The dull roar of ocean waves and the gentle lapping as it touched the foot of a prone body started to stir the man awake. The light was blinding, the light being too much to bear for his sleep ladled eyes, as he held his hand up to his head, trying to blink the sleep and light out of his eyes, the grains of beach sand sliding off of him sat straight up.
He opened his eyes and choked, his senses overloaded. Before him lay the cosmos, the black vacuum of space littered with the brief flashes of starlight. Snow-like particles drifted down and into the ocean. When the two collided, a dazzling beam of light shot out and for a moment, the water rippled before it calmed once more.
As he gazed at the horizon, instead of the bright sun lighting up the beach, Earth hovered over the sea line. He couldn't tell which Earth it was however, the one that he called home or the one he was currently trapped in.
Pain blossomed in his chest and he suddenly couldn't breathe. He held a hand against his chest and with a ping, he felt something shatter inside. He could only hear the roar of the ocean for a second, the world dimming.
After what felt like an eternity, the pain vanished and he was sitting back on the beach. He looked around and saw no one and with a sigh, got up. He dusted his pants off and stared at the Earth.
"I guess I died," he murmured quietly to himself. He flexed his hands and felt the tendons in his wrist contract. For a second, he flexed his fingers and realized the sharp fingernails he'd grown accustom to have vanished; he reached around and grabbed air. His fingers ruffled through his hair and felt very human ears. He rushed over to the water and leaned down.
His reflection stared back at him, but not the one he had grown accustomed to seeing the past seven months. Two dull blue eyes, one real and the other fake, blinked behind a pair of glasses. A strand of silver hair covered the right eye and his hair would best be described as bed-head.
He ran a hand through his hair and plopped back on his backside. He pulled his knees up close to his chest and sighed. He looked around and hoped that someone would show up to him and tell him the past seven months had been a dream, or some elaborate joke. No one showed up and sadly, he remained alone on the shore.
He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against his pants, listening as the roar of the ocean got louder. His body grew heavy and the water kept getting louder and louder…
Birds chirped as air filled his lungs and blistering light melted his skin. His ears twitched and a plethora of voices overwhelmed him. He leaned up, his vision blurry. He focused on his forehead and his inventory popped up.
He sat on the cathedral slab, the mosaic glass shining bright through the rainbow spectrum. The remains of empty pews dotted the cathedral, several windows themselves broken or in disrepair.
Mother earth had gradually reclaimed her lost land; moss had eaten away at the concrete and mortar. Cracks dotted the cobblestone ground, with small sprouts of weeds thriving.
He groaned and hopped off the slab, stretching his back. His fluffy dark brown tail twitched, brushing against a fine layer of dust. He shuffled towards the massive wooden double doors on stiff legs and stumbled through.
He muttered to himself as blinding sunlight made him grimace and cover his eyes. His nose was overwhelmed with hundreds of smells carried along a gentle chilly breeze.
Fresh food, moss, the morning dew that coated the lands, nearby livestock of the People of the Land… it was hard to comprehend that this was the new world he lived in. Back when this was a game, none of these things would have registered to him. It was nothing but simply polygons and lines of code.
For a second, he stood there and looked up at the sky. Clouds were moving in slowly from the east, heavy rain clouds. The chill breeze rustled through the land, bringing the unease. His eyes panned across the small pavilion outside of the cathedral. A large marble statue, eaten away by time, stood atop a grandiose fountain.
At least a baker's dozen of adventurers camped around the statue and prayed to the angel to send them home. Even after all this time they continued to do so, hoping for some sign that their prayers were heard. Tents were pitched up around the base of the fountain and several cooking fires dotted in between.
The People of the Land frown upon this from their stalls and shops, shaking their heads in disappointment. But because of the significant power differences, they left it alone, and waited on the Royal Guard to fix it.
He sighed and opened his menu, bringing up his friends' menu. It was weird at first to navigate the menus by simply looking at them, but over time, it grew to be a natural thing, such as not having to click the abilities when he wanted to use a spell.
However, before he had a chance to look at any of his friends, a small armor-clad boot collided with his face and sent him sprawling to the ground. As his mind rattled inside his skull, he could hear a very familiar voice, screaming at him.
"HOW MANY TIMES DO AH HAVE TO TELL YA TO CALL US BEFORE YA GO OFF ADVENTURING ALONE!?" A very loud and angry feminine voice hollered at him, with a hint of a southern accent.
The fox on the ground rubbed his cheek and looked up at the fuming girl before him. She was bent at the waist, her face mere inches away from his. Her long dirty blonde hair was tied in a ponytail, which was draped down over her right shoulder, her small bangs covering her forehead. Her hazel brown eyes seemed to be aflame with rage and her nostrils flared angrily.
She was barely up to his chest but covered in a suit of light armor. A small sword hung around a worn leather belt. On her back, she carried a shield that was nearly as tall as she was, made of black obsidian. It was a surprise her petite frame could handle all the weight of metal, but being a Guardian boosts your strength and endurance.
She bent down and grabbed him by his shirt and shook him violently. "MAYBE ONE DAY YA'LL LEARN THAT YA CAN'T GO INTO BATTLE ALONE AND NEED THE REST OF YA- "
She was interrupted by a hand on her shoulder. "Willow, please, he just revived." A small voice said.
The new voice belonged to a lanky man in purple and light blue robes. He carried an elder tree staff with him, with a blue emerald affixed to the top. He had crazy black hair, poufy and curly, with striking blue eyes that were always on the move.
Willow hmphed and pulled both herself and the fox-man up to their respective feet. She pouted and dusted off his shirt. "Next time will ya let us know? How can I protect ya if ya'll run off solo?"
The fox nervously chuckled. "Sorry Willow, I thought I had a lead." She glared at him and he took a step back. "I didn't want to get either of your hopes up… I didn't expect a confrontation."
The lanky man was rummaging through his pouch and produced a small vial, which he passed to the fox. "Here Elias, drink."
The fox didn't even hesitate and chugged the vial, his body felt invigorated. "Thank Danny."
"I'm the healer, is what I do," he said and took back the empty vial.
"So, did you find out where all the People of the Land are disappearing too?" Willow asked, resting a hand on the pommel of her sword.
Elias sighed and looked around. "None, I heard that there was a goblin camp up north, towards the pass, but I couldn't find it."
"Huh, heard that Trigs took that out last week."
"It's still active, I saw a couple of goblin archers patrolling around the area."
"Is that what killed you?" Willow teased with a smirk.
"Heh, cut me some slack." He shook his head and rummaged through his pouch before pulling out a rather crude map. Even though his subclass was a scribe, that only was advantageous if he had the time to use it. He pointed halfway up a stream, in-between two mountain ranges. "I was right there and was able to follow the goblins back towards a cave network. I got lost and a lot of the dead ends were not a good time."
The two stared at the map as he ruffled through several parchments before showing the two a map of an elaborate cave system. It was a sprawling maze, with branching corridors that lead to nowhere, some with a big black "X" in the middle of the room.
He pointed to a room on the bottom right, which had a door that led to nowhere. "I died in this room. There was some booby-trap or some rune that I must've tripped."
The two studied the drawing, trying to absorb as much information as possible. Elias waited, trying to figure out how best to ask for their support. None of them were in a guild, and it was because of Elias that Willow got stuck in this game.
Willow looked up at him with a faint smile. "You want us to tag along and figure out if this is their base, huh?"
"Wait, wait, wait. You can't be serious?" Danny quickly glanced between the two of them. "If that is really their base, do you know how many goblins are in there?"
"Couple hundred, I think."
"Exactly! There's three of us, three! You really think three can take down three hundred?"
Elias sighed. "But they're taking People- "
"They're NPCs! They aren't real Elias!"
Willow thumped Danny in the back of the head with a closed fist. "You've talked to them as much as the rest of us. If they truly were NPCs, their dialogue wouldn't be as unique as it is now. Most NPCs tend to have a line that they repeat." She glared at him coolly. "Can you tell me how many times you've heard them repeat?"
"Well no, but that doesn't- "
"What exactly makes them different then us? Is it our levels? Our abilities? The fact that we're more or less immortal?"
Danny sighed and Elias turned away, staring at the angel statue. It was an argument between many adventurers, a vast majority still see the People of the Land as mere NPCs that they were back when this was a game.
Very few adventurers treated them with respect, in fact, rumors were that the reason why the People were disappearing were they were being sold into some slave market. Some laughed at this while others agreed that it was for the best. Elias and Willow on the other hand were apart of the minority that thought they deserved every right that adventurers had.
Danny on the other hand, didn't agree. While he agreed that they were real people, he still acquainted himself with them being nothing more then pre-programmed AI's that had a strict code to follow. Even after many adventures with said People, nothing had changed his mind.
While Danny and Willow continued to bicker, Elias scanned the crowd. Something was nagging him and the hair on his neck stood up. They were in the middle of South Angel, the biggest adventurer's city on the western coast of North Wen. An ancient magical spell protected the city with a seal from monsters or any wild critters that might wander in.
Fighting, for the most part, was also blocked in the city. If another player tried to attack, a group of royal guards, People of the Land in magical armor, would descend and either stop the fight or finish it quickly.
It must've been midmorning, as the town itself was starting to come alive. The People of the Land had set up a lot of their shops, adventurers had slowly trickled out of the various inns, taverns, or guild halls, and started to gather for the day. The usual shops and stalls were full, such as the weapon and smith shops.
However, he did notice something that made him do a double take. Someone had a small group of what looked like fangirls following him. That wasn't new, some players tended to gather a small gathering. But when he looked at the girl's eyes, they were all… lifeless, void of emotions. The way they walked, it all seemed like they were in a daze.
He focused on them, willing for his menu to appear. All the followers were People of the Land, which was suspicious enough, however when he hovered over the man leading them, his heart skipped a beat.
Leading them was a small man, nearly balding with a sharp widow's peak. He was slightly rotund around the waist and wore a sleek black suit. He was able to blend in the crowd, and in his hand, he carried a simple harp, which he gently played. He seemed to be glowing as well, as his black eyes glowed and his lips were moving.
The worst part though, was his name; Allister Jackson. Elias gulped as he knew the guild that Allister was affiliated to already, having bumped into the bard several times before.
"Elias?" Willow asked, gently placing a hand on his arm.
He could feel sweat drip between his shoulder blades. "I… I think I figured out where the People are disappearing too." He said and pointed at the group.
The blood drained from both of their faces. "Of course," Danny murmured as Willow tensed. She suddenly started to stomp over on an intercept course before either could react. Elias could tell she was terrified as her clenched fists shook slightly. "Wait Willow!" Danny called and tried to catch up to her.
Elias followed right behind and listened as Danny tried to talk Willow out of it. She was having none of it and yelled at the top of her lungs, "HEY ALLISTER!"
The man in question raised an eye and turned towards her, the harp still churning out music. Before anyone could react, Willow smacked it out of his hands. It clattered on the ground and the tension in the area kicked up.
Rage burned from the man as he glared at them, quickly sizing the trio up. "And what do you think you're doing?"
The women he had enthralled snapped out of their haze and were looking around, confusion written on their face, unsure how they had gotten to the edge of town.
"What do you think you're doing?" Willow countered, pointing a finger at his chest.
"None of your business, now if you'll excuse me," he bent down and grabbed his harp, "me and these beautiful ladies have a dinner date planned." He started to play again and turned away.
Willow did something neither of her partners were ready for, she shoved him. The pot-belly man was completely caught off guard and fell to the ground, his harp bouncing away from him. Danny groaned and put his head in his hands as Elias quickly surveyed the land.
The formerly enthralled women were slowly inching away from the rising conflict, and several other adventurers were watching. No other members of The Shell, Allister's guild, was around. But that didn't mean much.
The Shell was a notorious mafia guild, at least back when Elder Tales was a game. A group of one hundred people, with Allister's brother as the Don, they had been doing shady things.
When the Catastrophe happened, they took advantaged. A lot of people, both People of the Land and adventurers, had gone missing. A lot of the PKing happened with The Shell's approval, or involvement somehow. It seemed they quickly amassed a large fortune and items and started to try and take control of the town.
Luckily, the fortune wasn't enough, and they couldn't buy any of the important buildings, like the cathedral or guild hall. However, they would "patrol" the area and were able to get away with what amounted to mugging if someone they didn't like used either services.
"How… dare you…" Allister muttered through gritted teeth as he got up, a halberd appearing in his hand.
Willow's sword was unsheathed and pointed at his chest. "Go."
The gears turned quickly in his head, a bead of sweat on his brow. He was the same level as Danny, 81, but Elias and Willow were just shy of level 91. He was calculating the odds of finishing them before the guard arrived. Elias saw it all and was trying to think of a way to deescalate things when a loud pair of boots clacked their way.
"Gentlemen, and lady," a behemoth of a man said as he approached. He stood almost two meters tall and was rippled with finely honed muscles. The ID that appeared above him named him Jonathan, class Pirate. He wore the classic pirate garb as well, a billowing black coat with black pants, a faded tan shirt, and his pirate hat was missing. His billowing black hair was pulled into a ponytail while a trimmed beard sat on his upper lip. His eyes were bright crimson, burning intensely with confidence and pride.
Around his waist were two cutlasses, his hands resting on the hilt. He grinned widely and thumped towards them. He bent down and picked Allister up like he weighed nothing, dusting him off. "It seems you have an issue with one of my associates here." His voice was deep and guttural as he chuckled.
"We do yes," Willow said, not backing down. "He was enthralling young women against their will."
"So? They're NPCs, who cares?" He bent down closer to her face. "Last I checked, there was no rule or law saying we couldn't do what we please with our cattle."
Willow's eye twitched. "They aren't cattle, they're alive, just like us."
He grimaced and shook his head. "Oh, you're one of those people." He waved his hand dismissively. "I don't have time to argue with you and the other riffraff. I'm on very important business, and my associate here was supposed to bring the entrainment. So, I'll ask just once. Back off now while I'm in a good mood or things might get ugly."
Before Willow could put her foot in her mouth anymore, Danny stepped in. "We apologize sirs, for getting violent. Please, we meant no harm. We were merely wondering what your friend was doing."
Jonathan turned his steely gaze to Danny. "Is not any of your concern, is it?"
"N-no sir, we were just- "
Jonathan laughed again and patted Danny's shoulder, roughly. "Relax kid, I was just teasing you. Maybe you should teach your girl how to behave better."
Elias sighed as Willow exploded. "AH AM NOT HIS WOMAN!"
"Ahh, she's cute and feisty." Jonathan pushed Danny into Elias. "I'd recommend leaving my sight and we'll forget this whole thing happened." Allister walked over and picked up his harp and dusted it off.
"I'm sorry milord," he started but Jonathan waved him off.
"Is alright," he sighed and looked at the sun. "Let's go before we're late for our appointment." Jonathan glared directly at Elias. "You should keep a tighter leash on your companions before they get seriously hurt."
"Maybe if you actually tried, you can make some friends of your own." Elias said, staring back.
Jonathan grew a deadly smile. "I recognize you kid; you've joined us for a raid or two. Back when this was a game. Don't let it go to your head." Jonathan turned and clunked down the street, Allister running to catch up.
The trio stared at their departing forms before Willow whirled and punched Danny. "WHAT WERE YA THINKING? MAYBE YA SHOULD'VE BENT DOWN AN KISSED HIS BOOT!"
"WELL EXCUSE ME FOR SAVING YOUR SKIN! DID YOU SEE HIM?!"
"OF COURSE, AH'M NOT BLIND!"
They continued to bicker for a few more minutes before noticing Elias was silent. He stared unblinkingly down the street. "Elias? It's okay man, they're gone."
"I-I remember where I recognize him now."
"Who?"
"Jonathan… He's the guild leader of The Shell."
Danny quickly whirled on Willow. "SO, YOU JUST HAD TO PICK A FIGHT WITH THE LEADER OF THE MOST DANGEROUS GUILD IN THE TOWN DIDN'T YOU?!"
Even Willow was speechless as Elias continued. "We were on a raid to take back the port of Newpart. The Sahuagins and Ascois had overrun the town and we accepted a quest to take it back." He nervously chuckled. "It was a good fight," he turned to Willow. "You remember it?"
"B-barely, but Ah don't remember him…"
"He was the one that took out the Ascois king, he wasn't that tall before, was smaller and lither. But I remember that voice and those eyes."
The trio sighed. "It isn't even lunch time and I'm already tired," Danny said as the three headed off towards the nearest item stall to get prepared for the journey ahead.