No quest, no map, no tent. I kicked a rock down the road. Dekka ran after it and brought me back a rock.

  It wasn’t the same rock.

  Being very low to the ground, she had a hard time following low flat trajectories and often would bring me back something similar if she couldn’t find what I had thrown. If I kicked a rock, she brought back a rock, if I threw a stick, she brought back a stick. I don’t know if she didn’t care or thought perhaps that I wouldn’t notice the replacement.

  She dropped the rock at my feet and was hopping about, eyes on it ready for me to kick it again. The never-ending energy of terriers and toddlers is natures greatest accomplishments in the field of thermodynamics, I mused. Trying desperately to think of anything other than Rivermore How did they turn small amounts of food into so much chaos?

  The first hint was the sound of splashing. Big splashing. Like someone was dropping refrigerators into the creek, or what ever the medieval equivalent of that was. Dekka perked up, tail going still and scenting the air.

  We stopped. The area here was mostly flat with tall grass around the road. There were tall rushes hiding a creek from view, but I could hear it splashing and burbling as we had walked. Now it sounded like there was something big coming our way.

  I was already on edge. “If it’s another slime, I’m just leaving. You hear me, Dekka? We’re done with slimes. You wouldn’t want to be one of those hairless dog’s would you?” She ignored me, staring off through the rushes, her tail began to wag.

  It was not a slime.

  A beaver lumbered out of the reeds. A beaver the size of—well a fridge. Six eyes glowed wetly in its round, brutish head. Its teeth were as long as my forearm, a surprising shade orange bright against the dark fur of its muzzle. It had no fangs, so maybe it wouldn’t want to eat me. Then I remembered Wendel’s warning.

  Dekka growled and then barked.

  The beaver slapped its tail that was still in the shallow of the creek, eyes focusing on the dog. The splash hit me in the face. Cold, muddy water dripped down my nose. I blinked.

  “Really?”

  It slapped again.

  I began to feel that anger again. I reached for my club. Dekka bolted ahead, barking furiously. She bounced around the beaver’s legs, snapping at it. It spun around trying to get her, but she was too small and it was too slow. Its massive tail almost hit me as it turned. I managed to whack it with my club. The tail felt like hitting a very firm mattress.

  The beast turned all six eyes toward me and let out a noise that sounded like a clogged drain pipe.

  I was so unnerved I forgot to concentrate on a skill, I just swung my club.

  Thwack. It hit the side of the beaver’s skull like a baseball bat against a side of beef. The beaver didn’t even flinch.

  “Not fair,” I yelled at it and leapt out of the way, drawing it further away from the bank and out into the open. “You’ve got six eyes. That had to hurt at least one of them.”

  The thing didn’t even slow, I dropped down and its teeth snapped shut where my torso had been a moment earlier. The sound rang like a guillotine blade. My skin began to prickle in excitement.

  I rolled trying to get out of range, my cloak catching in the mud. I swore at it and barely avoided a slap from the massive pancake-like tail.

  Dekka launched herself onto its back and latched onto one of the beaver’s ears. It shook its head, but she just hung off the ear with her usual enthusiastic tenacity. Why wasn’t she changing? Her hellhound form would be helpful now.

  The beaver bucked. Dekka flew off and hit the mud with a squelch. She bounced up again, shaking herself and going right back in.

  Good dog. Terrible judgment.

  “Get big,” I yelled at her.

  It was facing me now, so I swung again, aiming for the teeth this time. Crippling blow wouldn’t do much other than break the teeth. I didn't think you could cripple a beast by knocking out a tooth so I used Hit. The club connected, and one tooth cracked clean off. Shrieking and thrashing, the beaver slammed its tail into the ground. The shockwave knocked me flat on my back.

  Dekka leapt onto its chest, growling, trying to reach the ear again. The beaver, insulted, shook her off then wacked her into the creek with the edge of its tail.

  “Dekka!” I scrambled up, mud streaking my face. She surfaced a second later, paddling furiously, tail wagging like this was the best day ever. Though as she reached the shore she began to grow. Finally I thought and turned back to our foe.

  It was staring at me and its six eyes narrowed.

  I ran straight at it, yelling like an idiot, distracting it from my dog who now was the size of a pony and sailing through the air at the beaver. At the same time as the Hellhound’s shadow teeth sank into the back of the beaver’s skull I hit in the chest with Crippling Blow.

  The beaver blinked, confused. As if wondering where the big jaws came from and how dying hadn’t been on its plan for the day. I grinned up at its stupid face. “You started it.” I told it and then jumped back as it spasmed dying.

  25XP!

  2.5XP!

  YOU HAVE RECEIVED - Iron Incisors rare (crafting item)

  I collapsed beside it, gasping. Dekka strutted back, mud-covered, tail wagging like she’d just slain a dragon.

  By the time the sun started bleeding down the treetops, I was filthy, hungry and ready to collapse. I hadn’t seen another player, NPC, house, or signpost since Rivermore. I was starting to fear it was because I had failed a quest that had been part of a chain.

  Maybe I should go back to Molly in Road’s Cross? Somehow start the chain again? Or try and pick up another quest.

  So when the sign appeared—hanging crookedly from a wooden pole at the fork of a little-used road—I nearly missed it, I had been so inwardly focused looking down as I walked.

  The Dewdrop Inn was hand-painted in faded green letters. Of course, it was hand-painted. What were the options in this age?

  Wait, no, nothing in here was hand-painted. It was only programmed to look hand-painted. I had to remind myself this wasn’t real. It was easier and easier to slip into thinking of this as reality.

  I turned smartly heading down the overgrown wagon tracks. They led down and around a grassy hill to a little Inn beside a pond.

  Oh, thank the game devs above!

  I couldn’t wait for a nice warm meal and a soft bed. I picked Dekka up, remembering the reactions some of the NPCs had to her. I needn’t have worried. There were no NPCs in the inn; it was completely bereft of habitation. My feet echoed on the wooden floor as I walked in.

  YOU HAVE ENTERED A SAFE HOUSE!

  It was abandoned, yet pristine. Putting Dekka down to let her explore, I turned a circle in the centre of the main room. This was odd, the room felt heavy with expectation like it was waiting for its Innkeeper.

  No innkeeper meant free lodging.

  I wondered if there was food. Dekka had beat me to the kitchen. Pots, pans, mugs, clothes, bowls, spoons- everything you would need to run a kitchen for an inn, but they all looked unused. I checked the cupboards and in the kegs. Everything was empty. I remembered there were some bottles behind the bar in the main room.

  It felt wrong, like someone was going to run in and yell at me, but I went behind the bar to grab a drink.

  But the bottles, weren’t bottles. I picked one up and tried sloshing its contents about. The liquid didn’t move, and it was kind of… pixelated. The next bottle I tried wouldn’t budge; it was part of the shelf.

  I went upstairs to see if the rooms were usable. The first room looked fine. But when I touched the bed it was hard, and the blankets were part of the bed. This was some uncanny valley creepy shit.

  The third room I tried was better. The pitcher and basin were pixelated to the touch and all part of the washstand. But bed was soft and the blankets separate.

  No food but a free soft dry bed. Could be worse. On the way to the outhouse I paused to yelled at the sky. “Hey, you forgot to finish some code here.” Dekka barked twice to back me up. My dog was the goodest girl, always having my back.

  That night I made a fire in the fireplace. Small at first to make sure the chimney was real. Cooked dinner over the fire. I was getting sick of beast haunch, but it filled the belly.

  For Dekka, this life was ideal. No kibble, her human never abandoned her every day forever (aka go to school or work), and she was allowed to bite things. I hated this world, but to her, this was heaven.

  I tried opening the cash box and I got a system message.

  INCORRECT ACTION/INNKEEPER NOT FOUND. PLEASE CONTACT SUPPORT.

  Blinking it away, and sighed. I had tried contacting support; it did as much good as prayers to an uncaring god usually did. Only rarely did you get what you need.

  I had to admit, falling asleep in a feather bed, safe and tucked in with her little body curled up on the pillow beside my head felt good.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Heading out the next day, I felt a lot better, all the little aches and pains were gone. Even my blisters had healed. Seems, a sleep in an official bed had a sort of long rest effect.

  Dekka was extra bouncy as we headed down the road. I’d feel much better if we had a quest. I kept an eye out for limping forest creatures or weird stone formations.

  We made it to Bistmoor without any further mishaps. This was a real city. A high, well-maintained, thick stone wall enclosed most of the city, but there were a few homes and businesses huddled outside; the city couldn’t contain its growth.

  There was a line of carts and people waiting to get into the city. Peasants with goods, some with livestock. One group looked like a family carrying their worldly possessions and leading a couple of goats. I wondered if they were fleeing Rivermore, or a place like it.

  There were guards checking everyone as they entered and left. I picked up Dekka and approached.

  “Name, class, and purpose of visit.” The guard sounded very bored and hadn’t looked at me yet.

  “Elizabeth, fighter,” what did I say? I am here because I need a quest? I want to see if there are real people in your city? I decided on, “and I’m looking for work.”

  He let out a gasp when he looked up, his armour clanking as he stood up straight. “What sort of creature do you have there?” He pointed his halberd at us.

  I wanted to be snarky, but the point of the halberd looked exceptionally pointy. “She is a dog, a companion animal. They are common where I am from.” I stood there trying to look as inoffensive as possible, hoping Dekka wouldn’t bark or growl at the woman who was coming through right now, herding a group of ducks.

  The other guard noticed the halberd pointing. “Why’s it only got two eyes?” He asked suspiciously.

  “Dogs only have two eyes.”

  He leaned in closely to look at her lack of eyes. “Are yeh sure? Did someone remove it’s eyes, is it cursed?” He was nose to nose with her.

  She licked him.

  He jerked back. “It tasted me!!”

  I laughed. I couldn’t help it. Here was this strong, tall, armoured man afraid of a tiny terrier. “She just likes you, that’s how dogs tell you they like you.”

  He was wiping his nose vigorously. “They show you they like you by seeing what flavour you have? Like you for what? Dinner?”

  I looked at him, I looked at my dog, then back up to him. “Seriously? You are way to big for her to eat even if she wanted to.”

  The other guard raised the halberd a bit. “Is that as big as it gets?”

  I was about to say yes. But that wasn’t exactly true any more, was it? I wondered if they could spot lies. “She is fully grown. She’s on the small side for her kind.” I hedged.

  They looked at each other, then nodded. “You must be from very far away, traveller. Make sure that thing doesn’t go around tasting people. We won’t be having that sort of thing in our city.”

  I assured him she would behave, and we entered Bistmore.

  The streets were full of people, and for the first time, I saw non-peasants. Men and women were walking around, a few riding fine horses who were wearing more elaborate clothes. The fabrics had patterns, the garment construction was more complex. I really wanted better clothes.

  There were stalls and shops everywhere. My stomach grumbled and Dekka twisted in my grip. I was going to have to either train her not to go running off in cities or get a leash. The ducklady was up ahead, herding her charges as they quaked and complained. Dekka, if not restrained, would run up and try to self serve herself lunch.

  I checked my inventory. I likely had enough coins. I was hungry but I also wanted to buy a new tent, and maybe better boots. As much as I wanted a pretty dress I knew it would just get ruined with blood, brains or some other vile substance.

  I went over to a stall that was selling roasted meat and veggies on a stick. They were a copper a skewer. Ordering three, I fed one to my dog. That should keep her a little less bitey with other animals. Or so I hoped.

  The skewers were delicious if a bit spicy. I got a mug of mead from another stand. This was much better than the thick small beers I had been served up until now.

  I stood puzzled, there was a whole isle of—well people just standing around. I watched, and it seemed like they trying to get the attention of passers by. A banner across this street said “Guild Fair.”

  Should I Join a guild? Every MMO I had played had guilds, I didn’t always join one, unless I had to as a quest. But having other people around would be nice. Maybe party up with some NPCs? Guilds were often a source of information and quests.

  Strolling down the street I perused the booths and looked at the banners, trying to make out the guilds. There seemed to be guilds for everything. Crafting, farming, even specific farming. There was a banner with a duck on it, perhaps that was why the duck lady was in town.

  I wanted a fighting one. Half way down was a banner that was larger and better made than most around it. It had large image of a sword and shield in. Hope they weren’t anti club.

  “Hello there!” A young man espoused as I came within range. “Are you looking to join a guild?”

  When I didn’t immediately avert my gaze or flee like many of the other passersbys did, he grinned and didn’t wait for my answer. “We are the adventures guild. We fight monsters together, and get rich together.”

  That sounded pretty solid.

  “Do you have a fighting class, traveller?”

  “Yeah,” I said and lifted my club so he could see it. He was completely ignoring my dog, which was a relief. I scanned the area for ducks or other small livestock and seeing none deposited her on the cobbled street.

  “Excellent,” He beamed. “Our guild is the premier guild for adventures seeking coin and glory, we have sects in all the main cities, including Silvermere.”

  I didn’t know that city, but by the look on his face I was supposed to be impressed, so I nodded.

  “So if I join, does that mean I can party up with other members?”

  “Absolutely. We have regular members, and we have travellers like you.”

  I snorted. Like me? “What do you mean, travellers like me?

  “Yes,” he looked puzzled, “Some of the travellers are players, like you.”