Justin hit the water hard. It was freezing cold and the shock of plunging into the dark abyss nearly stopped his heart.

Hands pulled him under the water and guided him along a short underwater tunnel. But his lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. Just when he thought he couldn’t hold his breath any longer, he was pushed up to the surface.

He gasped in big gulps of air in the pitch darkness.

“Everyone okay?” the man called from somewhere close by.

“I think so,” said Pari in a weak voice.

“What about you, lad?”

“I’m not a lad,” Justin said, treading water.

“You don’t sound like a maiden,” the man said.

“No, I meant that I’m not a kid. I’m 25.”

“Well, consider yourself lucky. You just might make it to your 26th year.” The man held his glowstone up and Justin could see that they were in a low cave filled with water. The ceiling was just a few feet over their heads and it gave Justin a point of reference so he could tell that they were moving. The must be drifting along in some underground stream.

The man looked around the cave as they floated, checking for something. He was at least a decade older than Justin and Pari and had a grim, weather-beaten face.

“Who are you?” Justin asked, shivering.

“My name is Klothar.”

“The ranger? I was supposed to find you and ask you about the ratkins.”

Klothar snorted. “In case you didn’t notice, we have much bigger problems than ratkins.”

“Speaking of big problems, what was that thing?” Pari asked. She was shivering in the frigid water.

“Ebon dragon,” Justin said.

Klothar looked surprised. “You’re right, lad. But luckily it was a juvenile dragon. Otherwise our dead bodies would be buried under the debris of my cabin.”

“What’s that thing doing in Holgate?” Pari asked.

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” He turned and pointed. “Here’s where we climb out.”

They followed Klothar’s glowstone and swam to a rocky shore where they waded out of the subterranean river. Justin could barely make it out of water; he was banged up pretty bad. He limped over to a boulder and leaned against it.

“I’ve never been so cold in all my life,” Pari said. “Hang on.”

She motioned in the air and all of a sudden a glowing fog swirled into existence—accompanied by what sounded like a thousand wind chimes gently ringing. Luminous motes of magical light glimmered like fireflies and surrounded everyone. And all of a sudden the pain drained from Justin’s body, and his cuts and bruises faded away. He felt fantastic.

“What was that?” Justin asked.

“Healing swarm. I can’t do anything about the cold, but at least we’re all back to full health.”

“Thank you, my lady,” Klothar said. He turned to Justin and looked him up and down. “And what is your profession, lad?”

“Uh, I’m a sage. But I just got here.”

“An auspicious beginning, then. Welcome to Greystrand.”

Justin took the opportunity to inspect the ranger. Just out of curiosity…

:::::. Klothar. (Ranger). Legendary .:::::

Legendary. That was interesting, but what did it mean? And what did it mean that the ranger wasn’t labeled ‘friendly?’ He would have to ask Pari about that later.

“Let us leave this place,” Klothar said. “Follow me.”

Pari took out a glowstone of her own and told Justin he probably had one too—in his starter kit. He’d been so busy that he hadn’t even checked his various belt pouches, but sure enough he found a trio of glowstones strung on a leather cord.

With their way now illuminated, Justin and Pari followed Klothar as he scrambled up a pile of rocks and boulders which looked like part of a cave-in. At the top was a low, narrow, but dry lava tube.

“This way,” Klothar said, as he got down on his stomach and crawled inside.

The lava tube was only a yard wide and less than a yard tall, so for the next thirty feet they had to make their way on their hands and knees. Finally, the passage opened up into a cave with sunlight streaming in from a ten foot wide opening up a couple of dozen feet over their heads. A flock of birds or bats or whatever had been nesting in the cave fluttered out noisily.

“Almost there,” Klothar said. “How are you two at climbing?”

He didn’t wait for an answer. Instead he strode over to the corner of the cave where a leather backpack and a coil of rope had been set on a large flat rock. Klothar swung the pack on to his shoulders, and gathered the rope, which had a silver-colored metal grappling hook on one end.

“Stand back.” He began to twirl the rope over his head, building up momentum.

“There’s never an enchanter around when you need one,” Pari said, as they moved to the far end of the cave.

“Huh?” Justin asked.

“Oh, nothing. It’s just that we usually have our enchanter just levitate the rope up. When we’re trapped in a pit, I mean.”

Klothar let loose the rope and the grappling hook shot up straight and true—right through the cave opening. The ranger carefully drew on the rope, making sure the hook caught securely on the edge of the opening. Then he tested the rope.

“That was impressive,” Justin said. “He got it in one try.”

“I have a feeling he’s pretty high level,” Pari said. “Maybe even level ten.”

“Get out. Are you serious?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. Did you happen to inspect him?”

“Yeah. Legendary.”

Pari nodded. “That’s not someone you want to piss off.”

“Are you two ready?” Klothar asked.

“Yeah,” Pari said. “I just wish I hadn’t had such a big breakfast.”

Klothar said, “I’ll go first, in case there’s a dragon up there. Lad, if you could hold the rope.”

With that he jumped up, caught the rope, and proceeded to climb the twenty plus feet without even using his legs—and wearing what looked like a 50 pound knapsack.

“Show-off,” Justin muttered.

The ranger disappeared over the top of the opening, but then quickly stuck his head back and shouted down, “All clear. Give me a moment to secure the rope.”

“I’ll go next,” Pari said.

A minute later, Klothar was back. “Ready.”

Pari jumped up and managed to climb up, using her feet. She was breathing heavily, but she got to the top without a problem. Klothar helped her up over the edge.

“Not too bad,” she called to Justin. “But I bet my arms will be killing me in the morning.”

“Can you make it, lad?” Klothar asked. “If you want, just tie the rope around your waist and I will hoist you up.”

Could this get any more embarrassing?

“No, I think I’m good.”

Justin took a deep breath and started climbing. It took him twice as long as Pari and he almost fell a few times, but eventually he made it to the top. The ranger grabbed his outstretched arm and hauled him up through the last two feet and Justin rolled out on to the ground gasping for air.

“Yeah, that wasn’t quite as easy as when I was all hopped up with your healing shield back at the ratkin lair,” he told Pari.

“That spell doesn’t really help your climb skill. It was probably more psychological than anything else.”

She helped him to his feet, and they looked around at their surroundings. They were in a rocky canyon, with vertical cliffs rising up a hundred feet on either side. Around them grew stubby bushes and little patches of wildflowers here and there.

Klothar pointed south. “Just follow the game trail out of the canyon and then head west. The road will be right there.”

“You’re not coming with us?” Justin asked.

“I have some business to attend to.”

“But what about that dragon?” Pari asked. “Don’t we need to alert someone about that?”

“Do what you want, my lady, but I have a strong suspicion that you won’t see that beast again. I believe it was hunting me.”

He coiled up his rope. “I’m sorry you were in the wrong place at the wrong time…”

Justin felt bad that Klothar was ditching them. He was a ‘legendary,’ after all—whatever that was. The ranger must have seen the disappointment in Justin’s eyes, because his normally grim expression softened a bit.

“I never caught your names.”

“I’m Pari. The Fellowship of Wood and Silence.”

Klothar nodded politely.

“And I’m Justin. Newbie. No guild or anything.”

“Well, Pari and Justin. Perhaps we’ll meet again—under less deadly circumstances.” He waved at them and began to walk away to the north.

“Uh, Klothar,” Justin called out. “Can I friend you?

Klothar turned and looked at him oddly. “Very well.” He walked back and clasped Justin’s hand with a powerful grip. “Consider us friends.”

Then he turned and strode away.

Pari could barely contain her laughter, and once the ranger was out of earshot, she started cracking up. “Really? You tried to friend him?”

Justin grinned back at her and shoved her playfully. “Shut up.”

“What, do you have a man crush on him?”

“I just think it would be a smart idea to have a powerful friend, don’t you?”

“You know he’s an NPC, right?”

“I guess.”

“Well he is, but I have to admit that there’s something weird about that whole episode.”

“So that wasn’t part of the quest, I gather.”

“No. Unless they changed it. I’ve seen him a few times—when I did the quest myself, and also I was with some other players when they did it. Klothar was always somewhere around the cabin and he’d tell you about these bandits who were in league with the ratkin. Something like that. And then you’d take that info back to Marshal Swart to complete the quest. Certainly no big black dragons, and no cabins being destroyed. I wonder how the game will deal with that.”

“Speaking of which, should we go back there?” Justin asked.

“Where? The cabin?”

“Yeah. I’m curious.”

Pari thought for a moment, then said. “I have a bad feeling about that. If there really was a ton of poison gas, the area might still be dangerous. Especially for you. Your health is so low, a strong breeze might take you out.”

“Thanks.”

“Kidding. But I need to find my horse and we need to get you back to the training grounds. It’s going to be dark soon and you’re nowhere near your daily XP cap.”

“My what?”

“You can earn up to 1,500 experience a day. Two days of that and you’ll hit level two and get a nice health boost—among other things.”

“Great. So, I’m like, way behind.”

“Kind of.”

“Well let’s get a move on.”

Pari led the way as they emerged from the canyon. They easily found the road to Holgate, but steered well clear of the ranger’s cabin. The afternoon sun felt good, especially after being soaked in the underground river.

“Any idea why isn’t there a ranger profession for players?” Justin asked.

“Are you still thinking about Klothar?”

“I was just wondering. It seems like a cool class.”

“Well, the scout is pretty similar. Celia can track and trap and stalk and all that stuff.”

“Who’s Celia?”

“Scout. She’s in our fellowship. You’d like her. All the guys like her.” Pari made a little face.

Justin didn’t say anything, but now he was extra curious.

They made their way through a patchwork of cultivated fields and farmyards, with Pari calling for her horse Milly as they walked. Eventually, they found themselves back at the training grounds on the west side of the village.

Marshal Swart was there in his usual spot, talking to a stocky newbie warrior.

“Nice work, Winston. Did any of them mention when the wagon would arrive?”

The warrior thought for a minute, then said, “An hour before midnight, I think.”

“Well, you need to assemble a team and intercept that wagon. Can you do that?”

“Sure, I guess.”

“You’ll need an enchanter and a scout at the very least. I suggest checking at the Hive & Harrow.”

“Got it,” Winston said, enthusiastically. He nodded at Justin and Pari as he walked by.

Swart turned to Justin. “Well, how did you fare with old Bernabelle?”

“Um, what?”

“The crone. Did she have any information about the ratkin infestation?”

“I literally have no idea what you’re talking about. You sent me up north to speak to Klothar the ranger and—”

Marshal Swart cut him off. “I’ve never heard of any Klothar. I sent you to speak with Bernabelle the crone. Now what are you playing at, son?”

Justin looked at Pari in disbelief. “This quest is really bugged. You ever hear of Bernabelle?”

“No. It could be that they changed the quest for some reason,” she said. “Just go with it.”

Justin turned back to Marshal Swart. “My bad. Could you repeat the quest to me again, please?”

Swart sighed loudly. “’Tis a simple thing, Justin. Seek out the crone named Bernabelle on the east side of town. Ask her if she knows anything about the ratkins. Report back here.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it. You’d best hurry, though. It will be dark before long and, trust me, you don’t want to be out after dark.”

A few other newbies lingered nearby, awaiting their turns to speak with Marshal Swart, so Justin and Pari walked to the edge of the training grounds.

“Will you come with me?” Justin asked.

“Sure, I want to see this crone for myself. Check your Circle of Reckoning.”

“Good idea.” Justin fished around in his pouches until he found the Circle. It was still a little wet, but when he activated it, the map lit right up.

Pari looked over his shoulder. “Well, it says that the quest objective is to the east now, not the north.”

“Maybe it could tell that the cabin was destroyed,” Justin said.

“No, I really think that the devs changed the quest. But it was pretty dumb to change it today—just when hundreds of newbies were popping into the world.”

They walked through the town—which was now getting crowded with newbies. There was a festive atmosphere with people talking, eating, and drinking out in the square. It felt kind of like a big outdoor happy hour.

Pari took his hand and pulled him through the throngs. “C’mon. You’ve got a quest to do.”

They cut through the square and Pari led him into a maze of alleys and side streets on the east side of town. “Don’t get pickpocketed,” she warned.

“What?”

“This is Fallowback Alley. This is where the scouts train. There are also a ton of thieves. Be careful.”

“I didn’t think there was a thief class in this game.”

“There isn’t,” Pari said. “But that doesn’t mean there aren’t thieves. Stay close.”

They saw some sketchy looking people hanging out in alleys and doorways, but no one tried to get close to them. Maybe it was because Pari was level 5.

Fallowback wasn’t that big, and they managed to get through it in less than five minutes. Soon they found themselves on the far eastern side of Holgate, near the river. This section looked like a decrepit little shanty town with fishing cabins, docks, rope-makers’ shops, and other sad-looking buildings. The whole area smelled like rotting fish.

“A bit to the southeast,” Justin said, checking his Circle of Reckoning.

They continued through the shanty town until they came to a shack that looked older and more run down than all the others. Smoke trickled out of a crooked chimney. It looked like someone was inside.

“Go ahead.” Pari nudged Justin. “I’ll rez you if she one-shots you.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Yeah. Go ahead. Knock.”

Justin sighed and gave the door a sharp rap.

Nothing.

He knocked again.

“Stop yer infernal banging,” a gravelly voice cried from the other side of the door. “I ain’t deaf.”

The door opened to reveal a gnarled woman who stood no taller than four feet and appeared to be about a hundred years old. She squinted at Justin and Pari, up and down, and then spat off to the side.

“I didn’t take it!” she said.

“What?” Justin asked.

“Whatever it is you lost. I had nothing to do with it. Now, good day to you.”

She started to shut the door, but Justin stuck his foot in the doorway and prevented her from slamming the door in his face.

“Not so fast, ma’am. I was told to seek out a woman on this side of town by the name of Bernabelle. You wouldn’t happen to know of anyone with that name, would you?”

Her eyes narrowed even more. “I might. What’s it worth to you?”

Justin looked over at Pari. She held up two fingers and nodded.

“How about two gold pieces?” he asked.

“I don’t want your gold, boy. I’m thinking more of an exchange. I help you and you help me.”

“You need my help?”

“There are certain ingredients I need for my potions. How are you at catching reedsuckers?”

“What are reedsuckers?”

“You know, reedsuckers. River leeches.”

Justin felt his stomach turn. “You didn’t just say leeches, did you?”

“Reedsuckers,” Bernabelle said. “They’re the small variety of river leeches. Only as big as your forearm.”

“He’ll do it,” Pari said.

“I have to hear it from him, missy.”

Pari looked at Justin. “This must be the next quest in the chain. You have to do it.”

“Ugh. Okay.”

“I’m a bit hard of hearing, lad. Do you accept?”

“Yes,” Justin said. “Yes, I accept the quest.”

:::::. Quest accepted: collect 4 reedsuckers for Bernabelle the crone in Holgate .:::::

“Very good,” Bernabelle said. “I have something for you.” She ducked back inside the shack and emerged with a large canvas sack that was stained with slime. It actually smelled worse than everything else around, which was saying a lot.

“You can find reedsuckers all along the river bank where the water pools and is still. They like muck, but I’m sure you knew that. Fill this sack with four plump ones and I’ll tell you everything I know about the ratkins.”

With that, the crone went back inside the shack and slammed the door.

“Well,” Justin said. “I guess we’re going leech hunting.”

Pari shook her head, “You’re on your own with this one. I really need to find my horse. I’m getting kind of worried about her.”

“You sure?” Justin said. “We’re talking leeches here. And muck. How can you say no to that?”

“I know, right? It’s tough, but I’m going to have to pass. But you’ll be okay. There will probably be four or five minor quests in this chain. Try to do as many as you can before dark, then message me and we can meet in town. It’s going to be crazy tonight with all the newbies.”

Pari waved goodbye and headed west towards the center of town.

Justin, on the other hand, walked east to the river. He had some leeches to catch.