Chapter 17. Accept? Yes/No

Your reputation with River Junction increased. You are now Untrusted by River Junction.

Janica had done something to increase my reputation. Perhaps she had connected with the Mayor and told him the whole story. Regardless, my reputation remained “untrusted.” I didn’t know exactly what that meant, but it wasn’t good. I assumed that I would not be allowed to play music, use the auction house, or learn new crafts from the town people without a better reputation. If IO played like any other fantasy game, it meant that NPCs wouldn’t smile and greet me or offer me help. Combined with Arthur and his guild’s seething hatred of me, it became more and more difficult to imagine my life in River Junction. There were so many times in my life—school, the factory—when I felt unwanted. It set a person on edge. It caused a person to constantly have to look around, worried about what could happen next. I was sick of that life. And I needed to be able to work with the NPCs if I was going to make ends meet every month.

Yet, this was the starter zone. This was the only town, perhaps for miles around, where I could safely farm and level. In most games, a player had to gain enough Strength and Experience in a starter zone before moving to the next zone. For better or worse, I had made a series of decisions which had made my future in the starter zone almost impossible.

There was another path before me. One where people not only wanted my help, they needed it. Henry, Rowan, Cassandra, and Janica each wanted something more from this place than a simple life. They wanted adventure. They wanted answers. The path with them was risky. Henry had said that if we pulled off this quest, we could never return to River Junction. We would most likely get into danger. For me and my situation, I needed to avoid risk. Failure meant returning to work in the real world. That’s what mattered most. And keeping my promise to Sofia. Right now, going with Henry might be my best chance to get paid. If nothing else, I might be able to get to another town with his help and start over.

It was 3 p.m. before I finished my work. I had a series of prompts waiting for me.

You created Low-Quality Light Leather x 5, Medium-Quality Light Leather x 3, High-Quality Light Leather x 1.

Your Leatherworking Expertise increased to 9.

I sat down, exhausted from the work. My stamina had depleted to 3/25. My hands were sore. I had cuts. Dried blood and brains covered my hands. My body smelled like carcass. Yet I felt good. I had finished difficult work, and I had done it for myself. The products I created wouldn’t sit on a factory shelf, only to be packaged and sold by the thousands.

The final skin had gone better than the rest, producing my first High-quality Skin. By that final attempt, I had managed to put all the processes together without making a mistake.

I looked across the room at Jamon, hoping for a smile or perhaps a proud, grandfatherly nod. He slept, head against the wall, body splayed across his chair.

“Warren!” Ellen’s voice carried from the home. “Folks here to see you.”

I stepped into the afternoon light.

Henry, Rowan, and Cassandra looked appalled at my condition. Mouths showed disgust, noses were plugged. Rowan took a small step backward. I looked down to see blood and hair all over my apron.

Janica flew up to me, a huge grin on her face, her eyes excited. “You look like a butcher. I’ve never been so impressed. Did you go on a killing spree without me? What happened?”

“Oh,” I said. “I skinned some rabbits and made leather.”

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The gamers relaxed. Janica sighed. “That’s not nearly as awesome,” she said. “I thought maybe you were so enraged from getting thrown out of town that you hunted down every animal within miles like a true warrior.”

I laughed. “That’s a little bloodthirsty for me. But I did cut some brains out.”

“Barbaric,” Henry said.

“Can you clean yourself up a bit?” Rowan asked. “We need to talk.”

I took my apron off and set it aside. “That better?”

“What about a little dunk in the river?” Rowan suggested. “I’m happy to throw you in.”

“I’ll help,” Cassandra said.

“Blood is hot,” Janica said.

Everyone paused to look at her, their concern shifting from me to the fairy.

“What?” she said in defense. “Not on Warren, obviously. But like a warrior who has just laid waste to a swath of enemies, blood all over her hair and face. Hot.”

Henry blinked.

Cassandra giggled. Rowan rushed to put her hands over her sister’s ears.

Cassandra stepped away from her sister. “Seriously Rowan. I’m sixteen. You think I haven’t heard of much kinkier things than that at this point?”

#x200e “You’re an innocent flower, and I’ll hear none of it,” Rowan said.

“Warren,” Henry said, getting back to business. “We went and saw the Mayor on your behalf. Janica explained the situation and delivered the Elemental Shard, but… it didn’t have much of an effect.”

“I know,” I said. “I saw the prompt. I’m still Untrusted.”

“So what are you gonna do?” Henry asked. “I’m running out of time. Are you still a ‘no’?”

Everyone looked at me, their body language tense.

“Rowan and Cassandra,” I said. “I’m sorry to put you in this situation. You had a real opportunity, and I ruined it. Are you still with Henry? Do you want to do this legendary quest?”

They looked at each other. Rowan spoke first. “Yeah, we’re in. We don’t forgive you.”

“I forgive you,” Cassandra said. “It’s really not a big deal.”

Rowan elbowed her sister, then looked at me. “You can start to make up for it by helping us get some big experience.”

A prompt appeared:

Henry invited you to join a party. Do you accept? Yes/No

I knew this was a bad idea. If I didn’t make enough money, I wouldn’t be able to play IO. Worse, we might lose the pod. I couldn’t do that to Sofia. Not after everything she had done for me. But I was running out of options. Without a community to sell to, people to help me get a business started in River Junction or even accept me, I’d be fighting for every inch, like a lead singer without a band, without any gigs, pleading with people to listen. Then I thought of Arthur. As long as Impervious were in the area, I would be hunted and harassed. For now, I needed to get out of River Junction. And that meant taking a risk.

I looked from person to person. “Okay,” I said. “I’m in. I never want to go back to that town anyway.”

I accepted the party invite. Henry, Cassandra, and Rowan’s health and stamina bars appeared on my interface.

Janica pumped a fist in triumph. “I knew I could convince you to stop being boring. First brains, now adventure. Told you I was the best guide in the game.”

I shot her a look.

“Umm well, we’re going to have to go back,” Henry said. “I have a plan, and the trickiest part happens tomorrow in River Junction. Get ready. I’ll explain on the way.”

“On the way? Where are we going first?” Cassandra asked.

“East,” Henry said. “There’s supposed to be a clamor of harpies in that forest.”