A New World, an immersive game experience

Chapter 85: Erik: Conscription

"Alba, do you know what is going on?" Erik asked as he looked at the panicking people. He had a bad feeling and was hoping that he was wrong.

"Sire, I do not know. I hope my belief is wrong and my fear misplaced." Alda answered slowly, his body shaking slightly as he looked at the soldiers who were filling up the streets.

Seeing his condition Erik quickly grabbed his shoulder and took out the Kitrino flower he had been keeping tucked behind his ears. "Focus on this."

"Sire, I can't take this..." Alda quickly pushed Erik's hand back, being careful to not damage the flower.

"Then calm down, we don't know what is going on yet." Erik placed the flower back in its place, wondering why Alda seemed frightened to take the flower.

"But sire, I belief, I..."

"Here, go find your kids" Erik handed a silver to Alda as he left and headed to the library.

Alda sat silently in shock for a while, only regaining his senses after Erik had entered the library. Tears forming in his eyes, he turned the carriage around and rushed to his house. Luckily it was in the opposite direction where the soldiers seemed to be setting up barricades.

"Can you help me?" Erik asked one of the librarians as he entered the library. Most people had fled by now, leaving only those working here behind. These people all also wanted to run, but they stayed. Probably not wanting to anger their boss.

"Sir?" The guy slowly stood up, confused as to why someone would come here now of all times; after the news which had just arrived.

"Can you tell me why everyone is panicking?"

Clarity coming to the librarian, he responded, "Sir we just heard that Terikos lost their last border city. While their capital is still holding out, we now have nothing stopping the monsters from reaching us."

"Seems like it is what Alda feared." Erik sighed in sadness, sad that his time in the game would seemingly not be peaceful.

Seeing how calm Erik stayed; other than sadness appearing on his face. The man was even more confused. "Sir, are you not afraid?"

"No, but I fear that I won't be able to enjoy things now," Erik responded absentmindedly.

This response freaked the librarian out,"Ho-how, are you not afraid?" He stuttered, finding Erik's word choice to be scary.

Erik saw the fear growing in the man and decided to explain himself, "Don't worry, it is because I am a Chosen. I do not fear death."

The man sighed in relief, happy that the person in front of him was not insane. Just blessed. While he envied Erik and he certainly also wanted to be undying, he did not want to fight. Due to his weak condition, he was never recruited, he only hoped this time it would be the same.

Waiting for the man to calm down, Erik started looking around. This caused the librarian even more confusion.

"Sir... What do you mean by this?"

"Can you show me around, I love books," Erik said as he reached for the nearest bookshelf. Wondering what types of books would be present in the game. This thought brought excitement to his heart, 'What s would be here? What fantastical stories based on the reality of this world? What history?' He asked himself, his heart pounding with each question.

"Sorry sir, but we are going to close up for the day. Can you please leave?"

"Can't I stay and enjoy the books? I won't be a bother."

"No, we need to close up." The librarian suddenly got defensive, causing the others working there to also approach them.

"Fine, I will go."

As Erik exited the Library the door was quickly shut behind him, leaving him stuck watching what was unfolding in front of him.

Many people, too many to even make them out, rushed away from the rising sun. Yet this horde of people was quickly stopped by the soldiers, who at first simply used their fists to force the people down.

As Erik looked on it quickly approached its climax. A soldier having been stabbed by a plain kitchen knife. It hadn't entered deeply, nor did the soldier even seem to mind. But this set of chain reaction as all the soldiers drew their swords.

Seeing this the running people wanted to back off, yet those at the back pushed them forward. Soon chaos reigned as the soldiers slaughtered those at the front.

"Oh god!" Erik felt like vomiting from the sights before him. He quickly turned to avoid the sights, and seeing the door he hurried back towards it and knocked. Hoping he would be allowed back in.

"You!" Someone bellowed, chills creeping up his spine as he hoped it wasn't aimed at him. He placed even more effort into his knocking.

"Do not ignore me, you dryad bastard!"

Erik cursed, firstly at those who had locked him out and secondly at the mad soldiers. Turning around slowly he saw a soldier approaching him. Blood dripping from the man's armor.

"You are a Chosen?" The soldier asked loudly.

Not having the stomach for this, Erik vomited. Slowly standing up and answering the question after having emptied his stomach.

"Y-yes..." He hoped this would give him something to use and get out of this place, yet the next words from the soldier betrayed his hope.

"Come with me, you are being conscripted for war."

'The fuck?' Erik asked himself, standing frozen on the library steps.

"Did you not hear me? Come on!"

Erik shook from this shout, slowly he followed behind the man.

He found the entire situation insane.

He could not understand why the soldiers had acted so roughly to their own people. Nor could he understand why he would be constricted, he had no idea how to fight!

"I found a volunteer." The soldier shouted as he rejoined the now bloody line of soldiers.

"Volunteer! The hell do you mean!" Erik shouted, unable to hold it in anymore. Even if he were to be killed he wanted to voice his concern. This only resulted in him getting punched in the stomach, leaving him gasping for air.

"He will make good cannon fodder. Take him to the training grounds. He needs some armor and weapons, at the very least. We can't have him die too soon." Hearing this calm but robotic voice, Erik looked up. By accident he used Observe and received the information of who just spoke.

[NPC - Lod]

[Rank - Captain]

[Tier 5, Level 24]

'Should I just suicide?" Erik asked himself, yet after seeing the information of this Lod he felt that this would not save him. He did not know much about this world, but he had heard from Eldrian that a Captain was really high up in the ranks. Meaning that his conscription was supported; at the minimum, a noble had ordered it.

As he and some of the more able-bodied civilians were being led somewhere, Erik received a Quest.

[Optional Quest received]

[Quest Name: Defence of Vruntis]

[Quest giver: Vruntis kingdom]

[Quest Rank: Epic]

[Quest Description: Help the kingdom of Vruntis survive against the monster invasion.]

[Quest time limit: None]

[Quest Limiter: Capital and two more cities must survive]

[Quest reward: 9M XP or 10 Levels [Which ever is more]]

[Quest Achievements: 0 kills; 0 rescues]

[Quest Party Size: 126 players]

[Do you accept?}

'Hell no!'

[Quest cannot be dismissed, do you accept?]

Seeing this reply Erik cursed the game developers and simply ignored the question. He did not want to be dragged into this, especially as it seemed to be a permanent quest. How long would the monster invasion even last?

If he were someone who liked fighting then he would certainly have accepted, like the 126 who already did. Certainly, an Epic quest seems awesome, but Erik knew how hard quests were in this game. Having learned this from both Eldrian and the forums.

Erik was forcibly led to a training field near the east gate. He knew that this was where the monsters would come from and likely where most of the fighting would be done.

Thinking of Alda who had informed him of so much, Erik hoped that he was still alive and managed to get out safely with his family.

"Hello friend, seems like you have also been corralled here." A deep male voice spoke, looking up Erik saw someone in full plate armor. A longsword on his side and a kite shield on his back.

"Yeah, do you know what is going on?"

"Are you new?"

This question made Erik wonder if the person was also a player, as he wondered this he suddenly found information being displayed to him.

[Player - Yebal]

[Tier 1, Level 4]

[HP: 121]

"I just joined yesterday," Erik replied, wondering how he again just saw someone's information like this.

"Shit timing man."

"Yeah. Do you know how many players are here?"

"Around 200 hundred. This kingdom hasn't gotten all that many."

"Do you know what is going on?" Erik asked next.

"No idea, just that the kingdom between this one and the monsters have fallen. So, shit is going to happen. I guess we will be the next Inglas."

"That bad?" Erik's shoulders slouched as he fell onto the grass, most of his energy leaving him.

"Hey, it's not all bad. This kingdom is much easier to defend. I think we will be okay, once everything settles down."

"I just don't want to fight..." Erik sighed, feeling worse when he recalled the slaughter he had witnessed a few minutes ago.

"Ah, so you wanted to be a lifestyle player. Understandable. I am Yebal by the way."

"I know," Erik chuckled as Yebal struggled to sit next to him, "I used, I don't even know how I got your information."

"Ah, you used observe. Be careful to not use it for too long, it does take mana every second it is active."

"Thanks."

At this time Erik played with the interface again, having nothing else to really do. As he played he opened a tab that showed him that he had a friend request from Haru.

Accepting it, he typed, "Hey, sorry Eldrian. Was a hectic day today, the NPCs were all in shock and panic."