The tingling sensation dissipated as ‘Level 2’ and ‘5 Stat Points’ appeared. Matt watched the white text fade up into the treetops. The sky was getting dimmer. Kurtis paced in front of him.

“We got to try our things!” Val exclaimed.

“I guess we did,” said Fallyn softly.

Anika scanned the trees, apprehensively. “I don’t like this place.”

“And we leveled,” offered Kurtis. He started tapping the birds, as if looting, but they didn’t shrivel and smoke. “Hey guys, try looting these?”

Matt approached the closest corpse, feet up, wings spread wide. He touched it and the little black loot window popped up: one CC and one Light Feather. They zoomed away. Matt still had no idea what most of this stuff was for, but assumed more was good, so proceeded to the other two birds.

The next one additionally gave him one White Meat, and then there was something different about the third. The grayed-out text above it read ‘Greater Blue Jay’ and specified Level 2. Matt did a double-take, spinning back to the two other corpses. They just said ‘Blue Jay’ and were Level 1.

No wonder you were so stubborn, Matt thought, bending to loot the last bird. Two CCs, one Light Feather, and one Basic Shirt appeared in the small black window.

“Look what I got!” Val cried, stretching out her hands and turning them over. She now wore silky pale blue fingerless gloves that stretched right up to her elbows.

Matt smelled bacon. The first two birds popped and shriveled while the blood and feathers began to steam from his mace. Anika bent down to loot the Greater Blue Jay and then it hissed to smoke as well.

Matt stared at his weapon, smoking and clean. Well, that’s handy.

He opened his Inventory to check out the Basic Shirt. Its icon made it look like a t-shirt—some sort of graphic tee. The text beside it read, ‘Basic Shirt (Level 2),’ ‘Medium armor: +100 physical resist,’ ‘Bind on equip.’

How is this medium armor?

Matt tried grabbing it like he’d done with his mace. It appeared in his hands and, sure enough, it was a bright blue graphic tee. The design was a white stickperson bird. Its size tag had an ‘M’ for medium. On the back, it said, ‘I fought some blue jays and all I got was this t-shirt.’ Matt raised both eyebrows.

He lifted the t-shirt, trying to put it on over his button-up. He didn’t really want to strip in front of everyone. He figured do this for now and sort it out later—but it wouldn’t work. The t-shirt hit an invisible barrier. As much as Matt pulled and tried different angles, he couldn’t force the damn shirt over his head.

Fallyn smiled. “Want some help?”

She guided his arms down and then peeled the t-shirt from his hands. She held it out in front of her and flipped it front to back. “Funny.” Then handed it back. “Put it back in your inventory, then draw it towards the body part it goes on.”

Matt sheepishly tried her suggestion and he was suddenly wearing the t-shirt instead of his button-up.

Fallyn nodded approval. “The other one’s in your inventory.” Then she kicked up one foot in Matt’s direction. Black boots that reminded Matt of Uggs had replaced the dress shoes on her feet.

“Hey, hey!” Sharkie called, pacing up to the group. “Smells like you guys had some fun. Done your lumber yet?”

“Yep!” Val confirmed.

“We have.” Fallyn gestured between herself and Anika.

Matt and Kurtis looked at each other. “We’re a little behind,” Matt said.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“We’re losing light,” Sharkie cautioned. “How far behind? Think you can finish while we walk?”

“Uh, how do I check?” Matt said.

“Quest Log,” Kurtis whispered. Then, louder he said, “I need five more.”

Matt grimaced at his disappointing ‘Collect lumber: 13/30.’ “I need seventeen more.” He sighed.

“Well, at least you match,” Sharkie said, pointing between Matt and Kurtis.

They faced each other: matching t-shirts.

“Twinsies!” Manuele declared on their behalf. Then he bent down and picked up a large stick. “Here.”

‘Collect lumber: 14/30.’

The group hiked back to the field, helping Matt and Kurtis make short work of their remaining count. Matt focused on the heavier logs, which were too big to carry, while the others ran large sticks to him. Many were damp, clinging to soil and sometimes bugs. It reminded Matt of helping his Mom in the garden as a kid, tipping over rocks and gnomes to find tiny worlds underneath.

‘Collect lumber: 25/30,’ the update floated. The numbers were coming quickly now.

Val made sure that everyone saw her new gloves and was telling Manuele about the fight. “And then,” she dramatized, “two of these giant helmet-birds attacked Anika! It was horrible!”

Manuele gasped, hands at his face.

“I know, right?” she said.

“And that’s how you got the number twos?” Manuele asked.

“Well eventually,” Val said, “but first, we had to fight them all off. They had beady eyes and sharp beaks and claws.” Val mimed claws with both hands. “Then Fallyn had the idea for us all to focus on one at a time. My Shadow Strike arrows, whoosh, whoosh!” Val traced an arrow’s trajectory. “And Anika and Fallyn shot these light beam things.”

“Hey, we helped too,” Kurtis jumped in, swishing his tail. “We got their health down before you got there.”

“We totally saved the boys,” Val corrected.

‘Collect lumber: 30/30.’

“Done,” confirmed Matt. “Thanks for your help.”

“Don’t mention it,” said Val with a smile.

“I meant…” Matt began, then thought better of it. “Never mind.”

Matt guessed it was about twenty minutes later when they arrived back at the short-grass field. A firefly blazed as they entered. Pink-Septimus seemed to be waiting for them, but the crowd and the other Septimuses were gone.

“Welcome travelers,” Septimus began. “Have you completed your quest?”

This again.

Matt knew the drill. He approached Septimus and called out, “I have completed my quest.”

Matt’s surroundings blurred and Septimus spoke, “Great job, traveler! You have collected the wood I requested. I’m not a lumberjack, but I’m okay!” Septimus paused and gave Matt two thumbs up, winking. “This is exactly what we’ll need to build you a shelter for the night. Now, run to the end of the field. I left my wagon with cloth there. Bring back ten bolts of cloth and we’ll get you sorted out.”

The field unblurred and ‘30,600 XP’ appeared and floated away.

Sharkie and Manuele glowed.

Anika had that far-off look so Matt took a moment to spend his Stat Points. He put all five in Health again, deciding to stick with his strategy. He noticed ‘100’ now listed beside ‘Physical Resist.’ The shirt and staff both said ‘100,’ but the value beside ‘Weapon Power’ was only ‘2.’

His accountant-brain was frustrated. The numbers didn’t add up. He sighed and closed the menu. I’ll figure it out later.

“You guys coming?” Sharkie called, walking backward a few steps before turning.

“To the cloth!” Val announced.

“To the cloth,” Matt agreed and followed them.

Five football fields and a few firefly flares later, the grass shot up tall, marking another edge of the field. A rusty red wheelbarrow sat before it, piled high with off-white fabric. Matt joined Sharkie, Kurtis, and Fallyn in front of it. Val and Manuele lagged behind, gabbing.

Matt lifted a piece of cloth. It was heavier than expected, almost like canvas.

‘Collect bolt of cloth: 1/10.’

He lifted another.

‘Collect bolt of cloth: 2/10.’

Matt happily watched the notifications pop and float away. It was so much faster than the lumber. The pile got smaller; the numbers went up. Then Matt froze at 8 of 10. “Sorry guys, I didn’t think. Is there enough for everyone?”

Anika, who’d just joined the group, looked confused. “Pile looks full to me,” she said.

“Neat!” Kurtis exclaimed. “Mine looks empty.”

“No, I definitely have a whole pile of cloth,” Anika said. “Oh, very cool UX.”

This place keeps getting stranger.

Matt looted his final two pieces of cloth and then headed back to turn in the quest. As he got closer, he spied tent-like frames near Septimus. They were big, like the outdoor party tents that could fit three or four round tables.

Matt’s parents had bought a tent that size, during COVID, when indoor gatherings weren’t allowed. He’d helped them set up a couch and coffee table inside. It took up most of their backyard and had squished a few peonies, but Mom was happy she could entertain. Plus, she could tell everyone that ‘her son, The Accountant’ had set it up for her.

Matt pushed aside the pang of worry and focused on the fireflies that swirled around the structure. He walked up and gave one of the verticals a shake. It felt sturdy. There’s no way it could have been set up while he fetched the cloth. Come on Matt, he self-criticized. There’s magic and all these menus, and this is what you’re stuck on?

Matt sighed and looked back out to the field. The mountains had become dark shadows but it was hard to tell how late it was. The moons reflected a lot of light. A group of strangers approached Septimus, then started off down the field. Matt’s group was talking to Septimus too. And then, suddenly, they were gone.