Still, the attack is more than enough to send me reeling backward, stumbling in an attempt to keep on my feet. It’s times like this that make me regret my decision to finance the game’s VR mask. Back when I used to play just on a PC, all I’d have to deal with would be a first-person animation of my character being knocked back. It really wouldn’t have had an impact in how I prepare for the next attack. If anything, it would have let me prepare by giving me the space to watch how the thing would come at me next.
But I went ahead and took the publisher’s offer of a state-of-the-art VR mask and helmet. A hundred bucks down and then they take an additional five percent lifetime of all my River Market earnings, or until I pay roughly four times what it would have cost to order the VR mask from a third party seller. I shouldn’t complain, though. It’s a good deal to get the next gen hardware. There’s no way I could afford to buy the stuff outright.
I can’t even afford more than a few days’ worth of groceries. Let alone rent. And, yes, I’m aware of how much I’m obsessing about the R-word. I need to get my head back in the game.
With the VR effect in place, the world spins a bit as I backpedal away from the initial assault. This gives me a dizzying sensation, and I have to shake my head to try and allay the effects. I can only imagine what this encounter would feel like with a full haptic suit and chamber. As I refocus, the wounded monster is still coming at me, more mad than deterred by my successful shield parry. This time it goes in with its claws, looking for a more ranged attack.
I duck to the side at the first swipe, then duck to the other side like a prize fighter nimbly avoiding a left-right combination. All I want is for this dumb thing to break off the attack, maybe give me a clear sight picture of its back that I can hurl a dagger at, hoping to bleed away those last few hit points I’m somehow reading it as having.
But the werewolf seems to have decided this will be a duel to the death. It just keeps coming. I raise up my sword and shield, holding both in the ready position, prepared to defend myself against a strike if the opportunity presents itself. I don’t have to wait long for that to happen.
After a howl, the monster leaps in the air looking to land attacks with tooth and claw all at once. I can make out the matted, bloody fur on its body as the thing then hurtles toward me. Throwing my shield arm up, I deflect the double-handed downward swipe and then thrust my silver sword toward the monster’s snapping jaws.
My attack misses its mark and those gruesome jaws continue sailing straight for my face, but then I hear a yelp as the thing slams into me, knocking me flat on my back. Laid out and defenseless, I think I’m dead. Until, gradually, breathing heavy despite not actually moving from my seat, I realize that the werewolf isn’t moving or making any further noise. I push myself out from beneath the creature and see that the health bar is gone—the thing is dead. My outstretched sword found its way into the creature’s neck; a critical hit. More than enough to deplete its remaining life.
“I meant to do that,” I shout into the ether.
A quick search of the carcass yields exactly what my HUD said it would — three teeth, the pelt, and four claws. I take everything and then return to the road, even more determined to get my now expanded stash to safety. It takes me a while to calm down from nearly dying, but after about ten minutes of creeping through the woods jumping at every noise, I notice my breathing has slowed. This game rocks!
Now that the adrenaline has waned a little, I yawn, feeling the need to get some sleep. I’m gonna have to spend some time at the River Market tomorrow, but before that I want to get in a run and a much needed trip to the gym. Just because I didn’t actually play football doesn’t mean some of the Chad culture didn’t wear off. I went from a tubby sabermetrics nerd into a dad-bod sabermetrics nerd. So… progress.
And Brian was right that there is a chance my expulsion will be repealed. If that happens, I might be able to talk my way into a late start for some basic classes and then see about getting a position providing offensive or defensive analytics for the coaching staff. Get my life in order for next year.
Traveling the winding dirt road that leads to Knight’s Peak, I remember that there’s a remote inn along the way. These cost about double at night than they would during the day, mainly because anyone out this late is likely willing to pay the gold just to get in from the monsters and bandits that come out when the sun goes down. Usually I’m pretty frugal with my in-game money but after tonight, I just want to lock things down.
I run in the door, past the reveling adventurers gathered around a glowing orange fire that blazes in a great, open hearth in the center of the common area. Tables are occupied with dwarves, elves, humans, and half-orcs all playing the gambling mini-games. A decent way to earn money if you’re good at it. But I have terrible luck gambling so I don’t bother.
Moving past what looks like a clan of half-orcs rolling bone dice, I make my way to the NPC behind the counter, cut off his script about warm beer warming the heart, ignore the temptation to ask about any rumors, and get myself a room. The screen fades to black and I’m free to log out.
Finally.
Chapter Four
I wake up early. Usually between six and six thirty, depending on how good I am about keeping my bedtime. Today, six feels like it might as well be three. But, I’ve got stuff to do. I’ve been working out pretty consistently, and that’s not something I want to let slip. Also, I like the early morning for catching up on news—about the game, mind you.
There are a ton of King’s League streamers out there. They run the gamut of internet personalities from gamer chicks who are all looks and no substance to gamer girls who know their stuff and love the game. There are comedians, Try-hards, whiners, minors who have no business being online, people from other countries doing their best in broken English to try and tap into the US market, and other people using broken Chinese trying to do the same to them—not that there’s much chance they’ll get though the firewall Beijing has up. But that has more to do with real world news than King’s League news.
I’ve had enough of the real world lately.
I decide to see if Salvatore Sincere has a new episode up. He’s probably the most successful and powerful player in the game. The first to hit the level cap at 99. He gives a good mix of tutorial and best practice videos, which makes him super popular with new players, and also will livestream for hours at a time, which the hard-core players like. If you can’t play yourself, you may as well watch someone play while you’re at work, right?
He’s got a short one up called “What’s New in the League?” I play it, wondering if maybe he’ll have some info about the Graydon’s Sight helm I found. Maybe it’s just a new drop and I got lucky.
“What’s up, King’s Leaguers?” Salvatore shouts from my screen as the stream begins. “It’s your boy Salvatore and I’ve got some news. You ready? Of course you’re ready. Let’s do this thang!”
Salvatore cuts away to a fancily produced title intro for this particular series, complete with custom graphics, music, and stylized captures of his Wizard, Salvatore, torching monsters that could kill most of us with a look. When the opening montage fades, Salvatore is standing on a pristine white curb with sunshine filling the air, the ocean behind him, and a palm tree swaying overhead. Right away I know that whatever news he has, it isn’t big. When a really big story hits, he streams it right away, even if it’s just his take or conjecturing, in order to be first. Those times he’ll be sitting at his gaming station instead of looking like he’s on vacation.