After a tiring workday and the arrival of my purchase of canned goods, I slurped on a mixture of fast food and some leftovers in my fridge. As soon as I finished the food, I went to my capsule, checked the nutrient solvent and replaced one of the empty tubes with a full one. After this I checked the water tank.
Especially if one exceeded a time limit of twelve hours, the capsule would watch the bodily functions and supplement the needed nutrients and water. Death in capsules was rare but nonetheless the companies tried to reduce the critiques in the society by keeping the danger for prolonged gaming as low as possible. Up to one week of gaming was possible without leaving the capsule. The companies advised two days at maximum without breaks. Extreme addicts could last up to two weeks. But this could result in serious damage. Muscles could be compromised and the health of the users could be affected. Thus, it was unavoidable for gamemakers to not consider lowering the risk for the company by offering countless safety measures. The water and nutritional supply being only one of many others.
But enough of my ramblings and thoughts! More important than any information you might get from me, how low the risks of me dying while playing VR games are, the more reclusive I will seem. With this laughably small possibility I still always checked both parameters. I was a scaredy cat. Afraid and concerned about my own skin. Not strong enough to care for others anymore. Too often hurt, used and fed up being used as an emotional dumpster.
At some point I snapped and now I am here: Laying down, closing the lid to embrace my escape of reality. To enjoy a world so much brighter and inviting than the one I lived in. What a bliss!
The current of colours exploded in my eyes, making way for the dimming skies of Falan. But only for the blink of an eye as I materialized in the bed in my room. Replacing the dawn with the surface of a pillow. As real as fabric scraping against my skin, the sensation prompted me to stand up.
I decided to have some fun. It was time for a hunt. A big one at that.
While dressing myself in my battle garments I absentmindedly scrolled through the available maps. Since I was relatively low levelled, I hadn't much of a choice if I wanted to hunt safely.
But since I would earn a huge fortune in a little while, I didn't want to play safe but gamble with my life and acquire some more than just pleasing gains. Giggling by myself, I dumped the spare food in my chest and picked out one of my staffs to add to my damage. Battle mages like me could cast very fast and a huge diversity of spells. If I wanted I could use AOE spells followed by single target ones that would blast a boss into smitherness. But that is if the boss was below level 50.
I had strong offensive capabilities and although I prided myself with not being a true paper mage like the standard profession [Wizard], [Magician] or [Witch], I still couldn't compare to a tankier class. But it was enough to solo maps by myself. I only had to beware of the higher levelled monsters and players.
I hopped down the stairs, slided over the freshly mopped ground, stunning Coven who was just wringing the mop and smiled as a greeting at him.
"Hi Coven!"
"You're back." A small smile spread across his face. Because I wasn't online all day long, for him it was days ago I last came down while for me, less than a day had passed. This was the only downside of Falan, but both of us already learned to get along with the problems our identities as NPC and 'revenant' brought with them.
"Yes, I will be here for a while. But I will go on a hunt and won't be back for a few days." I told him immediately.
"Not before you were fed a decent meal by me!"
No matter how often I told him that I didn't need to eat and my status wouldn't change if I logged off in a safe place, he ignored my rantings and placed a sumptuous meal in front of me.
"Thanks, I guess." I mumbled, which led him to attack my hair. Hairstyles had no deeper meaning other than the charm attribute could be increased. Sometimes it could increase other skills or attributes as well (as I could now confidently tell because of the experience with the drop of the hair dye). Normally, not any NPC could change one's set hairstyle. Often the defense was too high or the status would hinder them. But Coven had a higher level than me and could mess my hair up anytime he wanted. What a scam.
"You're welcome, little Mysty. Rent will be due in a few days. Pay up after you ate." With those words he went to clean the rest of the floors. I never saw more than one stray customer and those would only stay for one or two nights, but this maniac insisted on cleaning once to twice per week.
After I ate the breakfast, I tossed the bronze coins in the piggy bank on the counter which could be used as a self-register if he was busy.
"I'll be off!" I yelled goodbye, waited for his, "Don't get yourself killed!" and then stepped out of the tavern.
My steps carried me straight to the teleportation gate. From there I payed up to go to the map I chose. Monsters between level 35 and 50 were living there and I busied myself with hunting. Drops varying between a few coppers to a few bronze soon flooded my inventory. After I found my rhythm, I lured larger hordes and slaughtered them off. Remaining ones were killed by my fireballs. I barely had taken damage myself. After a few rounds, I took a break, climbed a thick tree (carefully choosing one without squirrels, birds or a hornet's nest), and ate some snacks to replenish my [MP] and [StaP] so I could keep on hunting without facing danger.
After the prolonged break I advanced deeper, eventually attracting stronger monsters. I could still kill them but had to pop one or two [HP potions] to keep my health above 80%.
But I kept going, even encountering an elite and had a hard one on one with the monster. It was level 46 and not an easy catch. And the stingy creature only dropped one silver and a rare dagger. This one maybe could be sold for one or two silver.
All in all I gained two levels (now I am level 44) and about 60 silver. Even excluding the drop items that weren't sold or needed to be [appraised].
It was quite a big hunt and the gains were good. Maybe I should hunt on this map more often. I chuckled to myself, walking straight to the trade center to look if my items were sold. Although I could have looked at it from my interface, I enjoyed going there and looking around instead of just scrolling through panels.
But I got a bad surprise as I wanted to claim my money: "What?" I barely could suppress myself from screaming. "The tower took my items? What for?"
"I am terribly sorry, honored customer, but I am unaware of the reason. But if you have other items you want to put up for sale…"
"No, not right now." I cut her further dialogue rather rudely and ran off, right in the direction of the tower. They owed me money and an explanation. How dare they take my treasures?
I sped through the streets, avoiding [thieves] and [rogues] and finally arriving in front of the tower. At the counter, they led me to a smaller waiting room after I started to cause a fuss because of my item.
Soon, a tall, lanky mage with flowy robes and a very large and showy hat entered the room.
"Are you Mystyval Ru-ná?"
"Yes, I am." I answered, eying the mage in front of me. "Who are you?"
"I am [Magister Mage] Yuma Sato, and handle reported misbehaviour. You reported a few revenants, accusing them of extortion, attempted theft and bribing the guards." The man read out and his thin eyebrows moved as he spoke.
"Yes, and I even handed in a recording. So why exactly did you claim my property at the trade center?"
"You see, the people you accused of those horrible crimes are honored guests of the lord of the city." [Magister Mage] Sato revealed.
My mouth fell wide open. No. No fucking way. Nepotism? Why, just why had it been my damn luck to run into those kinds of players? But wait! Since when would the tower follow the city lord's every word? They were business orientated opportunists, not saints!
"They helped the city lord to get rid of some cultists and even freed his daughter. And they even did good service by returning a missing item from the tower." he told me.
Ah. I'm done. The tower would never support a freelancer battle mage, practically a mercenary compared to the golden and cute sheep that brought them money and could be shorn even more.
"Thus I personally viewed the so-called evidence you delivered. How saddened and shocked I was, after I discovered that it was a malicious set-up made to extort those poor souls who helped our tower out of the goodness of their hearts. So I immediately summoned you. But since you weren't there, we claimed any property we could claim of you and offered it as compensation to redeem you from your horrible crimes. Out of the goodness of their hearts they forgave you. But since we won't tolerate magicians like you, we decided to revoke your discounts as a mage and you will no longer receive a recording device for free. Until there are visible signs you chose to repent (by doing a minimum of 50 missions of the tower) you will receive only the minimum wage a human mercenary receives for every mission you will do for us.
I hope you will follow the forgiving light of repentance those gracious souls cast upon you and better yourself. You may leave, [Low Ranking Battle Mage] Ru-ná."
To say I was mad was an understatement. I was furious. But I was powerless as well. I could only suck it up and leave. Even insults towards the [Magister Mage] Sato wouldn't solve anything. They outdid me.
I thought myself clever and oh so mighty.
But I was nothing. I had no backer and no power to defend myself, my property or my rights. While Falan's beauty equaled the untouched nature on earth, the cruelty and often very dangerous laws of the differing kingdoms and empires placed every player who couldn't defend themselves against a pit. Die by falling or jumping inside yourself.
Either learn flying or to kill those who pit you, or you will jump into your death forever. The only difference to NPCs was that I was immortal here. I could try and try and try again, no matter how often they killed, robbed or shamed me. I could rise up if I gave my best.
But I gave my best already. Countless times. I walked against so many walls.
I felt like I couldn't breathe. My heart was violently thumping in my chest, anger, anguish and self-disgust intertwining deep in my stomach. I felt weak and useless, the emotions tearing every inch of self-worth and respect I built in the last days and months thanks to Coven into tiny shreds.
It wasn't the first time my hopes or my dreams were crushed by a society that didn't want me or didn't need me. But the knowledge that it wouldn't be the last time and the feeling of pointlessness spread through my whole being, consuming me and the last fiber of rationality left in me.
I needed to run! To run from the tightness in my chest and the tears burning in my eyes! Coven!
The way to the tavern was like a mad dream of colours melting into a blur and through the tears and sobs I didn't register anything. Only as tiny hands stopped me and made me fall to the ground, I could finally see again.
Just to wish to be blind again.
Blazing bright against the beautiful dawning, the flames consumed anything close enough. Flames higher than roofs and more colourful than any description could ever fathom to depict. The fire burned itself into my eyes as I sat on the ground, eyes opened in shock and surprise, unable to blink, tears dried by the looming heat of the raging inferno.
Suddenly, my mind seemed to work again, thoughts racing through my head unable to form a logical conclusion but a single word, crystallizing through my clouded, hazy mind: "Coven!"