She appeared in a chair on the other side of the room. Her black dress was in perfect condition, but Val had bags under her eyes, and her hair was simply styled. “I spent the entire night looking for a scripted quest that would reward us with a channel crystal and found a total of zero. We must explore other options.”
"Okay, then I guess my first question is what sort of people would have access to a channel crystal?"
“Magic users, obviously.”
"So, where can we find the largest concentration of magic users?"
“Not in Vedra,” Val said. “Although the Vedran culture is largely based on religion, they consider magic to be unnatural. Unless, of course, a Kurskin is wielding it. Then it’s a holy act! Fools. I have no doubt a channel crystal exists within Vedra's borders, but I suspect it would be much easier for us to locate one in Altura.”
"Altura is hundreds of miles from here," I said. "It will take us over a month to travel there."
“If you walk, yes.”
"Val…" I prompted.
“There are alternatives to walking.”
"Such as?"
“Portals,” Val said.
"Portals exist?” I asked, surprised.
“Of course they do, Ethan. This is a fantasy world.”
"Why are you just now telling me this?" I demanded.
“Because we have had no need for one until now.”
I shook my head. "How do they work?"
“Portals are located in a few major cities. They exist primarily for diplomatic purposes among the players. The nearest portal to us would be in Nessa. We could make the trip in two weeks.”
"And we’ll be able to use it once we get there?”
“There's likely a quest associated with it,” Val said.
"What's the quest?"
“Ugh, please don't make me search through those endless quest files right now. I'll look into it eventually.”
"Wow, are you that sapped of energy?" I asked her, genuinely concerned.
“I will be fine. Some tasks may take me a little more time to accomplish, but that's mostly it. Once you juice me up, I will be brilliant, and I’ll have significantly more control over the local quantized field.”
I didn’t really know what that meant and was feeling too lazy to ask. I rolled my feet off the bed and stood up, stretching. "I like this new 'working-together' dynamic we have going on."
“I have learned that communication is important when it comes to dealing with humans,' Val said. “Now, clean yourself and inform the others that you have a real plan and won't be spending the next year living in some small town or wandering mindlessly.”
***
After cleaning up, I headed downstairs. Val followed in her avatar form. The only others present downstairs at this time were the innkeeper and a single glum-looking patron sitting alone in the corner of the room.
I found the innkeeper and inquired if he had seen any of my friends around, to which he replied in the affirmative. He informed me that they had recently finished breakfast and left through the front door. Where they went after that, he could not say.
I said my thanks and chased after them, curious about what they might be getting up to.
There was no sign of them outside the inn, but it wasn’t likely they had run too far away, so I took my time looking for them as I admired this strange, unnamed village. There were only three other buildings besides the inn, so calling it a village was a stretch. I hadn’t even noticed the other buildings yesterday – my tired eyes had been set on the inn and the promised comfort that awaited me inside.
The inn was built from timber in an A-frame style. The other buildings were smaller and made of assorted stone bricks with wood thatch roofs. They appeared to have been here a while, as moss was creeping up the stone.
"Val, are any of these buildings worth investigating? Any vendors or quest-givers?" I asked my question aloud, as had become my habit when Val was in her avatar form. She’d been using her avatar more and more lately, and couldn’t help but find her regular presence odd, as she typically only appeared when she wanted something from me. When she did appear, she usually didn’t stick around for too long, but that was no longer the case.
Val pointed to the building nearest to us. 'Tinker Tabby's.'
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My eyes lit up. A tinker was always worth visiting. Perhaps I could convince this Tinker Tabby to sew some extra sheaths into my jerkin for my daggers, and I was in desperate need of a real sheath for my sword as well. I needed to maximize my gameplay, and the system should recognize those extra sheaths as additional weapon slots. Once those changes were made, I would theoretically have more weapons at my immediate disposal.
"Let's go check it out," I said with a grin.
The door was made of heavy cedar, and I was unsure whether I should knock or walk in. I chose to be brave and opened the door without knocking. A little bell rang as I walked in.
The interior was meticulously organized, with four extended shelves stocked with a wide variety of tools, trinkets, and fabrics. It was impressive for such a rural area, and I became twice as interested in what Tabby could do to help me improve my gear.
"Did I hear the bell?" A female voice shouted from the backroom.
"Only faintly, I presume," I said, loudly enough for her to hear.
The backroom door opened, and a woman walked out wearing steampunk-style goggles and a breathing mask. "My apologies,” she began, her words muffled by her mask. “I was in the middle of something and wasn't sure if I was hearing things." She took off her gloves and rested them on the counter between us.
"No need to apologize," I said. "I'm sorry for interrupting a lady at her work."
Val crossed her arms. “Flirting. Really?”
That's not flirting, Val! It's called being friendly.
"Well, we've both apologized now," the woman said, removing her strange goggles. Her eyes were brown and clever, and her goggles had left a ring of dirt around them. "I'd say we're even."
Next, she took off her mask and revealed a face that instantly shattered my in-game immersion. I froze in panic at the sight of a familiar face. My mind raced as I tried to compose myself. I knew this girl - not from my memories of Erda but from my life on Earth.
Her name was Candace. We attended the same college and shared a few classes because we were pursuing similar majors. We weren't close by any means, but we had been friendly, even grabbing lunch together after class a few times. We had some of the same friends and went to a few of the same parties. I had almost asked her out at one point but could never work up the nerve. After college, we lost touch, as was the case with most understated friendships like ours. I hadn't thought of her in years.
But here she was, looking at me with a curious expression on her dirty, familiar face.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Oh, uh, I'm good,” I stammered. “Sorry, yeah. Umm, I just thought I recognized you, but I realized I was wrong."
She gave me a crooked grin. "Who did you think I was?"
I wanted to turn around and run out of the building, but I held my ground. The thought occurred to me to say her real name. Would she react to it? Could it confuse her? Hurt her? No, it wasn't worth it just to satisfy my curiosity.
"A cousin of mine, Beatrix," I said.
"I'm afraid I'm no Beatrix," she stuck out her hand. "I'm Tabby. Tabby the Tinker."
I reached out and shook her hand.
And then I inspected her.
Tabbatha Rose
Race: Human
Age: 32
Gender: Female
Status: Healthy
Magical Affinity: None
Notes: Tabbatha was born with a unique, and some might even say, brilliant mind. Sadly, her potential was stunted by tragedy. Her parents were travelling performers, but when Tabbatha was only six years old, her troupe was attacked by bandits. The bandits killed everyone except for little Tabby, who they left to wander the road alone. After days of walking in delirium, a travelling tinker found her. He nursed her back to sanity and adopted her into his family. They worked together for years, until he died of a heart attack, leaving her all his property and possessions, which included his wagon, horses, and a humble shop next to a lonely roadside inn.
My hatred for the Triarchy grew just a little bit more after reading her backstory. Why did her life here have to be filled with such loss? How many joyful memories of her real family did the Master Control wipe away to replace with false memories of loss and sadness?
She raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're okay, 'cause you look like you're about to cry."
I wiped at my eyes. "No, uh, must be something in the air. My eyes are just a little sensitive, that's all."
She smiled, but her expression remained suspicious. "You have my name. What’s yours?”
"I'm John. It's nice to meet you."
"Anything I can do to help you, John?"
"Yes," I said, my composure returning now that we were talking business. I pulled my jerkin out of my inventory, and it materialized on the desk between us. I also pulled out the leather strips and pieces that I had stolen from the Hunters' armory. Not-Candace-Now-Tabby didn't notice anything strange about the items appearing on her counter like magic. "I need to upgrade my armor. I was hoping you could modify it with a few sheaths for throwing daggers. I also want a thigh sheath for an eight-inch dagger, and a real sheath for my sword."
With a thought, the Sword of the Razor Knight appeared at my hip. I pulled it out of the leather loop that kept it secure and rested it on the counter. "Could you make a long sheath for this sword? It's quite sharp, and if I'm to carry it at my side, I'd prefer not to miss a step and cut a chunk out of my leg."
Tabby smiled. "You're in luck, John. Leatherwork is one of my many specialties, but it looks like you have more leather than I'll need."
I smiled back. "Surprise me. I have a long journey ahead of me and need the best gear I can get."
"Oh, a brave adventurer, then? I bet you have some stories." She looked at me quizzically before a slow smile appeared on her face. "Maybe when you come back to pick your gear up, you could share one with me over tea. I don't travel much these days, so my entertainment options are limited."
I grinned, trying not to blush. "I've never been a fan of tea, but if your tea is as good as your proclaimed craftsmanship, then maybe you can change my mind."
Tabby grabbed the leather jerkin and looked it up and down. "Come by tomorrow morning. I should have you all sorted out by then."
"How much is an overhaul like this going to cost me?"
She shrugged. "Give me ten gold and a good story, and you're set."
"Sounds like a deal," I said. "It was nice to meet you, Tabby. I'll see you tomorrow."
I headed toward the exit but turned and waved to her one last time before opening the door. Tabby waved back, a bright smile on her face. The Tabby version of Candace was just as beautiful as she was in the real world, but in a completely different way. Tabby was worldly. She had felt true sorrow, but thanks to the tinker who adopted her, she was fortunate to live a decent life. Still, it was a life vastly different from Candace's. The difference between the two was apparent in how they carried themselves. Tabby knew who she was. She knew that she could handle whatever life threw at her. There was an assertiveness and poise in the way she moved that Candace never had, but the difference was most apparent in Tabby's eyes. They were sharp and clever but suspicious and wary. Candace's eyes had been smart and playful and sweet, but she wasn't that woman any longer. Tabby was a completely different person, shaped by her lived experiences in this world.
I left Tinker Tabby's with thoughts of my wife. Seeing Candace gave me hope that Elena had survived the Creation Event as well. But if she were here, she wouldn't be my Elena anymore. She would be a completely different person, just like Tabby was.
Finding Elena was only the first step. If she were different than the woman I remembered, I would just have to find a way to free her mind. If there were a way I could get her to remember me, I would find it.
Though the world outside is harsh and full of wonders Veyron can’t afford, his small home is filled with laughter, stories, and the magic of a loving family. With his kind mother, hardworking father, and younger sister who believes every crack in the wall hides a fairy, he grows up happy. However, his fragile world shatters when a god throws his family into the Dungeon, a living hell of magic and beasts.
Only he is left. For years, he survives, rotting in the slums, cursing the god who took everything from him and waiting for the day his turn would come.
Thrown into the Dungeon at last, Veyron awakens a near-extinct bloodline, letting him access hidden abilities—like a body capable of wielding multiple cores and mythic beasts. In the Dungeon where each floor is a world of its own, with different species, magic, and relics, he has to find his family and destroy that cruel god. And if anyone stands in his way, he'll bury them without a second thought.
But saving them won’t be easy. If the secrets of his bloodline ever get out, the great clans of the Dungeon won’t settle for just his death…
How far would you sink to save the ones you love?
- ?? Releasing 2x/day for the first month
- ?? Launching with 11 chapters (20k words)