Boy Meets Ai

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Gold-Tooth mines were just up ahead. Despite the detour and skirmish, Seiko still made good time. The mountain range in front of him was one of the largest in the Ether. It divided the beginner area from the brutal Wastelands reserved for higher level players. Seiko had been sitting at level 49 for months now and needed at least 2 more levels before he could cross that border. Without a party to take on raids though, grinding was the only way to make progress in the Ether. The xp curve was severe unfortunately. It would likely be another six months before he was able to level up again at the rate he was going.

The entrance-way to the mine was lit by torches. Seiko kept his sword at the ready in case any cave dwelling beasts had taken up residence. To his surprise though, he didn't encounter any attackers. The pathway twisted and descended as he trekked further in. It was quiet, save for the occasional dripping of water from stalactites and his footfalls echoing through the vast expanse of tunnels. The morning chill settled in the dark space, the ranger could see the fog of his own breath. The caverns seemed to go on for miles in all directions through the mountain. The adventurer's torch flickered, casting strange shadows on the stone walls. He traveled for an hour or so through the winding pathways, Seiko was beginning to get worried. He had not seen any clusters of gems. No veins of aetherium or iron. Was his info off? That didn't make sense but it was becoming evident that the mine was not the endless buffet that he had thought. He searched through several corridors before he heard something. A familiar clang of metal on stone. Someone else was mining and they were close. He followed the sound until he came across its source. An adventurer, Knight class from the looks of it, was swinging a pickaxe into the wall. Seiko was confused though. There were no visible signs of ores or crystal here.

"Hey. Um..." he started timidly. "Is there any Aetherium down here still?" he asked the adventurer.

The knight ignored him. They just kept chipping away at the rock. Seiko shouted and tried waving his hand to get his attention. No response. This was odd. Was the miner AFK? It was rare but sometimes a player could lose control mid-game due to a glitch. Seiko approached him, still trying to get his attention. If he was really afk, killing him for his loot and xp would be pretty easy. He unsheathed his sword and snuck closer until he could see the knight's eyes through his helmet. A quick stab under the ribs would bypass the armor plating. His heart pounded in his ears. PVP was definitely not his forte but an unwitting opponent was easy pickings. He might even level up as a result. The knight didn't show any sign he was aware of Seiko's presence. It was now or never! The time to strike presented itself as the pickaxe swung up into the air. The ranger thrust at the knights under arm. CLANG! Seiko practically jumped out of his skin in fright. The knight had blocked the blow, quick as lightning with the pick. Seiko stumbled back, expecting to be struck down. The most bewildering thing though was that the knight was still facing the wall, not even sparing a glance toward his attacker. He wasted no time, bringing the axe down on the wall once more with a crushing blow. The rock shattered to pieces. Bright light shone out of the cracks.

Gold aetherium! But, how did he know it was there? Perhaps some kind of enchantment on his pick? Seiko hadn't heard of such a thing. The knight collected the shining substance and when he was done, the tunnel went dark again. He then left without ever so much as looking at the ranger. As he passed though, he noticed something odd. The knight's eyes shown a golden hue from under the helmet.