Level Up

Level 2

David and Colleen arrived at an inn in the heart of the town and they settled down in the room she booked for them. He ate the dinner he was served heartily, finally having a break from fresh fruit all day long. Colleen on the other hand looked outside the window, her gaze fixed on the sky. He stopped eating and looked at her lost in thoughts.

"What's wrong?" He asked. She sighed then faced him. 

"Nothing, it's just crazy how I'm supposed to feel free from being a non player character, yet I don't feel free. Here I am, helping player one pass through the game like I'm meant to." She replied. He didn't know what to say to ease her. Indeed, her words seemed true and she couldn't shake it off her mind. 

"I don't know, I think you're just being a good person." He finally said, breaking the silence between them. 

"Good person? I have killed people." She laughed. 

"When you live in a world like this, I think your intentions for killing people justify your actions." He replied, hoping it would ease her. 

"In the game for a day and you're already a philosopher. What more do I not know about you, David Hart?" She joked. 

"Yeah." He laughed and continued his meal. 

"You want to know something?" She asked. 

"Sure, shoot." He replied.

"I think you'll win." 

"Why do you think that?" 

"Because, unlike other players I've seen so far, you're the only one who seems to understand your goal, you seem to understand this place already too." She said. 

He smiled, those words meant something to him. A lifeline, a ray of hope he held on to. 

"Thank you." He finally said and finished his meal. 

"So, what's the next level?" He asked. 

"Practically, the first five levels are the same. If I'm not mistaken, you're going to face a beast warrior or mage pretty soon." She replied. 

"Not tonight, haha. Maybe tomorrow. Let's just see how this goes on." She added. He looked at her and shook his head, she was definitely crazy.

"I trust you. Goodnight, Colleen." He said, settling on the bed on his side of the room. 

"Goodnight, David." She replied and laid on the bed. 

In less than ten minutes, they had both fallen asleep, exhausted from the day's activities. 

.

.

David woke up with a loud yawn, one that annoyed Colleen who was reading something on a piece of paper. 

"Would you stop acting like buffalo?" She groaned. 

"Good Morning, Colleen." He spoke, ignoring her outburst. 

"You're such an ass." She spoke and left the room. 

He hurriedly went to the bathroom and saw that there were fresh mints and wool in a plastic casing already. He immediately took the wool, rinsed his mouth and chewed the mint. 

He ran down to the reception and found Colleen ordering their breakfast. 

"What's our itinerary for today boss?" He asked as they both settled on a table at the far end, diving into their breakfast. 

"You get to level three, I find my friends who you're supposed to meet." She replied indifferently. 

"And they're going to?" 

"They'll help you get to the next levels, I guess." She responded. 

Hours later, they were already deep into the town in search of Colleen's friends. 

They had hardly gotten past the market when they saw a man throwing a child out of his house. Angered, the man took a log of wood, hitting it on the child. The child used her hands in a desperate attempt to block it, but her hands got bruised instead and the force still hit her head. 

"You bloody cursed bitch." He yelled, constantly hitting the child. The child couldn't do anything but cry. 

"Do people just get abusive here and nobody bats an eye?" David questioned, feeling concerned about the child. 

"Maybe. I'm not from the small towns here, so I don't understand their customs." Colleen replied. 

"I can't stand this." He said and rushed forth. 

The man made to hit the log on the child once more when he is stopped by David who dragged the log from him. 

"Where I come from, child abuse is a capital offence." He said angrily. 

"Piss off, bloke. This little wanker broke my China set. Do you know how much they cost?" The man ranted. 

"They don't cost her life." David replied and the man frowned. 

"Care to be hurt, then?" He asked and immediately punched David. 

The latter fell then got up. 

"That hurt." He said. He looked at the child who was crying, her legs folded. 

"Go." He told her and she began to stand. 

"Sword." He picked them rushed towards the man. He struck him on the neck and was responded with a clang. His sword had no effect on the man. 

"You could have been on your way, but you chose death." The man spoke and struck him with a punch that threw him a few metres backwards. He groaned, standing up. 

"This makes no sense, how is the child able to tank these and I can't, even with my armour?" He asked. 

He got up, thinking of what to do. Was he going to use the fangs again?

"No, I think I get you now." He said, watching the man rush at him. He propelled forward, banking on his armour's force resistance. 

Aiming for the man's abdomen, he delivered a spear, one that knocked the man off his feet. 

Midair, David broke free from his opponent, then rained a series of blows to him in a matter of seconds. 

The man was suffocating, David was too fast for him to see. 

He struck an arm forth to throw the latter off but he dodged it, grabbing his hand. He locked it between his legs, then pulled. 

He kept pulling with all of his strength and finally, he ripped the man's arm off. 

He took his sword and stabbed the man in through his arm, causing him to squirm painfully. 

All he could do at that point was smile as the man screamed, dying. 

"Next time, you don't hurt kids." He finally spoke, getting off the man's dead body. He knew that wasn't what he wanted to say. He badly enjoyed killing him, but couldn't bring himself to admit that. 

He looked at his hands soaked in blood. 

"No, this can't be me." He finally realised, calming down.