The next morning we put forward the question to Pook.

“I can,” Pook said, “that’s how I trapped Fono.”

Fono shot him a violent look.

“You trapped me all right,” he said, “but can’t you show some shame in bragging about that?”

Pook quietly turned towards us, ignoring Fono.

“Inside me, I can create quests as I please, however outside I must respect the game world,” he said, “Creating an outside quest is a wee bit trickier.”

“Can you give it a shot right now?” I asked him.

“Okay,” he said. “Provide me the details.”

The quest was to be limited to the palace. I kept my ability to modify quest elements at my wish. The white realm changed into my palace chamber. Fono was rendered unable to move. The chamber was way too small for him. He had to crouch just to be inside, and I feared the walls would crack.

“I think I have a problem here,” Fono said.

“Ah, you are not needed here,” Pook said. “Get back inside me.” He waved his arm and Fono vanished.

A message popped up, this time in my vision.

New quest available!

Meet Nora and Nadir

Rewards: Completion of the quest.

Would you like to accept the quest?

Yes/No?

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

I selected ‘yes’. The test quest was as basic as possible. I went out of my room, seeking Nora and Nadir. I found them downstairs, assigning a new batch of farm guards for the week’s night shift.

“Hi!” I said brightly to the two of them, inviting their confusion, just like the night before.

Congratulations!

The quest has been completed.

Rewards: The quest is complete

“Vicky, are you all right?” Nora asked me in a concerned tone.

“I am fine,” I assured her.

“Um, you have been acting a little weird with us since yesterday,” she said.

I laughed.

“Don’t worry, I am just testing something. Something that might end up helping the Skhites and the Hornies in the long run. How is farm work progressing?”

“We should enter the stinky stage after some time.”

“That’s good progress! You folks can keep an eye on the farm from a distance when it starts smelling.” I added to the guards.

I rushed back to my chamber. The rest of the day we spent testing more small quests outside Pook. Creating quests in the game world was surprisingly simpler.

Pook wasn’t too inclined towards creativity, since so much was already predefined. There was absolutely no requirement for him to convert my palace into a hellish landscape, and Pook's powers did not extend beyond a certain radius.

Finally it was night. We asked Pook to… well to return to Pook. I was left with only the golden gem. I asked Kiara about the second option that she had spoken about last night, and why she had wanted to know if Pook could create quests outside himself and how it would help us.

Kiara grinned. I knew that she was brimming with some big, bright idea.

“Can’t you see?” she said.

“I can absolutely not see,” I told her. “Just spit out what’s in your head.”

“We will create something like a little amusement park near the bridge!” Kiara clapped her hands merrily.

“What?” I said, befuddled. “An amusement park? Where does an amusement park fit into this?”

“An amusement park for players, of course,” Kiara said. “It will be amusing enough, except that it will suck the evilese out of them, just like a casino sucks out money from gamblers!”

“You think if players see us constructing an amusement park near the bridge they won’t attack us?” I said.

“It won’t be an amusement park,” she said, “I said that just to give you a basic idea. In fact it will be far smaller than an amusement park.” Kiara spun around, swinging her arms. “Just imagine… There is a little place near the bridge, and you are a player and every time you are near it the place offers you easy quests with big rewards that you can’t ignore. The only catch is that regardless of your level it is next to impossible for you to win any of the quests.”

“Hmm,” I said, “hmm.”

“Pook has shown he can create quests inside himself and outside himself, “ Kiara said, “but we haven’t asked him if he can create quests that merge inside and outside, have we?”

***