As Komhether, Sebastian and I made our way out of the pub I turned to the guys and asked if they knew where I could find a good shop with entry level gear. Something that would have enchants, which were rare on what amounted to throw away items. Even if I out leveled the gear within a few days it was worth it if it kept me alive.

Sebastian spoke up and said, “I know of a decent little shop on the third level, they cater to the level 10 to twenty ranges, but I have been in the back and they have some old gear that is lower level. I think they used to do trade-ins for non-soul bound items. They also sell some low level enchants to put on the gear to increase its sale-ability.”

I nodded and thanked Sebastian; it was just what I was looking for. As we were passing a bank I spoke up, “Hey guys I am going to run into the bank and make a deposit, I will be right back.” I walked past the burly NPC guards on the portico and entered the bank properly.

As I stood in line I thought about the size of the guards standing outside, they reminded me of a series of old movies I had watched a few years back. The lead actor was a huge man, and was famous for making simple statements, my favorite was, “Get to the Choppa.” Slowly the line moved and I was eventually at the teller.

The bank teller was an attractive human girl with the typical perfect body and smiling face that all female NPC had. I gave her a smile and then told her I would like to make a deposit. She smiled back and gave me a wink. Then she said, “I would love to take your deposit, sir.” The succubae bond was clearly still working and affecting every woman I talked to.

Recalling my bank code that I had been given as Tor I decided to see if it would work. I put on the counter all the gold I had received from Alaric. Then I asked to have it put into my account. When the girl asked for the account code I repeated the numbers I had been assigned. I was not sure how it worked but she looked down at something then looking up at me she took the money and said, “Is there anything else I can do for you, sir.”

I replied, “Yes, may I have an updated balance and withdraw a twenty gold coin. I hate to have to carry around a lot of coins.” The bank teller smiled and wrote something down and then opened a drawer and grabbed one larger gold coin. She then gave me the coin and a piece of paper with my balance on it. With a big smile, she said, “Please come again, anytime.” I was not sure if that was an innuendo or if she was just really friendly.

Reading the paper I saw that I was still a rich man, with a lot of money in that account. Finding that Mithril bar when I had been Tor had been fortunate. With the cost of Mithril, I had auctioned it off for a very nice sum. The results were seen on the paper the girl had given me. Along with an invitation to meet her at the wind chime park at seven bells this evening. I guess she was being more than just friendly.

Showing the note to the guys I said, “It is nice not to have to worry about money anymore.” Komhether spoke up and said, “You do not have to worry about being lonely anymore either, isn’t that the second note that a girl has passed you. Are you going to go meet her?”

I thought about this for a while as we walked towards the store. “I do not think so; I did not come back into this realm to pick up girls. I came back to be with Ama and to deal with the Old bastards, Archon in particular and Reona also.

Then I want to deal with the Eldest and the House of Pain. To be honest, when I think of what those people did to me I become pretty pissed off. It is like thunder pounding within my breast, full of anger and rage at the helplessness that I have felt.”

Sebastian nodded and said, “I understand some of what you are feeling, it is referred to as demonic fury, and once it awakens it never truly goes away. At least not till vengeance has been accomplished. The question is how well you get your vengeance?”

I wish I knew, I thought, being level three I was not a force to be reckoned with. It all was coming down to grinding the levels up and seeing what kind of spells and items I could find as I leveled. We arrived at the store and began the shopping experience. It was not a lot of fun I thought as we left, but it had served my needs.

I now had a black outfit, it had all kinds of pockets in it and had leather patches sewn on that would offer a modicum of protection. It also had minor enchantments on the boots, pants, cuffs and chest along with one on the cloak. They were all + 2 in the intellect which helped to give me a small basic increase. Opening my stats window I looked at the stats and read,

Stats

Strength - starting level one = 50 your strength modifier = 200 + 10% per level *3 = 260

Agility - starting level one = 50 your agility modifier = 200 + 10% per level *3 = 260

Intellect - starting level one = 50 your intellect = 50 + 10% per level *3 = 65

Mana- starting level one =50 your mana = 50 + 10% per level *3 = 65

Health - starting level one = 50 your health modifier = 200 + 10% per level *3 = 260

Speed - starting level one = 50 your speed modifier = 200 + 10% per level *3 = 260

It seemed confusing as hell and I was getting a headache looking at it. I noticed that there was a small button for a simpler interface display window, once I accepted the change the interface window changed,

Stats

Strength = 260

Agility = 260

Intellect = 65

Mana = 65

Health = 260

Speed = 260

The new window was much easier to follow; it displayed the numbers I wanted and nothing else. I knew my stats would increase by ten percent of the original base stat with each level. The modifiers were the nanobots that had enabled me to make a character with above average physical stats. All I needed was to see the numbers going up the rest was just a distraction. Finding a public washroom I changed into the new gear. With the new gear equipped my stats now showed,

Stats

Strength = 260

Agility = 260

Intellect = 75

Mana = 165

Health = 260

Speed = 260

It all looked good and my mana had increased by over one hundred points. It seems that for every point put into intellect above the base level I would get an increase of four points in mana. Having more mana meant being able to use the spells and abilities I had more effectively. I guess I would be building up my Intellect to build up my mana.

All in all, I would need to build up all stats till level ten and then I would formalize the class build I had been working towards. My main class was Thief, but my secondary class would be the one that would be displayed to the world. I noticed we were approaching a large crowd and closed all the interface windows to see what was happening.

We had arrived at an open air market so I suggested that we all go and purchase some food items. High caloric content and great taste were the only requirements. After spending a couple of hours shopping, we all met at the market entrance with several bags of supplies. Continuing on Sebastian led us to his apartment.

Once we arrived we unloaded all the bags and then we sat and planned out what our next move would be. I explained that as soon as we arrived at the island I would like to go the entrance building and start the dungeon. If we left in the early predawn we would arrive with a whole day to farm the dungeon. Komhether asked, “Are you planning on staying in the dungeon?” I nodded and spoke, “I only have a week to do it and then it will be open to the public if I don’t finish it. I want to keep it for myself as it will be a money maker.”

Sebastian spoke up, “But you do not need money, with what you have and what I have all your financial needs are secure, why would you want a moneymaker.” Wow, that was a good question and it illustrated that even in a game verbal expressions could have different meanings. Moneymaker did not mean making money for me; it meant something that would be helpful.

Sometimes the words we say can be a little ethnocentric I thought. After taking the time to explain what I had meant to Sebastian and Komhether I was asked a few questions. Komhether began with, “I know from what Sebastian has told me that your realm is a little strange, can you tell me about it?”

I nodded as it was the least I could do. I began by prefacing what I wanted to share with this. “My realm is crazy. That will make it easy for you to understand things. The leaders of the land began to bring in rules of how the people should respond to circumstances. At first, it was accepted and applauded, the rules brought equality and fairness to people.”

Stopping for a moment to think I continued, “Then a change began to happen, groups of people began to promote their own agendas, what they wanted not what was good for everyone. So more rules were made and for the first time, the common people began to lose their rights and freedoms. However if you had gold, you could influence the ruling class.”

Sebastian nodded, “It is that way in hell, corruption by the wealthy for the wealthy. Please continue Torn, this is interesting.” I nodded and said, “These changes were brought in slowly and not all were bad as I said, but then the ruling classes started using fear and misdirection to influence the people.” “Why would they do that?” Komhether asked.

I thought for a bit before speaking, “No one knows why but they used fear and misdirection to change the way my realm was governed and how the citizens classed. Advancing yourself and improving your lot in life were once the staples of how things worked in my realm, but with the changes those goals faded and people began to expect to receive a good life. But they refused to work towards accomplishing that good life goal.”

“Well, how crazy is that?” Sebastian asked with scorn in his voice. “Were these people the royalty, that they deserved this?” “No,” I replied, “They were not, but they were told over and over from birth that you deserve this or that, and eventually more and more people began to believe it.”

Komhether asked. “What happened in your realm next Torn, it sounds like the fabric of your society was being rendered apart?”

“I think it was,” I replied. “The state then engaged in spending large sums of gold on wars that bankrupted the realm, eventually only the rich prospered. They would move to other realms or to private enclaves to live. The poor just grew and grew. With all these changes that occurred, the basic rules that caused society to function deteriorated. In short life sucks in my realm. Not many follow the rules anymore and that is that.”

I continued, “Now there is a whole industry that developed, that promises to fix things for a price. I think what they are really selling is the dream of happiness. I just do not think it will work, because to achieve any dream you must do a lot of work and most people are now too lazy to work.”

Shaking my head I said, “Well that is enough from me, I basically come from a pretty bad place, where most people simply do not care for anyone else, a very dog eat dog realm.” Sebastian looking up asked, “What is a dog?”

“It is an animal that co-habitats with some people of my realm. I have never seen one but I have heard they can be aggressive, thus, the dog eats dog term.” Seeing Sebastian nodding his head I turned to Komhether and asked, “Could you tell us about what you know of the heavenly realms Komhether?”

I waited, looking at the little messenger for his response. Komhether looking a little-embarrassed spoke, “I wish I could tell you some great stories, but I can’t. I was always waiting around for the Gods but never privy to where they would go. Remember where you saw me on top of the temple. That is where I would be found sitting at a shrine or a temple. Shrugging he continued, “I was never a player with the other Gods, just a person who had to do what they said.”

I could see he looked uncomfortable so I said, “Hey, no problem I know what it is like to be waiting around for stuff to happen. I spent years in the orphanage waiting around to leave it. When I finally did I had to wait a year to get back here. Life is waiting around for long periods of time followed by periods of nonstop go go go.”

Sebastian nodded and said, “I know what you mean. The years I spent waiting around the Trial of Temptations, just hoping someone would show up. I was really a prisoner; we all were until you arrived at the Castle Torn.” Looking at me he said, “I want to thank you again for again for freeing me, for freeing all of us.”

I could see that this was something that meant a lot to him, it meant a lot to me also. To have friends and people who actually cared for you, well it was important. I stood up and said, “We should go to bed as morning will come early and we are going to have a lot to do. I really want to run that dungeon and finish it in the week I have.”

I said goodnight to the guys and left to go to the park to sleep. They wanted me to stay but a wise man knows when two is company and three is a crowd. As I walked the streets I observed the people going about their daily activities, it was all winding down. There is something comforting about having a family to go home to, having somewhere to belong.

Once at the park, I sat down by the creek and meditated for a while until I felt a peace come upon me. During my year in the real world, I had started to study the philosophy of the Stoics. It really appealed to me and while I did not know a lot about how to practice it I found it was a good way to end the day. Finally, with a clear mind, I went to sleep untroubled by vagrant thoughts and feelings.