Chapter 26 - The Hungering

I awoke to a silent humming, a metal ring was passing over my head on the way to its resting place. I  breathed a sigh of relief as a myriad of pains and a gnawing hunger ceased to afflict my body. Still, at the same time, I was feeling hollow, empty and somehow...detached.

-’ Is this some sort of side effect? ‘ I wondered idly. -’ I certainly am overusing the capsule and the manual advises against doing that. ‘

-’ Hmm, the capsule has a commercial rating, but the technology is almost out of this world compared to competition - none of them even tried to simulate the touch yet… ‘

I was calm, as always, but somehow I was feeling like I was missing something. My emotions were like serene waters of a calm lake…

-’ I guess I better move, if there’s something from my scope and I am not around I will need to write dastardly long mail with Bs explanation and reasoning on why I haven’t acted upon it. ‘ I sighed and opened the cover. -’ At least no one ever bothers to check the login times… ‘

I tripped and almost fell over when I was leaving the capsule. My long limbs felt awfully awkward after playing. -’ That’s what you get for having almost a feet of difference in height… ‘ I twisted my lips in wry, self deprecating smile.

With uncertain steps I moved around and gotten out my company’s laptop. I started logging in, which took dastardly long, and ordered  a meal from some take away. I was hungry, but nothing compared to what I had to endure in game.

Finally, the last login sequence was completed and I quickly scrolled to the active contacts - I needed to make sure that the manager wasn’t on yet. I was four hours late and there was a chance he would be logged on already.

-” Damn it all. “ I swore. The expanded list of contacts shown manager’s name, along with few other names that seemed vaguely familiar…

-’ ...because they are the names of the people from the other shift. ‘  I slowly closed the laptop’s lid and went about my business.

-’ Ehhh, I guess I should be happy. ‘ I thought. -’ It is monday, and the work isn’t due for quite some time. ‘

-’ That recent routine really did a number on me...  ‘ I went downstairs to take a meal from the delivery guy.

As I ate, I checked my cellphone and scrolled over the messages. There was an event next Sunday, someone else was throwing a party and some friends wanted to meet. Somehow I didn’t feel like going anywhere. I cleared the inbox.

After taking one long, last look on the capsule I went to sleep. -’ I need to make some sort of schedule, if I play too long side effect may kick in again… ‘ I thought, but it didn’t change the fact that I was going to play when I woke up anyway.

* * *

It was monday evening and I was sitting in front of my PC. Before going back to ArCiel I decided to do some research first. I was practically stranded in the wilderness without any means of survival. -’ At least until I get a hold of something that will cover my Murderer’s Mark, then I could try visiting a village. ‘ I thought while checking what edible things I could get my hands on in wilderness.

-’ Hm, almost every site I visit claims that venturing into wilderness is suicidal due to numerous monsters prowling the countryside. Somehow, Forest’s party seemed much too laid back for it to be true… ‘

I looked some more and eventually I ran into a site dedicated to the Kingdom Of Gis. -’ Damn, I should have done this a long time ago. ‘ There was a lot of interesting information there and I quickly forgot about my original purpose. -’ Well, its not like I am going to find anything edible easily and trying to hunt something have better chances of success anyway. ‘

I quickly realized that I greatly underestimated the importance of the temples and clergy.

-’ Blessings and curses for example, each of the faith’s seem to have an array of them and depending on the influence a particular faith has in the region the effects can be grand. ‘

I was surprised that the Murderer’s Mark wasn’t a part of the system, but a blessing from the Church Of Holy Light that was a main faith in the Kingdom of Gis. It’s another blessing was to bring peace to the land by banishing most of the monsters in the vicinity of the temples. -’ And those that remain get slaughtered by the Order Of Holy Light, an armed part of the Church that consists of paladins, inquisitors and other armed professionals. ‘

-’ At least now I know that an average guard can’t pierce past incognito - only an inquisitor or a watcher from the Church may. ‘

I looked anxiously to the black, oblong shape behind me. I dreaded the return, as it was going to be painful, not to mention that dying would be quite severe. I found out that, if I were to die, I would appear on the main plaza of the city and the penalties for getting caught with the Murderer’s Mark were enough to make most of the criminal adventurers reroll.

All of my uncertainties couldn’t outweigh the fact that I just couldn’t stop myself from returning. There was something… that just kept me going back.

* * *

From the unfeeling darkness to the realm of emotions and pain.

I groaned as the swirl of chaotic sensations and feelings descended upon me. I curled into a ball as painful cramp gripped my belly. The pain of hunger was overwhelming, but it soon subsided - probably stopped by some bodily reaction, I remembered that some sort of hormone could do that.

I also remembered that it usually was released in the state of starvation, which often preceded death. Motivated by the grim prospects I rose to my feet, or at least I tried to, as I had to kneel down due to lightheadedness.

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-’ Great, I badly need the food and I can’t travel in this state. ‘ I gritted my teeth in annoyance and concentrated. -’ Calm down, think. There must be some sort of food nearby, just focus and think calmly. ‘  

My thoughts surged frantically, but every idea I had was stupid. I could not eat grass, eating bark wasn’t going to help me either. I had no chance of catching any animal in my pitiful state. The woods were some distance away and I was unsure if I would be able to travel that far.

I remembered excerpt from the *Goblin Survival 101*. -’ Fifty methods on how to cook a man… ‘ I felt tears of humiliation and annoyance on my cheeks. -’ Damn, I can’t eat people! I have some standards... ‘ The thought was revolting and appealing at the same time, it only shown in what kind of a pitiful state I was in. -’ Even though I have brigands in the ravine! ‘

I groaned again and laid on my back. I was out of ideas and it hurt my pride…

I couldn’t just lay there and wait for death meekly, it just didn’t suit my style. I remembered my gaming motto * The player isn’t dead till he’s dead * and rose to my feet again. I clenched my teeth, forcing away lightheadedness and weakness with the sheer force of will.

Each step I took required an utmost effort, but I did not stop. My mind was set.

Taking the endless, torturous steps made me realize something - I had never put a sliver of effort in the things that I have done, everything came to me naturally, or not - I didn’t care, I just always took an easy way forward. But in this game I just couldn’t, didn’t want to let go. I wanted to press forward, climb to the top, whatever the top was.

I was baffled by the realization. I tried to fathom when exactly I started to care, but couldn’t.

Suddenly I fell, tripped due to not paying attention.

With utmost effort I rose to my feet and continued forward, concentrating solely on the task at hand.

Then, at the moment I wanted to take another step forward, I realized that I was standing at the edge of the ravine. I wanted to lay down, almost defeated by the sudden rush of relief caused by the arrival at the destination.

But I couldn’t afford to rest yet, I had to find the food. -’ I am sure that the mage didn’t take their supplies, brigands must have had some food on them, right? ‘ I tried to reassure myself.

With a final sigh, which I exhaled to get rid of the doubts, I started climbing into the ravine. Somehow I managed to avoid slipping on the wet stones and arrived safely at the bottom of the ravine, dead bodies of the brigands only few feet away from me.

The scene was probably quite scary, but I was unaffected, my mind was set on surviving and I was not going to give up. Without hesitation I approached the bodies and started rifling through their pouches and pockets.

My movements became frantic. I thrown around coins, wooden buttons, flintstones, daggers, needles and many other useless things that were not food. Finally the sense of defeat caught up with me and my strengthless body fell into w-sitting position.

My dull gaze traveled over dead bodies and over the assortment of pocket junk thrown around the ravine. I didn’t want to believe that they didn’t have anything on them, apart from weapons and random items of convenience. I closed my fist and hit the nearest body weakly in the chest.

Suddenly, my eyes flew open and tears of helplessness ceased to flow. My mind sharpened as countless theories coursed through my mind, and there was only one answer. -’ They had to have horses or camp nearby. ‘

With renewed determination I lifted myself out of the ravine and started looking for any signs that could point me to where the bodies were transported from. -’ If I find the place where they were killed I should be able to track the tracks of over dozen men. ‘ I thought.

My search was soon rewarded, I found drops of blood spilled near the ravine. With determination I followed the trail of blood, though it led me further than expected. I had to rest few times, but eventually I reached the place where the massacre happened.

At least that was what I imagined happened near a thicket. The blood was spilled over a wide terrain, but there wasn’t much of it. It all matched with the state the corpses were in.

It didn’t take me long to figure out where the brigands came from - the thicket. I walked between trees and almost cursed myself for the thoughtlessness. The chances that there was somebody at the camp were high and, considering the state I was in, I should get there as inconspicuously as possible.

I gave out some silent thanks to the Murderer’s Mark - thanks to it I knew that no one did spot me as it haven’t been glowing.

I tried to move as silently as possible and moved from cover to cover. This continued for quite some time, and I was becoming weaker and weaker. My vision was growing dimmer and dimmer, and I was ready to lose what little hope I had left when my efforts paid off.

The sound of  a breaking twig and a silent curse did let me know that there was someone ahead of me. I was sure that I had reached my destination and only a brigand, or a few, blocked my path to the food.

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Hey~, Author’s here~

I am not sure what had happened but it took me awfully long to write this chapter, especially since I had no problems writing some other story >.< . I hope you liked what I wrote, let me know your thoughts since my recent writing problems left me wondering about the quality.

Cheers,

Mea

NEXT CHAPTER: Chapter 27 - The Struggling

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