Otherlife Dreams: The Selfless Hero Trilogy (30 page)

“Are you sure? T-t-that’s a lot of m-money to spend, especially the arm-m-mor.”

“Money can be replaced, you can’t. There is only one Nadine. Speaking of, purchase a set of health potions for everyone, at least six a piece.”

Nadine furrowed her brow at his growing list but nodded her head. The little merchant was probably already calculating everything down to the last copper.

“Our goal is to reach the border town of Crivel, everyone alive and accounted for. Best to work that route into everything else as well. I’ve been hearing noise that there’s an event going on up there, so expect change in pricing.”

“Food. Word is they’re st-t-ocking up on food,” Nadine supplied after a pause.

“Odd. Only reason people would stock foodstuffs is famine, war, or plague. Maybe it isn’t the time to head up that way. We could take a transport to the main continent but then we’d be under level for the area, which is a whole different can of worms,” scratching at his cheek Runner turned and entered into the vehicle shop.

Tossing an apathetic wave at the salesman Runner looked to Nadine. “I know the wagon is back at the Inn but sell the wagon contract to him. Rent one at the same time for twenty-four hours, it’s all we’ll need it for. Any purchases you make for our trip that’s too heavy to carry around in your inventory regularly you’ll need to come back and sell to him as well.”

Disallowing the inevitable questions Nadine would ask Runner stepped back outside.

Opening his map he traced a finger up along the road to Crivel. It rested nearly dead center on the border with the northern provinces of the large island they were on. If what Nadine said was true, it would seem the northern neighbors were more than likely on the move. Moving his attention further north he found the Commonwealth of the Sunless and the Barbarian tribes. Both were a loose collection of provinces ruled by noble families and their retainers in a feudal society that rolled up to one leader.

Grunting he closed his map and mentally shrugged. It was a risk, but it still presented them with the fastest method of possibly ending this whole ordeal. It had been over a month since he’d entered the game. Ten thousand dead crew mates rested on his shoulders. Every minute longer here put them at risk to lose more brothers and sisters in arms. That they were probably already in Earth space was also a very real possibility. Freeing themselves from the game would put them home instead of on a far off colony planet. It was tantalizing.

Trying to get this done while being ten levels under the recommended bracket is a death sentence. The main land is out.

Confirming his plan of action with that thought, he set a waypoint marker for Crivel. Those who made the game had prided themselves on making it real world relevant as far as distances and travel time went. At the moment Runner cursed them rather than share in their marvel of realism and level of immersion. It would take them the better part of a three to four weeks to get there by foot and wagon. Traveling in this manner wasn’t exactly ideal but it would provide them the greatest opportunity to lose their hunters too.

Nadine stepped in front of him, glaring at him. “Care t-t-to explain that n-now? You t-t-t-told me to plan around it and m-m-made me sell m-m-my wagon.”

“Certainly. First, there’s a buyback function that lasts for twenty-four hours. Everything you sell to the vehicle shop you can buy back at no extra cost, so long as it’s done within twenty-four hours. Second, typically, wagons and other vehicles are not left out when they’re not in use or empty. They’re stored in their inventory. Strange to store a wagon like that, but there it is. It’s the way video games work really.”

Closing the map he smiled at her and started back towards the heart of the commodities market.

“We’ll simply set up the rented wagon in the same spot as where the original was. We’ve already been in town for, what, a week? They’ll have resorted to watching the wagon at night by this point to determine if we’re leaving or still there. Well, probably. No guarantee on that but familiarity breeds contempt. In other words, the lack of subterfuge on our part has created a lack of awareness on their part.”

Nadine nodded her head after a flash of understanding. “I un-n-nderstand. Won’t they notice the wagon is missing right now?”

“Possible, but I doubt it. They’re all watching us or the arena right now. Could be wrong, but I doubt it. I figure the wagon switch will either lose them entirely, or set them into a panic when the rental vanishes tomorrow. They’ll assume we just took it out when they weren’t looking and start checking the gates. Exiting from the western gate, the same one we came in from, we circle around the town to the north. At the same time, I purchased a ticket for a wagon caravan to the south. The time just happens to coincide with our departure,” Runner paused to check the in game clock. “Five minutes after the wagon rental goes poof to be exact. With a bit of luck, they’ll assume we went out with that caravan. Considering it cost nearly nothing to volunteer to be part of a wagon caravan we’ll be out nothing.”

“But t-t-the Naturals who sold the t-tickets aren’t awake. They’re n-n-normal. T-they wouldn’t know an-nything,” Nadine countered.

“No guarantee what our pursuers will or won’t do. I’d rather pay the minuscule fee on the off chance it works out, rather than regret that I didn’t. I also posted a bulletin in the jobs board asking for a guide to escort us to the southern coastal port for the portion of the trip that extends beyond the caravan destination.”

“T-t-that really seems like too m-much.”

“Meh. It also cost very little. I’d rather crush it with my wallet. Besides, if they work all that much harder at it, they’ll be more likely to trust it. Anything too easily obtained and they’ll disbelieve it.”

Nadine shook her head slowly, clearly not sold on the whole idea.

“Seriously, what’s the worst that happens? I lose a few coins? It’ll be fine,” Runner idly promised. Waving his arm in front of him at the market ahead he continued. “Now let’s make those purchases we talked about. I’d rather not make Lady Death angrier than I have to. Besides, it’s been a great day for a walk.”

Chapter 15 - Sardine Wagon -

2:51pm Sovereign Earth time

10/11/43

Nadine paused long enough to dump all of the purchases they made, including her current gear, in the corner on her way to her bed. Even before the sound of clattering gear could dissipate, Nadine was collapsing into the sheets with nothing but her small clothes on.

Runner went over to the mess and started sorting it out based on who the item would go to.

With a quiet chirp of surprise he was delighted to find the sword they’d purchased pointed North. Dropping his own short swords to test this he found they all indeed pointed north. It was a small thing but amusing none the less. At this point Runner would take any amusement he could muster up.

He picked out Nadine’s crossbow and decided to start there since it was current gear and would be used regardless of him upgrading it or not. In short order he had dismantled it and laid out on the dinning table like a grizzly autopsy. Planning the enchantments in his head to min-maxed the hell out of her weapon. Idly he rubbed his thumb against the wood grain of the stock.

It was strange. It felt like wood, smelled like it, and probably tasted like it too. Holding it up to his nose he gave it a sniff and briefly considered the strange thought of putting his teeth on it. He couldn’t trust his senses anymore and a memory could only tell you that, yes, this clearly is wood. Was it actually wood then? Did it no longer theoretically exist but actually did exist? At least to him?

Rapidly backing up from this line of speculation he settled his mind. Shaking his head as if to fling loose any lingering thoughts he puffed his bit his lip and started working.

9:04pm Sovereign Earth time

10/11/43

Katarina pushed the door open and stepped into the inn room. Close behind her followed Thana and Hannah. Runner’s attention was diverted by the sudden entrance. Smiling at her he nodded his head before resuming his work on the bronze barbute.

Reattaching the interior webbing to the hooks he flipped it over to the other side. Sliding the visor back into place with a pop he rotated it around to secure the other side. Much of the helmet had been lined with rivets, and it’d taken him some time to break each one out and insert a new enchanted one.

This helmet he’d made in particular for Katarina. It’d been put together with the goal of mitigation and bolstering her health. The visor portion he had placed Night Sight on. As a barbarian she had just as bad of night vision as he did.

It wasn’t perfect of course, it made everything black and white but did a fair job of providing nearly the same visibility as a normal day. Checking it one more time for anything loose or out of place he set it down on the table. A second helmet, minus the visor, that he had made for himself rested beside it with the rest of the table filled with various selections of armor and Nadine’s crossbow.

Katarina came over to him and leaned over him. She put her left hand on his shoulder and with her right she accessed the bronze helmet.

“Oh,” Katarina whispered. “Good helmet.”

A mirthful chuckle escapes his lips at her clipped compliment. With a firm pat to her hand on his shoulder he looked up at her.

“Can’t let anyone mar that pretty face of yours Kitten. Be sure to flip the visor down to actually use that night vision enchantment. Anything with more metal than leather on the table is yours. I’ll try to get to your shield while on the road if possible,” he apologized. Standing he picked up his own bronze barbute and pushed it into his open equipment screen. Snagging a thick robe with an attachable mantle from the table he made his way over to Thana.

“My Lady Death, I’m afraid you’re going to need to wait till the road as well for your staff to be repurposed. Hannah, your swords too. I’ll do my best to get them all up to snuff before we get Crivel. There really wasn’t much in the way of inventory in this rink-a-dink little town. Nadine wore herself out getting the best deals for us.”

With an apologetic smirk he handed the reinforced cloth to Thana. It’d taken some doing getting the boiled leather strips to sit correctly inside of the cloth, but the end result had upped it’s armor and looked acceptable. Nothing a few level ups in tailoring and a few wasted materials hadn’t spruced up.

After Thana took the armor from his hands he sat on the edge of the bed Nadine was sleeping in. Using his elbow he lightly nudged Nadine’s feet and he felt her stirring from her slumber. Throwing out a lazy hand gesture to the table he continued.

“Sort through the gear, find out what works for you, what doesn’t. Make sure you get your cranequin Nadine. We’ll sell the rest,” Runner lied. Fear of betraying that deception kept his lips pressed tightly together.

He’d prepared each individual piece of armor for them in mind and doubted if anything would be left over. He wasn’t keen on pigeon holing people but he truly believed he knew what would emphasize their kits the best. If they didn’t want to use it, so be it.

“If you replace something just trade it to me later since you can’t technically drop it. I’ll pass it over to our little merchant queen. We’ll be leaving tonight. Nadine and I set up the prep work this afternoon. With a bit of luck we should be able to leave town without anyone the wiser. We did pick up a tail by the way.”

That got their attention, each looked to him to elaborate.

“I don’t know anything beyond that we have a tail. I didn’t want them to figure out I’d spotted them. For the plan, it’s a fairly straightforward one really. Make our way out of the inn under cover of Stealth, head west, pick up our supplies, then exit through the harbor gate, loop around to the north, and follow the North Road north. We’ll hit a few towns and villages on our way, buy, sell, trade, the normal shtick.”

Hannah snorted as she tucked a pair of boiled leather gloves into her inventory.

“Nothing is that easy with your stupid ass. I’m sure you’ll fuck something up or piss off someone or something on our way. A flock of chickens maybe? Scurry of squirrels? Luck is a fickle bitch and thinks you need all the bad luck she can spare like a spurned ex. When she isn’t trying to get back with you.”

Runner couldn’t really argue with Hannah’s logic as it had proven accurate up to this point.

“Is this the part where I mention Crivel is going to be under siege from the Sunless empire? Cause yeah, if we don’t get there fast enough the city will get shut tighter than a quartermaster’s medical supply depot.”

Letting out a bark of laughter Katarina shook her head. She now sat in the chair he’d vacated at the table. Her fingers were tightening the straps to her new bronze gorget and pauldrons, adjusting the length to sit right on her shoulders and collar bone. Since she only had to pull off her leather armor to equip the new bronze set she hadn’t needed privacy to change, her underclothes were separate.

“Never easy. Always a problem with you,” Katarina muttered. Slapping a buckle down hard enough that the metal pinged she looked up at him with a challenging smile.

“Yeah. Well, you all knew this wasn’t going to be pleasant. I wouldn’t begrudge of any of you from backing out now that you know the plan.”

Runner let that sink in for a minute. Silence spread throughout the room and hung over the conversation like a brewing storm cloud. Everyone stared at him from their various positions throughout the room.