Skye is the Limit by Phenomenal Pen (detective books to read TXT) 📗

Chapter 10: Regrouping

“Warrior’s a meat shield and you’re a healer,” Blacksmith told Elf as they peered down Ranger who was just regaining consciousness. His wound had completely healed and closed up.

“What does that mean?” she asked.

“Warrior can increase the enmity level of the NPCs by using taunts, thereby drawing their attacks to himself. You have the ability to heal Ranger and the other players. You’re a healer.”

“Other players? Is this just a game to you?” Elf raised her voice. “In case you haven’t noticed, we almost died and Fairy’s gone.”

“She is still alive,” Mage said. “I still have a reading on her. Her health is faint but holding.”

“Where is she?” Ranger asked as he sat up. He was feeling groggy so Warrior helped him sit up.

“The Orc and his mount took her to Orc Mother’s Nest. As a result, we have a change of mission. First, we need to retrieve Fairy before we can proceed to Heliopolis.”

“What? That’s crazy!” Warrior said. “This thing’s for real. Real blood, real pain. I can’t take any more of this. If this is indeed a dream as you say, we need to wake up right now.”

“I’m with Warrior,” Elf said, crossing her arms.

“We cannot leave SKYE without Fairy,” Mage said. “Do you not recall the mnemonic? The broken teacup?”

With a wave of his staff, Mage made wispy letters appear in the air. They spelled the word “TEACFP”. The letters disappeared just like the 3-D golden labels earlier.

“What is the fifth rule?” Mage demanded.  

“Screw the rules!” Warrior shouted. “I don’t want to die!”

“I understand your concern, Warrior,” Mage said calmly, if apathetically. “But I am afraid there simply is no other option.”

“All right, let’s all take it down a notch. What is the fifth rule?” Ranger asked, keeping his eyes closed and pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“F-I-F-O. First In First Out,” Mage answered. “A common method for organizing and manipulating a data buffer. Fairy is the Nightcrawler. She is the key into and out of this place.”

“Or we can just wait everything out,” Warrior said. “It should be possible to run out the clock.”

Elf pointed at Warrior and was nodding vigorously in agreement. 

“We cannot take that option either,” Mage explained, “hostile NPCs are naturally drawn to us. Waiting here will result in us becoming sitting ducks.”   

“What the heck are NPCs?” Warrior asked with frustration in his voice.

“Non-Player Characters,” Blacksmith said. “They’re basically everyone else in this world that’s not us, not Dreamwalkers.”  

“So, you’re saying the only way we’re getting out of here is to rescue Fairy and then complete the mission?” Ranger asked Mage.

“Affirmative.”

“Where is this Orc Mother’s Nest?”

“Northeast, in the Belly of Flames.”

“Fantastic. Sounds like a swell place for a vacay,” Ranger said sarcastically. He appeared to have recovered from his ordeal and now turned to Blacksmith. “You. How did you do that thing with the sword?”

Blacksmith shrugged. “You know, creative juices. They’re just pouring out of me.”

“Creative juices my a**,” Ranger said.  “It wasn’t cranberry juice that came out of me. You almost got us killed because of your recklessness.”

“How would I know the NPCs had advanced A.I.?”

“I don’t expect you to know anything. I just expect you to follow orders. You can do that, can’t you?”

Blacksmith didn’t say anything and pouted.

“What’s that on your belt?” Elf asked.

“Oh, this one?” Blacksmith’s face lit up. He held up a new accessory he had tied to his belt. “It’s a satchel. I found it in the chancellor’s carriage.”

“You can’t just go around taking things,” Ranger reprimanded.

“Oh yes I can and yes we must. If we’re to get out of this place, we need to utilize every resource.”

“What’s in it?” Elf asked, curious.

“Chapel materials, books, exchequer records, clothes, food, bottles of wine, gifts, and a map.”

Warrior’s eyes widened. “It contains all those?” 

“Duh,” Blacksmith said, looking down on a noob. Then, speaking as though it explained everything, he added: “It’s a charmed satchel.”

“All right that’s enough,” Ranger said, standing slowly and unsteadily. “We need t—”

They heard a grating sound like metal being dented. The next thing they knew they were looking at Mage rising a couple of feet from the ground, his feet dangling in the air. But he wasn’t levitating or anything, there was the sharp tip of a lance protruding from his chest. Because he was part robot, his face remained blank, expressing only mild surprise.

While the Dreamwalkers were busy planning their next course of action, the goblin survivors had returned and crept up behind them.

‍​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‍