Quest for Camlan_A LitRPG Adventure Page 15

  “And while I was there she asked me to help her clear the Swift Bats out of her barn.”

  “That sounds like the kind of adventure she has to get help with every few weeks.” Mayor Barnaby chuckles.

  “I can imagine.” On the one hand, good for me for being the first Toterra Online player to complete that quest. On the other hand, if the company live-streamed it I will forever be the only player to have screamed in terror at the boss. “So, once the bats were gone, there was still some movement and we discovered that Liam Daniels had been hiding in the barn for the last few days.”

  Mayor Barnaby opens his mouth as though to respond, but closes it abruptly. He gestures at me to continue.

  “Liam didn’t tell us much. Only that Lord Crimson had actually come to his house late at night, threatening his mother, implying that the boy himself was at risk. He was scared, and he thought it would be better for both of them if he ran away. The poor kid holed up in the barn, surrounded by those bats.”

  “Did he say what Lord Crimson wanted?”

  “He wasn’t sure. I guess Crimson wanted his mom to steal something for him. What’s also weird … Liam stayed with Bernadette and I took a note to his mother so she wouldn’t worry. But when I got to her house, she seemed very … I’m not sure. Maybe scared. Maybe in danger. I only had a few minutes with her, but something is going on.”

  “Something is certainly going on.” Mayor Barnaby says thoughtfully. “You’re sure the boy didn’t mention at all what Lord Crimson wanted his mother to steal?”

  I shake my head, trying to remember. “I don’t think so.”

  “Nevermind. I can guess easily enough. Mrs. Daniels is my housekeeper, you see. Most likely whatever object Lord Crimson wants, she is meant to steal from me. There are only one or two possibilities.”

  Quest Completed: The Things You Learn When You Pay Attention

  Description: You have gathered the information and brought it back to Mayor Barnaby. He now knows enough about what Lord Crimson is plotting to prepare his next step

  Reward: +250 XP, +20% regard with Allynton, 10% discount on all items in bookshop, All-Weather Green Cloak

  Congratulations! You have reached level 16!

  You have one attribute point to distribute.

  Name: SirAsh3r

  …

  I wave away the message screen. It will all still be there in a moment. First, I want to know what is being done about Lord Crimson. This could be the big XP quest that pushes me past Jargonaut.

  Chapter 30

  “So, you know what he’s after? What are you going to do? How can I help?”

  Mayor Barnaby looks grim. “I’m not going to do anything yet. I’ll talk to Isabel and see if she’ll confirm my suspicions. But we don’t have enough information to do much else. Thank you for helping m with that, SirAsh34. Now what can I do for you?”

  That reminds me—I have an attribute point to distribute. I allocate it to Magic and review my character sheet.

  Name: SirAsh3r

  Level: 16

  Strength: 16

  Intelligence: 19

  Dexterity: 16

  Stamina: 17

  Magic: 18

  Skills: Woodcraft 3, Slash 2, Club 3, Paddle 1, Climbing 1, Stealth 1, Archery 5, Power Perception 1

  Abilities: Initiative 1, Focus 1

  Professions: Cooking 2

  Affinities: 2% Earth; 6% Water

  Fame: 350

  Achievements: First Explorer of Lake Galavant, First Explorer of Foyle Forest, First Visitor to Allynton

  Well, I’m still mostly balanced. But I’m going to want to put more points in Dexterity soon. And I shouldn’t let Strength get too far behind, even if I don’t plan on competing directly with Jargonaut. This is both the curse and the fun part of RPGs—there’s always one more level up you need. Always one more quest or accomplishment. I love that I’ll never be done. I wave the screen away again and give the mayor my attention.

  “Yes, there is, actually. I think you told me you could teach me a few spells? What do I need to do that?”

  At that moment, the bell above the shop’s front door dings and another player enters. She’s maybe my age or so, with her light brown hair is pulled off her face in a messy bun. She wears basic armor, though it’s not nearly as impressive as what Jargonaut has already acquired. Erinocalypse hovers above her head.

  “Yes? How can I help you?” Mayor Barnaby rises to greet his customer.

  “I was told I could come here to learn magic,” she says uncertainly. Her eyes keep darting to where I sit in the corner of the room. I can’t blame her. If our positions were reversed I’m not sure I would have said anything to the NPC at all.

  “You can.” He seems pleased. “In fact, I was just about to talk to SirAsh3r through the same. What a coincidence to have two new students at the same time.”

  Erinocalypse and I lock eyes. We’re competitors but there’s a certain understanding against sabotage of skills. Interfering in a fight or giving bad directions is one thing, but keeping another player from building their character exactly the way they want is something else.

  “So, where do we start?” I ask.

  After a quick exchange of coin—thank you, Charlie—and Barnaby verifying that we both have the requisite level of Magic, he begins.

  “At this stage in your development, I can teach you one attack spell and one healing spell. Both require the same amount of mana and both are essential stepping stones if you choose to pursue further magical studies.”

  Goddamn, I love this game.

  “Let’s start with healing first.”

  Out of seemingly nowhere, Mayor Barnaby produces a small dagger in each hand and throws them at Erin and me.

  [-65 HP]

  “Hey! What the hell?”

  “Remove the dagger from your arms, please.”

  We follow his direction, but I glare at him the whole time. There has got to be a better way to do this.

  Mayor Barnaby makes a small hand gesture and I feel my arm warm where I had just been hit.

  [+65 HP]

  “Does that spell heal to max health or just a set small amount?” Erinocalypse asks, rubbing the spot on her own arm that has just healed.

  “Bestow Relief heals a small amount of health with a brief cool down. It’s meant as a bandage or stopgap, not a revival tool.”

  “And what do we need to do it?”

  He comes closer to us, reaching out his hands for ours. The moment his skin touches mine, I feel a chill down my spine. That transfer of knowledge and power is immediate and I now know exactly what gesture to make to perform the spell.

  New Spell Learned: Bestow Relief

  Description: Restores up to 5% total health; three second cool down

  The grin on Erin’s face is as wide as my own and I know she must feel the same joy.

  “Now, let me show you the attack spell and then you can take turns practicing on each other.” He retreats a few paces to give himself some space. “Remember, this is a ranged attack so you do not need to be near your target.” He pauses. “This is going to hurt.”

  He winces slightly as he casts the attack spell.

  [-90 HP]

  Damn! Worse than the dagger. My arm feels like it’s burning, and itching at the same time. The pain distracts me from any other thought for a good three seconds until the Mayor casts the healing spell. In my own pain, I hadn’t even noticed that Erinocalypse had collapsed to the ground. She stands slowly, dusting herself off as the mayor approaches us again.

  “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t hurt you two deliberately. I hope with this demonstration you can see how effective Burning Smite can be. It may not deal the most damage, but the stalling and distracting effect can be instrumental in your overall fighting strategy.”

  Erinocalypse nods, and I can almost see the wheels turning behind her eyes. I can’t blame her. With the right team working together, we could defeat bosses in no time. It’s really too bad w
e’re supposed to be working against each other. At least until tomorrow.

  Mayor Barnaby approaches us again, hands outstretched to confer the knowledge.

  New Spell Learned: Burning Smite

  Description: Damage up to 5% of total health; three second cool down

  “You ready?” Erinocalypse turns to me, rolling her shoulders and stretching her arms over her head.

  “Might as well.”

  “Could you two actually practice that out back in the alley,” Barnaby says. “I’m not sure I trust your aim quite yet.”

  I chuckle. Thats’s more than fair. I lead the way through the dusty bookshelves back to where I entered this shop the first time. The alley behind the building is narrow, but unoccupied. The worst we can do is maybe char the building’s wood siding.

  I walk a few paces to the right, while Erinocalypse does the same thing to the left of the door.

  “Hold on,” she says putting her hand up. Her eyes glaze over and I can tell she’s reading her game screen. “I just want to check the distance requirements. Might as well practice at max.”

  After a moment, she nods to herself and backs up another ten steps.

  “There. This should be about how far we can cast at level one.”

  I try to fix this distance in my mind. Knowing how close I need to be, or how far away I can be, can make all the difference in some attacks.

  “Ready?” she asks. “Count of three?”

  I nod and swallow.

  “Okay. One. Two. Three.”

  [-70 HP]

  “Aaah!” I yell, gripping my arm. She went after the same spot Barnaby had. “You said count of three!”

  “I’m sorry! I went on three! Why didn’t you?” She does sound sorry but that doesn’t help when I want to rip off my own arm because it hurts so badly.

  “Heal it! Heal it,” I shout at her.

  She fumbles at first but quickly casts Bestow Relief to soothe pain and refill my health.

  [+70 HP]

  “Why didn’t you cast?”

  I take a deep breath. It doesn’t hurt anymore but, man … the memory of that pain is enough. I thought Toterra had dulled the pain sensory mechanism.

  “I was waiting for you to say three. One two three cast.”

  “Oh …” She bites her lip. “I went on three.”

  “Well, yeah. I know that now.”

  “Sorry.”

  I roll my eyes. “Now hold still. My turn.”

  She nods and braces herself. I don’t even bother to count; she knows it’s coming.

  “Ugh.” Instead of yelling like I did, Erinocalypse just lets out this little grunt, as though trying to prove or convince herself that it doesn’t really hurt.

  I wait the requisite couple seconds for my mana to refill and don’t bother saying a word. I’ll heal her when I can and she can wait in pain until that happens. Aiming at the same spot, I cast Bestow Relief and watch as her whole body relaxes into the soothing feeling.

  We stare at each other for a few moments, neither saying a word, neither admitting anything.

  Finally, she sighs. “Again?”

  I hate that I need her help. I hate that I can’t just do this by myself and on top of that I hate that she’s the one who gets to see my vulnerabilities. She probably thinks Jargonaut is all big and strong and manly, and I’m the guy without a sword who can’t even count to three.

  I heave a deep, frustrated sigh. “Yeah, sure. Let’s try it again.”

  Chapter 31

  We trade attacks and heals three times. Our aim gets better, and with increased focus the impact gets higher.

  We are about to go through the pattern one last time when we hear a heavy crash come from inside the bookstore. Erin gives me one worried glance before rushing to the door, throwing it open. I’m on her heels as we push into the crowded shop, in time to hear the Mayor yelling from upstairs. I hadn’t even realized there was a second floor, but Erinocalypse quickly finds the winding staircase and leads up to where Barnaby is under attack.

  The floor above the bookshop is a small living room, with what was once a modest, clean sitting area, but is now the chaotic scene of a struggle. One of the windows looking out over the street is broken, with glass shards littered over the chairs nearby. Two side tables have been overturned and the leg of one is broken off. Most striking, however, is the large, overturned cabinet. The corner against the wall where it had been standing is empty, the wooden doors open and most of the shelves emptied when it was tipped over. Odds and ends, small objects and treasures litter the floor. The small lock on the cabinet door has been broken completely off when it was broken into.

  Surveying the scene, I don’t even know where to start. We hear two voices arguing in the adjacent room and run in to discover Mayor Barnaby pinned under the tipped-over dining room table.

  Lord Crimson stands over him, casting some kind of spell to keep the mayor incapacitated. Erinocalypse reacts first, casting Burning Smite at Lord Crimson. As her magic makes contact, he drops his hand, crying out in pain and noticing our presence. I quickly cast Bestow Relief on Mayor Barnaby, then equip my bow and arrow. In this crowded room, I’m hesitant to attack. While Lord Crimson is busy healing the injury Erinocalypse dealt him, I have a quick moment to summon his information.

  Level 29? Oh, holy shit. How are we going to handle this?

  But before any of us can make another move, Lord Crimson has pushed past us and disappeared out the door and down the stairs. Erinocalypse swipes at him with her equipped sword, but doesn’t make any discernible damage. I go to chase after him, but Barnaby calls me back.

  “Wait, SirAsh3r. We must be wise about this.” His voice is weak and strained as he tries to free himself from the weight of the furniture. Erin and I each take a side and lift the table easily.

  “What can we do?” Erinocalypse asks.

  “What was he doing here?” I add.

  Mayor Barnaby looks at me sadly and leads the way back to his destroyed living room. He brushes glass shards off of one of the chairs and sits down heavily.

  “Can I … Do you want some water? Should I practice the healing spell on you?” Erinocalypse asks.

  “Yes, go ahead with the spell,” the mayor answers. As she casts, the bookseller turns to me. “It seems he could not wait for Isabel to steal the item for him.”

  I feel like a stone drops in my stomach. “What does that mean?”

  “It means Lord Crimson is now in possession of the Goblet of Vigor.” He looks defeated.

  “Is that … um. That’s bad, right?” Erinocalypse looks at each of us in turn.

  “That must be what he wanted Mrs. Daniels to steal for him, I guess.”

  Mayor Barnaby nods. “Yes. And now that he is possession of it, he can use it to increase his physical power, or that of anyone who drinks from it. The Goblet of Vigor increases their strength and stamina for a long period of time.”

  “What can we do? Is there any way to stop him?”

  “Fortunately, yes. As of now there is a small obstacle that we can only hope he either does not know about or has not eliminated.”

  “What is it? I’ll do it,” Erinocalypse insists.

  “I will do it,” I say, glaring at her. “I’m the one that has been investigating Lord Crimson. It should be my quest.”

  Mayor Barnaby shakes his head. “I’m not sure either one of you can accomplish it on your own. But together you may have a chance.”

  Erinocalypse and I look at each other. I quickly pull up the Leaderboard.

  I’m near the top, but not near enough. At least Erinocalypse is still below me. I still have the advantage.

  I nod. I’m not sure we have a choice. I don’t want to waste time wandering around town looking for another quest to do instead.

  Once he sees our assent, Mayor Barnaby continues. “Drinking from the Goblet of Vigor is very powerful, but only with the correct potion. Neither the Goblet nor the potion work effectively on their own.”
<
br />   “How will he get the potion?”

  “Only myself and one other person know how to make the potion. It’s possible he would have attempted to kidnap me if you had not arrived. It’s also possible he has not yet learned of the limitations of the Goblet. It’s impossible to say since we don’t know where he got his information. What I need from you now is find the other potion maker and ensure her safety.”

  “What about your safety?”

  “I will be fine if I stay in town. I’ll close up the shop and visit the inn. Safety in numbers, you know. But for the sake of Allynton, you must work quickly. Lord Crimson learning how to activate the Goblet’s power would be disastrous.”

  Quest Offered: Bodyguards I

  Description: Find the second potion maker and make sure she is safe.

  Reward: +120 XP

  “Let’s leave right away,” I suggest. “Where does this potion maker live?”

  “Ah yes!” Mayor Barnaby stands up, now fully healed from his encounter with Crimson. “I believe you need a map of Camlan, do you not?”

  Hell, yes I need a map. I had been planning to purchase one eventually, but if he can include it as a quest item even better.

  Erinocalypse and I follow him downstairs to the shop, straight to the drawers where he had shown me before. He pulls out a map for each of us, and I take a careful look at it. It’s gorgeous. Thorough and easy to read, topography and buildings are clearly marked. I practiced zooming in and out. I can get as close as just this side of Allynton, or as far as the entire land of Camlan. My position is clearly marked with a small blue dot.

  “This yellow dot?” Erin asks as she examines her own map. “That’s the potion maker?”

  “Yes. This map will help guide you to your destinations as you travel through Camlan.”

  The yellow dot lies a bit outside of Allynton, on the other side of a copse of trees. My best guess is it will take an hour to walk out there if we go straight there.

  “The shortest path to Helena is not the safest. Goblins live in those woods and may make trouble for you. It will take longer, but going around will keep you safe.”