Rimelion: The Exploiter

4. Magic is hard

[Player Lucas healed for 3HP.]

As the light faded, Lucas glanced at the golden glow with awe. "It worked! That was... beautiful," he said, offering a hesitant smile.

"Yeah! Let me help you!" I hurried over, grabbing his hand. "Do you have the rune in your mind? Can you picture it clearly?"

He stared absently into my eyes, as if lost in thought, and didn't answer until I gave his cheek a light pinch. Was he drunk already? Or am I that hot? He shook head and said, "Yeah, I think I can."

"Focus! Just because I'm a girl now doesn't mean I'm any different, and a weak answer like that won't cut it!" My determined glare spurred him into action. He opened his menu, gave the rune a quick glance, then turned his back to me, clearly flustered.

"Lucas?" I teased, watching him stiffen up like an empress when turned in the imperial quest. Ha! My presence still has some intimidation factor. "Good. Now focus on that rune. Picture it, and the outline should appear soon. I may not have the fortitude of a warrior, but I won't let you down."

He sighed, but turned his attention back to the spell, mumbling something under his breath. I joined in, practicing alongside him. Despite his best efforts, he still struggled, failing most of the time. But I decided it was enough practice for now—our mana was nearly depleted, and time was ticking.

"The game's fun this way, isn't it?" I said, looking up at the canopy of branches overhead, their thick leaves weaving a soothing shade over us. "You have to work for it, but the rewards feel earned." I caught him glancing at my chest and rolled my eyes. So, this is the new normal, huh?

I let the moment pass, enjoying the cool breeze that tousled my hair. After a while, he shook his head and muttered, "No, it's insane. Why is it so hard? Aren't games supposed to be fun?"

"Blame it on the evil creator, Nathan," I said with a grin. "But I disagree. This is amazing! Without a real challenge, what's the point? The system was way more forgiving for warriors; I could jump meters high and smash through walls!" A mischievous grin spread across my face as I remembered one exploit where I'd broken into a vault with a single punch. "Aren't you excited to see what magic can do? I'm dying to find out how our first boss fight will go. Faster spell casting could make all the difference. You need to work on that."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah... this game feels... real." Rising, he tapped his staff against the nearby trees, listening to the satisfying clink it made. "More real than the world we came from. It feels like this is where the future lies. Anyone who stands against it might just... disappear. Vanish, without a trace. Actually, I think that's already happening. Charlie, the truth is—"

His words took me by surprise, and I gently put a hand up to stop him. "Lucas, please. I understand." He was right—everything was moving in that direction. "People vanishing without a trace..." Is that what happened to him? Did he meddle where he shouldn't have? "Hey, Lucas, have you heard of the 'Ring of Smiling People'? Someone mentioned it—"

Before I could finish, his face twisted in horror. He clutched the frayed edge of my pitiful robe with a tight grip. "Where the hell did you hear that name? Were you snooping around my place?" He joggled me, as if trying to snap me out of a trance, though he thankfully had little strength. "Don't joke about it, John. These people are dangerous!"

I slipped out of his grasp, stepping back cautiously. "It was some punk at the bar who mentioned them. He said to reach out if I wanted to learn more about simulations."

"Of course. The bar." He threw his hands up in frustration. "Where else? Just—don't. If you value your life, stay away from them."

"All right! Relax. Damn Nathan, I was only asking!"

"Even asking is risky. People have died over it." He softened, his voice trailing off as his eyes filled with something between worry and sadness. Then, almost abruptly, he changed the subject. "You... you always wanted to play, didn't you? You look so alive here. Happier than usual. You're only ever like this after a fourth beer."

I felt my cheeks flush because he wasn't wrong. Since I'd entered the game, I felt different—like my entire brain was rewired. But that was nonsense, right? Maybe it was just the excitement of a second chance at life, courtesy of that punk.

I jumped up and glanced at the sky, noting the sun's position. Nightfall wasn't too far off. "Lucas, focus on what matters. We're poor, level-one noobs, and we need a plan."

"So? What's the grand scheme, oh eminent expert?" He looked less than enthusiastic, standing there with no intention of moving.

"Hmpf!" I grabbed his hand and started running, dragging him along. "Onward! My job was to find bugs, so let's do just that. Why play by the rules? Let's exploit our way to the top!"