Midsummer Feast

Two girls, one in light armour and one in blueish full plate armour, were walking through the thick forest as they searched for herbs Merie could put to use.

“I didn’t expect you to have learned Potion-craft, Dear.” “I’d no intension to learn it from the beginning, but as I happened to fall into it, so didn’t I’ve any other choice than to finish it.” Merie could still not deny that she’d learned some good things because of it, even though she still needed to find out how to create poison. Her small mischievous experiment, in the city, hadn’t given her any results. “It sounds like the typical you. Try to fake it till you make it.” Anlie followed up her comment with light laughter, of a caring kind. Which Merie didn’t mind the slightest, knowing Anlie well enough to be sure she didn’t mean any harm.

The forest was strangely empty for being a hotspot for material gathering, so it’d been a good thing to ask Anlie to come along as tons of monsters were roaming the ground. And even though Anlie had built her stats more toward a defensive build so did she do a good job protecting her. Making a short job of the monsters while Merie got all the time she needed to gather the herbs, even finding some new ones. “Have you considered reading books to level Flora, Dear?” Anlie got a good idea while fighting monsters, and it wasn’t anything Merie had been thinking about the slightest. “Do you know where to find books like that, Anlie?” Merie couldn’t remember paying any attention earlier to where to get books, so she’d no idea where to get them. “You can buy them from players, or so can you slaughter monsters to get them. So you’ll probably need to sell your ass in either case.” Anlie wasn’t wrong in the fact that Merie probably would need help in either case. It sounded like a rare loot, which she would pay a fortune or two to get it from another player.

“Heat.” Merie had been grinding up a bunch of different compositions during the time Anlie had asked for a break. Now drying them to a powder. “And that’s that?” Anlie had been watching her the whole time as they’d talked about their real lives. “Yes. It isn’t more difficult than that.” It was honestly simple after learning the basics, “But now so do I just have to use it to find out the effects of the mixes, or the effects of the herbs.” Meaning the most difficult part remained. To which Anlie let out loud laughter, “What do you say about handing the mixes to Opiom? She might want to pull a line in the game too.” In the game too?!

NO! Merie shouldn’t care about what Opiom might do in real life. Opiom could do whatever she wanted, as long as it didn’t affect her. Just like everyone else, so could they do as they wished to, as long as they were ready to pay for the consequences. “If she wants to do that, so doesn’t I mind sharing it with her.” If Opiom agreed to it so wouldn’t she hesitate to let Opiom help her.

All done with the grinding and drying, she put away some of the powder, maybe for Opiom, and kept some at hand. Which she would try to out as she and Anlie would hunt some monsters. Hoping  to gain some EXP and maybe level up. “You shouldn’t be scared to hide behind me if you get low on health. As long as you don’t try to grab me, Dear.” Anlie didn’t have to worry about that. Merie would never think about that. Just like when it came to other things, so wouldn’t Merie start something she wouldn’t finish. And especially, in this case, not since it involved another person. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Merie spoke as she equipped two cleavers, only for the fun of it. “Should we go out and hunt, or should we wait for the nearby to attack?” Merie could hear a few nearby and probably was ready to pounce as soon they turned their backs. And Anlie rapidly answered that they should take care of those waiting for them, just what Merie wanted to hear. Turning toward where she suspected the monsters to be and gesturing Anlie to follow.

The monsters quickly understood that the girls were on to them and decided to attack, mistakingly from the front. Almost crashing into Anlie’s shield, and greeted by Merie’s cleavers.

“It’s almost cute how the monsters try their best.” How could Anlie find those monsters cute? Sure, it was wolves, but they looked horribly dirty and nothing she ever would want to touch. Not to mention they had a greenish colour, like mould. And it wasn’t as if their failing attempts to injure them were cute either. At least so couldn’t Merie think of it as cute.

The wolves were soon disappearing in a shower of shiny particles, their heads carved in by the cleavers. “With those out of the way, do you think we should head out for another round, dear?” Wasn’t it obvious they should head out? “We should continue until someone of us have to leave.” Merie was sure there still was some time before she’d to leave. “I think you’ll be the first to leave. I can be online until I decide to get something to eat, dear.” Anlie sure had it good to not be used around by others, able to play as long as she wanted. But even if Merie couldn’t say for sure, so was she sure there had to be some pullbacks too. “Please, go to hell, Anlie.” Merie still found it slightly annoying that Anlie bragged about it, even though it was far from the first time it happened.

The time passed rapidly as they hunted and before Merie knew it so had it got late. Opening her menu and checking her clock, intensely surprised that her parents hadn’t interrupted her game. “I’m sure I’ve to leave now, Anlie.” She found it bad she hadn’t heard from them, but she was sure it wasn’t good at all. “That doesn’t sound good at all, Merie. But see you later. And if it turns out to be bad so are you free to call me, as I soon will be leaving too.” Anlie seemed to know how bad it could turn out to be and said her byes. Merie rapidly pressed the log out button, while silently cursing herself.

Merie had been right, she was in some hot water. Now laying silently on her bed and thinking about what really had happened. Not only had she been eating alone after ending the game, but those few words she’d exchanged with her parents had made one thing sure. They weren’t only angry with her because she had spent so long playing the game, but the tone in their voice had been filled with disappointment. Meaning she really might have been stepping in the shit this time, which was something she’d to try making up for.

“Maybe I should make sure to make better use of the timer?” Speaking to none special, but she really meant it. She’d to make a change, even though it would mean she got less time playing and spending time with Anlie and the others. And even worse, the only way she really could let out some steam.

The time flew as Merie tried to make a habit of using the timer as she plaid, as she also tried to make up by making dinner for them, which seemed to make the situation slightly better. But they were kind enough to point out that Merie had to make a habit out of it, and not only do it after she’d done something wrong.

Once again logging into the game, greeted by a message from Opiom as she opened the menu. Thanking dearly for the powder, which hadn’t been anything good, but had been to great use for angering others. Merie couldn’t tell from the message if Opiom had taken a line, as Anlie had joked about, or if she’d used it in another way. But she hoped it was the latter, otherwise so was there a risk she was just as fucked up as she earlier had acted.

Merie left the chat and turned to her abilities, Potion-craft, checking if she’d gained any new information about the mixes she handed Opiom. Surprised to see that one had gained an effect, Speed up. But thinking about Anlie’s joke so couldn’t she see it as fun. Taking a line and increasing the speed, was too real to be fun.

Closing the menu and heading toward a nearby forest, hoping to find a bunch of new herbs and other material she could use to create poison. She could’ve asked someone for support, like last time, but had seen none of the good people in the group was online. And she didn’t want to ask any stranger to come along, sure they would ask for a kind of payment. Not to mention that she knew she could take care of herself, as the monsters in the forest weren’t as strong as when Anlie came along.

“HAVE YOU BEEN DOING SOMETHING AGAIN, GIRL!?” Merie’s relaxation in the city was broken by someone yelling. Making her turn to the source, on reflex, and directly saw an annoying player. A knight with blond and short hair, shouting at another player. The same knight that had killed Merie, not too long ago, when she innocently was hunting in a forest. Rapidly turning around again and leaving with hasty steps, not wanting to risk getting involved with an asshole like that again. She’d come off light the last time, but wasn’t sure she would’ve the same luck again.

Accusations were echoing through the city as she fled, almost making her wish she could do something to get back at that idiotic player. He’d failed to turn Merie’s gaming upside down, and she hoped it would be the same result for the girl he now was harassing, especially if she would be innocent.

After reaching the forest so didn’t it take long before she noticed the bothers hadn’t been left in the city. But the bother was not as bad as back there, now only some Goblin-scouts keeping an eye on her. Probably meaning there could be some other kinds of goblins nearby. Not that it was a problem itself, as long it didn’t turn out there were too many of them.

The Goblin-scouts weren’t attacking her, a new behaviour Merie never seen in a monster, instead they changed between watching her and watching toward the city. And since they didn’t bother her, so wouldn’t she bother them. Still keeping her senses high, she headed deeper into the forest while thinking about the goblins’ behaviour. Thinking about how they almost acted as if they were thinking of attacking the city, but if they thought about that, so should they probably try to have more goblins joining them. Or PKs, who would be just as fine, if not better, when considering there were some of them using their brains.

Thinking about it, so would it have been awesome if monsters could group together and attack villages and cities. And it could maybe be even better if they could craft alliances with players. Even though it could be bad if the NPCs got killed in vain as some might use the monsters too much. Still, it was maybe an idea she could share with the developers, who accepted random ideas, picking some up and rewarding the player who sent it in.