Legends of Orlea

Chapter 16

(I'll be updating the character guide whenever some new info or new character has been introduced.) 

Zirem had been looking for the Great Blue Hole for days. However, he'd found nothing. Grumbling and moaning, for he was hungry and lost, he cried out in frustration as he pulled out the map. A good surprise was that he was near a city. A bad one was that this was the starting city, the town called Werrax.

Zirem walked past the gates, and looked for a restaurant or tavern. He only found one, called the Iron Accordion. Inside, a noisy band was playing, as the name of the tavern suggested, accordions. However, they weren't NPCs; they were players. Had these people given up? But this was the highest floor available! Had the riddle discouraged them? 

Zirem gritted his teeth, but then someone he recognised entered. It was him. Akil. The salesman who'd gotten his hands on most of the weapons Zirem had owned, and they were very high-tier considering the fact that his damage was much higher than norm.

Akil saw him, and strode towards him, a broad smile plastered on his face. "Hey man," the tall and muscular blacksmith boomed, "I heard you joined a party a few months back. I didn't know you would. Actually, how did it turn out? I placed a bet that you would either quit in the first few hours or that you would refuse. I mean, you are a solo player." 

Zirem grinned. Akil was the only guy blessed with the ability to draw a smile from him, no matter how focused he was. "Well... The two healers died the moment we entered the dungeon, and then the tanker died while we were fighting a second monster..." He trailed off, something blocking his throat.

"Oh. I see... That must have been bad. Sorry I brought that up man." 

"It's fine. Here, sit down. The meal's on me." 

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely!" A waiter walked over to them, and handed them the menu. Akil asked, "Can I have an Anchovy Sandwich with the special chili bread? Extra large, as well?" The waiter nodded, then inquired Zirem, who answered, "I'd like a Pheasant Thigh with a little Jalapeno sprinkled over. Thanks." 

A smile burst across Akil's face, "Gotta take advantage of spicy things where they don't burn your tongue, right?"

"Yep! I can't take it... there." Real life was taboo here. Nobody talked about it in Legends of Orlea. Zirem waited with his friend, chatting, until he asked, "Have you found out the answer to the riddle for the boss?"

'No, I just got here. What is it?"

"The boss resides in its castle on the great blue. By the way, I know the answer. I meant do you know where the Great Blue Hole is?"

"That? It's hidden from the maps, right? Yeah, I know. Is that the great blue that's mentioned?"

"I think so."

"It's hidden on the edge of the floor, but the problem is that it's in a forest, so we can't see it from far away. We'll need to get there by walking, or we might not even find it." Zirem nodded. It sounded feasible though.

"So tomorrow at 8:00 we'll meet up and start searching. Is that OK?"

"Yeah. I'll have to be back on floor 78 in three days though, so we don't have much time to get to the Great Blue Hole and defeat the boss." He paused as the food arrived, amd they started wolfing down the food; Zirem was especially hungry today because he hand't eaten for a while. Of course, the hunger was just soemthing in his brain, and the food was actually not giving him any nutrrients. It was just satisfying his in-game hunger.

This was an all-you-can-eat restaurant, so the waiter came by a few times, and each time, Akil had finished and wanted some more. No wonder he'd been somreluctant for Zirem to pay; he ate a huge amount! When they were done, the paur started talking about the state of their items and equipment.