*Date: 33,476 First Quarter - Ironfell City, Iron Confederacy*
*Demir Strovan: Level 12*
Silence fell over the dwarf city like a funeral shroud.
Ironfell carved itself into the mountainside, half buried in stone, half exposed to the gray sky. Giant statues of ancient dwarf kings lined the main thoroughfare, their stone eyes watching over a city that had suddenly turned deadly. The mountain's heart opened to reveal thousands of stairs descending toward the forest paths below.
Demir swung his fully plated fist at the city portal, metal ringing against the inactive stone. He didn't even have time to draw his weapons. "Open the portal, you idiots! What do you mean the game is frozen? Let us out!" His voice cracked with desperation. "If something happens to Aris, I won't forgive myself."
Around him, confused humans in excellent gear and costumes stared at Demir with growing panic. Some started running toward the portal, demanding to leave.
Then one of the dwarves swung his hammer into a fully plated man's chest.
"You killed my son for two gold pieces!" the dwarf roared. "Do you think I forgot that, you shit-stain?"
Another dwarf drew dual daggers and sprinted toward Demir. Demir tried to cover his face, but the dwarf passed him and leaped onto the back of a player demanding exit. The man looked back in shock just as the dwarf drove his dagger through the right side of his skull, killing him instantly.
"He robbed all our loot, placed me in front of every enemy," the dwarf snarled at the corpse. "I lost my best friend because of you. Eat your mithril now."
It seemed most local dwarves had a vendetta against players.
Demir took his chance in the commotion and started running toward the outer edge of the mountain city, where thousands of steps descended to the forest road. He bounded down them three at a time, his armor clanking with each leap.
"Fucking hell, what am I gonna do now?" he muttered between gasps. "How can I get to Aris without Realmforge's status protection? He'll die instantly. Ironfell and Selqua are so far apart without portals."
When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw a young dwarf knocked unconscious beside a trader's cart full of weapons and armor. An old dwarf was circled by three figures: one in plate armor, one in robes, and a woman in leather armor with daggers drawn. They were clearly trying to rob him.
Demir immediately dropped to the ground where they couldn't see him.
"Should I help him?" Demir thought. "But I'm only level twelve. This armor was top-notch three years ago, but now..."
The old dwarf's voice carried clearly. "Let me go! What's gotten into you? You can't attack merchants this close to the city. The city guards will take all your reputation and progression."
The leather-armored woman laughed harshly. "Look at those words. Clearly awakened like their empire said." She turned to her companions. "Have you ever heard locals use game terms?"
"Of course not," the plated man replied.
"We're on our own now," the woman continued. "We'll take whatever we can and hunker down until officials open the portals again."
The robed man gestured toward the unconscious dwarf. "Should I finish him like his son?"
"Sure, why not. Maybe they just closed the HUD but we can still gain experience."
Demir couldn't stand any more of those threats. He stood up. "Don't kill him! Two seconds after disorder and you become animals. Have some humanity. They're clearly no longer programmed NPCs."
When he rose, he saw their faces more clearly. The woman had black hair with streaks of white, and her shoulder was covered with skull tattoos.
The robed man sneered. "They were never programmed NPCs. We were pretending they were, idiot."
"If you don't want to become experience in our system, get lost," the woman said. "Karo, is his plate worth anything?"
The plated man examined Demir's armor. "No, it's garbage. It's S quality but zero stat boost and zero imbue. Last expansion stuff."
"I said let him go," Demir repeated. "You can raid his cart."
"Fuck you, stupid brat." The leather woman drew a throwing dagger and sent it toward Demir. He raised his arm to deflect it. The dagger clicked against metal and fell. "Now or never," he thought, and jumped from the stairs toward the assassin woman.
She tried to deflect Demir and pushed him aside easily. "She must have lots of stats," he realized. "How else could a hundred-pound woman push me in the air like that?"
She yelled, "Karo, kill the dwarf! We'll take care of this idiot. Zoran, blast him!"
Three white dots appeared near the mage, clearly collecting mana for a blast. Three white orbs swelled in the mage's palms, hissing like boiling water. Demir threw himself sideways, rolling over gravel as a lance of fire scorched the steps where he had stood. The blast cracked stone, sending shards whistling into air.
"Hah! He dodges like a rat!" the robed man snarled, pulling more light into his hands.
Demir didn't wait. He grabbed a fallen chunk of masonry and hurled it. The mage flinched, his spell collapsing into sparks.
The old dwarf kicked open his cart, dragging free a battered round shield and a longsword with a nicked edge. "Ye want blood? Then by Moradin, taste mine first!" he roared, planting himself between the thieves and his wares.
The plated man charged, his rusted greatsword crashing down. Steel shrieked as it met the dwarf's shield. The old merchant staggered but held his ground, snarling through his beard.
The leather-armored woman lunged at Demir, daggers flashing like snake fangs. He barely caught her wrist, her other blade carving a red line across his shoulder. "Too slow, boy!" she spat.
Demir slammed his forehead into hers. She reeled, cursing, and he seized the moment to drive a mailed fist into her gut. She folded but didn't fall, twisting like a cat to slash at his thigh.
Behind them, the mage recovered, chanting quick syllables. "Move!" the dwarf bellowed, shoving Karo back and raising his shield. The second blast hit, shattering the shield rim and flaring white across the dwarf's beard. He dropped to one knee, dazed but alive.
Demir roared, ripping the woman's dagger from her grip and hurling it into the mage's arm. The robed man screamed, his spell sputtering into smoke.
The dwarf surged up with surprising strength, driving his sword into Karo's side. The plated man howled, staggering backward as black blood splattered his armor.
Demir tackled the leather woman again, wrestling her to the dirt. Her knee cracked into his ribs, but he clung on, forcing her knife toward the ground.
The dwarf finished it, shoving his sword through Karo's chest and ripping free in a spray. The heavy man crumpled, rattling like broken tin.
The mage, clutching his bleeding arm, turned to flee. The dwarf lifted a stone from the steps and hurled it with every ounce of strength. It struck the back of the man's skull with a wet crunch. He collapsed, twitching once before lying still.
The last thief froze, panting under Demir's weight, glaring at him with hate. The dwarf pressed his blade to her throat.
"Your choice, girl," the old merchant growled. "Run and never return, or join yer friends in the dirt."
She spat blood in Demir's face, then twisted free and bolted into the dark, vanishing into the treeline.
Silence fell, broken only by the crackle of the overturned cart's lantern. Demir sat back, chest heaving, blood seeping through his torn armor. The old dwarf rested on his sword, beard singed, eyes hard.
"Yer green, lad," he muttered, "but not useless. Ye've a spine. And by the looks o' this new world, ye'll need it."
They started to hear crackling sounds above from the city, voices descending.
When his panting subsided, the dwarf spoke again. "I am Moradin. Take my sword and shield. They're not the best, but they'll do well for you. Don't come to the city for a while. You never know who'll hold a grudge and who won't. Thanks for helping me. Go east where the ruins are. Last month they cleared there from undead for a festival. It should be safe to live now."
Demir stood, looking at the stairs where guards were descending. He opened his face "Thanks, Moradin. I hope your son is alive. I'm Demir, by the way." He took the sword and shield.
"I never saw a player helping a local without any bonuses," Moradin said. "Well, not in the hardcore parts anyway. Take care, Demir. I hope you survive."
Demir started running with heavy thoughts. "My father's gonna kill me if I don't pull Aris out of this game alive. Fuck my chances. A thousand-year game ran flawlessly, and now you close it on us. Not just monsters, even locals hate us."
He paused at the forest edge, looking back at the mountain city. "I guess I have no choice but to join conquers of this world. Then I can force them to open the gates."