In a dim and cold room, the sole source of light came from the faint flicker of a computer keyboard. A snow-white rabbit stood motionless, with his face covered, his hands strapped and his ears obstructed. He was oblivious to the external world, unable to see or hear anything beyond his confinement.
“Ok, just walk towards me” Sky grinned, stifling a laugh as he watched his friend stumble around. Getting used to this new experience was no easy feat for the wolf.
“This is crazy,” Leon chuckled as he looked around. “I can almost feel everything”.
“It’s gonna get crazier once we join the server. You ready?”.
“I guess?”.
“Remember, this is an RPG server, so you cannot break character at any moment or you’ll get banned. Mods are pretty strict”.
“Fuck”.
“Huh? What happened?”.
“I’m pretty sure my VR headset comes with LCD screens, not RPG”.
“Oh my god, Leon,” the rabbit couldn’t help but laugh. “RPG stands for role-playing game.”
“How does that help?” The wolf scowled, flailing his arms around in an attempt to catch a virtual butterfly.
“LCD is just the technology used on… Never mind, I’ll explain it during movie night next week”.
Once Sky felt Leon was comfortable enough with the virtual world, he activated the portal that would take them to the server list. “We’ll start with the medieval realm. We can meet at the Rusty Dagger tavern”. The rabbit gestured for his friend to join him at the portal where he explained the rules one last time. They must remain in character, act as if they were strangers and they could not disconnect while engaged in battle.
CONNECTING TO SERVER. PLEASE WAIT…
CONNECTING…
FINDING INSTANCE…
INSTANCE FOUND.
CONNECTED.
ENJOY YOUR STAY!
As dawn broke, the first rays of the sun began to stretch out, casting shadows across the cobblestoned streets. The sweet melodies of birdsong filled the air, adding a harmonious touch to the morning atmosphere. Though the chill from the previous night still lingered in the air, the breeze carried with it a refreshing scent of dew. ‘Dirt roads are dry at least’ the rabbit thought to himself as he strolled through town, appreciating the lack of mud that often accompanied the early hours.
Having been to this realm before, Sky had a few pieces of gear that he could offload for some coin or trade for suitable equipment for Leon. It took him about an hour to finish his ordeal, at which point he assumed enough time had passed for the wolf to find the tavern.
Donning a white robe with crimson decorations, the rabbit carried a dull sword, a backpack with low level leather armor and rations to last him for several days. He didn’t need to search the room for the individual he was seeking; a black wolf was sitting alone in the dimly lit rear. His aura could be felt from the entrance, and with each stride Sky took, it grew stronger. It was no surprise that no one was sitting anywhere near him.
Experiencing a strange fear he had never felt with Leon, Sky sat down across the table and struggled to find the courage to speak. To his surprise, not only was the wolf in character, but he also appeared to be a completely different person.
“I’m not going to drag a pointless conversation” Sky attempted to speak without stuttering.
“Good” the wolf narrowed his eyes.
“I need to retrieve an item from an abandoned temple. From what I’ve researched, there’s a dungeon beneath it where this item is hidden. I can’t offer you much gold, but seeing as you lack proper equipment, I can give you this gear, this sword and you can keep whatever we find in the temple except for my item”.
“Your item?” Leon leaned in closer and into the light, his wild red eyes fixed on the rabbit.
Sky unconsciously leaned back, which he despised. “It will be once I find it”.
“We find it” The wolf sat back with a grunt “I’ll go with you. There isn’t much to do around here anyway. Besides, if there isn’t anything worth my troubles in this dungeon of yours, I can keep whatever you’re looking for”.
The white rabbit scowled and crossed his arms “you’re not making me eager to take you along”.
In the darkness, only the reflection from Leon’s toothy grin was visible “You’re desperate. You need me; otherwise you wouldn’t have come to me. Either this place is too dangerous for you or you don’t want anyone smart enough to realize that whatever you’re seeking is worth far more than what we can loot”.
There was a moment of silence as both kept staring at each other without saying a word. Frustration, pride, but most importantly, mutual respect. “Alright, you’ve proven your point. Come with me and I’ll ensure you are appropriately compensated for your services”.
“Deal” The wolf downed the last of his drink and stood up “Pay my bill, I’m broke” he said as he made his way through the tavern. Sky dropped a silver coin on the table and hurried after this complete stranger, wondering if he had made the right decision.
“This spell book you’re after must be quite significant” Leon remarked, casting a glance at the rabbit beside him as he swung his new sword to test its weight and balance.
“I never mentioned a spell book” Sky adjusted his backpack, trying to feign interest in something else.
“Well, you’re wearing a robe and I don’t see a staff with you. So, you are either too poor to buy a staff or your magic doesn’t require one”.
“How could you possibly know this?” to say he was taken aback was an understatement.
Leon grinned “I might look dull like the sword you gave me, but I’m sharp as a dagger”.
Finally, a smile tugged at the corners of Sky’s lips. “That’s so dumb. A dagger can be dull as well, man”.
For a moment, they shared a smile, beginning to enjoy each other’s company. Sky broke the silence “You are right, I don’t need a staff or wand. I’m an elemental wizard; my power flows through my hands.”
It was the wolf’s turn to be surprised now “An elemental wizard? I’ve heard they’ve been extinct for centuries”.
“Not extinct. Exterminated”.
“I’ve read the lore, wizard. I know why they took such drastic measures. Your people became too powerful and greedy. If they hadn’t stopped them, they would have conquered the entire world”.
“That doesn’t justify genocide” Sky didn’t really care. He felt no connection to the people who had died long before his birth. “Sky…”
“What about it?” Leon looked up, his eyes squinting in the glaring sun.
“My name. It’s Sky”
“Ah, Leon” he replied, extending his hand in a friendly gesture. “What elements can you control?”.
“Air” The rabbit replied as they shook hands.
“That’s it?” The wolf raised an eyebrow.
“What do you mean, ‘that’s it’?” Sky frowned and suddenly, a gust of wind knocked Leon to the ground.
“I see,” Leon chuckled as he got back up. “This will come in handy when we need to start a campfire or blow out a candle”.
“Better than just striking rocks and wishing for the best” Sky returned the banter.
Since Sky had already purchased most of the provisions they might have needed, it didn’t take them too long to acquire a tent and a sleeping bag for Leon. As they continued on their way, the buildings dwindled until they were completely overtaken by dense clusters of trees and lush vegetation. From this point onwards, their expedition had truly begun.
After a few hours of walking and light conversation, Sky realized he should caution his new companion about the perils of the forest he was already familiar with. “Don’t lower your guard,” he warned as they stopped in a clearing to rest. “This place may look quiet, but there’s danger lurking around every turn”. His backpack felt heavier after so much treading; it felt nice to finally take it off. Leon nodded in acknowledgement while unlacing his boots.
“That’s a good idea” Sky mimicked the wolf and removed his boots as well.
“I don’t usually have good ideas” Leon quipped, sitting down and leaned back against a nearby tree.
“Don’t worry, you have me to make decisions now” The rabbit grinned, taking out the rations they would eat for lunch. He grabbed a small block of compacted grains and nuts with honey and broke two pieces. He walked over to Leon to give him the bigger piece.
The wolf was taken aback by the generous gesture, even though it was part of their deal “Thank you” he murmured with a light blush, taking a bite to conceal his embarrassment.
“No worries” Sky smiled and sat next to him, closer than what two men who just met that day would.
Leon took a bite of his ration and was surprised by the rich flavors hidden in the bland looking brick. “What do you plan on doing with another spell book?” he asked Sky, who was staring intently at his bare chest.
The white rabbit looked up at Leon, contemplating for a moment before responding. “They are called elemental tomes. You were right when you said elemental wizards were a special kind. They might have gotten greedy, but their demise was also their doing. Our first ancestors knew their magic was too powerful for any one person to control. To be able to manipulate the elements was something that no individual should possess, so they divided into four clans, each with control over a different element. Earth, fire, water, and wind”.
Leon listened intently, realizing that he was being told information that was not meant for his ears. After some bites of his ration and a drink of water, Sky continued, “In order to keep the elements separated, they created these elemental tomes. They can only be read by people who are part of the same bloodline. Our magic cannot be taught; we can only learn it by reading these tomes”. Sky grinned. “And, as you read it, the tome erases itself”.
Leon’s eyes widened in surprise. “They did this so there would only be a few elemental wizards roaming around creating chaos?”.
Sky nodded, pleased to see his new partner catching on quickly. “They knew their descendants would become too estranged from these ideals. This way, it was easier to control the rest and make sure no one would try to take over the world.”
“Too bad they did try to take over the world, huh?” Leon snorted.
“Our history is filled with holes. I don’t know exactly what happened, but after several generations, they completely lost it and… well, you know what happened,” Sky said before taking a sip of water. They would have to find a stream of fresh water to refill their canteens.
Their meal was cut short by the unmistakable sound of a branch snapping. “You heard that?” The white rabbit didn’t even finish turning his head when an arrow whizzed past his face, narrowly missing his nose by mere centimeters.
Leon sprang into action, unsheathing his sword and positioning himself protectively in front of Sky. The surroundings were still, but the rustling of branches around them indicated otherwise. “There!” Sky cried out, alerting Leon to danger from behind. As the wolf turned to face the threat, he caught sight of an arrow hurtling straight at him. But just as it was about to strike and split his head in two, a sudden gust of wind deflected the projectile.
“It DID come in handy!” Leon remarked as he raced toward the direction the arrow had come from. He leapt into the trees, taking a moment to adjust his vision before spotting a gnoll loading another arrow into his crossbow. With a growl, the wolf raised his sword and charged forward, ready to strike. His blade came down with full force, but the cunning creature dodged at the last moment.
Sky, who had been following closely behind, raised his hands and formed a small whirlwind around Leon and the gnoll. He knew from experience gnolls rarely attacked alone, so he hoped Leon would be able to finish off this one before another one appeared.
At first, Leon was disoriented by the sudden whirlwind, but he quickly realized who made it and how useful it was in keeping the gnoll from escaping. “Heh…” His eyes narrowed as his sword dropped to the ground, confident in his ability to take down the creature without it. “You’re fucked”.
The gnoll dropped his weapon once he realized he was trapped. With a growl of his own, he jumped forward for an attack, but was met with equal brute force. Leon blocked the punch with his shoulder and countered with a powerful right hook that landed perfectly on the creature’s jaw.
The gnoll stumbled back, blood trickling down his muzzle and one of his canines missing. With a furious growl, he lunged forward, claws extended. His movements were quick and erratic, but they landed with brutal force. Leon struggled to dodge, and every time he blocked, he felt the sting of flesh being sliced open. He knew he had to even the odds or risk losing the fight.
The wolf gritted his teeth and ignored the pain, using his own claws to deliver a flurry of strikes in return. One of the gnoll’s claws got stuck on his shoulder plate, and Leon saw his opportunity. He leaned down, making sure to bring the gnoll with him. Using the strength of his legs, the wolf jumped as hard as he could and landed an uppercut that sent the gnoll flying. As soon as the creature hit the ground, Leon swiftly used his sharp claws to neutralize the threat.
With the enemy down, the whirlwind around him dissipated. To his surprise, Leon saw another gnoll knocked on the ground with what appeared to be a rock smashed against its head. Sky was running towards him, shouting in amazement. “Leon! Holy fucking shit! That was incredible!”
Feeling a sense of pride, the black wolf ignored the pain coursing through his body. “You saw me?” he asked, trying to open his swollen eye.
“Yeah! I’ve never seen a noob kill a low level gnoll before!”
“Low level?” Leon scowled in disbelief.
“That was awesome! We should probably get going though, they respawn and track you down if you stay for too long. I read on the patch notes they lowered their respawn time pretty significantly”.
Suddenly, a white glow appeared in front of them “Rule number one: Never break character” an ominous voice came from the light.
“No, wait. Hold up!” the rabbit pleaded.
“One week ban”.
