Chapter 1
I raced away from Gateway and into the forest, my breathing heavy. I knew the others were behind me and I could see Zelia leading us around turns and twists.
Why was I trusting her to lead us to safety and not a dead end? I don't know. I just was. But after Vic- I mean Vennia, who knows what would happen?
I still couldn't believe she did that to me. Five years of lies? How did I not realize?
I tried to catch my breath as Zelia slowed to a stop.
Zelia was breathing heavily. "Did we lose them?"
"I think so," I replied.
"Yes," Derec said from the back of the group.
Zelia sat down with her back against a tree, obviously relieved.
I leaned back against the tree behind me. "So, we're going to the Flared Desert or no?"
"Can't we rest first? I swear we ran a mile," Zelia complained.
I rolled my eyes before sitting down. This was going to be a while.
*** Avery POV ***
I stepped carefully off the path, hoping the players wouldn't see me. Technically, since most of them were from Gateway, I was still spying on Gateway.
Serina, the healer, was just standing around while most of them just sat around or slept. Honestly, pretty boring. But, they were going to the Flared Desert so I'd see how that would go. Probably not well, seeing as most of them were from Gateway, one of the kingdoms Flared was at war with.
I stayed hidden behind the tree while I checked my stats and skills. And stuff like that.
Character Stats
Name: Avery
Level: 70
Experience: 60/7000
Health: 500
Damage: 25-40
Speed: 9
Mana: N/A
Kingdom: Flared
Class: Archer
Oh, yeah. My level had shot up real quick.
Character Inventory
Weapon:
Chest:
Boots:
Hat: Leather Hood (Common)
Amulet:
Ring:
Off-hand:
Bracer:
Gloves:
Equipped:
Weapon: Silver Bow (Rare)
Chest: Cloak of Vines (Set 2/5)
Boots: Leather Boots of Vines (Set 2/5)
Hat: Feathered Hood (Uncommon
Amulet: Amulet of Arcane Resistance (Legendary)
Ring: Silver Ring of Flared (Common)
Off-hand: Leather Quiver (Rare)
Bracer: Leather Bracer of Energy (Set 1/5)
Gloves: Leather Gloves (Common)
How had I not found better than common gloves and a common ring?
Chracter Skills
1. Arrow Shot
Shoot an arrow at the enemy, dealing minimum damage
Chest: Now makes arrow surrounded in vines, slowing the enemy 25% for 5 second
s
2. Arrow Rain
Rain arrows on the enemy, dealing 30 damage and 1 damage over time, lasts 5 seconds.
Boots: Now surronds each arrow in vines, slowing the enemy for five seconds
Cooldown: 30 seconds
3. Fire Arrow
Shoot an arrow surronded in fire dealing 35 damage and 1 damage over time, lasts 5 seconds
Cooldown: 60 seconds
4.
5.
6. Lightning Shot
Unlocks after gaining the whole Energy set. Surrond an arrow with lightning, dealing 35 damage and 1 damage over time
.
Cooldown: 60 seconds
Passive
1. Speed Boost
Gives the player more speed for five seconds
Cooldown: 60 seconds
2. Slow
Slows the enemy for 5 seconds
Cooldown: 100 seconds
3. Invisibility
Surronds the player in a cloak of invisibility that only they can see through, lasts 30 seconds
Requires: Cloak
Cooldown: 100 seconds
4.
5.
6. Vine Sheild (Locked)
Unlocks after gaining the whole Vines set. Surrond the player in a bubble of vines for 10 seconds
Cooldown: 50 seconds
Well, invisibility was new. I tried it out, surrounding myself in my cloak and becoming invisible. Or at least I thought. I was, but how was I supposed to know when I could still see myself?
I stood cautiously beside the tree. They didn't notice me so I assumed the skill worked. Thirty seconds. I had to find a better hiding spot becayse invisibility wouldn't work forever.
Especially with a cooldown of one-hundred seconds.
I walked around just outside the clearing, looking for a place I could hide once the invisibility wore off.
30 seconds later, I ducked behind a random tree as the invisibility wore off. I waited behind the tree until the group starting heading torwards the Flared Desert.
*** Zelia POV ***
As we entered the desert, I was relieved as we left the cold of the forest behind us. The sand sunk beneath me, leaving deep-ish footprints behind.
I kept walking through the sand. "So, where is this dungeon exactly?"
"Uh, that's the problem. No one actually
knows
," PurrBox replied.
"Oh, wonderful."
"So we have to search the entire desert for it?" Evra asked with a sigh.
"Well, depends on where we look..." PurrBox said.
"You are no help."
PurrBox rolled his eyes.
I kept walking while the others argued. Serina and Annora followed me. When everyone finally caught up with me, the forest was far behind us. I couldn't see anything but sand and cacti. We kept walking until nightfall.
I sat down on a rock as the sun set. Not the most comfortable but what other choice did I have? Sand is hard to get off. And cacti are just painful.
Trust me, I know.
No! I'm
not
going to talk about it!
Anyways.
The night was cold and I did not like it when PurrBox lit a piece of a cactus on fire. It wouldn't last long, right?
I backed up to the edge of the rock. "So, where should we look first?"
PurrBox shrugged. "I'd think around Flared but I doubt the entrance will be that easy to find."
"Oh, yes," Evra said sarcastically. "Because searching around the perimeter of an
entire kingdom
is very easy."
Serina sighed. "Can you
not
argue with him for once?"
"Nope."
PurrBox rolled his eyes as flames circled around his hand. He was holding it dangerously close to Evra.
"That's dangerous, you know," I said, finally having enough of it.
"Oh, I didn't realize it was that close," he said. He seemed genuinely surprised but like I bought it.
I did, actually, but we don't talk about that.
I said we don't talk about it!
Whatever...
The fire burned out pretty quickly, as I'd expected. It was a relief, honestly. I'd never liked fire, even in real life.
I watched as the rainbow vine swirled around my hand before turning bavk into a bracer.
What the fu-?
I stared at it for a second but it didn't budge. Maybe it had been my imagination?
I looked around at everyone. They were talking to each other but it wasn't really about anything important.
Except Evra, Serina and Annora.
"I really don't trust PurrBox," Evra said.
"He's not that bad," Serina assured.
"Yes, he is," Annora said.
"Did you already forget what he did to Derec? Or what happened with Zelia's wand?" Evra scolded.
"What? What happened?" Annora asked.
Evra told her about the first time we met PurrBox.
"Oh." Annora looked at PurrBox. "At least he's only level fifteen?"
"So?" Evra replied. "I'm level seven and so are Zelia and Derec!"
"Yeah, well Jac's level thirty-two, Annora's level seventy-one and I'm almost his level at level thirteen," Serina tried.
"So? He can still kill us pretty easily. Well, not you guys. More me, Derec and Zelia." Evra sighed. "I don't know, there's just something off about him."
"Well, I mean, he was betrayed by someone from his own kingdom," Serina pointed out.
"Ha! Even Flared can't trust themselves," Evra snapped.
I stopped listening to their conversation and turned to PurrBox. He was messing with his rock for like, the fifteen-millionth time. I shook my head but he didn't notice.
"Hey, PurrBox?" I asked. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
He sighed getting up and walking over to me.
"What do you want?" He asked.
"I want to know something. Who
are
you?"
PurrBox bit his lip. "PurrBox, you know that."
"No like who are you really? Like personality, secrets but mainly why are you the way you are?"
He bit his lip harder. "Like I'd trust you with that information."
He passed the rock between his hands agaib, which, I figured, he did when he was nervous.
Or, the closest he could get to being nervous.
"If you want anyone to trust you," I replied. "You have to trust us at some point."
*** PurrBox POV ***
Fuck.
This was
not
what I expected.
At all.
I didn't expect her to want to actually know me! This is just a video game! Why would anyone talk to random stra-?
Which is totally not what I'm doing...
Nevermind.
Zelia looked at me, waiting for my response. I almost sighed. Instead, I just stared at her. "Why would I want you to trust me? You really think I care?"
Zelia stood up. "No, I know you care. You've cared this entire time. Yet for some reason..." She trailed off.
"'For some reason' what?"
"For some reason you don't want to care."
Wow, if she can read me that well why does she need to know my secrets anyway?
"Nope. Totally wrong," I lied.
"Then, what? What is it really?"
I shook my head. "Nothing. And if it was something, I wouldn't tell you anyway."
I walked away and sat down nearby but away from the group. Maybe I should just finish the game myself.
