The game screen and its logo appeared momentarily in front of me as the update finished.
>>><<<
In Seconds-Over, every second matters.
>>><<<
The jarring conversion of my senses adjusting to the augmented world was a fresh reminder of how terrible their selling pitch was. Developers of that game touted swift virtual reality linkages, so players wouldn’t miss anything with an instant entry to their game.
The brilliant bright daylight of the fantasy city would’ve created spots in my vision if it weren’t for how the technology projected it into my mind. My gut twisted, similar to a spinning teacup, as I adjusted to my avatar Boulder’s enhanced avatar height. Before I took a second breath, a message came in from the game.
[Naiad: Good, you’re in. Catch your breath later and get here. Triangle’s not listening to me.]
I took a deep breath before replying to Elaine’s character.
[Boulder: I regret not keeping the same height as you and Tristan did for your characters.]
[Naiad: Hurry!]
[Triangle: :P]
My deep breaths came to a stop when I burst out laughing at that silly face from Triangle.
[Boulder: Triangle, move to the mainland.]
[Triangle: ><(((*> ]
[Boulder: Nice fish, but move off the boat.]
The child was slow with reading chat, but excelled at ASCII art. I glanced to see if any of the guild members were online and if they could assist with wrangling a free-will child. Four of the nine players were online. Only three, counting me, were on the same continent.
For now.
[Boulder: Naiad, where are you?]
[Naiad: Stuck at the port. I don’t have enough money to get on board.]
[Boulder: On my way.]
Again, I was the only adult keeping things together, and floundering as every parent does. I created a list to organize my choices of how to save this game for the kids.
*** My quest: Keep the family together with one of the following solutions:
1. Get Tristan off the boat (hard).
Buy everyone a ticket (impossible with current funds).
Steal the boat (medium) ***
“Set realistic goals,” I called myself out on the last one. The easiest choice was writing out the ASCII art for Triangle.
“Greater than, no, it needs to be less than… ugh, this is so hard!” I complained as the only solution was to keep moving toward my family.
The players formed a packed wall among the shopping tents and stores, but my wider build let me push through them. My heart raced with anxiety, as if I were back in a raid fight, not trying to get on a voyaging boat.
Jeez, I’m out of video game practice.
I squeezed past the crowded market stalls, the sounds of haggling echoing around me, cutting through the player shops on my way to the docks. It would be wonderful to buy custom gear from talented artists here, but we lacked the funds.
How did Triangle get on the boat if Naiad couldn’t afford a ticket though? They played for those two days while I was ill. I trailed Naiad by two levels plus lacked a quest for class. My original goal was to stay up late after they went to bed so I could grind out some quests to catch up to them. But thanks to my current nemesis, a day job, a household plague and juggling parenting, I’ve been choosing sleep over gaming.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
The smell of dried-out fish, seaweed, and salt water grew as I rounded the last bend to the anchored boats and saw the clock pointing too close to seven in the evening.
Two minutes until my family got divided. The line to the piers was nonexistent. The last few stragglers yelled at the NPC guards and dealt with the ticket collector, trying to get through the menus in time to board the ship. There were other people attempting to get out of the port and into the city of Fanamel.
In the bustling harbors, a mix of hunters, wizards, spies, dragon knights, and shamans hurried in and out, hoping for a ship bound for the next continent. They were all loiterers, blocking my path as they chatted among themselves. Especially the summoner and beast master classes with their darn pets everywhere. To finally reach the boat’s entrance, I pushed aside a donkey body with an ostrich’s head.
“Finally,” I breathed a sigh of relief as I spotted a familiar pink-haired half-elf and half-human rogue trying to push her way around the guards, pointing, and yelling. Seeing her added her blue guild dot to my player map. I hadn’t seen Triangle yet, but if his sister was here, he was on that large merchant ship with too many white sails called the Mastiff of Cees.
My soft leather boots smacked the wooden pier as I sprinted to Naiad. We had eighty seconds. I tapped her shoulder to get her attention and away from the two guards blocking her path. “Where is he?”
“There! He doesn’t have a ticket!” Naiad jabbed toward the six guards protecting someone near the stern of the ship.
As she uttered the last word, it triggered one of the NPCs to walk toward the defensive guards.
A man wearing a blue trench coat with gold buttons and a bowler hat paced outside the guard perimeter. He tried to push through, shouting, “I need to collect your ticket!”
The guards pushed their spears and shook their heads, directing him to turn back. The NPC malfunctioned trying to stay on its objective as it moved a step, then back again to yell again. “I need his ticket.”
“Do not hinder the child’s enjoyment.” All six guards chanted back loudly enough for me to hear.
My map marked every NPC with white dots, and it lacked a blue dot for Triangle. I tried to walk on board the ship, but the guard dropped her spear to block me, like the other one did for Naiad.
>>><<<
[Warning: The ship Mastiff of Cees is going to depart. You can enter only if you have no unfinished business.
&
If you accept, know you cannot come back for a month.
Cost to board: 500 gold coins.]
>>><<<
“I just want to grab my kid and go! Just let me on,” I yelled.
I was an idiot to provoke an NPC guard. My speed wasn’t the best, and already the guard had a weapon out. A warning sign appeared in my vision.
>>><<<
[Warning: Provoking the guards and breaking the law will give you a WANTED status.
WANTED: A bounty will be issued for your capture. Both security NPCs and other players can apprehend you for a reward.
>>><<<
Further details appeared, obstructing my vision and route to Triangle. I didn’t have time to read every term in this game. In the bottom corner was a “Don’t show me this again” option to turn off all the tutorials and explanations.
“Triangle! Get over here!” Naiad screamed at her brother. She bit her lip to hold back a few other choice words she wanted to toss at him. “I don’t want to spend my gold,” she mumbled.
“Oh, the other place has narwhals!” shouted a familiar, stubborn voice behind all the guards.
I had to stop thinking and just act before both kids added a new chaotic adventure. Under my command, I brought up the ticket purchasing menu and grimaced at the five-hundred gold ticket. With a grimace, I prepared to hit “Accept” and transfer all but twenty-three gold pieces to the Mastiff of Cees.
>>><<<
[Guild notification: Player Naiad's status has changed to WANTED]
>>><<<
[Guild Chat]
[Naiad: Grab him while I run!]
Young, untouchable, teenage confidence powered Naiad forward past the guards and onto the ship. Those dexterity points added a burst to help her evade the two guards in front of us. She tossed a rock near the feet of the soldiers encircling the stern then she scaled the ship’s central mast.
The ticket collector shrieked, “Mutiny!” as the guards dashed toward a threat, swords and spears drawn. His coattails curled under him as he ran to the captain’s quarters.
The blue dot on my map appeared as I sighted the brilliant red hat of a short gnome character fishing off the edge of the ship.
I took the gifted opportunity Naiad created and sprinted forward onto the ship freely with no NPC witnessing my crime, allowing me to keep my player status as peaceful.
The ship’s anchor creaked as it was being pulled up out of the water, the sails magically filling with air. Mere seconds remained prior to teleportation from Fanamel to the continent Temitsu. I lunged down to pick up Triangle, mimicking the form I had back in my high school football days.
A football was easier to control.
I yanked Triangle and his giant fish away. The wet, scaly thing was larger than Triangle’s character.
“I caught it!” cheered Triangle.
I pivoted around and sprinted to the blue line that blinked on the ship’s edge, counting down until departure. After this, I had to focus more on agility training.
When the timer struck two, a pile of guards pinned down Naiad, who laughed maniacally, atop the pier. The Mastiff of Cees sailed off further away, gaining speed with the help of magical spells.
“Naiad,” I gleefully called to her, “we did it! Oof!”
Something hit my back, causing me to fall onto the wooden pier.
