The Gray Tower (Being Rewritten as The Erstwhile Druid)

Chapter 2: Blue Sky, Blue Sea

Tralheim, Day 2200

Luke rubbed his eyes and found himself in bed for the second time. The window was open — he could hear the crashing of the waves and feel the sting of sea salt on his cheeks.

Luke stood up. Taking a few tentative steps, he made his way to the window, peering out into the distance. Below was the sea, and across it lay the Gray Tower. The tower stood, a spear that pierced the heavens. There, shadows lurked where sunlight could not reach, a contrast to the bustle of activity in the town of Vana, where Luke made his home.

A coastal town, Vana was built upon a cliff. Waves crashed into the stone below. The town was small, but a place of great importance. He looked down, merchants bustling like ants on the streets below. Luke felt like a god overwatching his subjects. Some of them headed to port, bearing wares for markets beyond the sea. Others had their own stands hawking homemade goods. He could see other players chatting amongst themselves, all sporting wonderful smiles.

Little islands dotted the blue expanse. They were too small to live on, but they made great picnic destinations. For Luke, Vana was breathtaking. He owned and stayed in the Orc’s Bane — the largest inn in Vana. The inn gave visitors a sweeping view of the ocean and the colored roofs just before it. He'd fallen in love with the rustic building at first sight, deciding to save his platinum to buy the deed.

Fast forward a year later, and he'd killed enough monsters and gathered enough loot. The purchase had made him a pauper, costing a fortune. Recently he'd been able to recover most of what he'd spent by being miserly and making the right investments. He'd plunked down a stake in a tour company, along with a bakery. The bakery was staying above water, but the tour company had become a major hit.

Outside, birds sang a beautiful melody, voices rising in perfect harmony. The notes were both soothing and rousing. Luke loved this song, the theme to his virtual home. All in all, he was glad to see that nothing had changed.

He yawned.

It was also Luke’s nexus — his anchor. If he died or used his Recall Stone, he’d be returned to Vana’s cathedral, no worse for the wear. To move his nexus to another location, he’d have to travel to another town and talk to the priest residing in the cathedral there.

For Luke, that was a pain in the butt. Plus, he adored Vana. The Non-Player Characters, or NPCs, in the town took after the seaside location. Most of them milled around drinking coffee, whiling away the days of their virtual existence. Was it possible to be jealous of virtual characters? The deep aroma wafting from the town said yes.

“Speaking of coffee…” said Luke to nobody in particular. He needed his fix.

Luke turned away from the window, directing his attention to the room. His room. It was well furnished, most of the pieces holdovers from when he purchased the deed. The bed frame he’d been sleeping on was made from mahogany, the wood smooth to the touch. On the outside was carved a griffon with its wings spread.

The room itself was spacious, its walls a mix of oak and cedar. Adorning them were paintings, four in total. All portrayed the legendary hero, Rook. The first one was of Rook’s siege of the Gray Tower. The second depicted Rook’s victory parade in Vana — the hero's hometown. The third was of Rook as an old man, schooling the youngsters of the town in the art of warfare. On the last was Rook upon his deathbed, a portrait of his graying and smiling face. The art was beautiful, painted with a light pallet of watercolors and pastel.

Still, Luke had to wonder: who, for the love of everything known to man, was Rook? He had asked around town once. Everyone knew Rook’s name, but no one could provide Luke details. The only clues to Rook’s life were embodied in the art hanging along the walls.