Chapter 2:

A entire week had passed since New Roads! announcement. The specialised magazines sites and channels had been buzzing themselves to gather and diffuse the maximum amount of Intel.

As for me i had screened the Official website, in search of any useful piece of information.

The list of The Path Players who would receive the Golden packs hand been published at the promised time, my avatar registered as the Varrand Guild Leader had been one of them. When i connected myself to my The Path account i found a message from the Gm, in other words RetroGame Corporation, inviting me to pass by their firm's building to set up my account and receive my Golden Pack.

Today was the day i was supposed to go get it. I excitedly left the office and drove to a building surrounded by cameras and journalists. As soon as i approached the front gate they started questioning me about New Roads. I then presented myself to a muscular man in a black suit. after announcing ma online game name and proving my identity through a printed version of the invitation mail i was allowed to enter the hall. a women of approximately my age came to me and asked me to follow her. i was led to an upper floor room filled with the same metallic coffins. there i was given a box slightly bigger than a football. as i opened it i found an onyx and gold coloured helmet a small New Roads! game cartridge and a second one with written Golden Pack on it. following the women's instructions i inserted the game on the left side of the helmet and the pack on the right, linked the helmet to the inside of the coffins via the connection cable and lied down in the rectangular metallic box.

"New Roads! Connect!"

The sensations in my body went numb as i was floating in a totally blank dimension. in front of me sensory checks approvals flashed then a login window popped up.

I just had to think of creating a new account for the window to change, four avatars showed in front of me each of them similar in their facial appearance. one was a Human. the second an tall Elfe making the dwarf next to it seem even more smaller. at the last one was a Beastman. Without hesitating he choose the Human, then a myriad of adjustments were proposed to him. the colour of his skin, eyes, hair, size of his nose eyebrows, facial hair, lips and eye shapes, hair cut, cheeks...

At the end his avatar was an average height man with waist long ebony hair tied in a tress , dark eyes, no beard and thin delicate eyebrows. his skin was tanned, a few scars marking his arms and toned torso. his lips were slightly curved to look like he was smiling and his eyes looked like he was intensely looking ahead.

All in all his character looked like a man in his twenties who had spend most of his life under the sun doing physical labour.

I then chosed his online name, Ben Varrand, his starting point as the Braeen Kingdom and validated my avatar.

An information window popped up as the character faded away.

"You are in the possession of a Golden Pack, would you like to install it?

Warning this pack can only be used once and will only affect your avatar stats."

I didn't wait to accept the installation and soon i was done with my character creation and automatically logged out.

As i got out i once again saw the women from earlier.

"Congratulation on creating your avatar. from now on as long as you use this game cartridge you will be able to play. you will be playing for free during the three months starting your first connection, after this you will have to pay 19,99$ of monthly fee. The extras stats and items from the pack will be already distributed at the start of your game. Do you have any questions?"

I quickly said no and we both went back to the lobby, the helmet in the black box in my hands. I left the building rapidly and went home directly. As soon as i arrived i started reading the game manual, memorising every little information.

My sister found me browsing the internet for info about Braeen Kingdom. there was still two months before the lunch of the game but i was already waiting for it.

"What about The Path? You spent so much time on your characters, it would be a waist to simply let them go..."

Annie's comment raised a problem, indeed my avatars would surely go to waist if i didn't do something. I finally decided on selling them. I started by posting an official announcement an my Guild wall about me switching to New Roads!, permanently transferred the guild leadership to one of the competent other players and finally quit the guild in all of its characters. He then connected himself to his auction account and put his avatars to sell along with their equipment. The auction was set to go on all week.

I held three days before curiosity won, my favourite character was a 1,365$ when the lesser developed one of the six was at 673$. i was dump founded as at the best i would get 60$ for a good piece of equipment. and it was only the beginning of the third day!

By the end of the week i sold them for more than 3,000$ the avatar along with 2,000 worth of spare equipment! Finally i transitioned my in game money to real life cash. I ended up richer by 22,740$ and 74 cents.

More than a whole year of office work...by far!

Enough to pay rent for a two years!

A few phone calls to my bank and signed papers later and the money was wired on my account.

Once this was over only one month was left to wait.

I was so impatient that my sister was getting annoyed.

While i was wearing my sister's nerves the rest of the world, especially in America, was discovering on a daily basis newly installed first connection coffins in cyber coffees, game centres, and even game shops. as RectoGame had ensures the coffins could be used for regular playing too, small commerce had no second thought to install a couple of them for the big day.

Those who had already received their head gear had prepared their avatar while others were still awaiting their packages.

Finally the lunch date came. At 12h55, i was ready, gear on my head connected to internet. The TV was on, showing the long waiting lines in front of the games centres and shops. when it finally turned 1 pm, i excitedly shouted.

"New Roads! Connection!"

Juste like at the creation of his character his surroundings went blank, a series of senses checks went on, he was asked for his pass word and then he was in the game.

The sudden change from sitting to standing slightly disoriented me but as soon as i got my bearings back i started moving my new envelope. Its both familiar through its identical height and width and different through its lightness. I took a few hesitant steps before frankly walking. around me other players were walking confidently: betas.

Since no one could leave the city before reaching level eight i will have all the time i want to admire the city.

I decided to walk around the square, waiting for an NPC to aboard me and give me my first quest. it didn't take long for a elderly women to come, asking me to look for a lost knitting set. It was hidden under a small stone bank under an apple tree. when i went to give it back the old lady gave me a Sweet Red Apple, my first cooking ingredient.

This was followed by a girl looking for her mother in the middle of the busy market, a smithy needing a delivery boy and a flower lady asking for assistance at her stand.

By the end of the first in game day, i was level 4, had finished 4 quests of level F, 106 bronze coins, and had risen my familiarity with the citizens up to 5%.

Since my character Fatigue stat was high and all shops were closed and citizens home for the night i was about to go sleep in an inn and connect back later when the sun would rise when a group of players silently went into a parallel street.

Betas.

I followed them, curious. they led me to a small Training Hall linked to several Combat Guilds. Since players couldn't change their profession until level 15 and form their Guilds only at the Royal Castle, guild halls were of no interests to players as of right now.

Still i followed them inside.

One after the other they talked to the guild trainer, smooth talking him until he would allow them to train at night in the guild hall.

Once the last one entered an adjacent room i went to the NPC and started a conversation.

"Hello. you seem to be an experimented swordsman. how i envy you, able to travel the world thanks to your blade... if only i could do this too."

"Thank you, boy. it is nice to meet someone who understands the worth of a sword other than to wound. are you interested in learning the sword?"

" I would love to, sir. do you think someone would be kind enough to teach me?"

"If you prove yourself to me, i would."

"Really?"

"Yes"

"How should i prove myself?"

"You need to show me your perseverance, good heart and your smarts. once you have i shall teach you the basics of swordsman ship."

"I understand sir"

I left him, and just like the betas before me, entered the next room.

Wooden mannequins and swords were aligned in the room.

The Betas didn't pay attention to me, most likely believing i was one of them.

Mimicking them, i took a practice wooden sword and started beating the target mannequin. The sword was heavy and each time i hit the mannequin i felt it vibrate in my hand. After only twenty minutes i was drenched in sweat, i was about to put down my boken when a window popped up.

"Through constant exercising your strength, endurance and dexterity stats have risen by 1."

A stat increase without levelling, choosing a Path or a job!

This was a golden information i had gotten! My spirit was instantly fired and i continued beating the scarecrow until the sun rose. i took the time to eat my apple and drink some water at a fountain after leaving the guild hall and going to the market place.

As i passed in front of the flower stand from yesterday, the lady called me

"Young man! it is good that i could find you. i know I’ve already asked for a lot but i need a favor."

"Of course, anything for you. tell me what troubles you."

"It is my husband, every night he comes back exhausted from his work at the bakery. would you be kind enough to assist him?"

"You can count on me, ma'am. where could i find you husband?"

"His shop is close to the east gate. you cannot miss it, it is between a butcher and a small tower."

"You have accepted the quest 'Help the flower lady's husband at the east gate bakery'

Go to the east gate bakery and assist the flower lady's husband the best you can.

Quest restriction: must be friendly with the flower lady

Quest rewards: bread loaves, flower's seeds

Quest failure: if the flower lady's husband is exhausted by the end of the day.

Quest difficulty: E"

An E mission Quest! up to now i had only done F class requests. Yes!

I went directly to the bakery where i found a hunched down man working on a loaf of bread paste. the bakery was warm and smelled nice yet no clients came in. it wasn't difficult to know why: the tower next to it was alight with strange and worrying lights and howling s and growls came from its depth.

"What the..."

"Yes, what can i do for you?"

"H, yes. your wife sent me to assist you."

"Did she now? very well i trust her judgement. Can you cook?"

"No sir."

"Fine then i will teach you. come here."

I neared the man and he directed me as into making a second loaf of bread. as i was mixing it a window popped up.

"You have produced a loaf of bread.

Thanks to a professional cooker you can now follow the Path of a Beaker, do you accept?"

"No"

"Do you wish to follow the Path of a Cook?"

"Yes"

"Do you wish to set the Path of a Cook as your Primary Path?"

"No"

"You have set the Path of a Cook as a Secondary Path"

"You have chosen your first Secondary Path.

A Secondary Path's related Skills will have a 15% Experience Penalty."

"By choosing the Cook Path you have learned:

- Cooking skill: permits the player to cook for himself or others using various ingredients. the better the cooking skill and the ingredients the better the effects of the recipe. beginner 1 (3%)

- Gathering skill: allows you to forge the flora for cooking ingredients. Beginner 1 (0%)

- Butcher's touch ( passive skill ): as you loot animal you will gather more meat, pelts and bones. ( can be coupled with tailoring, smiting and sculpting ). beginner 1 (0%)"

"Through the learning of a new Path all your stats have increased by 5."

I was satisfied to have learned the skill, it would be useful during long travels and i wouldn’t have to spend my small economies on food either.

The skills learning process was easy, find a professional and get him to show you the basics. however the number of skills available for learning was limited. skills greatly influenced the jobs you would be able to choose from once at level 15. You had a primary profession skill which would set your class, if you took magic at your primary skill you could become a mage or priest, if you choose a combat related skill you could become a warrior or swordsman, if you chosed a handcraft related skill you could become an Artisan. the secondary profession skills were there to help you specialise in a specific branch of your job. for example players who had chosen a combat skill as primary could become a knight by addind horse riding or heavy armours to their secondary skills or become an assassin by learning stealth attacks and hand to hand combat... choosing the right profession skills was essential for your character build.

I continued helping the baker for an hour, yet his mood and energy were getting worst by the minute. finally it became obvious that i was about to fail the quest: helping the man bake bread was not the was to "assist him the best i could".

I excused myself and went to the source of the problem: the tower. i politely knocked on the door. for a second all the noise stopped and i knew i was on the right track. the old wooden door of the tower opened on an equally decrepit man.

A wizard, i thought.

"Yes?"

"Greetings sir. my name is Ben, i work at the bakery next door."

"What do you want?"

"Are you aware that from your tower comes a tortuous growl?"

"You...you can hear it?"

"Well...yes"

The door opened wider and the man suddenly pulled me inside the tower. he then started to observe me as if i was a rare specimen.

"Hum...what is going on?"

"You have a gift for Nature boy."

"I do?"

"Yes, that's why you can hear the screams. what about the light?"

"Oh,... greenish and creepy?"

"Aha!"

"Is it bad i can see it?"

"No, boy. it just means i was right. Have you ever had any instruction in any magic?"

"No sir"

"Hum... Then did you spend a long amount of time in contact with nature?"

I thought about it for a while but the only answer that came to me was the flower shop followed by the wooden sword.

"Well boy, you are now free to come here and access the tower's library. i am sure it should help you greatly. Come see me if you want me to teach you a magic branch, but you have to tell me witch one you want to learn."

Even through it did not help solve the noise problem, i still spent the rest of my time reading about the different kinds of magic. there was the usual kind in games such as the healing one in the hands of priests, the buffing one in light magic, the debuffing ones in dark magic, there was also necromancy, pyrotechnic, cryotechnic, wind and earth elementalists, spirits seers and finaly the Druidique Magik.

It was a mixte of healing, buffing, debuffing and spirit magic all wrapped up in one. i did not remember hearing about Druids on the official website but it was a good support magic for any character so i decided to go see the old man again.

" I have decided to follow the Path of a Druid."

"Do you, now? very well i shall teach you the basic of the Druid's magik. Come here boy..."

"You have started on the Path of the Druids.

Through it you have learned new skills:

- herborism: you can now pick regents to make potions in the wild flora. Cooking skill increase by 5%.

beginner 1 (0%) ( passive)

- Nature understanding: by observing nature's fonctionment you will increase your bond with nature itsealf and therefore your magiks. All white and healing magik increase their capacity by 5%.

beginner 1 (0%) ( passive )

- Spirits understanding: by observing the spirits and mythical life forms you increase your understanding of them and therefore your basic Magik abilities increase. Art of communication increase by 5 %

Beginner 1 ( 0%)

- art of communication: you are now proficient in communication with people. familiarity increase by 20% with Humans and Dwarfs.

Beginner 1 (0%)

- inner breathing: through meditation and deep breathing it is possible to readjust your inner natural energy and accelerate your healing process. increase of health regeneration by 5% through deep breathing.

Beginner 1 (0%)"

" Do you wish to set the Druid's Path as Primary?"

"No"

"Do you wish to set the Druid's Path as secondary?"

"Yes"

"Through the learning of a new Path all your stats increase by 5 points"

I was content with the Druids magik beginner skills and the cooking skill i had gotten they would make for healing and group buffing. still, from my reading on the official site i knew i would need to be more careful: a regular player had the right to a primary profession skill and three secondary ones, thanks to my Golden Pack i had an extra one. I still had to get three other profession skills before i could get a job at level 15. the profession skills were there to support your character build and choosing random profession skills would get you nowhere later in the game. after thinking further i settled myself into getting a combat related skill as my primary and an other one as a secondary. that would leave me with one last free skill slot.

I was wondering if the trainer at the guild hall would agree to teach me more than swordsman ship when i realised that i had gotten lost. i found myself in the towers scellar, it took me less than a second to understand that something had attracted me here. the floor was made of big heavy flat stones which had been covered in dirt. whatever had lead me here vas under the dirt and i started digging. it didn't take me long to understand that the stone floor was engraved with a strange sign. it took me several minutes to unearth it but i quickly understood that the design was the source of the agonising howling. as soon as i touched it the same green shine that emanated from the tower enveloped me.

As i stood back up i saw a massive black furred wolf standing in front of me.

"You have discovered the Ancient Rune of the Wolf.

You have obtained 10 fame points.

Through your discovery you have created the Ancient Runes Knowledge stat.

Stats point distribution is impossible.

You can increase your Ancient Runes Knowledge through the study of Ancient Ruses or their discovery."

"By touching an Ancient Rune you have allowed the spirit trapped within to appear in this realm."

"Through your Nature Understanding and spirit understanding skill you are able to communicate with the : the Wolf Spirit seems to be in a lot of pain and is bearing its fangs only to defend himself.

Maybe you should try to be gentle with him."

Doing what the system was telling me i searched my pouch for a piece of dried meat. it was one of the basic foods available to newbies. the feral beast kept growling a bit then seeing i wasn't trying to hurt him took a step forward, sniffing the treat. in one mouthful it gulped it down and i took another one out of my pouch. i kept feeding the Wolf until all my meat was gone. by that time the imposant canine was lazily laying next to me, relaxing under my hands touch. slowly the Ancient Rune glow faded and the black pup returned to the spirit world.

"You have won the friendship of the Ancient Celtic Wolf Deity.

Familiarity with all canine based beastmen/ women rose by 50% throughout the world.

The skill Spirit of the Wolf is now a part of your Druid magik. it allows you to shapshift into a wolf until you cancel the skill. while in wolf form a part off your equipment and skills won't be available and the characteristics of a Wolf will be applied to your avatar stats and skills.

Consumes 150 mana

Beginner 1 (0%)"

"Through the obtention of a rare skill all your stats rise by 10 points and you gain 10 fame points."

" Your Nature Understanding has risen to beginner 2 (36%)."

"Your Spirit Understanding has risen to beginner 2 (12%)."

I couldn't believe it. i wasn't even level 5 that i had obtained a rare skill and risen all my stats by at least 15 points. looking solely at my stats others would think that i was at least level twelve!

I left the tower in high spirits to find the flower women's husband just outside waiting for me.

"Thank you! i do not know what you did but i don't hear those howls anymore. Now i can finally relax. here take this as my thanks, i know it is only a little but it is all i have."

The man gave me a dozens loafs of bread in thanks. A information window informed me i had completed the quest. my level rose by 1 and i obtained 20 fame points.

As i was putting the bread in my back pack i realised something.

"Sir, when did you start hearing the howls?"

"Hum?... i guess it was less than a week ago. i had gone to those old ruins in the forest... there was a strange inscription ln an old wall. since then I’ve been hearing lot's of strange things but none as deranging and mind wreaking as the ones from the tower..."

"Could you please tell where those ruins are?"

"Well... since you managed those howls just fine i guess it would be safe if it's you... here is a map of Braeen with the ruins marked. be careful those woods aren't safe.

"Thank you sir"

"You have obtained your first map, Intelligence rises by 2."

You now have access to a map. Every time you discover a place through you explorations it will be added to your map. when you hear or read about a place its location will be approximately indicated to you.

You can equip your map to have it as a quick reach however the rain and battles can wear it down or destroy it.

If a card is destroyed you will have to replace it however only visited place will get remarked."

" You have learned of the emplacement of another Ancient Rune. it's location will blink green on your map."

After eating half a bread i went to the training hall and resumed my training. weirdly enough none of yesterdays beta players were present tonight. just like before i beat the train mannequin all night long. when the sun came up my avatar was on the verge of collapsing.

As i was lying on the floor the NPC trainer came to seat next to me and handed me a water gourd.

Gourds were one of the first items players bought as they were essential for travelling. this one was more voluminous and of better leather quality than the ones available at the town shops.

"Drink. You need it"

"Thank you sir"

" I have never seen someone so devoted to his training. is your will to discover the world that intence?"

" Its not just discovering it, i also which to leave my trace in it."

"How so?"

"That i do not know yet."

"Hum... Tell me, what would happen if you were separated from your sword?"

"I would be vulnerable to any attacks?"

"True. would you like to remedial to this?"

"Can i?"

" I can train you to become a weapons master"

"What is that?"

" Simply saying you would be able to use any kind of weapons with no penalties whatsoever."

"Is that event possible?"

"Yes."

I took a moment to think about it. it was the ultimate weapons skills, no wonder the betas came here"

"I accept!"

"Good, the tomorrow night come back here and i will teach you the basics for all the weapons available"

"Yes teacher"

I quickly left the training hall to go to sleep in an inn.

As soon as i was disconnected i started searching additional infos on Weapon Masters, Ancient Runes, Druid Magiks and the forest outside of the starting city.

The wood was filled with simple hunting game like rabbits rams and fox. occasionally bears and wolfs would appear but nothing i would have to be afraid about once i reached level 8 and could go out of the city.

After my researches i made sure to eat something and reconnected myself. I still had a day before the end of the weekend and i intended to fully use it.

I had decided to set Weapon Mastery as a Secondary Skill because my teacher kept repeating that the use of force should always come last, which kinda made me think that he was grooming me for a particular Job.

For the next three in game days i spent my nights at the training hall, learning then raising my weapon mastery skill and my days at the tower, in the old man's library, soaking up as much knowledge as i could.

By the end of the weekend my character stat window read this:

"Name: Ben Varrant

Race: Human

Profession: none

Level: 6

Strength:36

Toughthness:34

Endurance: 41

Vitality: 34

Speed:33

Dexterity:39

Inteligence:49

Ancient Rune Knowledge:22

Luck:35

Fame: 40

You still have 25 stat points to distribute.

Primary Skills:

Secondary Skills:

- butcher's touch: beginner 1 (0%)

meat, pelts, and bones loot increase by 5%

-nature's growth: beginner 1 (0%)

Plant based loot increase by 5%

- inner breathing: beginner 4 (71%)

Health recovery speed increase by 5%

- weapons mastery: beginner 3 (27%)

All weapons can be wielded without penalties. attack speed increase by 3%

- art of communication: beginner 1 (45%)

Familiarity with Humans and Dwarf increase by 5%

- Nature Understanding: beginner 2 (36%)

Familiarity with wild life increases by 5%

- Spirit Understanding: beginner 2 (12%)

Familiarity with Spirits increases by 5%

- Spirit of the Wolf: beginner 1 (0%)

The player turns into a wolf.

To understand the skill further along you have to use it.

- Herborism: beginner 1 (0%)

You can brew potions and alcohol.

- Cooking: beginner 1 (0%)

You can cook."

Only two days had passed since the lunch of New Roads! yet my Stats were already at the level of a tenth level player when i was at level six.

I could not imagine how much the betas had improved.

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