and I want you to answer them honestly. Do you think you can do that?”
“I get the feeling I don’t have much of a choice. I’m locked in here with you until you are willing to release me, after all.”
The woman smirked at that, then locked her eyes onto me. I did notice she was careful to avoid eye contact.
“Good, you understand quickly. Then first let me introduce myself. I am Elenore, one of the instructors here at the association. Before I begin asking my questions, I have one request. Though I call it a request, it’s really more of a demand. You have my assurance no one will know what happens in this room, so I want you to drop your disguise and show me your true form.”
Well, I guess that removes any possible doubt that I’ve been caught.