The departure of their team and Janet was simply a couple of waves and they were walking in different directions. This road was safe up to the starting village and about halfway through the forest where the village had mentioned bandits. That was for a later time.
“Can you believe the nerve of that NPC,” said Lorali as she crossed her arms. “It didn’t do anything that it was suppose to do, or what I told it.”
“It’s just some coding, you know they have bugs, so we should report it as a bug and move on,” said Ellik.
Phionex looked out to the right side of the forest. “What if its not a bug, and he just didn’t like being ordered around. People tend to be grumpy when people try demanding they do something and not even use their names.”
“Its an NPC, why should we care about some coding?” Lorali replied.
“Aether online is suppose to be life like, tell me, how tired are you?” Phionex asked.
Lorsli scoffed and up turned her nose.
“We have debuffs for being exhausted,” Ellik answered.
“I have it as well, and Armor Fatigue.” Jones added.
“It’s because we didn’t sleep,” Phionex said, letting them assume he also didn’t get any sleep. No need for them to know the truth of the matter.
“Wait we have to sleep?” Lorali asked.
“You asked that same thing when you had to … huh, use the forest…” Ellik asked. “Why is it even surprising at this point?”
“Its a game!” she yelled. “I shouldn’t have to need to hike my robes up in the middle of the forest!”
“They are making the game mostly for coma patients and those with saver mobile disabilities, why wouldnt they make it as close to real life as they can,” Jones countered.
Phionex admired the forest and the simple change in the types of creatures from across the bridge and not. Those goblins were easily twice as strong as the ones over here. The thought that they had problems with the goblins that ambushed them hit home as he watched a player stab a goblin while the others stayed back. The goblins across the bridge didn’t hang back so you could fight them one at a time, nor did they dematerialize into partials.
Lorali placed a hand over her mouth and another across her stomach. “Why is the other side so different?”
Phionex looked back at the healer. “This is the learning zone. It would be rather brutal to be thrust into that first thing wouldn’t it?”
“But for the bodies to suddenly be there with blood and gore… isnt that harsh too?”
“We never finished the starting quests, so maybe they ease you into it.”
“I want to go to the city.”
“Wouldn’t the city put you farther in the North which is harder monsters?” Jones asked.
“That depends on the game, this whole area should be relatively low as this is the starter zone,” Phionex explained. “That isn’t to say there aren’t some scary monsters here, but everything should be beatable within a few levels.”
The tank made a grumbling noise as they walked closer to Oakglen village. The short wooden walls could be seen and the small fields about with some rats that players were still attacking. Their bodies turning into dust partials that faded into the air. Farmers clapped and cheered their success.
Many of these quests were repeatable because the rats came running out of spawn points from the ground.
“First thing first… sleep,” Lorali said as she stretched her arms up over her head. “Do you want to party later?”
“No, I think I will be finishing out the quests after a nap,” Phionex said as they walked though the gates and the village of a couple dozen houses, a general shop, a church, an inn and a blacksmith stood in a lazy and lop sided oval.
Here they disbanded the party, Phionex and Jones watched Lorali and Ellik walk off. The larger man looked to Phionex as the mage tilted his head and looked up at him.
“I don’t think thats Lorali from the other games,” he said finally. “I played with Lorali on Avian, she never acted that … snobbish, and was quiet soft spoken.”
“I know the real Lorali in real life, and that one isnt her,” Phionex said.
Jones’ expression turned sour. “I joined the party because I thought it was Lorali, she said she was coming to Aether… do you know her name?”
“She wants to stay anonymous for a while,” Phionex replied.
The tank grunted. “Pass on the word that I would be willing to party with her.”
“I will,” Phionex answered as Jones headed into the inn.
Phionex cracked his neck. Of what he had seen, it would be a bad idea to be pidgin-holed into one type of class like a typical MMORPG. He needed to broaden his skills and his spells into something more versatile.
He went to the smith and acquired a simple short sword. It wasn’t the elegant black curved blades that Janet used with deadly force. He would need to ask her about that spell the next time he saw her. For now, this would have to do. He also got a small shield and gave them both a couple of test swings. They felt awkward, and not at all what he pictured for a casting type class.
New equipment acquired he had to test it. He walked towards the back of the village to a knoll where the river curved around. Here was a small cave, and the area of one of the quest objectives the people were ignoring because the creature inside was vicious. Already Phionex saw a man in leathers run away.
It was a solo quest, so people were waiting, but none went forward. A couple were standing near healers getting their wounds patched up.
Phionex opened his settings menu and turned off the combat assistant.
“I should have practiced this before I did this,” he muttered to himself as he went to confront the beast. The ratman was standing guard in front of the cave mouth. Its long tail twitched behind it, and its wounds were recovered, even if they left scars. It was in loose chain and padded leggings. The weapons of choice was a spear and a dagger in its belt. However it also had a bite. So far it was the strongest foe in the beginning area.
“What is that caster doing?” Phionex heard someone say behind him.
“You wish to challenge this Pibble?” the ratman asked.
“I do,” Phionex replied.
The ratman gave no additional warning, he rushed with a thrust of his spear. Phionex barely got his small shield up in time to deflect most of the attack, his hit points dropped by 1 as a result.
Still the teenager wasn’t use to selfmade combat, and was reeling in his own block, that he missed the movement of Pibble, the rat turned and lashed out with his harden tail and knocked Phionex off his feet.
There was chatter behind him as the ratman had never done that before. Phionex rolled out of the way as the spear stabbed down into the ground. The boy was scrambling to think as he got back up to his feet. Unfortunately he didn’t have time to think as he brought the shield up again to block another attack from the ratman. He was pushed back a few inches.
“Is that all you’re going to do is block?” the ratman asked.
Phionex looked at the creature from over his small shield. He threw out his shield arm and Pibble attempted to roll out of the way, but the Heat Blast caught the ratman, and his fur came out singed and smoking. Phionex moved in and swung his short sword at the rat folk. The attack was weak, and Pibble knocked his blade to the side and jabbed him in the stomach with the butt of his spear.
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Phionex watched his hp drop another 5 points.
Pibble didn’t let him gain his footing, and Phionex tumbled back on the ground with the ratman over top him. The redhead gathered his feet under him and kicked pushed the monster up and over him. He scrambled to his feet and held his shield up. Looking he saw Pibble’s spear near him. The upright rat turned towards him and drew his curved claw dagger.
Phionex stabbed the ground with his sword and took the spear in hand. There was a lot of talk around him, but it just all sounded like gibberish. He threw the spear, and like he thought Pibble moved off to the side, and Phionex hit him with another Heat Blast.
Fur still burning Pibble ran towards Phionex, the human grabbed his sword and thrust just as the ratman got in range. The human saw his health tic all the way down, to 1.
Pibble coughed up blood, before his burnt white fur turned a rusty red. The monster not holding up his own weight anymore dropped when Phionex let go and backed away.
The teen lifted his hands in the air and shook his fists. “Yes!” he yelled. The crowd was silent. They were looking on in shocked horror at the body of the creature that was just defeated. Blood creating a small pool around the ratman. The stench of burnt fur and mingled with the matallic tang of the blood into something terrible.
Phionex knew looking at the crowd, that this game wouldn’t be for everyone, and this quest was to demonstrate that. This was the last quest in the beginning area and it was here to show the players what awaited them.
Phionex had seen this when they were ambushed, luckily they had Janet’s help.
And with him now being level 2, he was well on his way to helping her in this terrible world, as much as he could. He would need to meet up with her again. And to that he opened his friend list and it still showed her location as Southern Forest, road.
He used his foot to roll the ratman over and he gripped his sword and pulled it free of the monster’s chest. From the cave two more ratmen stepped out with a stretcher, gathered the body and headed back inside. Soon another rat guard took Pibble’s place.
Phionex walked back towards the crowd, and then past them. He needed to heal his damage. He looked at his arm where the sleeve of his robe was and the gash. He had the pain threshold turned all the way down. He was second guessing that choice, he could see his bone.
“I would have passed out from the pain, but I should turn some on,” he said to himself as he walked to the tavern in the small village.
He sat down at a table and opened his leveling screen. The first thing he did was find a healing spell and took it. He was also going to need more health, she he added two tokens to Constitution, that left him two remaining. His impulse was to add one to each of his magic stats, however that seemed like a bad idea currently. Maybe if he could be more of a dedicated…
He reached up and rubbed the back of his head with his good arm. He needed to be more self reliant so he wouldnt need to have Janet protect him. He wanted to be her partner, not a burden that she would have to look over.
His magic was fine for now. But he also didn’t want to jump the gun and dump them all into strength or more into his health pool. Maybe another spell?
“Jan’s sword summoning spell looked cool… I will have to ask her what its called,” he said to the screen. Now that he had defeated the rat guard, the quest board for the forest surrounding the village was open for him to take quests.
After he healed up he went to Oakglen village hall and looked at the quest board. He looked at the quests for those that choose herbalist, others that choose hunting and skinning as skills. There weren’t any go kill quests. Which made sense, considering the next quest in the chain was, ‘Go to Llarth Nier.’ There was a teleport circle in the local Tavern in the back.
Last he saw Janet was level 2, but she was stronger than he was currently. He didn’t trust himself to travel that forest alone, seeing those goblins, and how much trouble he had with the Ratman. He folded his arms and closed his eyes as he thought about what he was going to do.
Mind made up he turned and headed towards the Tavern and the teleporter.
He had never thought about how teleporters might work in video games or movies, and he had always chalked it up to magic. Well this was just like that. It was a doorway, a double door, that showed a different room on the other side, even if the doorway was free standing in the middle of the room.
Walking through, he stepped out into the room he had seen, where a guard nodded at him and he was let through the door.
It was far more livier here than it was in the village. That was due to all the other people, but there was a line it looked like with a couple of guards acting as clerks at a table.
“What’s going on?” Phionex asked another player standing to the side. He was in the heavy armor and had a shield and mace. That was the go to of players wanting to be tanks. His player tag said Charmingsentinel.
“They are making ID plates so we can skip lines and checks coming into the city, and other cities,” said another person beside him. Wigglegig was that name.
“I think its a shame that a video game is making us get an ID tag,” Charming said looking upset.
“They are not forcing you,” said another in robes and holding a staff.
“If they aren’t forcing you why are you in line?” Phionex inquired with a tilt of his head.
“I suggested we get them,” Hoax answered. “The guard with the information there said it would make the process to enter cities in Nier and ally nations easier.”
“Makes since,” Phionex said. It also likely keeps track of problematic players for the admin.
He waited in line with the others.
“So that last quest in the tutorial is nuts isnt it?” Charming asked.
“Did you finish it?” Phionex countered.
“Hell no, I abandoned it, hoping to get some quests here and go up into the forest and get some grinding in before the normals come in.”
Phionex perked up. “You gave me an awesome idea, thanks.”
“Yeah no worries… what are you, we’re looking for a healer,” replied Charming.
Phionex shrugged, “generalist,” he answered.
The tank leaned over. “I heard Lorali from Avian and Kal’t Wars started playing. I am going to get her on my team.”
“Good luck,” Phionex said. The line moved on quickly and when it was his turn he agreed to the ID, and got the paper work done before he was issued the metal plate.
Leaving the building he stepped out after Charming and his group and was for a moment stunned at the vastness of the city and the people. The level of detail into each building on this scale, and even the cobbled stone road with the bits of water puddles.
He knew the combat areas were going to be highly detailed, but he didn’t realize that the cities would be too. He watched as Charming went to one of the houses and opened the door.
He wasn’t sure if the other should be doing that judging from the scream from inside. There were some crashes and commotion inside. It was a moment later that guards moved passed him. An older man stopping next to him.
“Are you with them?” he asked.
“No?” Phionex asked as Charming and Wigglegig were escorted out by the guards yelling at them for being stupid.
“Its my right you idiot, we’re allowed to look though houses for loot,” Charming yelled. “Its in all the video games, how can you be so block headed.”
Phionex recoiled back at that. “Where might I acquire quests?”
“Quests?” the older guard said and rubbed his chin. “Try the Taverns, and the request board in the town square… or you can head to the guard house for bounties. In fact I need you to come in anyway and give your official statement to the clerk.”
“Not a problem, but really I stepped out and they just walked in,” the teen answered, but followed the guards to make it official.
After that he talked to the bounty officer and got a hand full of wanted posters. He had a feeling a lot of them weren’t within his level. And it didn’t give information as to where they were.
“Thanks,” he said and walked out. His next stop was at the city square and the help board. There were silly ones like muck cleaners, finding lost pets.
He took several that were collection and skill related. He didn’t know which skills Janet had, but he wanted to get a few different ones. There were so few quests he wondered how anyone was going to level up. The NPCs didn’t have quest markers above their heads. Were they just suppose to ask around?
Wouldn’t hurt.
He stowed the flyers and wanted posters in his inventory and headed to the nearest Tavern.
Inside was rather quiet with only a couple of people sitting at the tables, one group were rolling dice and exchanging coins. This Tavern was a ways off the main square, and looking outside there were homes but they didnt have that nice pristine look that the city had when he stepped out from getting his ID plate.
The bar tender was a woman with beefy arms and waist. Her hair was done up into a lopsided bun, and she had a double chin. Her apron was a bit spotty with grease and drink stains. The sleeves of her blouse were rolled up and she wore pants and not a skirt.
He walked up and sat down at the bar. She turned her attention to him.
“And what does someone like you want here?” she asked.
“That’s a bit harsh madam, I was just curious if you know where I can get work?” he asked with a smile.
She leaned on the counter with one arm and scowled at him. “Oh aye, I can get ya work, some of the comusters like the scrawny men folk.”
“Ah… not that type of work,” he diverted.
“Pah, no I aint got nothin for ya,” she said and went back to stacking her wooden mugs.
“Do you-”
“Boy, if ya lookin for some stand-up work, go ta one of them upstandin Taverns along the main roads yeah? Don’t be sticking your nose down here in the slums just because ya can,” the woman interrupted crossing her arms and glaring nastily down at him.
Phionex tilted his head at her and smiled. “I will keep that in mind madam, thank you for your time,” he got up and left the building. And looking around sure enough he had made it to the slums.
Thunder rolled in the distance, well he could always ask around more.
After a nights stay at an Inn with a bath he asked around more at Taverns, and they all turned him down. They didn’t seem to have quests or work. He stood under an awning with his cloak hood up after his seventh inquire for the day, when he saw Janet walk towards Charming, who was messing again with an NPC merchant of wooden wares.
He wasn’t close enough to hear what was going on, but from the angry noises coming from Charming, well, it wasn’t good.
He stayed near Charming, not wanting to go to Janet without more quests or information. He over heard the tank talk to his buddies of how he was going to kill the half-breed. No no information there, he continued to go around to Taverns and this time shops as well to ask about work or quests. He got a lot of buy offers, but no solid quests.
He slumped over a table at a Tavern depressed as he had exhausted all of his options, and all he had was some standard wanted posters and gathering requests. How were the players suppose to find work like this?
A woman sat down a cider near him and leaned over. She was pretty, with tight curly brown hair that fell over her shoulders, and bight green eyes, she had a bit of a red tint to her hair which gave her face many small freckles. She was busty, and showed just enough to be alluring.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Can’t find adventuring work,” he muttered into his arm. His flaming red hair a mess around him. “Tried the Taverns, the Inns, the shops… there is no where else.”
“What about the churches?” she asked. He looked up at her.
“Churches?” he repeated.
“Yeah they are always looking for help against the undead.”