Gestation by John Gold (love books to read .txt) 📗

do you think you’re going to find yourself a spare room, damn it? It’s all jungles and deserts. You’re a long way from the backwoods, like in Heron, kid.”

“I get it, I get it. Just mark on my map where there are places I can stay.” Geriont looks over my megamap, unable to believe his eyes. I don’t know how much I paid for it, though it was definitely worth it. I know where practically all the ships in the world sail. I know all the cities with ports, too.

Nobody stopped me or offered me anything. I’m just your usual village boy in beggarly clothing now, the kind of kid only port children and petty thieves pay attention to. And all they do is take my measure. Nobody remembers me, and that’s good. The clothes I’m wearing make me the least noticeable person in the city.

Sural is a big trading port. The buildings are much richer than in Imir or Heron, with well plastered walls, masonry on the fronts of houses, sturdy roads made from colorful stone, buildings with towers, and whole manors. Life goes by in a hurry, something that is awfully unusual for me. In fact, I have to adjust my settings to clip out all the voices around me. The traders in the harbor sell imported goods, and the piers all lead straight to where they all are. There’s also a big bazaar in the city where players and locals alike trade. There’s nothing for me there, however. I need the auction and a bank.

It’s funny how kids in Project Chrysalis can’t use banks, though auctions are fine. If I sell something in one auction house, I can pick the money up at another, at least.

I find the guest house I’m looking for pretty quickly and rent a room for a month. Then, I link to the room. Now, if I die, I’ll respawn here. The owner casts a sad look at me, pity and compassion in his eyes.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s fine. Have a good stay.”

It’s only after that he sweeps the money off the desk and into his pocket.

On my way back to the port, I wonder to myself why the guest house owner behaved the way he did, though nothing comes to mind. But that’s when I come across a kid looking like a bandit who might be exactly the right person to help me. I need someone who knows the rights kids have in this world as well as the loopholes in them.

“Hey, what do you need?” He’s sitting there looking at me with disgust, but that’s perfect for me. His answers will be closer to the truth.

“If I start a fight here, will the guards get involved?”

He jumped up instantly.

“What, you want a piece of this? Looking to take my spot?” I don’t really stop his fist; I just catch it after he hits me and tighten my grip until his health starts to drop.

“I didn’t touch you, so this is your fault if the guards show up. Answer the question. Do the guards get involved if a fight breaks out?”

“Yes.”

I relax my grip. He’s just a kid, and there’s no sense hurting him and giving him a debuff.

“They break up fistfights, and they lock you up for twenty-four hours if you have a weapon.”

“See?” I let his hand go. “I’m not trying to hurt you. I just want answers to my questions. You’re an orphan, right?”

“Yes.”

“You sell information about cargo and people?”

“Yes, I’m an information collector at the guild. Who sent you?”

“Nobody. Next question: what do adults get for hitting you?”

“If I’m the instigator and there are witnesses, then nothing. If it’s unreasonable aggression, they get a month in the mines for a simple hit. Six months for the second violation, character deleted for the third. There aren’t any psychopaths like that, though.”

“What if two guys are holding you, and I kill you?”

The boy crouched, about ready to run. He steps away from me. I need to get the situation under control.

“It’s just a question. That’s not going to happen.”

“You and your questions… They would delete the accounts of whoever was holding me since we’re just kids. You’d get a week of punishment, which is the worst you can get. They’ll make your parents take responsibility for your actions.”

“That’s all? But I killed you! All I’d get is a week in lockup?”

Is that all Rachel got? For sending me to Hell?

“That’s only if there are witnesses or a god pays attention. The ones holding me would still get their accounts deleted, but you could get off scot-free. They give you the red mark of a murder for a week after the first time, a year after the tenth. Work that off, though, and you’re done.”

Animals! Nothing happened to her. I’m positive she wasn’t punished.

“Sorry for bothering you, and sorry for the questions.”

Even back when I was in Hell, I tried to get information about what was going on in the outside world. The only problem was that there were very few players and even less to be learned. The only system message I’d received the whole time had been on the first day I found myself there, and that was the one about the new god Leon appearing in the small pantheon. Rachel and that ritual had to have something to do with that, and Bernard, too. I’m not sure what he wanted out of it, though.

I was looking for ways to get out of Hell back then, and now I’m looking for a way to get back home and be prepared to hit back if there’s a threat. I’m never going to forgive what happened.

Everything was so simple. I started off looking to use Project Chrysalis to earn some pocket money, but then I’d gotten my family, father and mama. I had a home. Now, having been through Hell, I’m trying to get back there. There could be people there willing to kill me just for existing. Although, on the