Looking up I immediately saw a glowing white arrow hovering above the horizon to the south. It stood in stark contrast to the starlit sky like a cursor clicking on the sands of the distant dunes. Everyone else seemed notice it too.

“What the heck is that?” exclaimed Beldroth.

“It's a quest marker,” said Sarah, “but I didn't see any quests. There's no one here to even give us one?”

“It was our friend,” I said, turning to the others, “it said 'pantheon quest’ so I guess you guys can't see it, unless you want to convert?”

“Sure,” said Sarah, “I’m game. How do I convert?”

“I have no idea,” I said, surprised at the sudden topic change, “I suppose I could baptize you if I could figure out how to use my spell to make holy water.”

“That's easy,” she laughed, “look up and to the right, those little icons are our spells and activated abilities. They became live the minute we hit the dwarven city.”

I looked and sure enough there were spots of color which resolved when I focused on them. One was a little blue drop of water and the other was that same drop with lines extending as if it was glowing. I selected the glowing icon.

**SPELL FAILURE: No Water Targeted**

Feeling somewhat stupid, I pulled the still full cup from our first day out of my inventory and tried again.

**SPELL FAILURE: Only pure water can be made holy**

Frowning in frustration, I looked at the cup.

Cup of Rancid Water

-1 to thirst, poisonous

Well, damn, I forgot about that. I used my other spell, Purify Water.

**Purify Water**

I watched as my left hand made a stirring gesture above the water all on its own. A chill ran down my arm and then the water was briefly suffused with a golden light. I then looked at the cup again.

Cup of Pure Water

-12 to thirst, does not degrade

I tried to cast the bless water spell again and a blue light flashed in my peripheral vision.

**SPELL FAILURE: Not Enough Mana**

I almost threw the cup into the desert in frustration. I brought the blue bar I had been tuning out into view. It was almost empty but filling slowly. I just stared at it while Sarah snickered beside me.

“You blew all your Mana on failed spells?” she asked with a rueful smile. After my sheepish nod she continued, “My first character was a wizard in a similar game. I kept running out of Mana at the worst time, I would always seem to be out of the action at the good parts, it made me so frustrated I swore I'd never play a caster again. I like being a tank better.”

“That’s why you chose squire?”

“Yeah, I figured they'd have us farming mobs for loot like one of those Chinese play-to-pay prison outfits,” she shrugged, “live and learn.”

“Ok, I think i have enough mana now,” I said. I tried one last time to cast the spell, and it worked.

**Bless Water(Aesir)**

I watched as my hand raised with two fingers extended like a catholic sign of benediction. It traced a line in the air that glowed blue above the water. My hand then traced another line from the top of the first angling down and to the right. The rune hung in the air and I recognized it, Leguz, it was the Futhark rune for water. My hand moved again drawing two line in an X less than a finger's’ width in front of the first rune. Gabo was the rune for blessing. I knew these symbols, my mother had used them and taught them to me. When i got out of the army, one of the first things I did was to reteach myself the runes. Was it possible that Sprite had made me a follower of the Aesir to give me a leg up in this world. The idea seemed plausible, she said she couldn’t help me directly, but if she gave me access to power using what I already knew, it would be a huge advantage. It begged the question, how much did she know about me, and about the rest of us.

My musings were interrupted by by my spell. After hanging in the air a moment the runes dissolved into motes of light that settles in the water. The water wasn’t shedding any light, but it now had a bluish glow about it. I dipped my fingers in the water and traced the blessing rune in front of Sarah’s forehead. The rune glowed in the air.

“May the Allfather welcome his children,” I said, remembering my mother having said something to that effect when I was young.

**SPELL FAILURE: You are not high enough level to cast this spell, You do not have enough mana to cast this spell.**

Now that was interesting, it didn't say I didn't know the spell, it only said I wasn't high enough level. Sarah laughed good naturedly at me while I swore at the message before me. “We should probably eat before the others finnish and decide to leave us behind.”

I saw that everyone else was busy trying to eat. I pulled out my bowl of cold porridge and took a spoonful. It was an effort to swallow. It turn out that there is a reason porridge, essentially oatmeal or grits, is served hot. While hot the only problem with the taste was that it was all we were allowed to eat for the past several weeks, cold it was unpalatable on many levels. The vaguely sweet taste I had first noticed now had a bitterness to it which clung to your tongue. The texture was inconsistent, parts were a slimy mush and others were like chewing rubber bands interspersed with undercooked rice. Once I had swallowed it left a greasy film in my mouth. The only way I could eat it was because hunger was so much worse.

As we all suffered through our meals, I took the time to purify the rest of our water. I found that now that I had assuage my hunger my Mana was recharging rapidly. Even though it took all I could manage to purify the ten servings in the water skins, I was able to do them all in less time than all my fumbling around with the holy water. I soon learned that I could activate the spell by making the hand motions myself rather than selecting the icon and becoming a marionette to the game. I was glad of that, the sensation of my muscles moving without my permission was quite unnerving.

We decided to travel as far as we could that night. Most of us had spent weeks underground and the starlight was quite sufficient for our needs. With the quest marker to guide us we had no fear of getting lost.

Allyse, Dill, or J.T. went ahead of us as scouts, blurring to a hazy translucence as they engaged their stealth skills properly for the first time. Six times that night they steered us around mobs and as the first glimmer of predawn approached they found us a sheltered place to camp among what looked to be a wrecked wagon, a scrap of roof canvas fluttering in the wind.

We set up the tent and made camp, deferring our “breakfast” until later. The five men among us demurred of our own weariness by unspoken agreement and male pride. The ladies, therefore, took the first turn in the tent. They slept until the sun was just coming above the horizon in full and Beldroth and I took their place.

I awoke hour later to a shrill yell. Thinking we were under attack, I surged out of the tent and raised my hammer in defense. What treated me was not a battlefield, but a scene from a bad farse.

“No,” shrieked Allyse, “for the last time, there is no way I am wearing that.”

“Come on Allyse, it has a class restriction. Rogue, thief, assassin, Minstrel, or bard only.” Said Drune

“Then have the elf wear it,” she shot back.

“Female characters only,” said Drune in a tone that meant she had already been told that a dozen time.

“What’s going on?” I asked as I stepped between them, seeming to have momentarily lost all sense of self preservation. Drune turned to me, a pleading look on his face.

“We were trying to rig up some shade.” he said, gesturing to where the previously flapping canvas had been stretched into a crude awning, “and we stumbled onto a treasure chest. It had some useful stuff and the best piece of armor we’ve found yet, but Allyse is the only one who can use it and she won’t.”

“That” she yelled, “is not armor, it is not even underwear, and I am not traipsing around in it just so you sickos can get your rocks off! It wouldn’t protect me anywhere”

I looked at the offending garment. To be fair, in the real world it wouldn’t be any protection at all. It consisted of two dark green triangles with black chains connecting various parts. It was obviously a bikini top with some sort of ornament on the front.

Bodice of Distraction

Item Level 12 (Very Rare)

Armor +10

Size: -1/0/+1

Slot: Chest

Requisites: Female only; Rogue, Thief, Assassin, Minstrel, or Bard Only

+10% to Bluff

+5% to Pick Pockets

+3 to Sneak

Weight: 0.2 Lbs

This alluring piece of reignment serves to both protect you and distract your opponents allowing you to better manipulate them.

“OK,” I said, “I’ll admit that in the real world it wouldn’t protect much, but we aren’t in the real world. We are also trekking through a desert full of monsters that could kill us, and our primary defense is your sneaking. That +3 could save all our lives. Could you just wear it until we get back to civilization, think of it like wearing a swimsuit on the world’s largest beach?”

“I would never wear something so immodest in public,” she said sounding half shocked.

“Look, we promise not to leer,” I said.

“Speak for yourself,” chimed in Dill

I sighed, “We promise not to leer, or stop you when you cut out the goblin’s eyes.”

She smiled at that, then scowled again and, grabbing the offending garment out of Drune’s hands, headed into the tent. When she emerged a minute later she was blushing furiously, and had her arms across her chest.

“Come on,” Sarah said, “it can't be that bad.”

Reluctantly Allyse lowered her arms. It was that bad. Each panel was smaller than that palms of her hands and, by the magic of gaming, the flat decoration on the front was transformed into tassels which moved if she so much as breathed. I couldn't help myself, I stared in shocked disbelief. We all stood dumbstruck as her embarrassment mounted and that hard look started to form in her eyes.

“Wow, they really do target that male shut-in demographic, don't they?” Sarah said as sarcastically as possible. Allyse gaped at her then, all of a sudden, laughed.

The tension broken, we divided the rest of the loot from the chest. There was some gold, couple of skill boost potions, and some craft items, but the only other thing of note was a cowl that gave a +1 to Perception. We gave it to J.T. since he was also scouting.

The Elf and I went back to sleep and then took our turn on watch while the three smaller men went into the tent for their turn. The hunger was gnawing at all of us by the time they woke up and we all eagerly devoured our meager meals of stale rolls and water.

We traveled all that night without incident, though we had to travel well out of our way a few times when the scouts spotted monsters in our path. When dawn crested the horizon we could see the greening edge of the desert in the distance. We ate a meal of apples and I almost wept at the taste. Having lived rough for so long I wasn’t much of a snob when it came to food, but after nothing but porridge for so long that apple was like a gourmet dinner. While we ate we talked.

“I think we need to risk going the rest of the way in right now,” Allyse said. “We have plenty of water, but we won’t have enough food to go around if we wait until tonight and what we do have is starting to spoil.” She held up roll covered in mold spots as in demonstration of her point.

“No way,” said J.T., “We’re barely able to keep away from the mobs as it is. They are bound to see us during the day.”

“We can see the edge of the desert from here,” Allyse retorted, waving at the horizon, “we should make a break for it!”

“But,” Sarah said, “even this close to the edge, we are still in a zone which is way too high level for us to mess around with. If we try and get caught, we are right back where we started but now they'll know something's up.”

“I think you guys are forgetting some things,” I said. “First, we don't have any cover here and from what you guys doing the scouting have been saying we are just as likely to be attacked standing here as making a break for the border. Second, the quest prompt said the we need to make it to the waypoint by noon today. If we don't we are likely to wait a while with no food until the next caravan arrives.”

We all looked back at the meager rations we had. With little more discussion we gathered up our few belongings and prepared to move out. Dill and J.T. faded from view while Allyse stayed just close enough for us to follow her lead.

We traveled the dunes like this for almost two hours without a problem before we saw Allyse freeze in place. We held our breath until she waved us over as she jogged off. We followed her to a spot a few hundred yards east of our line of march were Dill and J.T. were waiting.

“What's up,” wheezed Drune as his stouter legs brought him last into the depression we were gathered in.

“I found a chest,” said the gnome with a grin. “Can’t open it myself, but I figured if one of you can we might find some more useful gear or maybe some food.”

“Allyse,” Sarah said, “you're a rogue, you could try picking the lock, right?”

“Maybe if had any idea how,” she said with a shrug, “and if I had some tools. As it is, I don't even know how to start.”

“Well, only one thing to do,” I said, hefting my hammer. Before anyone could stop me I brought my hammer down on the lock and it snapped off with a resounding crash. I looked around at the stunned faces around me smiling at the success of my solution.

Beldroth came out of his shock first, “You idiot, every monster for ten miles probably heard that.”

“Shit,” I said. I can only blame to heat. That and the fact that I was frustrated being relocated to the role of virtual passenger for the past two days of our journey. I was anxious to feel useful again.

“Nothing we can do about it now,” J.T. said as he opened the chest. “Let's just grab the loot and get out of here before anything shows up.”

He drew out the contents and scowled, showing them to us. It consisted of what looked like a vest made of credit card sized pieces of metal all stitched together, a pair of boots with metal shin guards, hinged metal bracers that would cover the elbows, and a conical helm draped in yellow and black checked cloth. I looked closer and pulled up the information.

Breastplate of the Nomad

Item Level 25(rare set item)

Armor +18

Size: -1/0/+1

Slot: Chest

Requisites: Level 15, ability to use medium armor

-10 to satiety loss in harsh environments

+5 health regen/second out of combat

Set item bonus:

w/ 2 items +2 to Strength

w/ 3 items +2 to Strength +2 the Agility

w/ 4 items +2 the Strength +2 the Agility +20 to Health

Weight: 2.5 Lbs

Nomads must carry everything with them when they travel so every pound counts and everything must be useful.

Boots of the Nomad

Item Level 25(rare set item)

Armor +10

Size: -1/0/+1

Slot: Feet

Requisites: Level 15, ability to use medium armor

-50% to negative movement effects from terrain

No stamina loss while walking when fully loaded

+2 to Agility

Set item bonus:

w/ 2 items +20 to carrying capacity

w/ 3 items +30 to carrying capacity

w/ 4 items +30 to carrying capacity +30 to stamina

Weight: 1 Lbs

Nomads must carry everything with them when they travel so every pound counts and everything must be useful.

Bazubands of the Nomad

Item Level 25(rare set item)

Armor +10

Size: -1/0/+1

Slot: Arms

Requisites: Level 15, ability to use medium armor

+3 to Strength

+2 to Ride skill

Set item bonus:

w/ 2 items +2 to Strength

w/ 3 items +4 to Strength

w/ 4 items +4 the Strength +6 to Dexterity

Weight: 1.25 Lbs

Nomads must carry everything with them when they travel so every pound counts and everything must be useful.

Headdress of the Nomad

Item Level 25(rare set item)

Armor +12

Size: -1/0/+1

Slot: Head

Requisites: Level 15, ability to use medium armor

No negative effects from mild/moderate weather, 50% negative effects from severe weather

+5 to Perception

Set item bonus:

w/ 2 items +2 Stamina Regen/second

w/ 3 items +2 Health Regen/second +2 Stamina Regen/second

w/ 4 items +2 Health Regen/second +2 Stamina Regen/second +2 Mana Regen/second

Weight: 2.5 Lbs

Nomads must carry everything with them when they travel so every pound counts and everything must be useful.

“Shit!” Sarah swore.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, “that stuff looks awesome, it’s even a full set.”

She just glared at me, “Yeah, but we can’t use it, it’s all level 15 min. We need stuff we can use now, and if the edge of this zone is giving level 25 gear that means level 20-30 mobs easy.”

“Why does it say Item level 25 if it only takes level 15 to use it,” Allyse asked.

“Item level it a measure of what it takes to make or repair an item, it also gives a rough idea of the target level for when it is useful. A set of level 15 epic gear is great at level 10 or 20, maybe even as high as level 30,” Sarah explained, “but by level 60 you are better off in level appropriate common gear.”

“Let’s get moving before anything shows up,” J.T. said as he turned and made his way up the dune. He went back into stealth and we could barely see him as he reached the scrub at the top of the dune and grabbed a branch sticking out of the sand to pull himself the last few feet. That was when our luck gave out.

The branch J.T. held shifted, then lifted, revealing a instecil head. It continued to rise out of the sand exposing a huge carapaced body, taller than it was wide, pushing upward with a pair of over large back legs while J.T. still clung to the end of a foreleg. It tossed the gnome aside like a rag doll as it settled back to the dune. Its whole head turned so that the single bead of one of its eyes could follow the gnome path as he tumbled down to us. As I looked at it I saw a red life bar come into focus above it as well as the words [Giant Sand Flea, Lv. 15]. I had just enough time to process this as with soft thumps three more of the creatures landed next to the first.

“Oh Shit!”

“Pair up and take them down,” Sarah yelled. “Bel with me, Drune and Allyse, Dill and Jogan. J.T. Kite the first one, dodge and move till one of us can help you out.”

I didn’t have a better idea so Dill and I moved toward the one on the far right. It lunged at us and I lashed out with my sledge hammer, hitting the flea in the side just as it bit into my arm. The edges of my vision flashed red and it was further obstructed by system messages.

Giant Sand Flea has bitten you for 6 damage

Critical Hit!! You have struck Giant Sand Flea for 165 damage

Giant Sand Flea has died

+1 to Luck

Achievement: David and Goliath

You have killed a creature more than twice your level with one blow. From now on damage and hit penalties due to level gaps are halved

Achievement: Fighting outside your weight class

You have killed a creature 10 or more levels higher than you with no outside help. Permanent +5% to damage against enemies 10 or more levels above you.

***CONGRATULATIONS***

You have reached Level 10

Cannot Advance while in combat

“How the fuck did I just do that?” I yelled, trying to see around the notices. Before anyone could respond I saw J.T. thrown past us with a red slash across his chest where he was hit. I hear some weird words shouted behind me and then a golf ball size comet made up of blue-white light shot bast me to impact on the face of the rapidly approaching monster. A small red -4 appeared above its head. Looks like Dill has figured out his spells.

I step up and swing at the new threat only to miss like a little leaguer batting against a major league fastball. The only saving grace os that I was thrown so off balance by the miss that pulled me out of the way of the flea’s counter stroke.

+1 to Luck

Damn smartass system message. I turn to regain my balance and use my momentum to bring my hammer around into the bugs head.

You have struck Giant Sand Flea for 56 Damage

Holy crap, not as much as last time but still way more damage than I should have done. Another bolt of magic from the goblin dispersed the last sliver of the bug’s life bar. I move up the dune to help the others, only to see that there are more, rather than fewer enemies. Three more of the fleas lay dead but another eight have shown up and are advancing to join the fight. I move to where the others have grouped together, covering Dill and J.T. at the same time. J.T. was gripping his side and moving carefully. The rest of our group didn’t look all that great either: Beldroth was on the ground frozen by some kind of stun; Sarah seemed to have no use of her right arm and was wielding her sword in her left; Drune looked like he had just gone ten rounds with Cassius Clay; and Allyse, well she only looked a little scuffed, but she also looked like she was ready to bolt. Of all of us I think Dillweed is the only one of use to come out unscathed.

“Well, it’s been fun, guys.” the mage pipes up as he readies his almost spent wand, “I guess I’ll see you back in mine.”

We brace ourselves for a last fight, we know we can’t win but we can’t just let them kill us either. I look around and see determination mixed with some savage grins on the faces of my companions. I feel a grin spreading across my face as well. The fleas scuttle forward and are almost close enough to lunge when all of a sudden they stop.

It takes us a moment to realize what is happening but as we do the fleas turn around and start jumping away from us in great bounding leaps. Soon we are all standing, watching in confusion as our death races off into the distance.

“Was that our friend helping us again?” Sarah asked as she kneels down and quickly loots the three fleas within immediate reach.

“Maybe,” I said, “but I got the impression that she couldn’t do stuff like that without raising alarms.”

I took some of the rags from my pouch and started wrapping up my companions wounds starting with Drune. It doesn’t do much but I see his health bar start to climb a little faster as I work. I move on to due the same for the Minstrel and the Monk in the next few seconds, but is feels like the sun is pressing down on me, trying to actively roast me alive. I think it must be from the healing until I see the others clearly being affected by the heat as well. I look up towards the sun to see what's causing it only to to realize that it is coming from the other direction. With a feeling of dread turn in time to see it cresting the dune before us. It was a desiccated corpse, a desert mummy, the dried flesh of its skullike visage locked in a screaming rictus. The few scraps of canvas served to fig leaf its form but did nothing to hide the horror of its wasted and blackened skin nor those places where the flesh had rotted away and left bone exposed to view as it slid within the beasts frame with every horrifying lurch. If all that was not bad enough, it was also on fire.