“Well, that was not as hard as I thought it would be.”
I told you it was one of the weakest monsters in the game. Luminous Hares have very little intelligence, but what they lack in brains they make up for in pure speed. Fighting them is the easiest option.
“Not going to ask why I ran?”
Franky, I don’t care. If you want to make a fool of yourself, be my guest. I just hope you quit quickly so I won’t have to babysit you anymore.
Her voice softened, a hint of admiration in her tone.
Still, it was impressive. I didn’t think a Level One player would be capable of outrunning a Luminous Hare for over five-hundred meters.
“Well, growing up in the lower city gave me pretty good stamina.”
The woman grew quiet, and Julian had the distinct feeling the two of them might have more in common than just Thalesium. No one living in the lower city had it easy. You were more likely to run into a gang member than a police officer, and if by some unlucky chance you ended up in the middle of it… well, it was best you started running.
Julian couldn’t decide if the game developers were simply having a laugh, but his “guide” felt strangely lifelike. He hadn’t expected anyone to share his particular brand of troubles, but if she wasn’t an artificial intelligence, Ginger certainly seemed like she’d lived through a rough life.
Tearing himself from his spiraling thoughts, Julian turned back to the task at hand. This game was not the lower city, but it was just as dangerous.
And the stakes were far higher.
In front of him now lay a narrow gravel road. From Ginger’s continued silence, he assumed the woman was either lost in the past, or had no more information to impart until he reached the next checkpoint.
Julian sighed. While he could understand her trauma, or the game mechanics, whichever it was, he needed directions. To that end, he decided to lighten the mood and hope it triggered something. Thalesium was meant to be a distraction from the real world, there was no need to dwell on reality.
Not right now, and not in here.
“So which way to the starter town? I’d like to learn what I’m doing before I get ambushed again.”
Silence stretched between them for a breath before she answered.
Take the right fork. You should reach Keidale in an hour or so.
Julian grumbled under his breath, but did as Ginger instructed. The sooner he reached town and finished the tutorial, the faster he could put his revenge plan in motion.
Not long after the fork in the road, Julian passed a small water mill. The place was run down, the unmoving wheel covered in moss. Trees blurred by as he walked, admiring the tranquil scenery and trilling birdsong. A river curled around a massive boulder and ran beneath an old wooden bridge.
The sight of the bridge sent him reeling, a bout of nausea crawling up his throat. Many of the boards looked half rotten, barely holding together. Julian could swim, but he didn’t relish dropping over ten feet into what was probably frigid water, nor did he want avoid the bridge and swim across. The river Despite the sunlight filtering through the clouds, the chill wind blowing from the north brought with it the crisp bite of fall. Leaves from a towering maple fluttered in the breeze, sending ripples across the still water.
Hugging the railing, his every foot placed with caution, Julian inched over the bridge, finally breathing a sigh of relief when his bare feet met solid ground.
A gust of wind raced through his thin cotton clothes and Julian shivered, a sense of unease washing over him. Suddenly, the hair rose on the back of his neck and he realized what was wrong.
The birds, previously chattering so loudly he could barely hear himself think, had gone quiet. Now that the wind had died down, everything was deathly still. The sun hovered over the horizon, casting long eerie shadows across the ground.
A dark shape moved in the trees, and Julian had the distinct feeling whatever the thing was, it was hunting. Possibly him. He shivered, a chill shooting down his spine.
Was this what it felt like to be prey?
“Hey, Ginger. Any idea what that is?” He whispered, his words barely audible over the racing of his heart. His gaze tracked the shadows movement as it shifted through the trees.
I don’t know, but either way, I suggest you get moving. Anything that large shouldn’t be this close to Keidale, and it most certainly isn’t something you can handle in a fight. More importantly, it will be dark soon.
“What does that matter? I’ll just go back to the mill and hide out till whatever that is goes away. What if it attacks while I’m on the road? I’ve got no cover out here.”
That mill has been abandoned for years, and a few flimsy walls won’t stop that thing from wiping the floor with you. Listen to me. Keidale is less than an hour’s walk if you hurry. There is a barrier protecting the town, strong enough to keep out even the Imperials.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
She chuckled.
Unless, of course, you want to die on your first day?
Julian didn’t bother responding to the taunt, didn’t even try to joke that he could take it on or plan to outrun it. Death was the obvious result in either scenario. A creature that size could sneeze on him right now, and he’d be done for. It wouldn’t even need to try. His eyes drifted back to the hulking shadow, and he swallowed hard, imagining what it might be.
A dragon? A wolf? Something worse?
The only thing he was certain of is that it was not the average beast. Whatever it was, it was very strong.
“What if that thing starts chasing me?”
The words left his mouth in a whisper, a current of fear and adrenaline coursing through him like a streak of lightning. As if mocking him, a rumble of thunder sounded in the distance.
You’re dead either way if it attacks. The best chance you have is to sneak off before it notices you.
“You really expect me to believe that thing hasn’t seen me?”
If it had, you’d already be dead. If you have the energy to complain, start running. Head for the river. The mud will mask your scent and perhaps you can prevent the beast from noticing you long enough to make it to Keidale.
Julian glanced back at the shadow, his eyes widening when the shadow emerged from the trees. A lump formed in his throat as he realized the creature was a wolf the size of a Clydesdale. It stood almost as high as the water wheel back at the mill.
The wolf stalked along the tree line, its nose to the ground. It didn’t seem like it had noticed him yet, but Julian knew it wouldn’t be long.
Not daring to utter a sound, Julian cursed in his head, biting his lower lip to keep from voicing his panic.
“You sure that will put it off my scent?” He hissed, praying he’d spoken quietly enough it hadn’t heard anything.
Do you really want to take the chance and find out?
Clenching his dagger in one hand, he took off for the river, creeping across the rocky ground as quickly as possible without making a sound, before wading into the reeds and smearing mud all over himself with his free hand. He shot occasional glances back where he last saw the wolf, skin crawling with the knowledge he could no longer find the creature.
He looked down at his mud stained clothes, unsure if such a meager attempt would fool a high level beast. Something that large and intimidating had to be intelligent. A little mud probably wasn’t going to fool it.
“You don’t know if this going to work, do you?”
Not really, no.
She huffed.
I’ve never heard of a silver wolf around this area. Yet again, you’re the first to get dropped in the middle of nowhere, so I suppose this shouldn’t surprise me.
Julian glowered at the empty air, clambering up from the bank and heading for the open road. The trees might provide cover, but there was no way in hell he was going to chance walking right into the dang thing.
It is unwise to stay in the open. You stand out like a sore thumb.
“Yeah, well, you’re not the one being chased by a giant wolf. If it’s going to attack, I at least want to see my death coming.”
Are you trying to make it’s job easier? Why bother masking your scent if all you’re going to do is paint a target on your back?! One swipe of its paw and you’ll be mincemeat. Hide in the trees. At least you can use them as a shield.
“I don’t care. If I head for the trees now, with my luck I’ll run right into its wide-open jaws,” he hissed beneath his breath.
“If that happens, I’ll be dead long before I can even think about dodging behind a tree.”
Fine. Just pick up the pace, will you? I would rather face the wolf myself than have to listen to any more of your whining.
The feeling was mutual, but Julian refrained from speaking the thought aloud. Bickering would only tire him out. At this point, he needed every bit of stamina he had. Absolute silence would be of little help now. Right now, he needed to focus on getting to Keidale.
In an attempt to distract himself from the very real possibly he would soon be killed by a dire wolf, Julian started counting his breaths as he ran. After the thirtieth breath, the need to see behind him grew too strong. Rather than risk turning around, he tried to use his dagger as a mirror, but the blade was too narrow to see anything clearly, and daylight was fading fast.
Not much longer and it would be pitch black outside. The sun was half gone, barely over the horizon, and dark clouds blanketed the sky. Another rumble of thunder sounded overhead. The storm was almost on top of him. A hint of starlight peeked from between the dense cloud cover, not enough to illuminate anything, and the moon was nowhere in sight. Once the sun went down, the wolf would be double the threat.
He shuddered, thinking how much worse his current situation would be once he was running blind.
Daring a glance behind him, Julian almost stopped cold.
The wolf sat on a hill not far away, its fur glistening in the remaining light.
Watching him.
Julian spun around and bolted, clenching his dagger with a white knuckled grip. All it would take is a leap or two, and the beast would be on top of him.
“So what do you think that thing is?” he asked quietly, trying not the think of the eyes burning into his back.
If I had to guess, maybe an Imperial Dire Wolf, or a Night Walker. this close to sundown, it wouldn’t surprise me if a few Imperials are roaming about. Usually, the Night Walkers don’t come out until midnight, but with your luck, I really wouldn’t be surprised.
“Night Walker. What is that?”
High level monsters that come out after dark. They’re meant to deter players from traveling at night and increase the games difficulty. Some crazy fools take them on thinking the added danger is worth the boosted experience and loot when you defeat one.
“What kind of gains are we talking?”
Julian could almost feel her admonishment slicing into him, her words so sharp they could cut steel.
At your level, don’t even think about it.
She sighed, and Julian pictured her brow creasing due to the irritation he could hear dripping from her tone. He wondered how long she’d last before passing off the job to someone else. Working with him had to be stressful.
He would have thought so in her position.
Night Walkers are some of the strongest common monsters in the game. Only Imperial beasts can rival their power, and even then, they would be hard pressed in a fight.
Julian filed the information away for later use, thinking he might just join those “crazy fools” one day. A guaranteed method to increase loot? Even if it took months, he would happily take them on.
By the time he counted his two-hundred and seventy-fourth breath, lights flickered in the distance, and Julian urged his aching body into a run again.
The town was in sight.