At Selene's words Katherine looked up while she was playing with the young wolf at her lap, the wolf that was once a pup a month-ago in-game was now a year and a month in age.
It was astonishing at first but eventually one gets used to it.
In Dragon's Wrath the system of time is accelerated for just about everything. NPCs aged 3-times faster relatively speaking to the real world due to the 8-hour day cycle. Animals and children up to age 14 on the other hand would progress 12-times faster per real day.
Katherine then defended me, "I tried to explain to her you were using magic that only you could see, she didn't believe me…."
"Katherine is the truth! Hallelujah! How could you not believe in a Priestess such as she, Selene?"
While pretending to pout Katherine followed up, "Yeah Selene, why couldn't you believe in me? Hmm?"
This was our banter to entertain ourselves… everyone already knew the situation but when three people spend nearly every day together in a crowded room for over a month in-game, you end up looking for entertainment.
Selene occupied the role of straight-man, I got to be the talkative buffoon, and Katherine held up her end as the random but seldom spoken girl with the cutesy replies.
Selene replied in kind, "The magic only you could see? I believe that's the definition of a crazy person. Katherine I think it would be best if we packed up immediately."
"Where shall we go Selene? I've been wanting to travel…."
"No, say it ain't so! Barkley, you'll stay with me right?"
"Woof!"
"Barkley… you're going to leave your Mother?"
"Whine."
"Then it's settled, the three of us shall leave. Enjoy your life of solitude Sir Sigurd!"
"Bye Master!"
"Woof!"
And just like that it had been decided… the four of us were to take a trip to the Northern Triangle.
Of course it was already somewhat planned a few days before, but we were bored while cooped up in a small cabin with nary a thing to do. We needed to trade and pick up the shipment of chickens and seeds that were to arrive in a few days, so there was nothing to be really surprised over.
I also had the idea of taking a small detour to visit the ocean, as a sort of reward for the girls.
Yeah, a small surprise detour to the beach wouldn't hurt.
Thinking over everything that had just transpired; I realized I had also made a mistake.
I completely forgot about the collection of furs that we had stockpiled thanks to Katherine and Selene… I wouldn't trade them all but I could trade quite a few and use the coins to purchase more NPCs. But I also had to give Kate and Selene their fair share as well, they may be NPC Companions and would follow my every order, but they weren't slaves.
At least not slaves to me.
Chapter 31: Ocean Air in the Moonlight
(Friday, April 30th Game Day / Tuesday, February 9th Real Day)
Staring out at the endless ocean before me I couldn't help but appreciate the rendition. It was just as beautiful as the Pacific Ocean I had grown accustomed to as a child. Looking out along the sand & pebble beach where the seals lay and the birds squawked, I decided to simply sit down and enjoy the view.
Katherine and Selene had decided to sit down on either side of me as well, and silently watched as the sun had started to set in the distance.
That reddish-orange sun was now nearly a pure vibrant red as the sky before it had turned a gorgeous pinkish-purple. The thin and low-lying clouds had stretched out just enough to scatter the sun's rays along the ocean before us, creating stripes of light and dark water as far as the eye could see.
It was an interesting perspective, but a momentary one in the end.
The sound of the crashing waves eventually drowned out the alternate noises and had nearly lulled me to sleep. It seemed to have affected the women in nearly the same way, as Selene soon leaned over and placed her head onto my right shoulder while Katherine wrapped my left arm with hers.
Without any thought to the action, I wrapped both of them in my arms and brought them closer. As the three of us enjoyed the calming sunset, I had started to reflect on the moment that was just unfolding.
In the past, I used to go to the beach and watch the sunset with all manner of friends of various ages and with no regard to gender. The beach was simply where we would all unwind and forget our troubles.
Yet here I was, enjoying the same natural wonders that my life used to provide but now in a virtual state, indiscernible from the reality.
Well, the only truly discernible difference would be the companions to my side. To be accompanied by two women of such a standard that I would never in my wildest dreams expect to come true in real life.
That was my reality now.
My online life was my reality and I certainly preferred it to the sub-standard life I had come to known in the real world.
Lost to my thoughts, Katherine had decided to bring me back to the world of the living with a bit of a tug as she squeezed my arm beside her chest. Looking over to my left I couldn't help but smile and laugh, she was simply too cute.
With her trademark smile that you simply could not resist, she spoke softly, "Thank you for bringing us here Master, this scene… I will remember it for the rest of my life."
Yeah, a part of me wanted to pull her in to plant a kiss and roll around with her in the sand like some silly romantic couple in a movie would. Well, I probably would have done it if it wasn't for the fact that there was another woman to my right, who was now breathing down my neck.
Turning to my right, I met Selene's gaze as she followed up on Kate's previous comment, "To think it wasn't long ago that we had only known of the orphanage and the Holy Order. You've opened the world to us and I'm grateful."
I was bad with these kinds of things… even though I always wanted to hear praise, compliments, thanks or reassurance that I had done right, the truth was that deep down I lacked the belief in myself that such things were genuine. I hesitated to believe, I couldn't believe. I didn't deserve what was being said to or of me.
I was a failure after all.
As the scene grew quiet and I continued to stare at the now far-gone sun, emotions of sadness and regret had flooded me while the moon had risen in the sun's place. The cold night sky shined brightly with streams of vibrant colors as the primarily red and green aurora distracted me from my conflicted emotions.
No longer wanting to deal with such things, I turned around and pulled both women closer.
The sound of the waves crashing continued on and on, helping to lull me into a state of rest. Closing my eyes, I hoped the night would not be a restless one.
Falling asleep with both women at my side and the fire burning strongly just behind, the moon seemed to have taken pity on me as it kept the spotlight fixed above.
At the very least, I wouldn't be in the dark tonight.
Chapter 32: Thoughts of Companions' Past
(Sunday, May 9th Game Day / Friday, February 12th Real Day)
It was Friday night in the real world and we had just returned from our trip to the Northern Triangle. As Katherine, Selene, and Barkley left me behind so they could bathe in the river before dark, I trudged along alone with three empty sleds behind me.
In five hours the town square would be flooded with 52 Non-Combatant NPCs and 44 Combat NPCs… a slight increase due to the 16 spouses of the 44 combatants, along with 7 children. I wasn't actually sure if the lodge could hold that many.
Yeah, I went a little crazy with the Draft.
Though I originally was only expecting to draft 16 Non-Combatant NPCs along with their 13 tag-alongs, by the time I had finished selling all of the pelts I had received 8,932 copper coins. I wasn't planning to sell all of the furs originally, nor was I planning to keep all of the profit. But, Katherine and Selene had urged me to do so for the betterment of the settlement.