(World of Valdira 01) The Way of the Clan Read online

  The Way of the Clan by Dem Mikhaylov

  The Way of the Clan

  Revised and corrected edition

  Abstract

  A huge world full of adventures, ancient mysteries and monsters starving for your death. A world where everyone can make their biggest dream come true and become anyone they wish – a successful trader, a wise anchorite, a brave warrior or a battle mage who can control disastrous elemental powers. But don’t expect that the path to your dream will be easy and rosy. The path to the top is very long, if only you can ever reach it.

  Chapter 1

  Ready for everything to stay here! An unexpected end of the game session.

  A bright flash made me screw up my eyes tightly. When I cracked my eyelids open again, I saw a rainbow vortex whirling slowly. I exhaled angrily and shut my eyes again without waiting for a sickening tide of dizziness coming up to my throat. My channel is too slow and the equipment is rather obsolete as well. So I have to stand several long minutes until the server identifies me, checks the medical sensors data and lays the matrix on. One more minute passed when I opened my eyes and relieved finding out that I had run into a miserable wall of a simple grey brick. At last. I shrugged, knuckled and unknuckled my fists, then shook my head. Everything is OK.

  A light melodic jingle announced an arrival of an almost transparent inscription in front of my eyes that got filled increasingly with a white color and became more contrast:

  The world of Valdira welcomes you!

  There are over seven millions of us…

  I winced at the hoary greeting and closed it, then stepped back from the brick wall and looked around. A small – about three to three meters – box of a room. I could see a simple board door with a brass ball handle in the opposite wall. A low stone ceiling and no sign of windows. Absolutely bare walls. Nor a single painting, nor an etching nor any other sentimental trifles. The same problem with the furniture – I mean, no furniture at all.

  At the farthest corner there was a pile of junk carelessly covered with a ragged rain-coat just for sake of decency. There were all the necessary things – a poor stock of rather good potions to recover mana and life, several specific elixirs to enhance some parameters temporarily, a small kit of additional gear and an armor. Some amount of gold coins and silver was kept in the city bank; their nearest branch was on the opposite side of the city square. That’s all. But I didn’t need anything else for a comfortable game, as for the private room I quite rarely came into it – entering or exiting the game.

  Besides, my game bank account has been increasing so far, and there was definitely no reason to grieve deeply at the miserable interior and a small amount of stuff in my Private Room. That’s my personal tiny cubbyhole where I made my first step into the infinite world of Valdira from. It was long ago… and it will finish soon.

  I’ve got the lowest category of the game account – ‘wooden’. It’s despisingly nicknamed ‘log’ and its owner – Pinocchio. It was enough for me, all good things must end. Nevertheless you have to shell out cash in hand. When the last cent disappears from your game account, a scarlet inscription will blind your eyes ‘Your account is blocked’ and you’ll be immediately kicked out into the real world. I couldn’t increase my account. Nothing to spend. I was broke due to the sudden bankruptcy of my company and the subsequent dismissal of all the employees including me. Well… double insult. You see I’ve lost both my job and my hobby. So-called double impact that hit my most vulnerable spots. I could recon on some amount of money including half a month salary and benefits, I’ll get them one day but when… easier said than done – the company is a bankrupt, you know. As for the boss, he disappeared into thin air. And he is said to have taken all the rest of cash. He must be chilling out at the sea-side on a comfortable lounge enjoying a tropical shake… such an asshole!

  Inhaling deeply I thought for a while, piercing intensively into the door inviting me to the world of exciting adventures, fatal passions and mortal dangers. It attracted me like a magnet. But I could restrain my impulse and first activated the control interface. Merely moving a pointer finger I shuffled some menus fast, found the appropriate option and displayed the timer on the ‘screen’ hovering in front of my eyes. The timer was counting coldly the amount of game hours and minutes left for me.

  The digits on the screen didn’t encourage me:

  12:17:46

  12:17:45

  12:17:44

  Thinking for a while I colored constantly altering digits into bright red to make them catchy and fixed them in the left top corner to always see the amount of time left if I just skew my eyes.

  It blinked and a warning popped up in front of my eyes:

  We’d like to inform you that unhidden interface details interfere with the authentic immersion into the magic world of Valdira.

  I sniffed, closed the warning and just couldn’t resist a bitter laugh. Aha, they interfere, definitely! But I don’t fancy disgracing myself among other gamers if I waste the chance and will be suddenly kicked out of the game. So I’ll get by without ‘the authentic immersion’ somehow. I won’t be able to retort accusing a sudden blackout or a communication fault. The cocoon is equipped with its own rather capacious power source that will be enough by far to finish even the most protracted battle, to end a talk or to come to a safer location. And to press ‘exit’ without a trouble. As for a communication fault… it rarely happens. Game cocoons are linked to the main server by a dedicated net that has nothing in common either with the global network – the Internet – or with local providers. And they fail quite rarely.

  I am usually a shut-pan and prefer action to a live socializing with gamers. What’s the point of nattering? You can chat in real life. First of all it’s adventure, fights with monsters and discovering unfamiliar territories that Valdira attracted me by. There are good reasons why I’ve chosen the class of a ranger-archer.

  But at that moment I was going to talk. I don’t fancy leaving the city. Today I must do my best to rake up some money to pay for one more weekly subscription of my ‘wooden’ account. And in order to do it I’ll have to talk to traders or warriors looking for high-quality weapon, armor or jewelry stuff. So I’ll have to try to sell all that junk I’ve got in the dusty corner of my room and get real dough for it. Otherwise, if I can’t pull this deal off, I’ll put all the things out for bidding at the auction, unluckily they suggest twenty-four hours as a minimum period that’s day and night. I’ll have to exit the game and monitor the bidding process via an ordinary display.

  A week. It’s a period of time that I can afford to idle. Such a short holiday before looking for a new job. Why not? I am single. The fridge in my studio apartment is chockablock with cheap but hearty food. The Internet has been paid as well as the rent for one more month. And now everything I want is to have a tiny holiday. A real immersion into the game with minimal exits into real life and with an infinite stream of events and adventures.

  For instance, I can drop in Black Ridge and go hunting for angry orcs since my level allows it. Or I can set off a long journey to the seaside of the south sea and enjoy its unique sunset when two Suns are immersing into the depths of the sea together. Lucky devils who watched this event say it’s a real Wonder of the World. If I don’t spend much on teleport scrolls, it will take me less than five days to get there. I can implement some easy quests given by locals… that’s ultimately a gamer’s dream… So I’ll have something to do this week. Only if I manage to rake up some money to pay for the account.

  Looking around my tiny cubbyhole critically I regretted for the first time that hadn’t invested a cent into improvement of my Private Room when I c
ould do it. Now I would have had a chance to sell the furniture to a beginner for half-price. But at the time of ‘big money’ in the game I preferred to spend gold on reinforcing elixirs, better armor and weapon. Plus I had had a ‘clean’ class, esquire-like, more appropriate for gamers-nouveau riches. I didn’t bother acquiring any craft. Although NPCs suggested passing me their skills – I could have become a woodcutter or, say, a miner… But I didn’t relish the perspective of swinging a pickaxe wearily in a mine hoping to stumble upon gold nugget or a cabochon precious stone! I didn’t fancy swinging a falling axe as well… so as a result it serves me right…

  Nobody could tell that I would get obsessed with the game so much and a simple joy would turn into merely the main occuyardn in my life…

  Actually NPCs or ‘locals’, as we are used to call them here, can pass you only some basic skills that won’t guarantee gold flowing like water into your hands. Just say, your pickaxe won’t often break, the percentage of finding rare metal will slightly increase… that’s ultimately all. You should master your skills day and night – swing a pickaxe or a falling axe from dawn till dusk – to achieve a significant result. Sure there are some geeks. So called ‘Socials’. They prefer crafting, trading and so on. These guys need neither bread nor circuses, but they are eager to sell their soul to the devil for a live load of precious metals, a couple of elfish silk or for a mithril incrustated pickaxe.

  It suddenly came to my mind to phone my parents long-distance and to ask to finance the prodigal son… but then it came out of my mind as suddenly as it came into. They won’t help. It will make my mom worry a lot only. As for dad… he will start calling me every hour demanding to return to the father’s house where he will wangle his kindred blood (he means me) into a decent job. What’s the saying?.. My father… high ideals inspire him. No way…I’d better do it my own. Making a big step I found myself in the opposite corner of the room and getting armed with a backpack I started stuffing it with everything at random. Why at random? Just not to burst out crying while putting Grey Archer’s bow in the pack. It had been very difficult to find it, besides it had rather good attributes and was equipped with a quiver that could repair broken arrows and other things. I had a definite story connected with each of those items. Simply speaking I was having a greed attack.

  The last to go into the backpack was a set of potions clinking sullenly. There was nothing left in the room but for the dust. I would have packed the dust as well without aversion but no one would buy it, would they?..

  I threw the backpack that hadn’t got heavier at all on my shoulder – magic works, that’s a given – I approached the door subconsciously having a peep at the timer ticking relentlessly.

  12:09:11

  12:09:10

  I had to hurry up.

  The door cracked softly while closing and I moved cat-footing further. I could boast an absolutely silent real pathfinder’s manner of walking. In real life I stomp like an elephant but here in Valdira I was a quiet ghost and an ideal scout. The best gamers with the similar character class and upgraded skills can even squat-dance on the broken glass and a single piece won’t clink.

  I didn’t bother about the unlocked door – I was the only one to open it. Another gamer can get into my Private Room only with my permission. What’s the reason to worry about absolutely empty room?

  Rushing downstairs I found myself in a spacious lounge with oak paneled walls, there was a widely-swung door opening on the street in the furthest side of it. The lounge walls were decorated with painting and tapestry depicting hunting and fighting monsters scenes. All these scenes reflected true-life events and were dedicated to the real gamers’ achievements and heroic deeds proved by polished copper plates under each painting. By the way they were polished by hand – by ‘local’ workers looking after tidiness and order here properly. The achievements were quite different and not always combat.

  The painting ‘Sir Lancelot fighting with the dragon alone!’ depicted a fantastically broad-shouldered warrior in the metal armor with his sword high over his head who was attacking a fire-belching scaly and thorny beast fearlessly. I’d like to know the end of that battle. By the way I can also attack a red dragon alone – I’m crazy enough. But what can be the result of such a fighting? Enjoy your meal, dear dragon?

  ‘Cunning Twain closing the first-ever one thousand deal in Valdira!’ – a cheeky fat slob was cracking a sly smile while standing behind the counter strewn with gold. The gamer who chose the path of a trader. He is the one who definitely doesn’t have to care about subscription payment… but it’s so boring! Although… it’s up to you as they say. It may be his mission.

  ‘The creation of the first clan in the world of Valdira!’ – there were ten gamers of different classes standing in a circle at a small castle square while making a loyalty oath stretching a hand in front of them. By the way this is the Architects clan, one of the most powerful in the game.

  ‘Timid Cracken killing the leader of orcs’ army by a single arrow!’- having dropped to one knee the archer nestled up to an awfully giant arbalest and got ready to release the bowstring. Well, I spent much time in front of that painting slobbering over and feeling jealous of a more successful gamer gone down in Valdira’s historical records. Although having such an arbalest loaded with reinforcing runes I would also nail an orc – one shot one kill – from any distance… well, perhaps, I’d nail… but I don’t like arbalests, I prefer bows. And what a nickname? What a Timid Cracken? Your imagination is cracking, dude!

  What else have we got here?

  Oh, and here is a very old painting, it has been holding here for a long time.

  ‘Ichthyander the Galician reaching the bottom of the Kvantonsky sinkhole’ – against the almost black background of the oceanic water you could hardly spot a small tense image of a swimmer hanging headlong and touching the stone bottom by the tips of his fingers. If my memory serves me right, the depth of the Kvantonsky sinkhole is over seventeen thousand meters. You can’t reach such depth while diving in real life. It’s possible only in Valdira and only if you are playing for the underwater race. Otherwise, pressure will turn you into flatbread. By the way, Ichthyander is believed to have reached the bottom but didn’t manage to return – the record-breaker was scarfed up on his way back. Deep-sea monsters are big-sized and are always hungry. Hrmph… Paintings are everywhere. Starting from the chest-level and raising up to the very ceiling. The first clan castle built, the first gamer who earned a fortune of one million golden coins – that’s one more achievement by the gamer named Cunning Twain. What a savvy pusher…

  After glancing quickly at the paintings I rushed to the door where I dropped a nod to the girl standing at a semi-round counter in response to her saying good morning. She’s not a gamer, just a NPC controlled by an artificial intelligence with an ability for self-learning. That’s the zest of the game giving Valdira more authenticity and charm.

  - May fortune smile upon you today, Mr Crashshot! – added the girl in my direction with sadness hardly heard in her voice. She said it in a perfectly polite manner with a bit of melancholy in her voice.

  She’s bored here, poor girl. She can’t even have a quick word with anyone. Gamers are always in a hurry, they have so much to do. The girl rarely has a chance of chatting for a while.

  However, she’s not bored a lot – I glimpsed a cheap necklace of blue beads around the girl’s neck. ‘Locals’ of the ordinary rank don’t wear jewelry – it’s designed so on purpose. But any gamer can present NPC a ring, a necklace or even a chain. If there is an accessory around the neck, this truly beautiful girl created by the hands of a gifted designer has an admirer among the gamers who sometimes visits her. Obviously not only for chatting. Game status speaks for itself – unambiguous NC-17, teenagers and kids aren’t admitted for immersion. If you wish you can even get married, buy a nice house with a garden and enjoy all the pleasures of a quiet family life. Or violent family quarrels, it’s up to you to choose your part
ner. A lot of gamers behave like this. Apparently it’s nice when a beautiful happy wife greets you sincerely at the door of your cozy family residence.

  The plaza hit me with a deafening noise. It was always overcrowded by hundreds of players, and a half of them were traders who wished to move all the stuff found at the vast of Valdira or hand-made at the highest price. Others wished to get this stuff but at the lowest price. Each party was bargaining like hell and extremely loudly. When got there first time I couldn’t catch a single word out of the whole noise. Now it’s much easier. I got used to it. Now I’m used to the sellers’ wild callings, to the rippling crowd and to pilferers darting in and out.

  - Rings! Rings with semi-precious stones! Get more mana points by them right now! Only two left! From level ten!

  - Shirts! Linen shirts! Pay one silverdump – get two cool shirts!

  - Giant crabs’ shells! Whole and powdered! The best buy for alchemists!

  - Hot meal! Hot meal!

  - All my stuff on sale! For level twenty! Shop around, I’ve got the best price!

  - Everything for lightning! Fire-bugs! Head magic lamps! Glowing necklaces and waist belts! Only two lampposts with simplified activation left! One charged with daylight, another with usual light! Reasonable prices! Offer your price!

  Lampposts are stationary lightening devices that look like… lampposts. Here comes the name from. Can you think of a better tag for a radiant cylinder one and a half meters high? So players picked up that nickname. Clear and short – for those who are let into the game genre of Valdira. Daylight stands for sunlight. It provides you with the best protection against creatures being afraid of daylight. Besides, it can lighten. Fire-bugs also belong to lightening devices. That player seems to specialize in making and selling lightening gear.

  - Repair your armor and weapon for free! Absolutely free! No guarantee!

  - Wooden charmed flasks! Increased capacity! Buy, it’s the best!