NOVEL NEXT 2. Welcome to Eyrth
Justin felt something poke him, which he recognized as the shaft of a heavy weapon.
He squeaked and stood up, and when he got a good look at the one doing the poking, he wondered if he should run again.
The man stood tall and proud, his broad shoulders stretching the straps of his armor. His muscular frame was wrapped in a suit of gleaming steel. He wore white robes, with the crest of a fiery phoenix on the breast. His chiseled jaw was set in a determined expression, and his blue eyes regarded Justin with a sharp intensity. Every inch of him exuded a quiet confidence and readiness for battle, as if he were born to be a warrior. He was perhaps in his late thirties or early forties.
He was a man, Justin thought, who had clearly invested in his Power attribute.
At that moment, Justin realized the pain was all over his body. Nothing was broken, but the bruises on his arms and legs were deep, while his skin was covered in scrapes and dirt. His head throbbed, and a sharp pain stabbed his left shoulder.
The man stepped forward. "Here, lad. Try to stay still."
Before Justin could do anything, the man raised a gloved hand, which became wrapped in an aura of golden light. Justin felt the energy spread to him, cold and refreshing, like diving into a cool spring. His wounds, internal and external, were instantly healed. He looked down at his arms, amazed to see they were knitted anew.
For a moment, he was at a loss for words. "What in the...?"
"Bind Wounds. A basic healing spell all Paladins get."
"I see," Justin said. "My stars, that was...magic, was it not?"
The man frowned in confusion. "Yes. You've never seen a healing spell before? Well, I guess that's possible, but not likely."
Justin changed the subject. "Where am I? What is this place?"
The man frowned in confusion. "What do you mean? You don't know where you are?"
Justin realized, without having to be told, that this man didn't think this was a game. An NPC, maybe. Although if he were an NPC, he seemed to be a very aware one.
"What year is it?"
"I don't know what you're on about, lad, but you've clearly got your brains all mixed up from that fall."
"It was goblins."
The man scrutinized him for a moment, then chuckled. "Goblins, eh? Well, not everyone can be a Paladin, I suppose."
"I'm a Socialite."
The man laughed even harder, even wiping a tear of mirth. Justin merely frowned.
"Now that's the funniest thing I've heard in weeks."
"How is it funny?"
"Well, for one, you rarely find those types here in the Wildwood Forest. They're up there in the big cities, looking pretty and being useless." The man looked him up and down. "You've got at least one of those things covered."
Justin looked down at himself. "What do you mean by 'one of those things?'"
The man gestured to Justin's outfit. "That getup of yours. I've seen nothing like it. It's certainly not armor."
Justin looked at his outfit, realizing for the first time how out of place it must seem to this man. He was dressed in an Iron Maiden t-shirt, cargo shorts, and Crocs. Not exactly ideal for adventuring. To his embarrassment, he realized he still had a Cheeto stain on his gut.
"This isn't my usual attire," Justin said defensively, though it most certainly was.
The man raised an eyebrow. "Well, it's not doing you any favors out here. You might as well paint a target on your back."
Justin sighed. How was he going to get out of this mess? All he wanted was to log out of this "game" and get back to his real life.
"How do I log out?"
"Log out? What are you talking about?"
"I mean, this is a game, is it not? Am I on an RP server or something?"
"Listen, son," the man said, taking him aside, "I can tell your head got jumbled in that fall. It has happened to me far too many times to count. Why don't we join up and I can see you safely to Mistwatch? Maybe someone knows you there."
"Mistwatch?"
The man shook his head. "Just five miles up the track here. Where are you from?"
"Oklahoma."
"Ok-la-ho-ma?"
"Yes," Justin said earnestly. "Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain?"
"I have never heard of it. Funny name, that."
This was getting worse and worse. "This...isn't Earth, is it?"
"You mean Eyrth?"
"Yeah. I mean, no! Earth. Pronounced Urth, not Airth."
"You're a strange one, lad. Come on. We've got to get moving."
[Alistair has invited you to join his party. Do you accept?]
Seeing no other way out, Justin accepted the prompt with a mental push.
[You have joined Alistair's party. You are now refreshed by his Divine Aura, granting complete immunity to the Fear effect.]
Justin could only assume this Divine Aura was some sort of passive ability that benefited him as a member of Alistair's party. All he knew was it did little to ease the fearful knot that had formed in his stomach.
There was nothing to do but to get moving.
They were walking down the path for a few seconds when Alistair gasped. "Arion above!"
"What?"
"You're Level 0!"
"Yes. And?"
"You must've just gotten your class, then. What are you doing all the way out here?"
Justin recalled the tornado. He considered telling Alistair about the portal, but he didn't know the guy and it seemed crazy on the surface. "I'm not sure. I just woke up in the forest, got chased by those goblins, and here I am." Before Alistair could ask anything more, he peppered him with his own question. "How can you tell what level I am, anyway?"
"You can inspect anyone in your party. It will give you some basic information about them, such as their name, class, and level."
"Seriously?"
"Yes. I suggest you open your interface. That's the connection between you and the Aether, how you can look over your attributes and abilities. You do know how to do that, right?"
Justin was about to ask how when a simple thought summoned a "screen" before him. It seemed he was the only one who could see it.
To his surprise, he found that, indeed, he could see something akin to character screens he was used to in his games. It listed his name, class, and the six attributes the "Voice" had already introduced to him.
He had ten points in each attribute already. Somehow, he knew this was the default amount, what everyone started with.
On the projection, he saw an avatar of himself, along with his sweat, dirt, and Cheeto-encrusted clothing.
Justin Talemaker
Class: Socialite
Level: 0
Experience to Level 1: 0/1
Attributes:
Power: 10
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Coordination: 10
Endurance: 10
Intellect: 10
Spirit: 10
Charisma: 10
Skills:
Poison Barb
That was all there was to see, at least for now. He closed the screen.
Justin considered the information above. If he was reading things correctly, it took a mere one experience point to get from Level 0 to Level 1. From that fact alone, Alistair had correctly surmised that he had just gained his class.
One thing Alistair didn't realize was that this reality had all the trappings of a fully immersive VRMMO, such as the kind Justin was familiar with from his web novels. But the longer this "game" went on, the more real it was starting to become.
Of course, Justin had always fantasized about this exact scenario as a way to escape his mundane life. But now, all he wanted to do was wake up from this nightmare.
And to top it all off? He was this bloody Socialite instead of literally any other useful and cool class.
They walked for a few minutes before Justin broke the silence, mostly to distract himself.
"So, what do you do, Alistair?"
"I'm a Paladin for the Church of Light," he replied, puffing out his chest.
"A Paladin? So, you fight evil and stuff?"
Alistair nodded. "That's right. I serve the Church of Light and smite any darkness that threatens the innocent."
Justin raised an eyebrow. "That's cool, I guess."
Alistair chuckled. "It's not all glamour and glory, kid. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it."
"So why are you helping me out, then?"
Alistair shrugged. "I'm a Paladin. I help people when I can. It's who we are." Then he gave a devious smile. "And...helping the weak and innocent also gives me experience."
"Seriously?"
When Alistair nodded, Justin's mind raced with thoughts. He could help people, too, and get level-ups, along with new attribute points and skills.
Alistair laughed. "I see what you're thinking, kid. It doesn't quite work that way."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, depending on your class, you get rewarded for doing things related to that class. Paladins, for example, get experience for helping people, hunting the undead, and healing. I'm not sure what it is for Socialites, but you guys probably get experience for...well, socializing. And not just any socializing, but making things go your way with your honeyed words."
"I see," Justin said, considering this. "Well, I suck at social situations. So, I'm screwed."
For a moment, he thought back to the horror show that was high school, along with the sadness that was his brief college experience before he'd dropped out because he couldn't get his Aether Quest addiction under control. He wouldn't have been surprised if he'd spent more of his adult waking hours in it than outside it.
He had always repelled people with his general attitude and appearance. It had made him quite bitter over the years.
Justin had accepted his lot with time. Video games helped a lot, along with eating. No one bothered him, and he bothered nobody. Plus, online, he could be anyone he wished.
But now, he was expected to socialize in a more real sense. And worse, there was no other way for him to advance in this world.
And he only had himself to blame.
"What if I had killed those goblins?" Justin asked. "Would that have given me experience?"
"You only get experience if the action performed harmonizes with your Core Attribute." It was like he was quoting from a textbook.
That sounded familiar. Hadn't the "System" voice talked about that? "What's a Core Attribute, exactly?"
Alistair shook his head. "That fall must have been worse than I thought. Your Core Attribute is what you're born with, One of the Six. Like I said before, you only get experience for doing things related to your class. That's just how it works and there's no way around it."
Justin could only feel mounting horror. "So, I have to talk to people? Then why am I not getting any experience from this conversation?"
"Well, probably because you haven't charmed or manipulated me yet."
"So, if I told you a joke, that would level me up?"
"Maybe. But you should be careful. The gods know when you're trying to fiddle with things, so it might not have the effect you want. There need to be stakes, that's for sure. The bigger the stakes, the more the experience. But why don't you try it and see for yourself? Can't harm anything, and I love a good joke."
Justin thought hard, though nothing truly funny came to mind. He could only think of a joke his chemistry teacher had used as an icebreaker on the first day of tenth grade.
"Why don't scientists trust atoms?"
"Why?" Alistair asked.
"Because they make up everything."
Alistair frowned, clearly not getting the joke.
"Hmm. I've known a few Adams, and most have been upstanding people."
"No, atoms," Justin said. "They're these extremely small...forget it."
Apparently, they didn't know about atoms here, which made sense considering Alistair was using a war hammer and wearing heavy armor.
As the trees broke, opening into a valley surrounded by low hills, Justin spied a small town in the distance. The settlement was surrounded by a wooden palisade, smoke rising from chimneys dotting the rooftops. A Gothic cathedral rose from the town's center, many times higher than any other building. The multihued sunset only added to the idyllic scene.
"That's Mistwatch," Alistair said, pointing to the town. "You'll be safe there."
Justin nodded numbly.
They continued walking toward the town. Justin could see people going about their business: blacksmiths hammering away at metal, farmers tending to their crops, and children playing on the road. Justin watched, somewhat dazed. It was as if he had stepped back into medieval Europe.
As they entered the town itself, the cobbled streets were mostly empty. Most buildings were one or two stories, and a light fog had settled on the streets. Justin realized that was where the town had likely gotten its name. Not that he cared too much at the moment. Acceptance and the accompanying depression were both settling in.
Alistair led Justin toward an inn. A wooden placard swung in the wind, with a small, winged creature. The creature had a cherubic face and rosy cheeks. The placard read, "The Drunken Pixie."
"We'll stay here for the night," Alistair said.
Justin followed Alistair inside, and they were greeted by the warm glow of a fireplace and the sound of merry chatter. A group of travelers was gathered around a table, playing a game of cards. Most of the patrons looked up for a moment to size them up, some of those eyes lingering on Justin. He felt entirely out of place in his ragged clothing and general heft, neither of which was the norm in this society.
Justin kept his eyes forward as he and Alistair approached the innkeeper. She was a beautiful woman who looked to be in her late thirties with fiery red hair that left Justin a little flummoxed. She had a welcoming smile that put him at ease. Her hair was pulled back in a loose bun, with a few loose strands framing her face.
"Two rooms, please," Alistair said, walking up confidently.
"Right away," the innkeeper said. "That'll be ninety coppers. A full silver if you want dinner and breakfast on the morrow."
Alistair reached for his coin purse, handing over a gleaming silver coin.
"Thank you kindly," the innkeeper said, handing over two small keys. "The rooms are upstairs. Three and four."
She looked Justin up and down and smirked a bit. It was easy to understand why, from the dirt and tears in his sweat-crusted shirt. While his cheeks burned with embarrassment, he found he had nothing to say. Being embarrassed by pretty women was nothing new, so he would bear the shame in this world as much as in the last one.
As they made their way up the stairs, the events of the day hit him in full force. He felt a despair such as he had never known. Why was he here? Was any of this even real?
And if it was, how in the world did he survive?
Survival. Was that really the game here? Maybe if he died, he would wake up back home in Oklahoma.
Then again, maybe he was already dead from that tornado, and this was some sort of afterlife or weird quantum purgatory. It could be the universe's way of punishing him for playing games constantly instead of taking accountability for his life.
Even if that was the case, this new reality might be his only chance to live. Did he really want to throw that away?
Or maybe, just maybe, if there was a portal to this world, didn't it stand to reason that there might be a portal back?
"Are you all right, lad?"
Somehow, they had ended up in the hallway on the second floor. Alistair was looking at him with concern.
"Just tired, I guess."
"Get some rest. That's all you really need." He sniffed. "And order a bath." He reached into his coin purse and pulled out ten pieces of copper. "That should cover it."
"Do I just order it at the front?" Justin asked, not wanting to face the red-haired beauty again.
Alistair smiled, seeming to guess his hesitation. "While you're down there, maybe you can try to negotiate a lower price. Or make her smile. It looks like she's having a rough day. That might get you to Level 1. Wouldn't that be a positive spin on a bad situation?"
Before Justin could answer, Alistair left him with that as he went to his own room.
Justin looked at the coppers in his hand doubtfully and went down to the common room. Before he could second-guess himself, he headed toward the beautiful innkeeper, who was looking into what appeared to be a ledger.
Justin stood there a moment before clearing his throat awkwardly. "Excuse me."
She didn't seem to hear him.
"Ahem. Excuse me!"
His tone came out harsher than he had intended, and there was a moment of affront on her face before she replaced it with a professional mask.
Yes, this was going swimmingly.
"How might I help you, sir?"
"I was wondering if I could order a bath."
"You may," she said, not maintaining eye contact. "Twenty coppers for a man of your...size."
A few men sitting at a nearby table had a laugh at that.
Justin's cheeks colored, and he almost wanted to shout his protest, but he remembered what Alistair had said.
Negotiate.
He put on his best smile, which felt extremely fake. "Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?"
"Thirty coppers."
"And irksome?"
From her stony expression, she wasn't going to budge.
"Never mind. I'll go find a river or something."
He turned to leave.
"Eighteen coppers," she said. "Best offer."
"I know it's not worth more than ten. So, why would I pay eighteen?"
She looked him up and down. "We'll need to use more water."
"Why's that?"
"You're bigger."
Justin couldn't believe this. "So, you're basing the higher price solely on my size? That's discriminatory!"
She shrugged. "It's business. Bigger bodies need more water."
"Well, if it's truly based on water usage, then I should pay less, not more."
She arched an eyebrow, as if daring him to go on.
Justin cleared his throat awkwardly. "What I mean is, because I'm larger, I take up more volume. So, you'd actually be using less water." He gave a sheepish smile. "That's basic arithmetic."
"Are you being smart with me?"
Justin could see the innkeeper was not amused by his comment, but he pushed his luck anyway. "Not at all. I'm simply stating a fact. You've already said the price is based on water usage." He forced a smile. "Plus, if I can get a bath for a price I can afford, well, I'll be less offensive on all fronts."
Justin didn't know where all this was coming from. The words just seemed to flow from him like water. In normal circumstances, he wouldn't let out more than a squeak around a woman of her beauty.
And to his surprise, his words were having an effect.
The innkeeper sighed and gave him a small smile. "You're persistent, I'll give you that. This is a fine establishment, and you are rather filthy. And you'll be using our towels. In normal circumstances, yes, ten is a fair price. But I can't let you bathe here for less than fifteen coppers."
"I don't have fifteen," Justin admitted. "But I have ten. I'll skip my breakfast tomorrow and we'll call it even." He patted his belly. "I've got plenty in the tank here, anyway. Deal?"
She considered for a moment. "Deal."
Justin handed her the coins and watched as she wrote something down in the ledger.
"Your bath will be ready in thirty minutes. We'll bring the water up."
"To the room? Isn't that heavy?"
"Don't worry about it, sir. Is there anything else?"
"Nothing," Justin said. "Thank you."
The innkeeper went back to her ledger. Justin couldn't help but feel a little proud of himself for negotiating a better price. It was something, however small.
[You have gained 1 experience point. Your experience stands at 1/1. Level-up available!]
He waited another moment, but nothing else happened. Why wasn't he leveling up?
He opened his interface, only to find the experience was 100% full. 1/1. Obviously, there was some other action he needed to undertake to level up. He would have to ask Alistair in the morning.
He headed up the wooden stairs and into his room.