Frontier Online

Can I Borrow That?(1) Part 15

"Uh..." Rydr panicked. He hadn't thought about how ridiculous his strength had grown for a level three. "Not...really? The skill is something called an innate skill? I think anyone who hits 75 strength will get it." Rydr tried to defend himself with logic.

"You're level three! Freaking, three!" Urginok pierced the shield of logic with the sharp barb of common sense. Syrna stood in front of Rydr and just massaged her temples.

Overwhelmed, Rydr felt himself start to apologize. He opened his mouth and...closed it. He knew that they were just shocked and not intentionally trying to shame him. Rydr steeled his heart and said, "I've gotten lucky with a few feats before now; they gave me a lot of free stat points."

He took a few breaths to calm down and continued, "Please, don't make a big deal about it. Please. The game has helped a little already, but I-I have terrible anxiety, to the point of near anthropophobia. I will interpret anything you say negatively if my anxiety has the chance." He didn't realize it, but Rydr had squeezed his eyes shut at some point.

He waited for them to say something, but the giant felt a hand on each of his arms a moment later. Rydr's eyes snapped open to see both the blonde archer and brown-haired tank staring at him with their hands resting on his upper arms. He flinched internally, expecting to see pity. 

Instead, he found understanding in the eyes of two near strangers.

Syrna squeezed his arm and finally opened her mouth to say, "I'm considered...extremely eccentric in my line of work. A lot of people find my focus...alienating?" Her face twisted in sympathy, "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I like to tease, but I'll try to be gentle."

Urginok nodded, brow furrowed and lips pursed as he listened to Syrna. He spoke when she finished her piece. "I feel bad that I can't go into detail, but, uh...basically, my entire life is a lie," he ran a hand through his short brown hair.

"I've been more myself in the last couple of hours with you guys than I have been with anyone in years. This game is an escape for me. Please, man, let me know if I overstep with my teasing too."

Rydr bowed his head quietly for a moment before he raised his eyes to meet theirs again, "Thank you...thanks for taking me seriously." They both nodded at him wordlessly. 

Each of them was able to understand, at least a little, the others' plights. They each needed an escape from the stresses of the world outside of this fantasy. Rydr became so choked up that his eyes misted over. He wiped at them surreptitiously and cleared his throat.

"Right, let's go get my pickax so we can get the ball rolling. The sooner we finish my ore quest, the sooner I can start to make us some armor and weapons." Rydr clapped his hands together and started to walk out of their kill-box and back into the forest. 

He puzzled over why their commiseration made him feel so uncomfortable. It was almost worse than his newfound friends just being judgmental. I guess...I guess I'm not used to kindness.

Ryan laughed to himself. That sounded crazy, but the only people he remembered truly caring for him were his older sisters. But even the majority of their behavior towards him was cool and distant to protect themselves.

Rydr sighed and abandoned that train of thought to follow his trail back through the forest. It was easy, as his rapid dash left a huge line of destruction in its wake. 

Between Rydr and the Alpha, they simply destroyed any vegetation that was in their way. He could hear Urginok and Syrna as they followed, easily strolling under canopies that forced Rydr to duck.

The initial journey felt like it had taken mere moments, but the walk back to the clearing took almost five minutes. Rydr found where he chucked his boulders to get the pack's attention.