Lost in the Game

New Life

For Lucas, the first few weeks proved the most difficult to adjust too. His early interest in skills had paid off handily, as he quickly reached the level cap that allowed him to almost effortlessly go anywhere on this level. It didn't take long for him to Master everything, as he realised that the more you made something, the better the results got. He also learned the results could be effected by something as simple as how the materials were collected.

Perfect samples of the mats used would increase the stats, boosts and even final outcome of the product. Some of the ones he could not obtain himself, he paid good money to obtain, as he could not have every profession in the game. He also learned quickly that despite his desire for weapons, he knew armor would prove the more valuable commodity. So he switched from blacksmithing to leather working, although he kept his mining skills as he knew that eventually there would be a need for metals in leatherworking. It had taken about 10 days for him to encounter it, and the system finally admitted because of this he would be able to cross train them, although it took far longer for his blacksmithing skill to evolve because of it. The bonus was, because he was also an enchanter he could make enchanted weapons, that could than be enchanted again to make them even more specialized to one class or another.

He had also learned that any of the players with a skill that was advanced, would become bombarded any time they went to the profession trainers, so he had begun going late at night or early in the morning when he could move around with less notice. His shop was a unique experience for most people when they entered, as his stock was something that they were not used too. Not everyone could make a sword with a +5 Strength enchantment, that also had an open enchantment slot.

"How many crafters is this shop the result of?" a customer asked.

Lucas smiled as most had no idea this was his public shop, that he did absolutely no crafting at. "I am a simple shop keeper mister, I buy and sell goods from many vendors. You will also find unique monster drops, and resell items from many players." he said refusing to share anything beyond common knowledge.

"I am looking for one crafter in particular. Rumor has it he may be the only one capable of doing what I need at the moment." the warrior said.

"Information is not one of the things I broker, nor are introductions. Who supplies what can be determined by the item itself, as to who that person is, I am not willing to discuss it. So, you can either leave your contact information with me and I will pass it along with a message. Or you can make your request, and if I am able to get it fulfilled you return for the item. I charge 20 percent of whatever the crafter charges, to be paid at the same time. Non negotiable." Lucas told him as the warrior grimaced.

Several shops sold things made by him, and most of them had said the same thing. Leave his information or leave the items, either way they would not guarantee results or a response. "What assurances do I have you will not scam me?" he asked.

"Any items you leave with me, you will get a receipt for. If successful, you will get an itemized list from the crafter, and my charge will be added to that. Why the price is non negotiable." he said as he rang up and processed a sale worth over 25 gold.

"You seem the most trustworthy, and turn around is something I need done quickly." the warrior said.

"First, what is it you need done. Most of the crafters have left a list of things they specialize in, and I might be able to tell you if it is possible or not." Lucas said.

"I need a poison enchanted into an emerald." he said with a smile.

Lucas nodded and knew instantly why he had been sent to him. "That changes things slightly, as even the best of them have a chance of destroying the crystal in question just by enchanting it. As such results cannot be guaranteed." he said pulling out a form. "Any idea what type of poison you want? Be warned however, the more powerful the poison to be enchanted, the greater the risk of destroying the gem."

"I have heard the Rogues tell of one that induces paralysis within a few seconds." the warrior said quietly.

Lucas placed the pen down and smiled as he knew the poison well, as he was the only supplier capable of making it, and it had proved quite popular. He however had noticed the thief trying to slip intonthe shadows, and threw a distractor at him that flashed lights and blew horns ensuring everyone looked right at him. "Try that in my shop again and you will be banned for life." he said as he looked at the man as he had an assistant come in and run the stock. "Let us take this conversation to somewhere a little more private."

Lucas led the warrior to a set of stairs and used his master code to enter the office, before he closed the door and sat down.

"Should I be worried about that downstairs?" he asked.

"Are you concerned with low level thieves who cannot even successfully hide in shadows?" Lucas asked slightly ironic. "My shopkeeper is one of the best, we shall be perfectly fine. Do you have the items with you?"

"I have the emerald, and funds are a little tight at the moment." the warrior said.

"Let me see what weapon it is being set into, as well as the gem." Lucas said as he opened a cabinet behind himself and pulled out a vial of the paralytic poison the man had mentioned.

The warrior pulled out one of the best long swords Lucas had seen, and knew it was the legendary drop from one of the Dungeon bosses. This floor had 5 dungeons so far, and knew he would eventually see it as he saw the enchantable gem as well. "How much is this going to cost me?" he asked as Lucas smiled.

"Let me look at that sword for a few moments, and I will only charge you the cost of the materials. One gold." Lucas said as the warrior went wode eyed at that prospect.

"That poison alone sells for 10 gold per vial, and they told me to expect to pay for more than one." the warrior said as Lucas smiled.

"That poison costs most capable of using them 10 gold, simply because they are not aware it is easily made from common ingredients. That poison however will destroy this gem, as it is not meant for a paralytic agent, but a caustic one." Lucas said as he turned again and pulled out a vial of a dark purple liquid that looked odious while sitting in the vial. "This one however has a 98 percent fusion chance, costs 7 gold, and will do 50 HP damage per second for 10 seconds."

The warrior was impressed, as he looked at Lucas. "How long until it is completed?" he asked.

"Two questions, maybe 3 depending on if you view the one as a single or multiple question."

"Ok."

"Name and Guild?" Lucas asked as the warrior smiled.

"Blood Knights is the Guild, King Arthur is my name." he answered.

"Well Arthur, how long until you have the 7 gold?" Lucas asked him as the man sst it on the table. Lucas smiled as he took it, took the vial and poured it over the Emerald while he chanted the binding spell, and than carefully placed it into crystal slot of the sword and muttered the binding phrase for that as well before he looked it over and smiled. "It will take exactly that long, and I hope you keep this between us."

Arthur looked at the sword stunned, as he had never expected it to be that quick. "Y-You, you are an assassin." he said nervous as Lucas smiled.

"Indeed I am." he said with a smile.

"Most changed away from those roles, and now we are finding out too late that they may be necessary. Do you know any that might have completed a quest? We have several scouring for it, but we all know some quests can only be completed once."

"Depends on the quest, and if they have gone about it the right way." Lucas said as he hadn't shared a few if his nuggets of information with anyone yet.

"It is called the Masters Apprentice I believe. Said to come straight from the Assassin Master himself." Arthur said as Lucas smiled.

"That one they have to enter the Masters chamber before they can get it." he told him.

"We figured that part out, as that is where it shows the origination point at. No one can figure out how to get in though, there is no doorway." Arthur said exasperated.

"What is it for?" Lucas asked.

"We have a raid group forming tonight outside of the Swamp, as it is believed that is where the final boss for the level is. Rumor is that it takes someone with that quest completed to be able to get past the sentries, as they are to difficult to kill. Even for 40 people." Arthur said.

"If I find one?" Lucas asked.

"Give them my details or just send them to the entrance, we will do the rest from there." Arthur said as Lucas smiled.

Lucas had an extremely eventful day before closing the shop an hour before the scheduled Raid time, and was collecting rarer resources in the vicinity when he decided to play an little game. He sat right above where the first of the group arrived about 20 minutes before the scheduled time he had been given, and was killing the murk creatures with his throwing knife when the respawned. It was only a few coins here and there, but a few silver every minute as they had a fast respawn rate was not a bad deal.

The conversation grew as Arthur arrived with his sword, and everyone was amazed that it had been completed already. One poison vendor said it would take 3 days for him to get the Emerald back, if it survived the process. They were beyond shocked when it said the gem was enchanted by Shadow Killer himself. He was one of the best player enchanted there was, as his skill was rumored to be maxed out for this level by those who were trying to compete against him.

"Anyone seen this Rogue?" another of the people on the same guild asked as it was now 2 minutes before the beginning of thier raid time.

"I haven't seen one." Arthur said looking around as he smiled.

The players waited until the time, when the trap triggered and began blaring different sounds right in the center of where they had gathered. "You are all lucky that I do not kill players. You would have all been too easy of targets." he said from above them before he dropped to the ground.

"Who are you?" a different rogue demanded of him.

"An assassin with the requested quest completed. You need more information than that, I suggest you contact a broker." Lucas replied as he was completely concealed from being recognizable. Even his voice was different because of his armor, so not even Arthur knew it was him.

"Who sent you?" Arthur asked.

"200 gold." he said holding out his hand.

"What?" Arthur asked.

"You are asking for information vital to my survival, it isn't free. You want information, I want gold." he said as he looked at anyone who had asked him something. "No takers? Fine, her is the requested quest showing as complete." he said as he displayed just that information.

"How did you get that quest?" one of the rogues asked.

"You an assassin?" he asked the other who nodded.

"Masters office, 5th floor of the Rogue Headquarters." Lucas replied simply.

"Every Rogue knows there are only 4 levels of the HQ." the man replied.

"Than I know that every assassin is an i***t, as there are indeed 5 levels of the Headquarters. Perhaps that is your first issue, you still view the G of this as a Game instead of our lives now. You do know what RPG means, right?" Lucas asked testily.

"Role Playing-" the Rogue went to answer before Lucas cut him off.

"Than pull your head out of your a*s and begin to think and act as your role would. This is no longer a game people, and the sooner you morons stop treating it as if it were, the better off we will all be. If you are going to assume a role, become that Role. If you want to be a thief, do what it takes to be the best damn thief there is, or go change class to become a priest. Atleast all they have to do is Peach and heal." Lucas said to some laughter from them.