Chapter 5: Reunion

I rushed back to the training hall as fast as I could, trying my best to offset the time I spent killing the GM. Assuming Jacob was about as fast as I was, we should both arrive around the same time. As I entered the fighter's chamber for the second time, I was just now remembering that I had a quest to hand in, and as far as these two knew, I was the same half-orc that they handed the quest to in the first place. Now if there was ever a time to test out how sentient the NPCs in this game were, it was now. I decided before handing in my quest to talk to Sergeant Pholfir to get a general idea of how much “life” these guys had.

“Hey, umm.. Sergeant Pholfir, uhh.. You got a second?” 

“Hey there, recruit! Thinking of switching your training to becoming a brute? Maybe a bit more savagery would be more your speed?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just umm…” I needed to think of something that an ordinary NPC wouldn't be able to tell me off the back of their hand, without bringing any alarm that I was up to something. I also needed it to be something that somebody in his position would actually know about.

“Well actually now that you bring it up, I’m curious as to what classes I could choose to look into, now that I’m starting my adventure! If you have the time could you just tell me about a few you think I would enjoy?”

“Sure! Well why don’t we start off by having you tell me what you want for yourself? I mean, you have the rest of your adventures here to find what you want to do! Do you want to be the strongest warrior to have lived, do you want to be a hero fighting the army of the void, I mean… like what do you want?

This is definitely far above the capabilities of an NPC made in the early video games of the 2000s. I know that other FBARs try to conserve resources by having simpler NPCs, but it seems like the claims made by AOV were true. These NPCs are as complex and person-like as those who lived back home. So complex that he brought up a question that I frankly didn’t have an answer to. Now that I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to live a life in AOV with a dev tool in my inventory, what was I to do with myself?

“Well to be honest, I’m not exactly sure… I mean all of this is kinda overwhelming…”

In the middle of my reply a certain half-orc walked beside me to talk to Kleo. For the first time I got to get a good look at the character my boyfriend was playing as. Lush red hair swept to the front and tied in the back covered the face of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She wore a determined smile with the cutest little fangs poking out from the bottom edges of her lips. Freckles surrounded a pair of stunningly innocent eyes, and flanked her adorable button nose. 

“H-hey! You’re in the same barracks as me, right?” I fumble out awkwardly, interrupting my previous thought with Pholfir. It was important that I get Jacob into my party as soon as possible so she could use the gemstone. 

“Oh, um… yeah! I think we woke up at the same time right? What a doozy that morning was! Took me a while to come to my senses.”

“Yeah, uh anyways you’re a warrior right?”

“Yes I am! I just finished killing 10 worgs and now I’ve just got to present the teeth of them so I can continue on my adventures!”

“Great, I just finished doing the same as you, do you want to work on the next quest together since we’re both warriors? We could form a party and finish our quests twice as fast!”

“That sounds great! Let me request to join your party real quick.”

In the center of my vision was a box that read “Zaleira would like to join your party. [Decline/Accept]”

Immediately after pressing the ‘Accept’ button, my former boyfriend's health bar appeared below my own, being smaller than mine and allowing me to see her current health and courage, which were the same exact as mine. We handed our quests into Sergeant Kleo, and we both received our pendants and a new quest.

Explore the crater - South of the training hall in the woods is a large crater. Gather one of the stones surrounding the crater and return it to sergeant Kleo. Reward: 300xp & 50 copper coins

Wow, how did Kleo know about the explosion so quickly? And 50 copper coins? This is the first time I’m noticing currency in the game. I check my bag to see how much money I started with as well as any other items I have.

Inventory: 

5x minor health potions

5x minor mana potions

Map of Sunshine Valley

2x Shard of Chris_GM

13x Worg fur

Worg tooth pendant

Currency: 

Gold - (0)

Silver - (2)

Copper (50)

I’m assuming that the way currency works in this game is that 100 copper is 1 silver, and the same thing for silver and gold. I wonder if I can sell the 13x worg fur? Also, I already have one of the stones from around the crater, as I was the one who created it and decided to keep a trophy! Well this was going to be the easiest 300xp I’ve ever gained.

I turn in the quest and me and Zaleira both get 50 copper. Kleo explains that he has one final quest for us, and tells us to head north to the shimmering harbor to meet captain Taireneth. He hands us both a map of the shimmering harbor and says the northmost route shown on our sunshine valley maps will connect to the southernmost routes on the new ones. 

To the Shimmering harbor - Head northwards to the shimmering harber and meet with captain Taireneth. Reward: 300xp & Chestpiece of the valley 

I decide for the first time to look at the map I just recently discovered I even had.

arracks was the building to the middle left, so that means that we’ll be taking a left and continuing on the main road. However, I intend to take a detour. The housing district is directly north of here, and that is the location I plan to show Zaleira the GM stone. 

We both leave the training hall for the last time and head northwards. I strike conversation with Zaleira along the way, curious as to what my boyfriend is thinking still unaware of our previous life. As we converse I can sense that Zaleria is becoming more trusting of me. I suggest that we rest in the housing district before we continue with our path upwards. She agrees, and we manage to find ourselves a place to stay for the night, as well as something to eat before we reach the house. 

As we reach the house Zaleira says “Ahh.. here we are! Finally, a place to rest my feet.”

“Hey Zal, do you remember the quest about the crater earlier?”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“Well I found a bit more than just a stone there. I found this as well…” I show her the GM stone, and then place it in her hands. 

“Use it.”

“What? What does it do?”

“Just trust me on this, you aren't going to regret it.”

She blinks a few times in confusion and mumbles “Ok…”. As it shines with a familiar purple glow, Zaleira grips her head in pain and angrily asks “What did you do? What is this thing?!” I simply look at her with a smirk, knowing what’s going to happen next. Her eyes grow heavier and heavier until she collapses and falls into bed.