Non Player Character

Chapter 7 - Walking and Not Talking

I found an inn willing to part with some travel supplies and road rations for a reasonable fee. The food would last a week, perhaps a few days more. After that, I'd have to do some hunting, but that would be good for me. Val said I'd get some experience for killing small game and would improve the associated Competencies.

Tara was waiting outside the tavern; her posture made it clear her patience was waning.

"Took you long enough," she said. "We need to get moving." She coughed into her arm.

"The road to Danver's that way." I pointed east. "If we keep a good pace, we should be able to reach the mountains in two or three days." I gave her a concerned look. "You're not going to die on me, are you?"

She glared at me. "I'll be fine. Just get me there."

I shrugged, threw my travel sack over my shoulder, and we headed off. It was going to be a long walk, but Val seemed convinced this would be worth the effort and assured me there would be opportunities for me to gain experience along the way.

If we ran into a Kurskin or a Dalari, I would act like any other NPC, and by that, I meant I would act human. Val said the odds of encountering a Voxal were practically nonexistent, but if we did, she wanted me to run as far away from it as possible. It was clear she was particularly concerned about encountering one of the system admins. I didn't know what they were capable of and had no desire to find out.

"So, what's in Danver?" I asked Tara, hoping to strike up a conversation.

"Private business. Nothing you need to be concerned about," she said.

"Are you in trouble? I need to be prepared if you're on the run or something like that."

"No, I am not in trouble."

"For my safety and yours, is there anything I should know about you?"

"You have nothing to fear, I swear it. And before you ask, I don't have the flux. It's just a cold. Is that enough for you?"

I nodded. "I'll do my best to see you there safely and swiftly."

The truth was I didn't care why Tara needed to go to Danver. All I cared about was finishing this quest and getting some real experience.

We walked on that hard-packed dirt road, mostly in silence, for six awkward hours. We passed a few other travelers heading in the opposite direction, but for the most part, the road was as quiet as Tara was.

The sun would set soon, and we needed to find a safe place to camp. Another cave like the one I met Val in would be nice, as I didn't have anything to use as a shelter.

"Val, are there any good places to camp around here?"

"I will explore our options."

"How long do..."

"I have found the ideal location," Val replied, interrupting my thought.

"Wow, that was fast."

"I'm an artificial intelligence," Val said. "It is only natural."

"Natural, huh?

"Are you trying to make a joke?"

"Never mind," I thought to her. "Which way?"

Val led us east down the road for another hour. The mountains rose in the distance, their size beyond anything I had ever seen on Earth. Luckily, we wouldn't need to scale them. Multiple passes had been carved through the mountains, and our route took us through the southern portion, where the mountains were smaller than those that ranged further north.