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  After sleeping in the forest for a week, I didn’t complain at all as I lay down on the lumpy, thin mattress. Before sleep, I couldn’t resist calling up my new player stats.

  > stats

  Name: Yorg Race: Half-Orc Class: Barbarian

  Level: 1 XP: 0 (1,300 for next level)

  Alignment: +0 (Uncertain)

  HEALTH: 32 (32)

  MANA: 0 (0)

  Strength: 99 (+35%) (+10 Damage)

  Dexterity: 66 (+5%)

  Constitution: 95 (+35%) (+10 Health)

  Intelligence: 43 (+0%)

  Wisdom: 53 (+0%)

  Charisma: 32 (-5%)

  Hardly powerful, but at least I was no longer trapped as an NPC. My thoughts drifted to Eric and Sarah—mostly her. I wanted to kill him for getting us into this mess, but I missed her.

  She saw through my physical prowess to the real me on the inside. I could be rough around the edges sometimes, but she enjoyed my company. We got along so well together.

  I closed my eyes, letting sleep comfortably wash over me. In my dreams, I battled dragons and giants to save Sarah, my one true princess, the woman I wanted to marry one day.

  The next morning, I woke up but couldn’t open my eyes. As I struggled to move my body, I heard the others laughing in the background. Rage built up inside me.

  I struggled to control it while also attempting to move any body parts. The laughter died down, and I found myself able to move slowly. After a minute, the effects wore off.

  “What’s going on?” I asked then rolled over and sat up on the edge of the cot.

  Harvey, Sylvar, and Thero stood near the door, laughing and pointing at me. Monky stood near them, no expression on his face. I stood, sensing something wrong.

  “What’s so funny?” I asked.

  “Your hair,” Monky said. “You’re missing all your hair.”

  I reached up and felt a bald, smooth head.

  “We want you to become an urban barbarian,” Sylvar said.

  “Quite sophisticated,” Harvey added.

  The three of them laughed again. I took a deep breath, not wanting to fly into a barbarian rage.

  Or maybe I should teach them a lesson and gain their respect.

  I activated my barbarian rage.

  Barbarian Rage Activated!

  You’re seeing red.

  My vision did have a deep red tint as I rushed forward. Rizzo pushed the others aside and raised his hand. I froze mid stride then toppled to the floor, unable to move. Laughter I hadn’t heard since my high school football days filled the room.

  “That’s enough,” Rizzo snapped. “Get him ready for the park after he calms down.”

  I couldn’t see any of them from my spot on the floor. A pounding headache rose as I raged without being able to move freely. Why were they treating me this way?

  After a few minutes, my barbarian rage timer ran down. I sat up as soon as I could move my body again. Rizzo and the others stood near the door, watching me.

  “Calmed down?” Rizzo asked then shook his head. “Don’t try to take us on.”

  “We’ll kill you,” Thero said in his simple, monotone voice.

  “A little light hazing never killed anyone,” Sylvar said before adding, “Well, almost.”

  Harvey and Thero chuckled as I stood.

  “Ready to get to work?” Rizzo asked.

  I nodded.

  “No breakfast until after you rack up a few hundred experience points,” he said. “You’ll fight better on an empty stomach.”

  My stomach rumbled, but I kept my mouth shut. The more I showed they had an effect on me, the more likely they would keep teasing me.

  All through high school, I’d been one of the alpha bullies, so I knew their tactics well. They could try to wear me down, but it wouldn’t work on me.

  I followed them out of the temple and through the city. Most of the buildings rose three or four stories. The smell of fresh bread hit my nose.

  We left through the eastern gate of Esterhollow. A mile down the road, I noticed a long, tall wooden fence. Rizzo and the others stopped at an arched opening.

  “Don’t be afraid to go wild,” the mage said. “We’ve got your back.”

  “Let me give you a buff first,” Harvey said as he stepped toward me.

  I felt a tingle in my arm as he touched it and said a prayer under his breath.

  You feel blessed.

  +5% to hit | +5 damage

  “Are there monsters or something in there?” I asked.

  Sylvar and Thero laughed.

  “He obviously doesn’t read goblin,” Rizzo said. “Give him a break.”

  “This is the Goblin Playground,” Monky said.

  Of the five of them, he was becoming my favorite.

  “We’re too high-level to go in with you, but we’ll be outside,” Rizzo said.

  “Try not to die,” Sylvar added.

  I pulled the two-handed broadsword they had given me out of its sheath on my back. The heavy blade felt good in my hands as I gripped it tightly.

  “May the forces of the universe be with you,” Monky said.

  I grinned at him them walked through the archway. When I stepped inside a painted white circle on the grass, I teleported away.

  A goblin screamed and ran toward me with a pitiful spear when I appeared again. I swung my sword back then let loose, cleaving it in two.

  Your slash INJURES the goblin for 12 damage.

  The goblin is dead!

  You get 25 xp

  You have 25 xp

  You need 1,275 xp for Level 2 Barbarian

  I looked around the barren wasteland. Hills of bare dirt dotted the landscape. I heard another battle cry to my left. Spinning around, I saw three goblins charging toward me.

  They didn’t stand a chance.

  Your slash INJURES the goblin for 12 damage.

  The goblin is dead!

  Your slash WOUNDS the goblin for 17 damage.

  The goblin is dead!

  Your slash HITS the goblin for 10 damage.

  The goblin is dead!

  Combat is Over!

  You get 75 xp

  You have 100 xp

  You need 1,200 xp for Level 2 Barbarian

  As I stared down at the mutilated bodies, I saw a half-dead creature shuffling toward me. The putrid smell of dead flesh filled the air.

  “Don’t mind me,” it said. “Just here to raise the goblins.”

  “Huh?”

  I kept my sword raised, ready to fight.

  The deathly figure stopped.

  “My name’s Aquarius, and I’m the lich in charge of goblin zombies. You guys kill them, and I raise them up for the grand plan.”

  His taut, leathery skin stretched into a smile.

  “Uh-huh,” I said. “Nice to meet you.”

  “I’ll be following you to raise any goblins you kill here in the park.”

  A group of goblins, barely clothed, rushed over a nearby dirt-hill and charged. I turned to them, dispatching them one after another as they reached me.

  Combat is Over!

  You get 125 xp

  You have 225 xp

  You need 1,075 xp for Level 2 Barbarian

  Aquarius the lich shuffled over then waved his hands, raising the recently deceased goblins from the dead. I shook my head at the insanity of the game.

  How would I last a year on my own without the others? Could I survive that long? And what happened if I died again? Would I have to start all over?

  “Are you going to be moving so slow?” Aquarius asked.

  I ignored him and walked forward, looking for more goblins to kill. Wave after wave came at me, all receiving the same fate. After being killed, they were then turned into zombies.

  Down to five health, I decided to go back to the white circle and leave the so-called park. Level one-two was turning out to be even darker than the first one, and that concerned me.

  I stopped at the teleportation circle, glancing aroun
d at the barren land. How had they made this place? Breeding goblins just to kill then raise them sounded terrible in so many ways.

  The wind picked up, carrying the stench of death closer. I stepped into the white circle. After teleporting, I appeared in the white circle outside of Esterhollow. The others clapped.

  “Not bad,” Rizzo said. “You didn’t die.”

  “Can someone heal me?” I asked.

  Monly walked over then touched me on the arm.

  You feel better!

  You have [28/28] health remaining.

  “Thanks,” I said. “Should I go back in?”

  “Not now,” Rizzo said. “We have other work to do.”

  “I prepared a special breakfast treat for you,” Sylvar said.

  He pulled a sandwich out of his sack then offered it to me.

  I walked over and accepted the turkey between two slices of bread.

  After biting into it, my mouth flooded with heat.

  “What’s in this?” I asked then threw it down.

  Sylvar burst into laughter, not bothering to hide his guilt.

  “That’s a hot pepper, isn’t it?” he asked.

  I fought to control my anger. My eyes watered as I stared at Sylvar. I wanted to strangle him so bad, but I needed to learn self-control.

  “Let’s go,” Rizzo said. “We’ve got work to do at the temple.”

  He walked west toward Esterhollow. The rest of us followed. I smacked my lips, my mouth still burning, as I walked. Sylvar needed to be taught a lesson.

  3

  A Ring of Teleportation

  Josh

  On a walk to the kill-zone with Monky one morning, I thought about how the battles were like shooting fish in a barrel. While they didn’t have humans controlling them, I imagined the goblin NPCs were a lot like the humans I had been interacting with—both good and bad.

  “You’re quiet this morning,” he said, glancing over at me.

  “It just feels wrong to kill goblins trapped in the area,” I said.

  Monky stopped on the side of the road and glanced around. “Hold on,” he said.

  I turned and walked to him, not seeing anything strange.

  “What is it?” I asked. “Did I say something wrong?”

  “Not at all,” Monky replied. “Can I trust you?”

  I furrowed my brow, unsure of what he meant.

  “Trust you with what?” I asked. “Are you trying to test me?”

  Monky smiled and shook his head.

  “Not at all,” he said. “I want to show you something to lift your spirits.”

  “Okay,” I said, not really convinced.

  “I need to show you a magic item, but the others can’t know about it,” Monky said. “Can I trust you to keep this secret?”

  “Sure.” I wondered why he was making such a big deal out of it.

  Monky reached into his pouch and pulled out a silver ring. He slipped it on a finger then held out his hand and said, “You need to touch me for this to work.”

  “What?” I stepped backward.

  “Hold my hand,” Monky said. “Trust me like I’m trusting you.”

  I hadn’t trusted people since I’d been ridiculed in the sixth grade after my parents bought me the wrong type of folder for my papers. My best friend at the time had led the charge, making fun of me and my plain white folder.

  “Fine,” I said, but I still wasn’t sure what to expect.

  Monky gripped my hand tightly then whispered under his breath. We blinked from the road next to a field and appeared at the entrance of a cave high up a mountain. I let go of his hand and peered over the edge.

  “Where are we?” I asked.

  “Isn’t it beautiful?”

  “Yeah, it’s great, but why did you bring me here?”

  “I thought you needed a break from routine,” he said. “Was I wrong?”

  “No, you weren’t,” I admitted, continuing to stare out at the natural beauty. “This game can be so beautiful at times.”

  “And dark.” Monky turned toward the cave. “Come check this out.”

  I followed him inside, marveling at the smooth stone walls. We walked into a spacious room with a bed, shelves, a desk, and other furniture. A black fur rug covered the floor.

  “My secret hideout,” Monky said. “I come here when I need a break from the others.”

  “Which is often, I’m betting.”

  He smiled and nodded, saying. “Please don’t tell the others about this place.”

  “You’ve got my word.”

  I walked over to a padded chair and sat down.

  “Comfortable,” I said as I sank into the soft material.

  Monky smiled and took a seat across the room.

  “I don’t come here often, but knowing it’s here makes everything easier,” he said.

  “You’re something else,” I said as I glanced around the carefully carved room.

  Shelves made into the walls contained a variety of knick-knacks.

  “How did you make this place?” I asked.

  “Magic mostly,” Monky replied. “How did you get in the game?”

  “Wow,” I said, leaning back in the comfortable chair. “That’s a big one.”

  “You can trust me,” he said. “Like I’m trusting you. I know a little bit of your story.”

  “Oh? What did you hear?”

  “You broke in here with two friends for fun,” he said.

  I bounced my head back and forth.

  “Kinda, but not really. My girlfriend’s friend told her he had access to a hot new game. We didn’t know what we were getting into.”

  “I’m sorry,” Monky said.

  “Not your fault,” I said, waving my hand. “What about you?”

  “Prisoner,” he said. “Debt crime. My brother became disabled, and I tried to help his family out, but you know how things are these days.”

  I nodded, not telling him I had grown up in the lap of luxury.

  “Crazy,” I muttered.

  “You’re telling me.” Monky leaned back. “Do you have any questions about the game?”

  “Only a million,” I said then laughed.

  “We can’t stay that long, but I can answer a few.”

  “Do you know anything about my penalty for not having a PIN? I know you guys had to come and find me, but how does that work exactly?”

  “Great question,” Monky said. “The game has done it before for various crimes committed inside the game, so you’re not unique. Basically, the gamemaster AI clones a level. It’s the same but without any other players. Using time dilation, it can make you feel like an entire year has passed even though others might not experience time the same way.”

  “This game is nuts,” I said, shaking my head.

  “Magi Inyontoo taught us to infiltrate the special zones the gamemaster AI creates,” Monky said. “He figured you would be sent to one, but it took us a while to find you.”

  “Being a slave wasn’t fun.”

  “I bet,” Monky said. “We found you, though. Now, we just need to run down your timer before taking you back. The gamemaster AI likely knows you’ve left, but it’s probably watching to see what you do. I swear I think the whole system has gone nuts sometimes.”

  “Killing myself passed through my mind more than once before you guys found me.”

  Monky frowned. “That’s not a good idea,” he said. “If you kill yourself as an NPC, you spawn as an NPC with even less control. Things get worse when you work against the gamemaster.”

  “I don’t understand how people could think it was a good idea to throw a bunch of prisoners in a virtual game with killing,” I said.

  “The violence is virtual,” Monky said. “The gamemaster is always watching what you do in here. You could kill anyone and everyone, but if you do, there are penalties. I’ve heard crazy stories about the gamemaster going after certain players until they were rehabilitated.”

  “Sarah better be okay,” I muttered.<
br />
  “If she doesn’t fight the gamemaster, she should be fine.”

  After chuckling, I said, “You don’t know Sarah.”

  “I’m just trying to help you,” Monky said. “I wish someone would’ve helped me in the beginning. Things might’ve been different for me.”

  “How long have you been in here?” I asked.

  Monky leaned back in his chair and looked up. “I don’t even know any longer. Time is so fuzzy in here.”

  “Right?” I sat up. “Do you have any food here? I’m hungry again.”

  He smiled and stood before walking across the room.

  “The teleportation makes you hungrier,” he said. “I’m not sure why, but I have a store of supplies here just in case things get too bad with Rizzo and the others.”

  Monky waved me over to the shelf he was standing by. I stood then walked over as he pulled out a couple of packages wrapped in paper.

  “Have you had elven bread yet?” he asked.

  I stopped in front of him and shook my head. “No. Is it any good?”

  “You’re in for a treat,” he said then offered one of the packages to me.

  I unwrapped it and saw what looked like angel food cake. After tearing off a piece, I popped it into my mouth. Succulent flavors danced over my tongue.

  “That’s good,” I said after swallowing the first bit.

  “Don’t eat too much,” Monky said. “It’s filling.”

  “Thanks for bringing me here,” I said. “Means a lot.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  Monky took a bite of the elven bread. We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and getting to know each other better. That evening, he teleported us back to the road outside of Esterhollow. I knew my routine would continue, but having a short break helped.

  The next morning, things got worse. Sylvar and Thero thought it would be cute to replace my sword with a wooden replica. Both laughed as I crossed my arms over my chest.

  “Give it back,” I said.

  “Or what, barbarian?” Thero asked.

  I wondered if he ever took his armor off.

  “Tell you what,” Sylvar began, “if you find it without our help, I’ll buff you before you go kill goblins. Sound fair?”