Midsummer Feast

Merie had been bored and started to read about the breakthrough for the VR console. It hadn’t been many years since the new kind of gaming came out and set a new standard for how the experience would be. She hadn’t known where it came from or anything like that, until she found it on the internet. And she found it very interesting as it turned out it first had been used in medicine as a tool to “set patients on vegetable state free” so they could meet with family, sometimes for a last farewell.

Merie couldn’t deny that there was a sad backstory, but she didn’t mind it turning into a console in the end. And considering the use, so could she understand how it just threw the mind into the game, leaving the body as an almost, empty shell.

She caught a glimpse of a page she already could guess would annoy her. “The new VR games are a breeding ground for killers.” Merie passed it without giving it any further look, sure she’d read enough of all those kinds of titles already. And she hated and still hates them from the bottom of her heart.

Sure, she couldn’t deny there might be some people like that, but those kinds of people could be found everywhere. Those who couldn’t separate between sickening fantasies and just letting the demons come out to play for a moment. People like them in “Mien Skitie”.

After getting her fill of annoyance and information so did Merie left her seat and walked over to the VR-set. Picking it up and took her place on the bed, adjusting a timer at the helmet. Giving herself a chance to spend some of the evening with her parents. Who had been complaining about how much time she spent in the game.

“Everyone has their way of handling life’s hardships, and this is mine.” She wasn’t explaining it to anyone other than herself and couldn’t see it as anything else than a truth. But the same couldn’t be said about the majority of those around her, some straight of explaining how disgusting the way of thinking was, as Merie didn’t expose herself as one of them going wild in games, and that those people were the worst kind of people in the world.

As she logged in so did she find herself in the middle of a small village, the sun showering the world with its rays. The villagers were wandering around and chatting happily. But was soon interrupted by her, “Pardon, may I ask for the direction to the cliff with two waterfalls and a rose statue?” Merie had found out the previous day, from the forum, that the NPC she searched for was there. Or it’d been there during that time before Merie had needed to shut down for the night, and she was hoping it still was there.

“If you not are one of those wanderers, so wouldn’t I suggest you go there, Miss. There are some strong monsters, who will rip you to pieces.” The NPC, a man, looked hesitantly at her as he spoke.

The system lets the NPC act like living humans with a history and emotions. One of the new features setting Rocking World far above many other games. But as they’re programmed to be like normal humans, so does it also mean they’ll disappear if they die, never to be revived again. And since the same can’t be said about the players, so does the NPCs speak of them as Wanderers, walking through hardship and the life without a worry about being sent to the heaven above.

After exposing she was a Wanderer, so did the man pointed her in the right direction, “You’ll find a road, leading into the forest over there. After following it for a while, so will it come to a dead end, but by then so should you continue in the same direction.” “And if you should happen to meet any strong monsters on the way, so would we be grateful if you  killed them, Miss.” The man rapidly followed himself up by begging her for help. Something Merie didn’t mind doing as it also would supply her with some EXP.

As she followed the direction the NPC had pointed out so did she meet a couple of monsters, but none were especially strong. But she couldn’t say that she was surprised by it, as normal NPCs were weaker than players. To start with so didn’t any of the normal NPCs have any skills or abilities, and those NCPs having either skills or abilities were picked up by the Kingdome. Or as it was now, one of the kingdoms, both by NPC driven Kingdome or player-driven Kingdome, and those weren’t to underestimate.

Reaching the dead end and continuing forward, she’d no intention to remain there longer than necessary and search for monsters who could pose a threat to the village. Which she could’ve considered doing if she wouldn’t have been at a time limit.

Neither Merie nor her fellow friends in “Mien Skitie”, Anlie, Lart and Opiom, would concentrate attacks at NPCs. She could honestly not speak for Marcus and Cleara, but all as all so was it almost an unwritten rule not to mess with the NPCs. The group might be seen as murderers, but it only stretched as far as they only wished to kill those they knew would come back. And they could never attack a city, or even think about it, where it would be impossible to not involve NPCs in the fight.

Sprinting off to reach the destination faster, unsure how long time she needed to get the status-potion ability. But she wouldn’t be sad if she got some time to spare after getting it, meaning she could check what she possibly could need for the crafting.

The destination looked far more beautiful than she ever could’ve guessed. The waterfalls were massive but were still not coming off as messy. Instead so we’re they feeling calm, which only was increased by the rainbows hanging beside them. And the rose statue was made of stone in a soft reddish colour.

The surrounding was also looking nice, the forest was almost creating a wall around the water, with space to spare, and not a single tree was growing inside of that wall. Instead so was it filled with bushes, herbs and flowers. All were making the area all the more charming, and Merie would’ve loved to camp there a couple of times every year.

“WHO ARE YOU?! AND WHAT DO YOU WANT?!” And, of course, so did someone have to break the charm with their yelling. But at the same time so could she be lucky if it was the NPC and not a player. Turning to the source of the voice, she noticed a person, in her age?, who glared at her. The girl’s waist-long, black, was in a mess. And her clothes were in tatters. “If you happen to know how to create status-potions, so would I want to learn that. Otherwise, so will I only enjoy the scenery.” Just by looking at her, so could Merie say she was an NPC. But there was no way to know if it was the right one, and if it wasn’t so would she enjoy the scenery some more before continuing her search.

“May I ask why a Wanderer is enjoying a scenery like this, when you probably will find other gorgeous places around the world?” “Because what I’ve found this far so is this the most beautiful thing I’ve seen. And I think it’ll be difficult beating this.” The girl was indeed right, but as Merie states, so was it just as simple as she hadn’t seen any other places this beautiful, not to mention that it gave off a natural feeling in differences from other beautiful sites in the game.

“I see…” “But to answer your other question, so doesn’t I know anything about status-potions. I can only a few things about potions, but I can teach you some of that if you wish.” The offer wasn’t quite what she’d been searching for, but considering potions cost money so wasn’t it a bad idea. “I’m grateful for the offer. But sadly so won’t I be able to remain here all the time since I’ve other special places I need to go to.” Merie found it annoying to express it like that, but it wasn’t as if she could tell a “living being” that she would disappear because she logged out. So this was probably the easiest way to explain it. “It sounds bothersome, but I’ll remain here for a couple of days, so you can come and go as you find necessary.”

At the girl’s words, a pop-up appeared in front of her eyes, expressing that she had gained Flora. An ability Merie had heard a little about earlier, and it just made it possible to identify herbs, and like, and use the medical benefits of them.

The girl, Pois, didn’t waste a second and started to teach Merie about which plants were good for potions and which weren’t. And as Pois explained so did it appear more benefits in the pop-up information Merie saw as she used the ability. Filling her with relief as she didn’t need to remember any of it.

Still, all good things had to come to an end. The timer was set off, and the signal violated her head worse than she’d thought. Rapidly turning it off, “I do apologise, Pois. But there are other duties calling, so I need to leave.” “But I’m greatly thankful for your information, and I’ll come back as soon as I possibly can.” Merie rapidly thanked Pois as she opened her menu and found the log out button.

Back in the real world, she took off the set and rapidly headed to the kitchen. She could honestly have played for a while longer as her parents weren’t home yet. But she’d set her mind on making them dinner for once.

They’d often mentioned that she was a wonderful daughter, who helped tons at home and took care of her studies. And even though she still was serious with her studies, so couldn’t she deny that she’d helped less at home since she started to play Rocking World. And it wasn’t as if she would ignore the game, but she could consider helping out from time to time.

–

The scenery was just as beautiful as the last time she’d been there. Once again amazing her till she couldn’t speak a word. “I’m glad to see you’re back, Merie!” But once again so did someone need to disturb the feeling. And even though it was for the better, so did Merie still find it annoying.

Merie had once again turned on Rocking world to continue her training under Pois. Of it wouldn’t turn out the NPC had left the place, which she was quite famous for. At least from what Merie had come to understand as she searched for more information on the internet. Sadly, so had she also come to know that it took quite some time to level Potion-craft, and she needed quite some levels before she would be able to have any reasonable use of them. Even being so bad that the regular health potions were better in the beginning.

“Yes, I’m back to go through with the training, Pois.” As always so would Merie go through with what she started. No matter if it didn’t turn out to be as she first had thought. Started things should be finished, it was just how it should be.

“I’m honoured to hear your wishes to continue studying under me, Merie.” “I’ve, honestly, met other wanderers before you, but they’ve left as soon as they came.” Pois sounded bothered when exposing the truth, showing too many emotions for a product of programming. Almost too much for comfort. “I see. But I’ll not leave before I’ve finished the studies.” Merie couldn’t help but wonder why there were so many who easily could throw away what they’d picked up? But it was probably something she never would be able to understand.

With the greeting done so did Pois continue to show Merie the herbs and explain their effects. Almost expressing it in a way as if she would’ve been a teacher. “I think those are enough for now. But it’s only till I’ve shown you how to create potions, Merie.” Pois sounded glad that she would show her how to make potions, “But before we start with that so do I need you to get twenty, each, of these two herbs.” Rapidly following up by showing off two kinds of herbs she wanted Merie to fetch.

Thanks to Flora so could Merie both see the names, benefits and where to find the herbs. Rapidly turning and fetching them, quickly finding them because of the information Flora exposed.

“Here they’re, Pois.” Merie returned and handed over the herbs to the girl, who directly turned around and left. Signalling Merie to follow her as she walked over to a rock with a flat top, “We don’t have any luxury things like a table, so the stone will have to do.” Merie didn’t mind. Sure, it could make it more difficult to create anything, but she was sure she would need the potions more out in the wild than in the safety of a house. “You’ll need these to prepare for the potions.” Pois handed over a rock, waterskin and a bowl to Merie as she spoke. “First, you put one of each herb in the bowl, and then so should you use the stone to grind them to a pulp.” The instructions were horribly easy, but it was great since the game shouldn’t be too difficult when it came to creating things. Even better, thanks to the simple setting so did it feel quite relaxing.

“Is this enough, Pois?” Merie showed off the pulp she had ground up, met with a smile from Pois. “It can be enough, but the fewer whole parts of herbs you’ve in there, the better the potion gets.” Merie looked at the pulp again, she couldn’t say she could see any whole parts in it. But if Pois said so, so might it be like that.