“How?” Sahara asked as she tried to touch Jet again. He snapped at her fingers a little harder this time, but wasn’t quick enough to nab her.
“We need to get down to Bikorn as soon as possible,” Sang said, causing Van to grimace. He couldn’t believe what she was about to try. “I believe there’s a merchant in that general area who has access to a special kind of food source. That will increase the growth speed of little Jet.”
“Whoa!” Sahara said. “If we can get him to grow faster, everyone is going to want to join our mercenary company!”
There was a general murmur of satisfaction from the rest of the group. They all seemed to believe Sang’s words, even though Van knew they were filthy, filthy lies. It wasn’t cool of her to so blatantly lie to them, either—especially considering the fact that there was no way for her to validate her lie. They would reach Bikorn and she’d be exposed quite easily. Then they’d never trust her again.
“So, here’s what I’m thinking,” Sang said. “We can hang out here for another night and waste all of our time, or we can get moving and reach Bikhorn before Sleep Time.”
“I dunno,” Bidane said, putting her hands on her hips. “We’re pretty damaged, and my magic points don’t recharge until some time around dusk.”
“Hey, the sooner we get down there, the faster I can get that food,” Sang said. “Would be way better to have a dragon on our side.”
“But why the rush?” Kylian asked. Van could see that the older man was beginning to think things through.
“Because the vendor doesn’t stay in one place for too long!” Van interjected. “It’s a moving character and he randomly moves between locations every few weeks. It’s the end of this week, and he’ll be moving again.” This lie was perfect because all Van had to do was state that they hadn’t made it in time when they arrived in town.
“Damn vendors,” Kylian grumbled. “I don’t know why they can’t stay in one place. Once had to chase down a sword all across the Volcanic Grounds of Ashtoth. Worst week of my life in this game.”
“Right, so that’s why we’ve been hustling so hard,” Van said. “Sang wanted to keep the dragon secret so she could surprise you guys, but with that fight earlier, it’s kind of a pick-me-up.”
“Well, I don’t mind rushing,” Sahara said. “I still have plenty of spell points to burn. If we sneak through the mountain pass, we can avoid the Trolls and other nasties.”
“We do have a few invisibility scrolls,” Bidane said. “We can cast them on the less stealthy party members. Although, we’ll have to buy new ones when we’re in town.”
“Perfect,” Sang said, “then it’s settled.” She took out a map and placed it on a small boulder. “I’ve figured out the best route to travel through. It’s not too dangerous and I’ve already used my Map skill to ensure the route will get us down the mountain 33% faster.”
Kylian shot a look over at Van. He ambled over to Van and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him away from the group.
“She’s lying, isn’t she?” he asked. “And you’re covering for her.”
Van gritted his teeth. Kylian was a tough guy and wasn’t a sucker. Van knew he couldn’t lie to the man, but he wasn’t sure what his options were at this point. If Kylian blew the whistle on Sang, they’d both be in a ton of trouble and the group cohesion would be shattered.
“Look,” Van whispered, “I’m not gonna lie to you, man. How’d you figure it out?”
“She just seemed extremely well prepared for moving out tonight. Plus, it seems a little odd for you guys to mention this so abruptly. I took a risk in telling you she was lying, but your reaction confirms it.”
“We’re not up to anything sketchy; she’s just really impatient. She’s, uh… on a trial basis in this game,” Van said.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, essentially, she’s playing this game because she’s being paid to. It’s for research for a company that’s interested in Draco and wants to learn more about the game. The only problem is that they don’t quite understand how things work, and they’re getting really frustrated with the speed at which things are going. So, she’s desperate to prove to them that her job is worth keeping.”
Kylian frowned. “I don’t understand—why would someone pay her to investigate this game?”
Van shifted a little. “Look, Kylian, I can’t really tell you a whole lot. She’s in this game because it’s a job for her. I’m being paid to assist her however I can.”
“So, what is all of this talk about rallying up and building a team?” Kylian asked.
“That’s still one hundred percent real,” Van said. “My goals are a little different than hers. At some point, she’s probably going to disconnect from this game and be gone for good. Me? This game is my home and I’m not going anywhere. So, I want us to have a veritable army by the time I’m done with my escort quest.”
Kylian looked at Van long and hard. “I don’t really get what you’re up to,” he said, “but… if you make sure that Capella’s well taken care of, I really don’t care.”
“What do you mean?” Van asked.
“Eh, he’s been going through a rough time,” Kylian said. “He’s not as old as the rest of us; he’s sixteen, but likes to act like an adult. His parents are divorcing and it’s been hell on everyone in the family. I’m just trying to help him have a good time by letting him come along with me, but all he wants to do is stab anything he comes across. It’s been hard keeping him in check. So, I don’t care what you’re up to, as long as you make sure he isn’t kicked out of the group or anything like that.”
“Okay, fine,” Van said, surprised at Kylian’s request. “I’ll make sure to watch out for him.”
“Good,” Kylian said. “His mother will kill me if he gets kicked out of another group.”
Van couldn’t believe his luck. Kylian had been his main concern when it came to motivating the group, but now the power was in his hands. With this kind of leverage, it meant that Kylian would be a very useful ally to him and Sang. He turned his attention to the rest of the crew, who had begun hastily packing everything up. The three ladies were very excited about the dragon and were talking about how they couldn’t wait to ride on its back. Hopefully, they wouldn’t be too disappointed when they reached Bikorn.
“There it is!” Sang called out triumphantly as she stood at the edge of the forest. Van emerged from the trees to see a large stone castle a few miles in the distance. “That must be Castle Bikorn!”
“Indeed, it is!” Dolly said as she turned off her Stealth mode. “Home to one of the most powerful kings in this land. King Bikorn is a fierce and savage king, but he’s been known to grant blessings to those who earn his approval.”
“And we’re going to get that approval today!” Van said. He glanced at his in-game clock. They had been travelling for nearly three hours, and Sleep Time was about four hours away. They had made insanely good time.
“I’m here; what’d I miss?” Capella asked as he walked up to the group. He was wearing only a burlap pair of pants and was covered in blood.
“What happened to you?” Van asked as he handed Capella a satchel full of the warrior’s gear.
“Ran into some players on the way over. Good thing I have hand-to-hand skills,” Capella said as he equipped with his armor and his dual axes. Van wanted to ask more questions about the reason why Capella had gotten into a fight with some players, but decided against it. Most likely, Capella had murdered some people for no reason whatsoever. That was going to be a problem, but as long as Capella wasn’t focusing his teenage rage on Van’s team, it wasn’t worth worrying about right now.
“Okay, let’s hit the shops really quick,” Van said as he pointed to a small series of huts and market stands at the foot of the castle. “Get anything that could help in the next quest. Gaining the king’s favor isn’t easy, so make sure you stock up on health potions and any consumables that can help. Get ready to give it your all!”