Chapter 4
A Lesson In Gameplay
~*~
The Aniraco Plains span as far as the eye can see, which isn't that far, to be honest. By now, my eyes have adjusted to the pixelated scenery. The brown mass I saw earlier is indeed mountains. They tower over Eppery and stretch from east to west, claiming their status as the region's most prominent geographical feature.
"The Tower of Destiny lies to the north beyond the Aniraco Ranges," Cassis tells me. "We'll head there when you're ready. For now, just walk around and slay some monsters. Avoid the Bunnies if you can. But more importantly, pay attention to your health points. Remember, Asharia!"
The goddess's name rings through my head, and I instantly know everything about myself.
| Status | 35 Gold |
| Name | Alex |
| Class | None |
| Subclass | None |
| Level | 1 |
| HP | 47/50 |
| SP | 10/10 |
| ATT | 2 [+5] |
| INT | 2 |
| DEF | 2 [+10] |
| SPD | 2 [+1] |
| LCK | 2 |
| EXP To Next Level | 40 |
| Items | |
| Bread x 3 | Restores 20 HP. |
| Milk x 5 | Restores 10 SP. |
| Guild Flier | A note that reads: NEW GUILD!!! Join now and get a free spell. Limited time offer. Where are we located? It's a secret. We'll find you. |
| Equipment | |
| Dagger [equipped] | +5 ATT |
| Wooden Shield [equipped] | +5 DEF |
| Simple Outfit [equipped] | +5 DEF |
| Sandals [equipped] | +1 SPD |
I see the boosts from my gear. Touching my Skills and Quests orbs has no effect, probably because I haven't acquired any. And strange but not surprising, I seem to know quite a bit about Cassis.
| Status | 0 Gold |
| Name | Cassic |
| Class | Knight |
| Subclass | ? ? ? |
| Level | 10 |
| HP | 523/523 |
| SP | 36/36 [+50] |
| ATT | 34 [+20] |
| INT | 4 [+10] |
| DEF | 6 [+30] |
| SPD | 4 [+5] |
| LCK | 5 [+10] |
| EXP To Next Level | 700 |
| Items | |
| Potion x 10 | Restores 50 HP. |
| Big Potion x 3 | Restores 200 HP. |
| Power Stone x 5 | Restores 20 SP. |
| Equipment | |
| Long Sword [equipped] | +20 ATT |
| Shabby Shield [equipped] | +10 DEF |
| Shabby Armor [equipped] | +15 DEF |
| Leather Boots [equipped] | +5 DEF, +5 SPD |
| Luck Ring [equipped] | +10 LCK |
| Mother's Memento [equipped] | +50 SP, +10 INT. A memory of the love a mother had for her daughter. |
| Skills | |
| Wallop [8 SP] | Hit really hard. Side effects: 20% chance Confuse on enemy. |
She's a beast! Aside from the weapon, armor, shield, and boots, I see two other items she has equipped, which I conclude to be accessories. They give her a nice boost in LCK and SP, which I assume is what's required to use skills. What's most interesting, though, is her sub-class indicated by question marks. I guess I'm not supposed to know about it at this point in the game. Is it something that could be hidden from others? The fact that you can learn so much about another person simply by being in the same party as them is both fascinating and scary. A feeling of unease creeps down my spine. I shake it off and think of something else other than Asharia.
My feet take me east, as I hum to the the ocarina melody perpetually on repeat. Cassis doesn't say anything and seems to just let me wander anywhere I want, but staying close behind me. After a short leisurely stroll across the plains, the mountain ranges to the north eventually decline into no more than hills. I head up one to see if I can get a better look of the region.
"That's the Big Band," Cassis tells me, pointing to the jagged blue plane that twists and bends like an S-shape, "a river that connects the Sea of Seamen and the Sea of Tumult. On the other side is Port Stoney. Normally we can get there by crossing the bridge to the east, but it's currently under construction. You don't want to go to the main continent anyway..."
I wonder what she means, as I gaze across the river, trying to discern any noticeable objects. What looks to be ships are parked along a gray area I can only assume to be the port. Otherwise, it's just more fields on the other side.
\Whoever created the this world really skimped on the aesthetics.
"Look," Cassis says, rotating her body to face the plains again.
I follow suit and nearly faint when I see her fingers pointed at a dark green stick-like monster the size of a small tree.
"A Grasshopper. Let's go kill it!"
The deformed creature hops to and fro, almost uncertain of what to do.
Cassis grabs my hand and pulls me towards the Grasshopper.
Before I know it, the world is already spinning out of control and morphing into a battle scene with the same upbeat tune as before.
* BATTLE START *
The word Grasshopper hovers above the monster that looks like something out of Lord of the Rings. A blue and green panel moves side to side together with one of its branch-like arms, while its other arm waves at us fiercely. Can we really defeat this thing?
"I got it," Cassis tells me. A Long Sword appears between her clasped hands, as she lunges towards the monster with a kind of confidence that only comes with experience. At about a foot away, she slices the blade diagonally downwards.
A thick, satisfying crunching sound emanates from the poor Grasshopper.
| -117 HP |
Cassis leaps back to her original position.
The monster lets out a hoarse moan and collapses onto its legs, writhes for a second or two, then melts into the grass.
"Nothing to it!" she boasts and swings her sword in circles a few times before sheathing the weapon.
The battle music fades out, replaced by a victory tune.
| You gained 12 EXP! Cassis gained 8 EXP! You found 15 Gold! |
And I didn't even have to do anything.
* BATTLE END *
The world morphs back into the Aniraco Plains.
As I continue to explore the region, objects begin to pop up in every direction.
"See the monsters?" Cassis says. "If we stay far enough away from them, they won't be able to detect our presence. Let's avoid the Bunnies and kill the rest."
I try to steer clear of the Bunnies, but their speed makes it nearly impossible to do so. Just when I think I've evaded one of the fluff balls, it does wraps around us and ambushes us from behind.
After yet another dizzying spin, the battle scene appears.
* BATTLE START *
This time, we're dealing with two Bunnies, both with panels hovering about their bodies. They flash their red eyes at us, ready to attack.
The one on the left does a little hop, dashes towards Cassis, head butts her armor, and then retreats back to its friend's side.
| -1 HP |
The second Bunny targets me with the same attack.
| -4 HP |
Ow! It doesn't hurt as much as before, but the pain still makes my heart race.
"You know," Cassis says, "you do have a wooden shield. Use it!" After the words of advice, she goes in with her long sword and slice at one of the monsters.
The monster falls over, writhes a little bit, then becomes motionless.
"Your turn." She takes a relaxed stance and watches me fight.
My body leaps forward intuitively. In my right hand, a dagger appears. I slash at the Bunny, its cuteness not stopping me from paying back the damage it did. It whimpers, its health bar draining down to less than a third.
| -18 HP |
But the fight's not over.
The Bunny retaliates with another head butt.
This time, I raise my wooden shield in front of me to block the attack.
| -1 HP |
"Good," Cassis says. "Now finish it off."
I whip out my dagger again and go in for the kill.
| -17 HP |
When the second Bunny finally stops moving, both monsters vanish at the same time.
"Nothing to it!" Cassis says and swings her sword around.
Is that some sort of victory pose?
I see the results of the battle appear floating in the air.
|
You gained 10 EXP! |
* BATTLE END *
When the overview world appears again, Cassis chimes in with another remark. "We shouldn't have killed the Bunnies. It's too bad for them I'm not one to run away from battles."
This whole 'don't kill Bunnies' thing is going to come back and bite me in the ass, I just know it.
Alas, more Bunnies fall to our swords. After a few battles, I finally reach Level 2. My HP and SP have increased, but the other stats remain the same. I ask Asharia for an explanation and discover that I possess a source of energy not present before.
Reading my mind, Cassis tells me, "The energy gained from leveling up allows you to boost one of your attributes. It's not much, so use it wisely."
With the goal of becoming a Knight in mind, I channel the energy towards boosting my attack. Like magic, the attribute increases. Once. Twice. Three times. When all the energy has been depleted, I check my stats again.
| Status | 60 Gold |
| Name | Alex |
| Class | None |
| Subclass | None |
| Level | 2 |
| HP | 68/68 |
| SP | 12/12 |
| ATT | 5 [+5] |
| INT | 2 |
| DEF | 2 [+10] |
| SPD | 2 [+1] |
| LCK | 2 |
| EXP To Next Level | 78 |
The grinding continues. Bunnies and Grasshoppers left and right fall dead. Even the saplings with their multiple target attacks are no match for Cassis and me. Before long, I find myself at level 3. The fact that leveling up replenishes health and skill points saves me from using a Bread. I boost my attack again and continue fighting.
Some time passes. Then, right before my eyes, the sky turns from blue to orange. A few seconds later, it fades to black. The music final stops, replaced by sounds of moaning, gnashing teeth, and high-pitched whistling.
A shadowy figure creeps forth from the darkness.
What's that?
My question is answered when the world spins out of control and stops to reveal a black feline sneering at the two of us.
* BATTLE START *
The beast opens its mouth and lunges straight at me with killing intent. I raise my shield to block the attack, only to be met with four foot-long fangs that cut like knives.
Holy cr...!
| -72 HP |
A kind of pain I never imagined existed ripples through my body. I scream, but no more than a gasp escapes my mouth.
"Don't be such a whiner!" I manage to see Cassis say. "Have you never fought a serious battle in your life?"
Her words distract me, and I realize my body is still intact, no scars whatsoever. Even the pain is already starting to subside.
"Stand back. I'll take care of the Wild Kitty." I watch in awe as she springs several yards into the air. A yellow aura ignites from the long sword in her hands, expanding and expanding until it envelops her entire body. By now she's only inches away from the wild kitty. "Wallop!" Cassis cries and, with one swift swing, cuts right through the beast.
| -155 HP |
The ground trembles from the sheer force of the attack, as the cat's body slowly melts into the night.
|
You gained 50 EXP! |
Cassis leaps back next to me and shouts, "Nothing to it!"
* BATTLE END *
The environment reverts back to the bland but noisy darkness that has become the world. Just a few steps later, we reach the edge of the eastern peninsula of the Aniraco Plains. There, a couple tiny structures stand by the river next to the what looks to be an incomplete bridge.
"It's getting late," Cassis says. "The monsters are more dangerous at night. Let's see if we can find lodgings over at Bridge Point." She walks ahead of me and disappears into the area nearby.
I follow.
Being a construction zone, Bridge Point isn't as colorful as Eppery. The palette used for this place can be counted on one hand, with chocolate brown as the dominant color. Aside from the two buildings by the water--an inn and someone's home--the area is completely barren. The night's pretty much dead, save a few chirping crickets and the few people wandering around.
I go and talk to all of them, hoping to learn something useful about this world.
"It's dark out here."
"The inn's awfully loud. I can't sleep."
"I wasn't aware that the bridge to the main continent is under construction. What am I supposed to do now?"
"They say that if you stare at the full moon for a minute without blinking, Asharia will grant you a wish. Ten years, and I still can't get pass 47 seconds. Phooey!"
Nothing.
I head for the inn to check on Cassis. Inside at the bar, a bunch of rowdy folks are chugging down jugs of what I assume to be ale. Text panels pop up left and right.
"Does it even exist?"
"What, the Zephyrion Sword? In your dreams, maybe."
"How would you know? Your ass barely moves from this chair!"
"Shut up!"
"At this rate, we'll never finish the bridge."
"Who cares. We're getting paid by the day. Best to take our sweet time."
Cassis marches over to the group and says, "Tell me everything you know about the Zephyrion Sword." The words are as aggressive as they read, and the men know it.
The men don't take lightly to her approach and begin their taunts.
"Watch your tone, missy."
"Only men allowed here."
"Wait, I think she's the maid."
"Go change the bedsheets or something."
Laughter breaks.
I walk over to see if Cassis needs any help.
She ups the intensity. "Tell me about the sword or you won't live to see the sun rise ever again."
One of them grunts. "The little girl puts on some armor, swings her sword around, and believes she's some sort of warrior goddess."
"Get lost."
"We're warning you!"
I continue to watch, impressed, as she elbows one of them in the face, followed by a punch to the second one's gut, then a kick to the third one's groin. Having witnessed her wrath, the fourth man decides to flee, but Cassis grabs him.
"I-I-I don't know anything," he says.
"Last chance," Cassis warns, holding her sword against his neck. "Tell me what you know."
"I swear!!! There's nothing to tell. I'm just a Level 5 Thief, what would I know? Please, spare me!"
She groans and tosses him aside. Then, she turns to me and smiles, as if what just happened is nothing be concerned about. "Talk to the innkeeper and get us a room, will you?"
Glad I'm not on the opposite side of her fists.
I head over to the girl behind the counter by the door.
"What can I do for you?" she asks. After a long staring contest, she finally realizes my problem and sighs.
A menu appears next to her in the air.
|
I point to the second option.
"The inn has been extremely busy since construction on the bridge started. Brawls happen here every night. My regulars are not pleased. Not that I care. If someone falls unconscious, I just take their loot. Shh, don't tell!"
My lips are sealed.
I select Rest, and the innkeeper nods.
"You're in luck. We still have vacancy. That'll be 20 Gold. Do you wish to continue?"
- Yes.
- No.
|
I pick Yes.
The sound of jingling coins plays.
"Thank you very much. Enjoy your stay!"
In a flash, Cassis and I are transported to a room which conveniently has two beds. Lanterns line the wooden walls, giving the space a faint yellow glow. She paces back and forth, still antsy about the incident from earlier. I walk up to her to find out what's wrong.
"Go to bed," she says.
Obviously, she has a story to tell, so I keep prying.
"You're pretty nosy, aren't you?"
I nod.
"Well, long story short, I'm on a quest. A quest to find the Zephyrion Sword. I know what you're thinking. It doesn't exist. But months of investigation has led me to this part of the kingdom. I'm close. I can feel it. In any case, it's not your concern. Thanks for asking, though. I feel better now. Let's get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll head straight for the Tower of Destiny. We'll get you to Level 5 on the way."
She hops onto one of beds and lies down on top of the white sheets. Her eyes blink several times, then after a minute or so, they remain shut for good, and her body, motionless.
As I head over to my bed, I see her talking in her sleep.
"One good deed a day..."
"No pants dude...weirdo......ugh...! Smell so bad!
"...help......level up."
"....."
"..."
"I hate you, Magnus! When I become a Paladin, I'm going to......"
Even though Cassis and I are from different worlds--heck, at worst she's not even real, and at best she looks deformed--I can't help but feel a bond developing between us. Maybe it's because I have a soft spot for strong female characters. And whoever this Magnus is, I assume I'll find out very soon.
I plop onto my bed, expecting it to feel cheap and awkward, but what welcomes me is a comfort beyond belief. Every muscle in my body begins to relax. The day's battles were serious workouts. I'll be in tip-top shape in no time.
As I lie in silence, fear and confusion finally catch up to me.
What the hell is happening? Am I really in a video game, or is this all a dream
My eyes blink.
The world dims.
My mind grows quiet.
Then, I feel a strong, inescapable force pull me into the darkness.
~*~
Personally, I'd go for monk because of it doesn't have a major weakness, but I would have also picked a different element and picked the other options based on what bonuses I thought they would give.
Considering Alex is the main character I doubt he'll get a standard class, something like "Hero," "Earthling," or "Apostle," seems more likely to me. We also don't know what subclasses really are at this point; they could just be a second class, but they could also be a completely different selection of classes. I'm betting on them being a specialization within the class, "Paladin" being one of the subclasses of knight. My second guess would be it being a combination, such as "Knight" + "Priest" = "Paladin."
Now then, what are some of your favorite things in games? I personally love the feeling of progression and growth, it's why RPGs are my favorite genre. Mechanically intensive games with a heavy emphasis on player skill are my second favorite genre. I also love a challenge in games. This makes the souls-like genre pretty damn fun for me.
Thanks for the chapter. I'll be impatiently waiting for more.
@Zera You are definitely on the right track about the class system. I'm glad you caught that detail about sublcass. I purposely add these "sneak peeks" of what's to come in the game screens for those paying attention :).
I'm having a lot of fun planning it out right now. Nothing is final, so thanks for the feedback.
The answers Alex picked for the questions at the start of the game will come into play much later in the story, I think. I don't wanna reveal too much.
Anyways, I like action/adventure games with a horror/post-apocalyptic theme like The Last Of Us, Ghost of Tsushima.. But RPGs will always be my favourite, I play them mostly for the story. I like games that let you develop support skills like crafting, cooking, fishing, etc. I can spend way too much time on that haha..
Thanks again for reading.
nice.
Alas, more Bunnies fall to our swords. After a few battles, I finally reach Level 2. My HP and SP have increased, but the other stats remain the same. I ask Asharia for an explanation and discover that I possess a source of energy not present before.
That part was pretty confusing.
Source of Energy looks like something that is channeled to use spells.
Thanks for pointing out the confusion. I'll think of a way to fix this.
@midnightrainbow You can say something appeared in the darkness of the 'menu', a star or a ball of light, something that is easily seen the moment you enter the 'menu'
@Alex_Grant Oh hey that's a good idea! I can't think right now. Gonna add this to my notes and update this when I get a chance to edit.