Chapter 1: A Gamers World
"PLEASE ENTERED LOGIN ID AND PASSWORD" was printed on the screen in big red letters with a magnificent background image of a roaring red dragon and three people of different races of the game about to attack it. "Okay, here goes. Kithkanen and notmuchlovin169. There now what next?" Micah Jenson said as he waited for the next screen to pop up for the newest fantasy based RPG or Role Playing Game, aptly named Dragon's Roar.
"PLEASE ENTER PLAYER NAME" came up on the next screen. "Okay finally this ought to be the last step before I can finally play, I hope this game is worth the 50 credits I paid for it and the 19 and a half credits a month I'll be paying." Micah typed in his player name. "Kithkanen. There okay let's load and go already!" Micah said impatiently as the screen went blank. This surprised Micah and then he remembered "Oh! Almost forgot, I need to put on the visor and upper body sensors." As he put on the visor he saw that his visual visor was showing different graphics as he looked down to put his sensors on. "Awesome I'm already in."
"PLEASE CHOOSE YOUR RACE" Micah looked through all the races, including what advantages and disadvantages they each had and decided to go with the Elvin race. Micah looked around and saw someone approaching him. "Must be the first NPC to start my beginner quests." Micah thought as he finished putting the sensors on. "Welcome to Dragon's Roar, I am Gambor Nightswift I will be your tutor in the ways of the game. Your first tasks are to move around, look around, and to equip all your starting equipment, which I will provide once you have completed your first two tasks." Micah quickly started and finished task one and two. "Very good, here are your starting weapon, armor, provisions, and bag. Oh and did I mention that later on you will be able to choose your class once you get to the first town and go to the appropriate class trainer. For now I think it would be best to learn how to attack and defend. Please look around and look for a creature called a Thelazoran Swift Saber."
Micah did and before the NPC could even say "go" Micah, or rather Kithkanen, was off and running with his armor, and weapon equipped. "Yaaaaaahhhh!" Kithkanen quickly came upon the creature and started to attack the creature as hard as he could. The big cat like creature was soon destroyed and Kithkanen walked back to Mr. Nightswift. "Because you did not listen to me completely, for the next hour you will receive half experience." Gambor rebuked. "Whoa that's harsh for a video game, but really interactive! Okay Gambor Then tell me what my next quest is, please." Kithkanen asked as politely as he thought was necessary. "Since you asked so nicely I will half the time of your experience loss." The little square in the top right corner by Kithkanen's mini map, which had a small number under it of 60 changed instantly to 30. "Thank you Mr. Nightswift. Now, my quest please." Gambor Nightswift did only one thing, he pointed in a general direction behind him. "Travel south to a town called High Rock Town, there you will meet with several others like me, they are the class trainers that I told you about before, each is a master in their profession, you will choose among them who will train you in what class you choose. Now please enjoy the rest of your gaming experience in Dragon's Roar!"
Gambor dismissed Kith and he knew that he was now ready to continue on. Thought the half hour of experience halved was rather unfair, how was he to know that the game would react that way. "I guess this game is rather strict when it comes to listening and respect for the lowly NPC, maybe later on if you don't learn this lesson it will really bite you in the arse if you're not careful." Kith laughed as he heard someone running up from behind. Kith turned around quickly and readied his sword, but lowered it as he saw a really cute looking player running up. "Hi there!" Kith called. "Hi, wait... You wouldn't happen to be a guy in real life name Micah Jenson would you?" She asked as she stood there and looked hopefully up at him. "Yeah, but do I know you?" He asked not sure who this person was. "I-I'm someone you know, and I was hoping to catch you on here, I knew you'd use that name, you always talk about the games you play and use that name for your characters. But if you want to know who I am, you'll have to quest with me." She offered, Kith looked up and saw her name read Sonya Braveheart. "I guess I can do that, you've piqued my interest, which isn't fair, because you know who I am, but I don't know you." Sonya giggled at his frustration. "Come on, let's head to High Rock Town together. Any preference on what class you'll choose once we get there?" She asked over her shoulder as she walked on ahead of him, her hands held together behind her back. "Um... I was leaning toward something with a ninjaesque feel to it. What about you?" Kith asked as he caught up. "I know exactly what class I'm going to choose, I'm going to be a cleric. But I really won't be any good without someone like a warrior class or something protecting me, I kind of like those big rough tough guys to protect l'il ol' me."
Sonya made a face with a cute little gesture with her finger on her lip, which was amazing to be able to do in this game. "I-I might think about it." Micah was blushing and no thanks to the sensors on his face which also read body temperature Kith blushed as well, which he tried to hide. "So Let's go on, but I have to tell you now, I have a 30 minute buff on me for half experience, but I have about 22 minutes left now, so you may get ahead of me once we start questing for our trainers." Kith admitted. "Aah you attacked before he was done talking, right?" She said teasingly. "H-how did you know?" Kith blushed again. "I read the book. It says to listen to NPCs especially to Gambor at the beginning. You didn't read the book did you?" She said prettily, inhaling and making her characters ample endowment to expand in an intriguing way.
"N-no I didn't... could you not do that, it does things to me..." Kith wasn't going to say what but he had a feeling she knew what it did and that was why she did it. "Aww, do you like that, I'm sorry maybe I will only do it on occasion, just for you." She teased. "Look, I don't know who you are, but I can see that online you have no inhibitions about your crush on me, so until you think you can do that in real life, then please don't degrade yourself by doing that, you know a little respect for yourself, no offense intended there, just a little mental note to yourself, okay?" He said as he looked away to hide his beet red face.
As Kith and Sonya traveled down the road they soon saw houses alongside the road. "We must be getting close to High Rock Town." Kith commented. "Yeah, I guess so... Hey I'll meet you later I know that the cleric trainer is in the eastern part of town, the bank is in the middle I'll meet you there when you're done with your trainer. Please don't disappoint this young maiden's hopes." Sonya teased. Sonya ran off to the east weaving between NPCs and players alike. "Remember meet you at the bank!" She yelled before she completely disappeared into the crowd. "Yeah!" He yelled back.
"I really wish I knew who she was! Oh well, for now I'd better look around for the other trainers see if there's a rogue or ninja or something like that kind of trainer, though I bought this game because of the supposed ninja class, now where is it?" Kith looked around and saw a town guard NPC. "Hey those guys usual can tell you where trainers and stuff are. Excuse me, but can you tell me where the Ninja Trainer is?" Kith asked. "The ninja trainer is to the west on the outskirts of town, his name is Tenshi Hayato, here I'll mark your mini map to show his location, good luck young adventurer." Kith waved to the guard and ran to the west and soon came to the outskirts and looked on his map for the spot that Tenshi was.
"You looking for me, young adventurer?" Tenshi said quietly from the shadows. "Yes I am, my name is Kithkanen, and I wish to train in the art of Ninjutsu. I wish to train as a ninja." Kith said not flinching at the NPC's entrance. "You're brave, and are you ready to be the scum of the world, to be a silent assassin of the night?" Tenshi asked. "Yes, please train me." "It appears you are willing to die for this profession, seeing as how you've had a poisoned crossbow bolt pointed at your head the whole time, very well, I will train you." Tenshi said coming out of the shadows.
"Though you don't look like a ninja... Yet" Tenshi tossed a ninja gi, a katana, threw at his feet several kunai and shuriken, and a ninja half mask. "Put those on, then I will train you." "Thank you master, but I have one thing to do before I do start, I have someone I have to meet with. I will be right back." Kith was so excited but couldn't let it show. He put on the gi, the half mask, the katana on his back, and the kunai and shuriken in the handy holster that came with the gi and headed for the bank in the middle of town. "Okay, Sonya Braveheart, I'll find out who you are yet."
As Kith finally neared the town center he searched the crowd for anyone that looked like Sonya. "Kith! Over here!" Came a voice from in the crowd, a small body jumped up and down. "How did she know it's me? I'm not the only elf ninja here! Oh wait, the name display." Kith almost forgot about it, the graphics were so realistic that he almost couldn't tell it wasn't real. "Oh hey Sonya, so you really did choose to be a cleric huh?" The lithe figure standing in front of Kith was draped with a white frilly cloth robe embroidered with intricate designs, possibly to amplify her newly acquired healing abilities. "Yup, and I see you chose what you wanted as well, I guess it'll have to do for now!" Sonya giggled as she continued where she left off on her teasing him before. "So what have you learned?" She asked, wondering what he was able to do. "Nothing yet, I came here once he decided to teach me, I told him I'd be right back, I said I'd be here, so now I have to get back and train to get my first few abilities." Kith said turning to leave, something grabbed his arm. "Huh?" Kith looked behind him and saw Sonya attached to him. "What are you doing? Don't you have to go train too?" He asked dislodging her hands from his arm. "Well, I got my abilities, Master Arafen doesn't need a cleric to do quests so I thought I'd watch you while you trained!" She said following him as he went towards his master wordlessly.
Chapter 2: Training Day
"Master Tenshi, I've returned." What met Kith was silence and a kunai held against his back. "You have been killed, the first thing a ninja must learn is his Second Sense ability. That will be your first ability and for good reason. Now try again." Tenshi disappeared, Sonya had been surprised by Master Tenshi's harsh training method. "Okay I'm just going to go sit over there and watch so I'm not in the way. "Alright Sonya, keep well away." Kith was read this time, he'd listen and try to strain his senses too detect Master Tenshi.
Tenshi came many times and each time Kith didn't feel, hear, and see Master Tenshi come at all. "How many times must I do this before I get this skill, Master Tenshi!" Kith yelled, then he noticed a sudden gust of wind run past him to his left and Kith turned instinctively to the wind and readied his weapons, his two kunai, readily in reach in the pouch on his thigh. Metal met metal as Kith stopped Master Tenshi's attack. "This long apparently. I'll admit not one of my quickest students but I guess you have the makings for a ninja. Now you have learned Second Sense ability. Next is an attack ability, two to be precise. Kunai Barrage, and Flash Strike. Each takes the use of a separate weapon, obviously the kunai to have equipped and the katana on your back.
Now, attack me with your kunai as quickly and as fluidly as possible." Master Tenshi gave no notice to his movement but he had moved and stood directly in front of Kith with a kunai in each hand to two vital points. "That is Kunai Barrage. But apparently you weren't ready for the example." Kith stood stark still and noticed on one of the kunai was held just close enough to produce a bead on blood, as well as many more just now appearing. "Lead by example I guess." Kith jumped back and quickly and fluidly ran behind Master Tenshi with the speed of lightning and appeared behind Master Tenshi, who in turn turned around and Kith surprised Master Tenshi by disappearing again behind Master Tenshi and held both kunai at his back, hundreds of blood bead appearing on Master Tenshi. Master Tenshi gasped. "Kithkanen, you have surpassed my expectations of any of my students. Congratulations."
Master Tenshi dropped to one knee with a shocked look on his face, never had a newbie made him drop to one knee. "It appears you are ready for the Flash Strike ability. Equip your katana." Kith did as he was told and instantly regretted not being prepared for what came next. Master Tenshi disappeared and came behind Kith with his own katana and held it to the base of Kith's skull. "This is not the flash strike but I had to regain my honor as a master ninja. Now watch and learn." Master Tenshi snapped one finger and a sand filled dummy fell from a nearby tree. Instantly Tenshi was there and all you could hear was the ring of Master Tenshi's katana being put back in it's sheathe, the dummy soon fell and it's sand spilled out of it. "Now since you have proven you are quick like lightning then I shall teach you another ability that is only for my most adept students. But first you must do as I did." Master Tenshi snapped his finger again and a second dummy fell.
Instantly Kith disappeared and all that could be heard was the ring of Kith's katana being sheathed. The second dummy followed in the same footsteps of the first. "Good, very good. Now you shall learn the fourth ability. Shadow Meld, this ability requires the use of the energy produced in your body called chakra points, there are eight chakra points this ability uses the third chakra point located near your heart. You must focus your chakra into that point and then fuse with the shadows, it helps to focus the energy into your hands like this." Master Tenshi put his hands together, his index and middle fingers pointing up on both hands, his left hand ring and pinky fingers, along with his thumb wrapped around the right hand wrist. And the same fingers on the right hand around the index and middle fingers on the left hand.
Now focus your chakra and fuse like this." Master Tenshi stood with his eyes closed his hands together and standing stock still. Thanks to the Second Sense ability Kith was able to see the flow of energy around Master Tenshi focus where he wanted his chakra to go, and slowly slipped into the shadow of the tree above them. Master Tenshi appeared in a nearby area ahead and to the right of where he had been. "Now you must do as I have done and you will attempt to stand beside me." But before Master Tenshi had finished his sentence Kith was already sinking into the ground. A smile appeared under Master Tenshi's mask, "He will be a force to be reckoned with in this game." Unbenounced to everyone in the game, the trainers were not well made A.I. NPCs, but actual people.
Kith soon came from the ground a couple feet from Master Tenshi. "Good you have learned the Shadow Meld ability. You have learned everything you can from me for now. We shall meet again in the near future." Kith did what he thought was the proper thing to do and bowed to Master Tenshi, who in turn did the same. "Kith that was amazing! I didn't know that Ninjas could be so cool. I take back what I said earlier, the manliest class has to be the Ninja Class. Come on let's start questing!" Sonya breathed in once again, prettily one might add, and again Kith blushed beet red.
"Kithkanen, unlike your cleric friend here, I require quests of my ninjas. Your first quest is to kill a Stealth Stalker, a cat like creature in the nearby woods, you must bring me its pelt, and the pelt must be in pristine condition. Now, GO!" Kith grabbed Sonya, bowed to Master Tenshi and melded with the shadows with Sonya in his arm. A second later Kith let Sonya go, who for some reason was blushing uncontrollably. "Why are you blushing?" Kith asked innocently. "Y-you grabbed me unexpectedly is all." Sonya turned away trying to hide her face. "Well what did you expect? I wasn't going to walk here, that takes too long." Kith noticed a disturbance behind him and instantly ducked, a huge striped paw flew over his head. Kith read the name above the NPC, Stealth Stalker.
"Looks like I have a perfect opportunity to test my skills." Kith decided that, to keep its pelt in pristine condition the Flash Strike ability would be the best option, up under the beast would be best. Kith used Shadow Meld and appeared under the beast a single stroke was all it took to fell the foul beast. "Great now to skin it carefully." Kith pulled out a kunai. "Wait!" Came Sonya's voice quickly. "Wait? For what?" Kith asked, confused. "Master Arafen says that a cleric must pray over any enemy that has fallen in battle." Sonya came up to the now dead Stealth Stalker and knelt beside it and prayed with her hands together. A white light appeared around her and the body. "You sure you don't have any quests?" Kith asked as he watched in awe.
When Sonya was done she got up and walked up to Kith and looked up at him. "Absolutely none, but..." She said as she stepped back. "She did say that I had to pray at least ten times and to go back to her after I was done." Kith smacked his palm to his forehead, known all around to gamers as a facepalm. "That, dear Sonya, is a quest. Are you that new to RPG games?" Kith asked as he began to skin the body of this magnificent beast. "I guess I am, maybe that's why I read the manual, and you didn't." Kith growled a little at the obvious jab. "Come on, I'm done, I'll kill nine more and you can finish your quest." Kith said a little frustrated.