19 – Elves

Two people ran through the dense jungle, a humongous formation of dirt, rocks and silt chasing them down.

“You had no potions and the wrong weapons!” Cal said, voice barely reaching Julian over the sound of smashed trees and heavy stomping feet.

“But I almost parried it perfectly!” Julian joked.

“But you didn’t! So much for laying low!”

They ran for almost a mile before the Elemental decided to stop chasing them. They had reached a small stream that flowed down along the curvature of the asteroid at the bottom of a small valley, and decided to follow it after recuperating at a fire. Julian used the two scrolls he had found in the hut on himself, gaining two Sorceries: Magic Missile and Homing Magic Missile. A quick appraisal told him that they both dealt magic damage with a scaling of F and F- on Intelligence respectively.

If anything they were going to be useful in fights like the one they just had to run from, when the target was almost immune to physical damage, although Julian’s measly mana pool was going to be an issue.

As they walked, Julian’s mind began to think.

So, I can hack the system and the system knows that, but instead of hiding its weak points it literally put a console I can use to hack it in my path.

And then it throws me in space, basically. Where it baits me with items.

A monster, like a chimera of a fox and a tiger, emerged from the forest in a roar. Julian didn’t even wait for it to land before peppering it with bullets from his revolvers, emptying the mags until he got the notification that he gained runes. Then he reloaded the guns, taking an equal amount of bullets and powder from each ring, and put them back in their holsters.

But it was the system that put the tablet there, wasn’t it? So why get mad when I use it?

The river accelerated in a series of rapids, and above the rapids a small wooden bridge was hanging on thick ropes. They crossed, but Julian kept glancing up at the canopy until he motioned for his friend to lean down.

“We are being watched.” Julian said, covering his mouth with his hand.

“We are?”

With one fluid motion, Julian unholstered his guns and shot twice, aiming for the crown of a nearby tree. A shadow fell from that tree and hit the ground.

+2500 Runes.

“Wh—” Cal yelped, but his question was cut short by more gunshots.

Two more bodies fell from the trees, landing with a thud and a small bounce on the ground. They were humanoid, but not exactly human.

+2500 Runes.
+2500 Runes.

Julian poked Cal with his elbow. “I had eyes on four of them, but one escaped.” He said. “Eyes peeled.”

Cal readied his staff and grabbed the gun with his spare hand, nodding. “Why did you shoot them?” he asked in a low voice as the two walked carefully through the dense forest.

“That was an ambush, didn’t you see?” Julian replied.

Cal bit his lips. “Now what?”

“We keep going.” Julian said. It was maybe not the best choice, but at this point going back could potentially be just as bad, with the elemental waiting for them.

The path slowly led more and more deeply into the forest, where the trees were impossibly tall and lush, covering the sight of the dark sky completely. Animals cried and called, and jumped from tree to tree, and every time Julian and Cal reacted immediately to track the sudden movement ready to unload their whole arsenal at a moment’s notice. It was stressful and draining, and before long it started to get to them.

A shadow. Julian tracked it, like he did the others, but it disappeared before he could determine whether it was an animal or an ambush. Then it reappeared on the other side of his field of vision, making him turn around only to see it disappear again. The third time he almost fired his guns, but once again there was nothing there.

The suddenly a dozen shapes emerged from the branches, bows trained on the duo. On the ground two figures, an elderly humanoid and a young female appeared from the thick of the forest and slowly walked towards them. Julian very slowly pointed his guns up, making sure that all enemies saw what he was doing, and ever so carefully holstered them. Then he signed to Cal to do the same.

As the two figures drew closer, Julian finally was able to make out their features.

Their perfect pearlescent skin, their long hair and fair complexion was a sight that made Cal’Eer stare in awe, while Julian groaned in mental pain.

“Elves.” He said monotone. “Great.”

The two elves stopped a few meters from the party, and a long moment of silence was spent studying each other before the elder spoke.

“Greetings humans. You are surrounded by a dozen elite archers so, please, refrain from doing anything that could be perceived as hostile.” He said.

Julian let Cal take initiative. “We are terribly sorry,” he said, bowing his head. “We thought we were being ambushed, without thinking that you were probably simply keeping an eye on us. We are the intruders in your forest, after all. Please, accept our apology as genuine, and know that we will do anything in order to right this wrong.”

Julian fumed, feeling the scraping need to kill inside his bones, but kept his mouth shut.

“I can see that your apology is genuine,” the elder spoke slowly, carefully. “All I ask of you is that you temper the instincts of your… travelling companion. Promise me that, and you will be allowed transit in our forest.”

Julian smacked his lips and opened his mouth in protest, but Cal cut him off with a finger held up.

“I will, worry not. He is of a newly integrated species, and does not know restraint yet. But he is learning.” He said, ignoring the looks he was getting from his companion.

“Very well, follow me.” The elder elf said, and turned around without waiting.

The duo followed, and alongside them the archers too accompanied them, leaping from tree to tree and from branch to branch without ever letting the party leave their view and their weapons range.

“My name is Bob, village Elder. What are your names?” The elf asked.

Julian almost cackled. “Bob? What kind of name is that for an elf? What the hell is the system doing?”

“I am Cal’Eer, and this is Julian. We are Tower Climbers.” Cal said without skipping a beat.

“I had guessed so. There are others guests in our village, fellow Tower Climbers seeking refuge, a meal, and quests. If you are in search of those things as well, we can provide them to you. Or, if you prefer, we can point you in the direction of the upwards path, for a cost.”

Cal clasped his hands and bowed slightly. “Thank you for your kindness.” He said, then turned to Julian. “Can we stop here?” he asked.

“Yeah, sure. I admit I am curious about what we will find at the village. There’s runes to be made.” He said, then pointed at the two elves walking ahead. “They system personnel?” he continued in a low whisper, so that only Cal could hear.

“No. I mean, I don’t think so. They would be ghosts, at least up to the fifth floor.” He said.

“I see. In this case, they are basically monsters, right?” Julian licked his lips. It was clear to both that he was thinking about Runes, and he didn’t mean runes to make by completing quests.

“I wouldn’t do that.” Cal warned.

“Why? What are they if not that? They are hosts, designed by the system to gives us quests and a place to rest.” He explained.

“Are you saying they aren’t real people?” Cal’s voice was worried.

“I’m questioning their sentience.” Julian stated.

“And what if the system didn’t create them?” Cal said after a while.

“What? It moved them here from somewhere?”

“I think so.” He said.

Julian thought about it. It made sense, more than creating them for sure. If that was true, then they were more like hired contractors than actual employees of the system. “Can they leave the place?

“Why are you asking me?” Cal protested.

“I’m sorry,” he said, the stared at Cal in the eye. “Let me ask you the one question that matters: are you going to complain if I kill them?”

“Yes! of course I am!” Cal yelled under his voice. “Let's rest and maybe do some of the quests... even if we could kill them easily and gain runes we might as well see what they have to offer first, before going on a rampage and risking our lives.”

Julian stifled a laugh. “You want a classic style adventure arc? Fine, let's see what they make us do.”