CHAPTER THREE.

Gate travel within the game was equal parts convenience and aggravation. On one hand, you could travel instantly anywhere in the game universe, across oceans to different continents, even to other planets, of which there were tens of thousands. On the other hand, it couldn't be too easy. So most times when you traveled through one gate you had to hoof it the next one, as no single gate went everywhere, you needed to find the one going toward your destination.

I stepped through the gate at the base camp and into a whole other place. The dark ash clouds of the volcano environment changed to perfect white fluffy ones against a pale blue sky. Tall trees and lush greenery momentarily assailed my vision. I had spent too long in the grim volcano zone. This new setting fed my soul.

The small clearing where the travel gate sat was empty of people. In the distance, perched on a tall mesa, were an array of buildings. Zeppelin shaped sky-barges floated to and from there. Fenway Port and the next jump to the quest location.

A wide cobblestone path led in that direction. I started walking with Phlixx at my side, this time without worry. This was a safe zone.

I reviewed my employment details with Ogden Trite. He had sent me via in-game mail a contract of agreement which I had signed and returned. It was boilerplate legal speak. If I got the Legendary item, I would transfer ownership to him directly. A few moments after I signed the agreement and returned it Ogden sent the deposit.

For long moments I sat and stared at my new bank account balance. Several hundred thousand gold pieces now threatened my sanity, and I had the overwhelming urge to pull up the auction house view screen and go on a spending spree. But I resisted. I had a quest to complete. I can shop after. Maybe with a triple market cap to sweeten the deal.

I will send you a mage, Ogden had insisted. One who will come in useful. He's worked for me before and can be counted on in a tough spot.

Sure, I thought. Ogden wanted his own person in the group as a spy and proxy. Fine with me. I didn't know any high level mages anyway, and from what Ogden said this mage was extremely powerful.

Which left me to recruit other players for the remaining two spots in the four-person group. Preferably muscle. We would no doubt need it.

I sent Mudhoof a chat request as I followed the path to a stone bridge which crossed over a chuckling stream. A flock of birds flew over head and the sun shone brightly. Yeah, I stayed too long in volcano-land. No more dark and gloomy for a while.

My request was accepted. A large view screen appeared before me with the massive head of a bull on it. The bull wheezed and grunted as he appeared to by doing something physically strenuous. Hey, Vee! Said Mudhoof.

Hey Muddie, I said.

Mudhoof glanced into the camera for a moment but his focus shifted elsewhere. Been too busy to talk with your old friend, huh?

Kind of, I said. Sorry about that. Got sidetracked on a quest and was sucked in until I finished.

Yeah, I know what you mean, the minotaur said. The view screen was zoomed in too close to his head for me to make out his location or who he fought. I'm a completion geek as well. He grunted again, and this time the severed head of what looked to be a kobold passed over his shoulder to vanish out of view.

You're completing a quest now, I see, I said with a knowing smile. Sometimes it's tough to shake the need to reach the end of a quest, a feeling I was all too familiar with.

Yup, he said. It looked like he was hacking away with his mighty ax at an off-screen horde of kobolds. Thorm is here with me. We're farming for... Well, I forget, but it's fun doing it, anyway. Another severed head spun over his shoulder to ricochet off a tree.

If you guys are busy, I'll look for someone else to group with, I said as a tease. Mudhoof was a minotaur warrior armed with a double bladed uber ax. Thorm, a holy knight, had top notch healing and shielding abilities. A perfect pair to complement myself and the mage.

Why, whatcha got?

A Legendary Quest.

The minotaur stopped hacking and turned to look at me through his view screen. A what?!

Look out! Came a shout from off to his side. It sounded like Thorm. Mudhoof blinked in surprise as if remembering he was in the middle of a battle and resumed slashing again.

I waited in anticipation as he and Thorm cleared their immediate area which didn't take long.

Finished with his grizzly job, Mudhoof looked to me. Okay, we're in, he said.

Surprised, I said, Don't you want the details? We'll split everything equally. But it will be dangerous. Maybe even have to re-roll your character.

Mudhoof shrugged. That doesn't bother me at all. I'll just power-level using auction house loot. Done it before. Besides, I don't do this for the gold, I do it for the glory! It was no secret Mudhoof had wealth in real life. So much so that dying and losing a high level character only meant an investment of cash. He used real money to buy large amounts of in-game gold then 'twinked' his new character with the best gear, upgrading as his level rapidly increased.

Count me in, too shouted Thorm from off camera.

I laughed. Okay, I'll send you the quest location and we'll met there.

A Legendary Quest, Mudhoof said, shaking his head in amazement. You get all the luck, Vee, you know that?

Luck has nothing to do with it, Muddie. I'm all skill! I said and closed the chat screen.

It was a relief to know I had a solid group backing me on what could be the single most important quest of my gaming life. I'd been on many quests with Mudhoof and Thorm and they were both upstanding players. But as for Ogden's mage, named Feign, I had no idea. Looking him up on the gargantuan player search engine came up blank. Not unusual as many people paid a fee to keep their character details hidden. This kept enemies from seeing what their current level was and what their previous quests had been. For the mage I'd learn more about him soon enough.

I sauntered into Fenway Port with a bounce in my step. As I passed other players I wondered how many of them had been on a Legendary Quest, let alone heard of one? It took a lot of self control to keep myself from shouting my good news from the rooftops.

Fenway Port bustled with players and characters transiting to other locations. From here there were dozens of places the sky-barges traveled to, unlike the single location travel gates. Many goods were also transported through the port which made this place a focal point for thieves and criminals. Before entering I placed Phlixx on snoop mode, keeping his eyes peeled for trouble.

As I made my way down the little town's main street and turned off toward the first set of sky-barge docks Phlixx, who perched on my shoulder, whispered in my ear. Got a tail, my sweet.

I frowned. Why would I have a tail? A pickpocket, perhaps? They were quite bold, even in broad daylight. But then I had another thought.

Are you sure? I asked the ferret.

His head nearly snapped off when he did a double take as you passed by. Moved fast to catch up. Pretty obvious, actually. And he's not hard to miss.

Why is that?

He's bright red.

This was a little confusing. What if someone else was interested in the Legendary Quest scroll? Ogden wouldn't be the only one who paid the Locators Guild to inform them of new quests. If they knew I had the scroll, then it wouldn't take much to pin down my location. Although it would take insanely high magic to get my exact placement, someone might hedge their bets and put lookouts at the most likely nearby travel gates and ports.

I shook my head. Was I being paranoid?

I'm going to make a quick turn. Keep watching him, I said. As I passed the open entrance of a cluttered warehouse, I altered my course and went inside.

Quickly, I dashed behind a stack of wine barrels. Then, keeping Phlixx close, I activated my Shadow ability. My body, and Phlixx, shimmered then vanished. As long as I kept to the shadows I was effectively invisible.

A ninja entered the warehouse a moment later. Clothed from head to toe in ninja garb, twin swords sheathed on his back, he hurried by. Everything he wore, from his ninja mask which only showed his eyes, to his ninja shoes were a bright red.

For a second he seemed to glance in my direction looking straight at me. But he moved on as if in a hurry to catch up with someone.

Me.

After a count to ten I dropped my Shadow and stepped out of hiding. I could not be sure the red ninja followed me for the Quest scroll, or I had simply been targeted for pickpocketing. But I didn't believe in coincidences.

I went back out into the street and approached the docks with their waiting sky-barges. This time I kept my eye open for the red ninja. The barge to Benton Fields was at the end with a half dozen players and crew milling about on deck.

Stacks of goods and crates lined the dock, and I slinked my way through them. I concentrated on getting to the sky-barge while Phlixx watched behind us.

Last call for Benton Fields! Bellowed the sky-barge captain. I crouched next to a pile of wooden crates a short distance away.

The captain boarded, and the ramp retracted. The barge lifted up.

Clear? I asked Phlixx.

All clear, my love!

I ran, Phlixx clinging to me. Bolting out from my hiding place I charged right at the ascending barge. When I hit the edge of the dock, I activated my leap ability and jumped. Although I didn't have a lot of skill points in leap, it was enough for me to catch the barge railing with both hands. After pulling myself up and over to stand on the deck, I looked around. The other players gave me indifferent looks, but no one said anything. Just another crazy player risking a re-roll because she couldn't wait for the next sky-barge.

That was fun, I said. But Phlixx gasped and pointed.

There, on the edge of the receding dock, too far to jump from now, stood the red ninja looking in my direction.

Oh, crud, I said. I could have handled that better, Phlixx.

What? Why? Asked Phlixx looking gravely concerned.

Now he knows where we're going, I said, feeling immensely stupid. And we'll have his friends waiting for us at Benton Fields which is a PvP zone.

And if they caught me they'd get the Quest scroll.

CHAPTER FOUR.

I sat on the bow of the sky-barge, feeling forlorn.

Phlixx sensed my despondency and patted my shoulder. Don't be sad, love of my life. It can't be all bad.

Companions weren't the most perceptive of game constructs. I doubted Phlixx even fully understood why I was annoyed with myself. But it gave me someone to talk to.

I'm not sad, I said, watching a carpet of green forest pass below. Grabbing this barge was a short sighted mistake. I should of taken a different one leading somewhere else, like Kratin's Crater or the Far Banks. Then made my way to the Quest site. Would have given whoever is trying to follow me another direction to go.

Can't we do that at Benton Fields? Phlixx asked. The wind made little waves across his fur.

Nope. The Quest site is on the way there. Would take too long to circle back. I shook my head, thinking I was taking this too seriously. My intent was to jump off the sky-barge at its closest point to the Quest site. But once the sky-barge arrived at Benton Fields and I wasn't on it, whoever waited for me there would figure things out.

Still, maybe it wasn't so bad. I'd still have significant lead time to finish the Quest before anyone else got a chance. And the moment I officially activated the scroll everyone's gossip feeds will spill the news that a new Legendary Quest was available.

In essence, I had only one chance to complete it because soon there would be legions of players descending on it.

Phlixx tapped the hilt of my sheathed sword. We are arriving at the place. I had Phlixx tuned into the drop-off point so I wouldn't miss it. Letting your mind wander while floating for hours on a sky-barge was a gamer's hazard.

I stood and peered down. The sky-barge was approaching a range of high hills. They would shorten the distance I would have to fall.

Going to have to put you away for a bit, little buddy, I said to Phlixx.

The ferret looked aghast. But why! I don't want to leave you now, oh, dearest one! It would break my heart.

Yeah, but a fall like this will kill you, and your death respawn time is too long. Unsummoning you drops that to a fraction of the time. I offered my little companion a reassuring smile, but it didn't work.

Phlixx started crying, sitting on the railing and wailing into the wind. No! Please! Don't do this!

The hills were now passing by. I didn't have time for this. I'll see you soon, I promise.

Before he could respond I selected my companion icon and Phlixx blinked out of existence. I'd bring him back once I made to the Quest zone.

Gripping the side rigging, I scampered down a rope. Trees swept by underneath at an alarming speed.

No point delaying this. It's now or never, I thought, and released the rope. At the same time I activated my free-fall ability which would slow my drop speed. It wouldn't do much but I had to try to use it.

As I fell the wind whipped at my face and clothes. The ground raced up to meet me.

Whether good luck, or grave misfortune, I hit a tree and snapped branches as I dropped through the foliage. It may have slowed me a little, but it did damage, too.

The moment before impact I selected a health booster icon on my view screen. A message 'Health Increased 400%' appeared before me. Then I hit the ground, hard.

For a few disoriented moments I lay on my back and tried to get my bearings. High above, through the tree canopy, I saw the sky-barge pass from view.

Wow, that's really high up, I thought. The drop had been greater than I anticipated.

I sat up to find myself in a shallow crater that my fall had made. Branches and leaves from above cascaded down around me.

My health indicator now said, 'Health at 3%'.

Sheesh, that was bad. Without the booster I would have been re-rolling my character right now, cursing up a storm. All my gear, including the Quest scroll would have been left here at my point of death for anyone to come along and take.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. I stood and checked myself over, not that I expected anything to be really broken.

Although my health was low, I couldn't use another booster, or even one of the salves in my inventory, for a few more hours. I'd needed some genuine healing magic to fix me up.

I looked about. Trees and greenery everywhere. Pulling up my map I checked the location of the Quest zone, then I set off in that direction. It was still a fair distance away, so I set my avatar to auto-walk and pulled up a game news-feed to pass the time.

Nothing interesting. Just more of the same. Rumors of hacks and cheats. Interviews with high-level players talking about their adventures. Along the bottom was an auction house ticker which displayed the latest high value items and their most current (insane) bids.

One headline did catch my interest. A group of lore-hounds, players who studied and cataloged the games vast and detailed history, stated that some game characters were now discussing the possibility of the Demon King's return to the known realm. This was a trope played out for years. The ultimate goal of the Demon King, like all big bad guys, was to destroy the world and enslave the survivors. Thousands of years ago his minions had spread evil across the land, but only the mighty efforts of a few stalwart heroes drove him back to the Demon Void.

Typical stuff. But now, it seemed the game had decided to reintroduce this big bad guy, instead of keeping him relegated to the history books.