Fantasy World Online I: New Roads

New Roads! Chapter 5

Chapter 5: On the way to the bandit camp

I logged in early to fill my canteen, mend my clothes and present myself to the expedition Captain.

I had imagined him to be tall muscular and rough but when I asked one of the pikemen for him I was directed towards a slender redheaded woman clad in a dark brown thick leather outfit with iron buckles and a large sword attached on her back. She looked powerful and authoritative. She must have felt my gaze on her because she turned her attention to me. Under her heavy scrutiny, I hastily presented myself.

"Greetings, Madam. I was told you are the Expeditions Captain. I am the Cook recommended by Master Kaden."

"Ah, yes I remember. He said you know how to defend yourself. I hope it is true because neither I or my men will have time to babysit you."

"I understand Captain. If you permit me I will go see the rations you planned on, so I know what I will be working with."

"Yes, you go do that."

Her attention was quickly back on the departures preparative.

I took the time to count the troops constituting the Punitive forces. I spotted several players among them.

30 pikemen (3 players)

30 archers (8 players)

20 swordsmen (6 players)

10 mages (1 player)

In addition to the combative troops were 10 Priests, Captain Miller, 2 boys leading donkeys, a caravan driver and me.

In total, 110 men were forming a 5 men convoy, the redheaded warrior at its head followed by the pikemen and archers. Then there was the chariot, filled with a tent, water barrels, and rations. I was sitting next to the driver while the mullet boys sat in the wagon, the donkeys followed close behind. Closing the march was, in order, the Priests, Mages, and Swordsmen.

The procession was starting to attract attention as the common folks came to wish them luck and off their support. Among the NPC crowd, early players were watching their peers with envy.

"What is going on?"

"Its a punitive expedition. They are going out to clear a dungeon with the city's troops."

"So cool... How do you join?"

"I don't know. Maybe only the top players can get in."

"That means people from the Wall of Fame are in it?"

"Probably."

The Wall of Fame... Thanks to the 1 Fame I had gotten by building the well my rank had risen from 74 to 53. Maybe I should celebrate it.

On a whim, I opened my Option window and turned the Recording setting on. At the limit of my upper right vision, a blinking red "REC" appeared. From now on I would be filming the expedition.

We orderly exited the city, following the dirt road 4 hours before leaving it. We crossed a small river by foot, the mullet boy and I had to push the wagon through it, then the ground started going uphill. By midday, we could see the forest. Once we were under the tree line Captain Miller told us to settle for lunch.

That was my queue.

As soon as the order to stop was given I jumped off the wagon and set up a fireplace, then I went back to the wagon and pulled from it a water barrel, 55 bread loaves, and 110 apples and small slices of rabbit meat. 

I stood next to the fire and put the meat to cook on wooden sticks. When the first soldier came by handing me his wooden plate and goblet I served him half a bread loaf, an apple, and a roasted rabbit meat slice filled his cup with water to which I added a squished Elabore to shorten the fatigue's effect.