Chapter Two – Reality Breach

It hurt.

His breath caught in his lungs forcing out a choking cough, a dull fire burning in his limbs as he slowed to a halt slipping sideways to prop himself against a nearby tree slowly slumping down until he rested in its’ roots the sounds of the forest rattling in his ears. Ward breathed slowly, eyes watering gaze fixed on the ground beneath his feet, a grating static pulsating through his skull: he was tired. He’d never felt this tired before, he couldn’t move; his arms, his legs they were weight to him now; he was really tired. But slightly more pressing he was also very, very much lost...

It had been maybe five minutes, possibly ten; probably ten, since his battle with the kobolds. He’d ran towards the woods without a second thought and he’d been running ever since: he’d picked one direction and he’d ran, and he’d ran and he’d gotten even more lost along the way.

Ward let out a groan his head lolling to the side his fists clenching and unclenching trying to bring back sensation to his fingers. It didn’t sit right, what had just happened, it didn’t feel right; none of it did. He didn’t understand what was going on; it wasn’t a dream, he knew what dreaming felt like, which left two possibilities: he was mad and this was all inside his head, or he was sane and this was all outside his head; it was real. In either case it was probably a good idea not to approach the Kobolds again. The [Kobold Kingdom] was one of [Haven’s Light]’s smaller maps and was part of a beginners quest to quell the Kobolds numbers in other an extermination. Yeah it was probably a good idea to avoid the kobolds. In the game Dungeons were mystical places where monsters would be respawned upon death so to prevent the monsters propagating and venturing out of the tunnels the game’s government asked adventurers to thin out their numbers. Of course even if they did come back from the dead, he doubted having a bunch of random strangers break into your homes and kill you was pleasant. Putting that into real world context was kind of uncomfortable. Ward laughed the world in front of him flickering.

The white grid that had appeared across the ground during his fight with the kobolds and his subsequent flight through the forests vanishing before him for the briefest of instances before appearing once again. But this time it was brighter, clearer, solid; it looked real; an array of screens and windows following the grid filling the world before him. Ward sighed, glancing at mass of information resting in front of him; the left hand side had a series of bar gauges listing his health, mana and stamina as well as those of his entire party. It didn’t seem like any of them were too far into the red although it did look like Dossan had taken a fair bit of damage in that last encounter. Stamina on the other hand was looking less positive. Below that was a small map, stretching roughly one-hundred squares in every direction, a mass of trees covered in contour lines revealing where the earth fell and rose, pointing out hills and valleys, small blips of light covering the wood a soft orange in colour; revealing neutral entities; wildlife, neither aggressive or friendly. And occupying the other side of his view, a list of all of the events that had just transpired, who had used what skills, how much damage they’d dealt how much damage they’d received: a step by step replay of the fight. It seemed like things were just getting weirder around here. Ward sighed, slowly lifting a hand reaching upwards and waving it through the image floating before him, and as his hand touched the screen he felt resistance, not a lot, just a little; almost like water it was there but not quite solid. He smiled, this; everything about it, was impossible but he couldn’t deny it, it was amazing.

And then it was gone.

The image vanished, the right hand screen along with the white grid they just faded away; although the bars and gauges on the left hand side remained shrinking to fill only the top corner, while the map expanding, the view remaining the same but the picture slowly growing larger. Ward smiled tilting his head and reaching out his hand grazing the map as he pinched the image, the map suddenly expanding, it still only showed the same hundred squares but the overall scope of the image had doubled, and there pushing slowly through the forests a series of four small blips each a different colour; his party advancing through the woods. Ward smiled; well at least he wasn’t as lost as he was before. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to trust magical map that existed only inside his head, but it wasn’t like he had too many other options.

Ward laughed; that could wait for later right now he was tired, and he wanted to try messing about with his map, he was also probably a little delirious too but considering the day he’d had that could be forgiven. He shook his head reaching out and attempting to drag the map into the centre of his vision the image complying with his demand.

As far as maps go it was fairly simple, it had a simple scale in the bottom and depending on how far in or out you zoomed it would also show contour lines and other details like springs or ponds, and things like abandoned houses and as well as other man made constructs. The image itself was coloured an aged yellow mixed with an earthy brown, dark black slashes of ink showing the trees and the forests and the mountains the mists. The map covered a distance of; at a guess, around fifty or sixty miles, it was hard to say seeing as the maps key measured distance in leagues, each of which was near enough three and a half miles. Anything beyond that distance just showed as a sea of fog, anything past the mountains or the plains. It seemed like the forest spread downhill from the mountains roots, the woods slowly growing sparser as they reached the plains, wide fields of grass stretching out into the distance before being drowned in fog. It was strange; in haven’s light the main method of navigation outside of the assorted maps was just clicking buttons selecting quests, locations and levels; he’d never really seen it, the layout of the world. Four years and he’d never thought about what this world would really be like, not that he’d had a need to, it was just a game; or at least it had been. Ward swallowed slowly pushing himself upwards, his pack swaying behind him, as his legs trembled beneath. He needed to catch up with the others before they left him behind.

It had to be on purpose, there was no other explanation for this; she was doing it on purpose. There was no other way about this it was Eila’s fault. For the past three hours he’d been tracking his party down, as they made their way slowly through the underbrush, tramping across country, and each time he drew close they would veer out of his way, or beginning turning in a completely different direction.

Eila was the teams scout and while Ward had known her less than a day he knew well enough that she should not be in charge of leading the party qualifications aside. And still there she was marching along, bright and happy, the others trailing behind her marching their way forwards. Eila was going to pay, he was tired, he was hungry and he’d had enough of her stupid jokes; she was going to pay. Ward looked down at the sheet of paper currently clutched within his grip; a [Lightning Talisman], it would impart paralysis and lightning damage for one turn; a cheap item available in every major town and city, the only issue was you had to be next to your opponent to use it, that and it wouldn’t work on any opponents with lightning resistance. Of course Eila didn’t have lightning resistance.

The young man shuffled about in place looking down upon his party, kneeling over a small rocky outcropping, and down a slopping hill towards them. He’d had to head them off, move around their group giving Eila a wide berth and cutting them moving directly into their path. He’d been waiting ever since. Now it was time to strike.

Ward rose slowly to his feet shuffling forwards and marching his way down the hill, Eila spinning round, eyes wide before forcing a smile onto her face, the others noticing a fraction of a heartbeat later as Ward approached trudging down the hill to stop at the edge of the valley.

“It’s good to have you back sir” Dossan laughed arms folded over his chest, Aran giving a nod of agreement Dala dropping down from the man’s shoulder giving him a smile before rushing in and throwing him into a hug. Ward paused, freezing up as the young girl squeezed pulling him in close, he let out a brief laugh before pulling her off Eila marching forwards.

“So what took you so long?” She questioned nose turned upwards a glimmer rising up within her eyes.

“I think you know the answer to that.” Ward sighed stepping forwards and taking hold of Eila’s shoulder, the young woman glancing down in his direction, momentary confusion replaced with a touch of fright.

A bright flash shocked the glade, a wave of lightning lashing out coursing over the Eila’s body, as she tumbled face forwards down into the floor rocked by convulsions and arcing light. Ward sighed turning around to look at the rest of his party members staring in his direction wide eyed; “Well let’s get moving!”

“You bastard!” Eila hissed from her position prone upon the floor, her eyes fixed upon him with near murderous intent; “I’ll get you for this you dumbass.” Eila groaned flipping onto her back, Ward ignoring her threat dusting his hands clean of the whole affair.

“Come on let’s go Eila can catch up later.” Ward sighed marching away.

“Hey Ward what was that about?” Aran questioned leaning down over Eila his expression hidden beneath his helmet.

“Simple; I was trying to catch up with you, she kept moving to try and avoid me. Revenge is sweet.” Ward laughed giving the armoured man a wide grin, “I’ve had a long day, I’m tired, confused and exhausted; now I’d like to sleep in a normal bed if you don’t mind.” Ward turned away continuing his march the others sharing looks of mixed exasperation before following in line after ward Dala letting out a happy grin.

“It seems like Ward’s back to normal doesn’t it; let’s go!” she chirped rushing forwards falling in alongside the young man, Dossan and Aran following suit, the valley left quiet but for the occasional crackle of electricity.

The trees grew sparser; tamed and clipped, the bushes cut down, the forest floor clear beneath them as they advanced. Ward led the march his gaze fixated on his map, glancing up on occasion to check his surroundings steering their course forwards through the woods as the sun began its’ descent tingeing the sky an orange hue. It looked as if the trees themselves blazed with light.

It was beautiful.

But of course so was a bed, a nice warm bed, and a television, and internet access; those things were beautiful as well, but he wasn’t going to be seeing them any time soon! Ward let out a faltering chuckle as he trudged forwards his gaze fixed on the world ahead. Just a few more moments; just a few more steps, Ward sighed pushing forwards stepping out between the trees, and appearing on an open plain. The world stretched before him, endlessly, cities, no skyscrapers, no high-rises, just an open plain. A sea of green grass danced within the breeze, alongside fields of wheat, and orchards and pastures, the mountains to his rear curving round towards his left disappearing beyond sight, while to his right a single dark spot rested, a small walled village resting just within sight, a small earthen road connecting it to the mountain and leading off into the distance.

“Ward, how much further is it?” Dala moaned the young girl appearing from the woods carried atop Aran’s shoulders collapsed over his helmet, Dossan marching forwards to join them, the old man barely making the slightest sound.

“It’s over there.” He yawned jabbing a finger in the direction of the small village turning their course and veering in the direction of Burlo, a small town of roughly thirty houses at least going Ward’s map, the villages name scrawled beside its’ image, a pair of small orange dots resting just beyond the towns entrance.

Those were probably the towns guards or at the very least Ward assumed so he also assumed that his map couldn’t show him the details of the town beyond its’ physical appearance seeing as no other blips were present on the map and he very much doubted someone posted guards on an empty village. Ward led the charge, marching in the direction of the village, cutting across country side at a steady pace their party mowing down a path through the grass, approaching the dark speck, waiting almost a mile away. He needed a bed, a nice warm bed, and a meal; he needed a meal as well he hadn’t eaten a thing since lunch before the strange and bizarre series of events that had led him to marching a band of adventurers across a fantasy world had begun. Actually there would be food inside his pack wouldn’t there, not a huge amount but enough to make a good meal at the very least, although he couldn’t say for certain. When Ward got to the comfort and safety of an inn he’d have to run an inventory check on all of his items, who could say what he had hidden away in there. He had been playing Havens light for nine weeks, there was an inordinate amount of items, equipment and currency all stuffed away inside that bag. It hardly weighed a thing, but he was carrying a veritable fortune up there. Ward wasn’t sure how things were supposed to work in this new world but he was fairly certain leaving his pack alone was a very bad idea.

They approached slowly, coming up the road at a leisurely pace, the town slowly growing as they neared it, the wooden palisade looming upwards, as the sun began to vanish casting the plains in dusk. Burlo had seemed like a small village from the Ward’s map, a collection of dinky-dink houses surrounded by a wooden fence, but standing before that fence, he was faced with a new perspective. The wall seemed almost menacing formed from wooden stakes, tree trunks sharpened and impaled in the earth providing a formidable defence, bound with rope and iron nails for security. A gap opened up in the wall on either side of the town, the dirt road cutting through the village and dividing it in two, and standing either side of this gap a guard waited.

They were dressed in roughshod armour, an ugly gambeson it’s colour a mix of red and brown dyed with blood and earth, thick cloth trousers covering their legs alongside iron sabatons, a pair of vambraces protecting the arm and a slightly rusty kettle helm mounted atop the head. And standing proud emblazoned on their gambeson, stitched into the padded armour; the image of a bird its’ wings burning blue and trailing light, curling in on itself to form a circle.

Ward swallowed hard drawing ever closer to the gate his party members seeming to stiffen at the sight of the guards, an uneasy tension touching on the wind.

“Oy, what the hell are you doin’ ‘ere?” A rough voice yelled out one of the guards stepping forwards into the middle of the road, an elderly man at least in his fifties, hair white, and eyes blue; carrying with them a dull light as the old guard hefted up a musket, levelling the barrel in Ward’s direction, the old man’s company starting at his sudden movement reaching down from the broadsword at his hip fumbling the weapon out of its’ sheath clutching onto the weapon for dear life. Ward sighed taking in a deep breath an unnerving anxiety settling itself within his gut. He had never been social in any degree, he was seventeen years old, with no girlfriend, no friends, and he hadn’t left his house in nearly ten-weeks. He was practically a shut in, and now he was supposed to negotiate his way into a medieval fantasy village with a pair of angry guards; perfect. He just needed to think of it as a game. Ward shook his head clearing away the cloying thoughts waving a hand as he moved to approach the village. But before his foot could fall, a lone voice pierced the quiet, turning all involved to look.

“Ward!” Eila screamed approaching at a sprint, “you bastard, I’ll get you for this; you left me there; you left me to die!” Ward stepped watching as the woman approached, streaking up the road at a hellish speed the young man turning to run as she began to approach. Ward kicked off running as fast as he could Eila redoubling her effort closing in even faster than before the scout reaching out, grasping for him, a wave of fear assaulting Ward a strangled cry escaping his lips as the young woman latched on. She brought her arm about his neck forcing him down the pair of them sliding forwards along the dust road Ward collapsing into the dirt as Eila rose her knees still planted on Wards back, just below his pack.

“I’ll repeat myself again, since yer clearly stupid; who the hell are you and what in blazes are you doing here!” The old Guard roared marching forwards, a lot closer than he had been before, jabbing his rifle in Eila’s direction the young woman turning up to face the old guard, eyes bubbling with an anger born of desperation, and exhaustion and an unsettled pain, as she leaped forwards drawing a knife from her hip.

Eila pulled the old man in close stopping mere millimetres from driving a dagger into the guard’s eye, her expression cold and clear as glass. “I’m cold, I’m hungry and I’m tired; today I have fought off an army of Kobold under the command of an idiot before being electrocuted and left to die in the woods; I am not in the mood for arguing with some backwater guard.” The Old man snorted his expression unchanged meeting Eila’s provocation with gusto.

“That’s none of my business lass, I don’t care what kind of hell ya’ve been through; I aint letting some psychotic bitch and her rag-tag band of misfits into this village! Now get back.” The old man roared using the end of his rifle to knock Eila back, Dossan, Aran and Dala finally reaching the scene, Ward pulling himself up from the ground, his body groaning as he did.

“Put the rifle down!” Dossan yelled drawing his sword from its sheath Aran unbuckling his axe and stepping forwards. “Sir what are your orders?” all eyes turned to Ward as Dossan pushed forth the question, the musketeer interrupting before Ward could issue a command.

“Sir, you mean the pudgy little pack mule?” The old man laughed.

“Quit making things worse here!” The younger guard muttered glancing in their direction pulling on the older man’s arm.

“I’m tellin’ the truth; there’s no way that lump is in charge here. He’s probably a decoy.”

“I’m not fat!” Ward yelled stepping forwards the guards musket swivelling in his direction.

“Is that so, you could have fooled Me.”

“Bite your’ tongue!” Dossan stepped forwards swinging his sword in a wide arc knocking the old man’s musket upwards, as bolt of magical energy firing into the sky, a streak of yellow light dying in the air above before a quick strike to the gut with the pommel of his sword dropped the man to the dust. Meanwhile Eila lunged forwards slamming her boot between the legs of the young guard, sheathing her knife and pulling out her bow in a single motion, drawing an arrow and training in on the prone man’s throat. Ward sighed; it seemed negotiations had broken down huh. He let out a groan rubbing his face as he surveyed the scene.

“What the hell is going on here?”

A soft voice drifted out from the entrance to the town a young woman marching forwards to meet them. Her voice carried with it command; her back straight, eyes true, bringing with her an air of battle and civility. In one hand she held a bastard sword and in the other a kite shield, a length of iron bound wood shaped like a tear-drop, the wood painted blue and printed with the same insignia which rested on the guards gambeson’s except this time in white. There was just one thing he didn’t get, one thing that made him want to groan in exhaustion, and it wasn’t the fact that his situation had just gotten even more complicated. What he didn’t get was why the guard’s reinforcements was dressed up as a maid. Maybe she wasn’t wearing some frilly dress, maybe she didn’t have the headpiece or the broom but there she stood, blonde hair falling about her head in curls, soft green eyes like the hue of oak leafs caught in sunlight and pale skin that seemed to glow beneath the light of the rising moon. None of that could cover the fact she was dressed as a maid; a long black gown accompanied by a white apron, tied behind her in a bow, brass buttons running along the side of her dress, her clothes marked here and there with slashes of soot and dirt, while her hand, the one clutching at her sword was flecked with ink. She let out a long sigh glancing in the direction of the two fallen guards then up Ward’s direction.

“Did you two even try to put up a decent fight?” She questioned looking between the young man currently curled into the foetal position screeching in a high pitched voice and the old man, pressed down against the dirt, yelling out curses and obscenities all the while. She shook her head pinching the bridge of her nose, before locking eyes with Ward any warmth or humour lost from her gaze.

“My name is Kaena Enlow, the old codger is Hillard and the greenhorn is Orrit, if you’re here to talk let them go. Otherwise as master of the Blue-Wings Guild I promise you won’t be leaving her alive.” Ward paused, letting out a sigh, it seemed like someone reasonable had finally arrived.

Eila and Dossan glanced in Ward’s direction, the young man giving them a slight nod, the two retreating to join the other three members of their party. Hillard rose swiftly to his feet his face red and teeth grit, Ward got the impression that Orrit wouldn’t rising for a while at least. The old musketeer snarled heaving up his weapon locking sights on ward before a sharp clang rang out across the plain. “What the hell are you doing?” Kaena yelled striking the old man atop his helmet with the flat of her sword the shock causing to rifle to drop from his grip, “you’re drunk aren’t you.” Kaena paused rubbing the side of her head before raising a glare in the old man’s direction; “that’s it you’re not getting paid this week. Once we’re done here sober up and get back to work!” The woman yelled driving her foot into the old man’s shins as he knelt down to grab his fallen weapon sending him promptly into the dirt.

Kaena let out a haggard sigh before spinning on her heel, her dress fluttering in the still night air, the moonlight catching in her eye as she turned to face them her gaze cold and strong as iron. “Now who is it that’s in charge here?” The woman demanded slamming the points of both her sword and shield into the dirt before folding her arms waiting for their reply.

Ward took a deep breath, he was the leader here, at least he was supposed to be. He was leading a party of five; a scout, a soldier, a samurai and a necromancer: and he was their captain... He couldn’t feel it, he couldn’t do this, not that he had much choice any more he had to do this. Ward shook his head taking in a deep breath steeling his nerves; he straightened his back rising to his full height, for whatever little it was worth, and took a half-faltering step forwards before his confidence promptly collapsed. Ward closed his eyes tight, willing himself to move, a deep seated anxiety resting itself within his bones, as the young woman turned to glare in his direction, anxiety blossoming into fear before a heavy blow knocked him forwards. Ward stumbled out of line taking the lead a heavy hand impacting his back, as he slowly pulled himself together to face the woman, sparing a momentary glance backwards in the direction of his party members.

Well there was no turning back now.

“You’re the leader?” Kaena questioned glaring down in Ward’s direction before giving a prompt nod of her head. “Very well then, explain it to me; why are you here?” her question rang with confidence Ward pulling up a reply as fast as he could.

“We’re seeking shelter for the night that’s all.”

“Then why are you armed like you’re about to enter a warzone?” Kaena pushed, Ward standing still scouring his head for a response, a dreary silence setting on the scene.

“We just crossed the Heldrian Mountains; it’s not exactly an easy trip. So are you going to let us in or not?” Eila spoke up in Ward’s place, Kaena quickly turning her attention to the scout.

“Heldrian? I’m going to assume you’re talking about the Ausor Mountain range” She paused for a brief moment glancing first towards their little band and then back towards the mountains crowning the horizon. “Okay, I’m willing to believe that but that doesn’t explain what you’re doing here.”

“That is simple; our Master requested we join him and so we did” Dossan answered a note of challenge ringing in his tone.

“And who is your’ master, who told you to come here?” Kaena returned pleasantly, a warm smile on her face one that failed to reach her eyes, her stony gaze passing them by lingering on each of them, meeting their eyes; and that was when Ward noticed. She wasn’t looking at him, she was looking through him; he was used to that, it was a familiar sensation but this time he didn’t know why but it hurt. A caustic pain rising slowly from his gut to cloy his head, his teeth grit, a flame roaring to life within his eyes; he’d had enough; of this world, of his old world and of those eyes.

“I did” Ward called out drawing the woman’s attention back in his direction Kaena looking him over once again before giving him a slight nod. “We’re from a little village in the Heldrian Mountains; we left our homes roughly six months ago and have been travelling ever since. The man in the armour is named Aran, our soldier, the woman carrying the bow is Eila, our scout, and the man in the robes is Dossan, our Samurai. My name is Ereward Garr and I am the party’s strategist the young girl is Dala a necromancer from a nearby village who joined us along the way after being ostracised from her own home. I asked them to follow me and they agreed; my goal is to become an adventurer and see this world beyond the mountains.” Ward intoned, lifting most of the details from the games lore and the story that had taken place thus far. Kaena watching him as he spoke before giving a little shake of the head followed by a smile; not a kind smile or a happy smile but an honest one.

“I’ll be honest it doesn’t make sense.” The maid sighed shaking her head pulling her sword from the earth returning it to its scabbard “I mean a village up there in the mountains able to train a soldier, a scout and a samurai, preposterous.” Kaena let slip a laugh slamming her arms down onto her hips. “And what was it you called yourself; a strategist? Well either it’s an entirely new Class or you’re insane. I won’t ask you explain everything about yourselves, lots of people around here have something they want to keep hidden, but since you’re not spies I’m happy.” She clapped ward on the shoulder before turning around and marching through the village entrance. “Welcome to Burlo, and if you really do want to become adventurers I think I can help you.”