Chapter 17 - The Recovering

Following days passed quickly. I concentrated on recovering from debilitating affliction caused by my extended stay in the capsule. Also, I continued working during those days - I did not want to waste vacation time if I didn’t need to.

I remained crippled, but I was getting better and I was able to write on the keyboard relatively fast…

-’ If ninety year old grandpa is fast… ‘, I sighed and started correcting the mistakes caused by my shaking fingers.

Few minutes later I was done with the tasks for today. I looked at computer’s clock and sighed again - it took me almost five hours instead of usual one.

There was another issue at hand…

Screen blinked and another message from Derrick appeared. I was at a loss on what to say to him and he kept pestering me. I sure as hell wasn’t going to tell him that I got sick from overgaming, it was not something he could understand.

I clicked blinking button on the screen and Derrick’s face appeared on it.

-” Paul! Finally mate! How long need I call you? “, he said in feigned exasperation.

-” Sorry Derrick, I wanted to finish the mail, one explaining why we can’t do something and it’s not our fault… “, I responded quickly with first excuse that came to mind.

-” Captain Bullshit strikes again, ey? “, he gave me a smile and a wink.

I sighed, yet again, I could not understand why do I always have to write letters of explanation to the customers. When my teammates wrote them it only ended with another escalation, but when I wrote them, the customers dropped the issue almost immediately and seemed satisfied…

-” I don’t get why you guys can’t write them yourselves… “, I responded with my usual complaint and kept thinking on what to say to him when he returns to the main topic.

-” That’s impossible. You are the only one that can inform the customer that we haven't fulfilled his request in a way that he is actually happy about that “, Derrick waved his hand in front of him in negation, then continued.

-” Anyway, you haven’t told me about yesterday’s yet. So who was it? Somebody from Netherlands? Germany? “, Derrick inquired insistently and I decided that there’s no use explaining.

-’ Pff, I better go with the flow...or else… ‘, I thought in resignation.

-” I don’t know, some dude that was passing through the bar… “, I said slowly, already preparing to sell him some vague bullshit.

-” Camon! You must have, at least, known who you are drinking with! “, Derrick enthusiastically started digging for answers.

-” I don’t really know… it was some guy from some small country far away… but I don’t really remember... “, I said pretending thoughtfulness.

-” Small country? Then you must remember! Tell me! “, Derrick was never the one that could not bite the bait.

-” We drank a vodka...or three… I don’t really know… but I think he was from Poland “, I said finally.

-” That figures! Though I remember you drank with them before… “, he said in wonder and shook his head.

-” Well, there’s always somebody better Derrick. Anyway is there anything else you wanted? “, I said calmly, I was happy that I managed to deceive him. Derrick was just too much of the gossip guy to tell him anything compromising that did not involve drinking...

-’ Heh, with his weak head he probably have plenty of things to hide himself ‘, I smirked at the thought.

-” What about today then? Lets go to bar and fight poison with poison! I bet you will feel better! “, Derrick said expectantly and I could see through him like through transparent glass.

-” Forget it Derrick, even now you would go blind before you would get close to outdrinking me. Not to mention that I would sooner visit the toilet rather than the floor “, I said and gave him look of pity.

-’ That should get him good ‘.

-” Meh, Understood. Though when you are better we are going drinking! “, Derrick said and disconnected the call, I could see sour expression on his face.

Glad that I was finally free of Derrick’s attention I went on and taken care of other issues that arose in meantime…

First off, I logged in and terminated subscription plans at the three MMO’s which I was playing before picking up ArCiel. I opened mailbox and scanned inquiring emails which asked why I was not present on raids during the weekend. I was feeling a bit bad for not showing up, but since I unwittingly marathoned sixty two hours I didn’t dwell on it.

I wrote several emails to the Guild Masters, Raid Leaders, Battleground Organizers and Arena Teams, apologizing and informing them that I will be awol for undetermined amount of time… due to some life circumstances…

-’ Though I haven’t specified which life I had in mind ‘, I smirked to myself.

Next, I drafted another kind of email. It was different from other ones, since it was meant for my three friends. We could not meet up much anymore, but we still could contact each other online. I wondered if they gotten ArCiel too, it would be nice to meet up in such a game, almost like in the old days.

I pressed the send button.

As I sat and wondered what to do next, I tried to moisten my dried lips. At that moment I noticed that my throat is extremely dry…

-’ ...but I am not thirsty in the least! ‘, I thought quickly and realized that I have not drank anything for last... I didn’t even know how many days that was...

...and I was not thirsty at all.

-’ That is no joking matter! No wonder I had problems speaking ‘, I thought and rushed… or rather wobbled downstairs. In kitchen I quickly gotten some bottled water and drank a bit - I was glad that I remembered that after dehydration drinking large quantities of water could be fatal.

I was wondering what was going on…

-’ Hmm, could it be that my body is still affected by partial stasis? ‘.

-’ It’s possible that my stomach not yet activated, but I do not understand the lack of need for water intake ‘.

-’ Though stasis is supposed to reduce need for water as well as food and other bodily functions - even air… though I am quite sure I am breathing normally ‘.

-’ Lets assume that my body is still in partial stasis, with both water and food intakes reduced… I guess I will actually need to eat something to get back… at least I hope that my conclusions are correct and the dulled senses will return to normal ‘, I analyzed the problem calmly.

I got to the sofa in the living room and gotten out my cell phone. I ordered some food from the restaurant.

Later, the meal arrived and I ate some, while taking small sips of water. I explored my feelings, but still I could not feel any satiety or thirst.

I thought about it a bit more and programmed my cell with some alarms, to know when I need to eat and drink. I hoped that the problem was temporary.

I decided that it was good time for a bit of stability, before I get back in game...

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

Few days were spent in the same manner.

I slept whenever I could. I worked. Ate when the phone rang. Exercised weakly in the evenings, then walked and finally marched ( I was never one to run ).

After five days I finally recovered. I could almost feel my senses as I should, same as the cravings - to eat and to drink.

And after everything was almost as it should, I looked at the calendar and decided to watch out for my health in the future…

-” Damn! I wasted almost a freakin’ week! “, I exclaimed loudly, aggravated by all the time lost during my recovery.

I had gotten back to my PC and sniped some noobs in FPS, an activity which had been put on hold due to my shaking hands. Calmed by that activity I turned off the game and scanned my mailbox.

Between emails, which I received in return for my absence notifications, I saw one sent by Michael. My long time friend was as dull as ever…

“ Greetings,

I hope you are well. I am also playing ArCiel and I am currently traveling on the ship, so let me know where you are - there’s a chance we will meet.

I have become a merchant-priest, so knowing your playstyle, theres high chance that you will have something interesting to sell.

Regards,

Edmund “

I looked at the mention of his profession in surprise.

-’ Merchant-priest? What the heck is it exactly, I wonder ‘.

I shrugged and sent him a reply, with the city name and meeting place. Then I continued scanning other messages. Among them, I found one that was from one acquaintance I did not want to meet, especially with my current avatar...

”  Yo!

I am on the ship with Michael, let me know where to meet.

I have gotten plenty of bounties lately, but I am broke again and Michael is as stingy as ever :P

Cia,

Axel Drach

PS I love that game, you wouldn’t know any nice girls and bars out there?

PS 2 You have some money on hand, as always, right? This time I will totally pay you back! “

Suddenly, I felt shivers and had premonition of doom.

I quickly checked my previous message and looked in horror at the single line of text:

“ CC: [email protected] “

-’ Noooo! ‘, I screamed soundlessly remembering Axel’s antics… and how much money and items he cost me.

-” I can totally just not meet them, right? “, I said to myself doubtfully. Knowing full well that being in the same city as Axel is bad.

I counted meeting Axel as one of the worst things that happened in my life.

Initially it seemed innocent enough, just some really skilled player, with whom we formed a standing party. Then we invited him to the guild and it seemed well. Until he just decided that there’s not enough action… and went to some backwater keep belonging to the biggest guild on the server.

It still eludes me how he had gotten himself ragtag army of nobodys, but he did. We just woken up to find our flag placed on top of that damn keep and to declaration of war from The Immortal Legion. Following weeks were a nightmare - sige after sige after siege…

We have lost three keeps and plenty of resources, though thanks to the Michael, who somehow convinced some major guilds to join the fray, we managed to survive…

-’ I still don’t get why Michael is staying with that guy ‘, I thought fruitlessly.

I was unable to figure out the reason, but the problem remained. Axel kept reappearing like a cockroach in every game Michael was playing. If not for Michael and my friends, I would have ditched long ago and started anew…

-’ Yes! That’s the idea! I will just not meet him and pretend I do not know anything if need be! They do not know my avatar! ‘, I smiled in relief and sent the message to Michael informing him that we will not be able to meet.

I tried to convince myself that, hopefully, Axel would not arrive in the city since the meeting’s cancelled…

I sighed and decided that it is finally time to get back in game. As I entered the capsule, I counted that I had eighteen in game hours today.

Soon the capsule was closed and metal ring moved over my head. Familiar darkness enveloped me…

* * * * *

I opened my eyes and found myself in the lobby.

Starry expanse of darkness reverberated with distant electronic music.

I closed my eyes again and said:

-” System Action: Login, Set timer eighteen hours “.

Darkness descended and with a flash…

* * * * *

...I found myself in the near empty room. Wooden parquet flooring, bearskin and pile of pillows. I looked around and found the pile of books, though I was not able to find the Maids.

I decided to not dwell on the details and just get on with the books. I still had to decide on the type of magic I am going to learn. Message from my friend reminded me that I just lost half a month of in game time and I still couldn’t cast a single spell...

-’ Not that it will change today ‘, I thought and then noticed familiar unfamiliar sensation.

I was having same out of place feelings, that I kept feeling since I gotten back from my extended stay. I realized that I had the same feelings in my own body… just haven’t paid much attention to them.

-’ Hmm, strange. How come I feel out of place both here and outside… Well, it’s probably good that I feel it now, I guess… ‘, I shook my head and started exercising. Soon the feeling of displacement was gone, though I was still quite keen of the differences between this and my original body...

I took deep breath to calm the anxiety I was feeling and took a book. It was surprisingly hard to concentrate and read it, but I managed…

[ Following days ]

My schedule altered to accommodate - I worked and exercised a bit during the day . Then I logged in and read books during the night.

And then I was done with the work and could concentrate on game fully…

=======

Hey~, Author’s Here~

I would like to give special thanks to ‘ mataneloro ‘ whose keen eye and honest feedback helped me improve both my novel and a short story which I wrote for contest ( here’s link if you want to read it : http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=14096 ). Thank you, mataneloro !

Also, Let me know what you think about today’s chapter? Was it too plain?

Also, do you think that Axel should pop up in the story or not?

Anyway next chapter is back in game :)

[ Finally! ]

Cheers,

Mea

NEXT CHAPTER: Chapter 18 - The Adventuring ( Part 1 )

http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=14481