Alisara looked sick for a moment. "My last death was from an enchanted blade that sent me to Purgatory for a full month." She paused, looking them over. The battle-mage's stomach clenched, and he felt a little sick. "You're new to this world, right?" They nodded. "Ah, then you don't know that there is an escalating penalty for dying. You are tormented for fifteen seconds by demons for your first five deaths in ninety days, but after that the time of torment increases. Deaths six through ten in ninety days are thirty seconds, and then it goes to one minute, two minutes, five minutes with each death, and so on. And then there are the cursed blades and evil spells that can send you to Purgatory for a day, week, month, or year."
"Well that sucks greasy donkey balls," Rand said. "I haven't been killed yet, but from what Killum and Asha say, it's pure hell."
Killum considered that, wondering how many times Asha has died. At least twice now. She needed to know so she could be more careful. Alisara then explained that after ninety days the deaths came off the counter. Then something else she said registered.
"Wait a minute, you worked for the Warlord of Warlord's Castle fame?" he asked. She nodded. "Then you can tell us about the castle."
Alisara laughed. "I've attacked the castle, but never made it inside. Lord Seth lost the castle long before I crossed over to this realm. Hell, Lord Seth is a mob, so he probably 'lost' it before the Game started up." She paused. "Though, Lord Kathro is an Immortal."
"Is he a necromancer?" Rand asked.
"Yes, Lord Kathro is a necromancer," she said. "But he has magic beyond raising the dead and controlling them. He throws thunderbolts like a god." Alisara caught and held Killum's eyes. "But it's his sword you have to really avoid. That blade sent me to Purgatory for a month of terror where all of my worst nightmares were acted out."
The serving wench started to leave to wait on another customer that entered. Killum caught her arm.
"One last question," he said. "Do you know of a dungeon, or any other way, to return back to the previous realm and our real lives?"
"There are rumors, but nothing specific," she said. Alisara pried her arm loose, giving him a dirty look. "Warlord's Castle is not a way home. That's only a sure way to Purgatory."
One of the mobs across the room left, giving Killum's table a covert look. The battle-mage noticed, so watched him to ensure the man didn't steal any of his weapons or gear. The remaining mob looked even more unsavory, but seemed to be lost in her beer.
"Maybe we should take this elsewhere," Killum said. "Let's settle up and go see about selling the mules. If the mules bring us enough money, maybe we can buy some horses and cut the time to Warlord's Castle in half."
"Cut in half?" Tiana cried. "Jesus, you don't know much about horses, do you? This is all rough terrain, so horses won't add a lot of distance per day. They might help us to not be so tired at the end of a long day, but I think at best we'd gain another five or ten miles a day. And that's just if the horses are in good physical shape and used to long journeys."
"She's right," Fergus said. "This Game is very realistic on so many things, so I don't think they'll give us a break with horses."
"Let's get armored up and go see," he said.
Rand argued about wearing armor. It was hot and uncomfortable. Killum ended the argument with, "Fine. Leave all of your expensive arms and armor here. We'll see if any of it is still here when we get back."
That decided it. There were no locks on the doors. No way to secure anything. So they helped each other put on armor, buckle sword belts, and otherwise prepare to leave. Just as they finished and were enjoying a last morning beer, more men filed through the front door.
Big, grim men in battered armor lined up before them. One of them, though, wore brightly polished armor. He was tall and handsome, and kind of resembled a human version of Fergus with his long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. But he was an NPC, as were all of his men-at-arms.
"I am Lord Seth. Duke of Highcliff," their leader declared, glaring at Killum's table. "I've been told you hooligans seek to take my castle and fief as your own."
"Hooligans?" Tiana asked.
"Word gets around fast," Rand mumbled.
Killum thought of the mob that departed right after they spoke so openly with Alisara. He resolved to be more careful in the future. At the moment, though, he had other problems. Lord Seth and his men outnumbered them two to one. And the warriors were one and all a lot bigger and meaner looking.
"There must be some mistake," Killum said. "We're adventurers asking about any and all dungeons in the area. We aren't, as you say, hooligans seeking to take anyone's castle and keep it as our own. We're rolling stones. Settling down to rule a castle would be boring."
"It would prove worse than boring, boy," Lord Seth sneered. "I would prove your undoing. Warlord's Castle is mine, and only mine. I demand you all swear an oath you will never go there except under my banner, or try to conquer it for any reason."
"Hell no," Rand cried. He shook his battle-axe at the arrogant lord. "Where our path takes us is our own business, Lord Seth. And from what I've heard, you aren't man enough to win it back anyway. That castle, and its treasure, is up for grabs."
Eight swords scraped out of scabbards. Lord Seth dropped into a fighting position, and his men followed his example.
"Rand, you have a way with words," Tiana said. "Such a charmer."
"Talking's for sissies," Rand said. "Men fight!"
"Does that mean I can sit this one out?" Tiana asked.
"No," Killum said, pulling his Power Sword. With a thought, power flowed into the sword and it began to glow red. Lord Seth gave the blade a wary look. "This is your last chance, Lord Seth. Back off and leave, or suffer the consequences."
"It will be you four that suffer on the ends of our blades!"
Fergus shrugged, lifting his left arm. "We're Immortals. You're not."
A shining white bow appeared in his hand. Then a shining white arrow appeared in his right hand, which he immediately prepared to shoot. Tiana pulled her sword and stepped up beside Killum.
"Last chance," Killum said.
Lord Seth turned red. Killum's Magical Sight saw nothing glowing in any of their possessions. That didn't mean one of them wasn't a mage of some sort. Still, Killum wasn't sure four newbs in that realm could defeat twice their number of seasoned soldiers. Their magic helped, but no fight had been all that easy so far.
Killum quickly reviewed his available spells. Fireballs would scatter them, but it would also light the inn on fire, too. Burning down the Raging Bull would not be a good thing, and might get him tossed in jail. And Lord Seth's threat to kill them worried him a lot more after speaking with Alisara.
Throwing his left hand out, "Be blinded!"
Lord Seth and his men gasped, many reaching for their eyes. Killum looked for a back door, but the innkeep slammed the kitchen door and barred it on the other side. There was no escape that way. There had to be a way out of there without fighting Lord Seth.