Page 3 of The Glass Unicorn, Part 2 (Quest Wars #2)

As we wound our way through the trees, everything seemed much more vivid than it had before.

Perhaps it was because we were on our own.

Or maybe, when the game broke, it had done something to the program and now our world felt far more three-dimensional.

Whatever the case, everything seemed heightened — every scent, every sound, even the colors seemed brighter.

“How far into the woods is the dungeon?” Brynn asked. She had slung her sword across her back in a large scabbard, but she was carrying her hammer, holding it ready in case we were attacked.

“I just realized, when my arrows run out, I’ll have to find a new source. If you see any scattered around on the ground or in the dungeons, grab them for me, will you?”

“Right,” Thornhold said. “I didn’t even think about that.”

“Think about your food, when you eat it. We should ration until we know where we can find more. I mean we can always go back to Dusmaria, but whichever players are in there will be hoarding. And now, I don’t know if I trust that town as far as I could throw it,” I said.

“There have to be other villages up ahead, or maybe house as where we could trade. What’s everybody’s charisma score?” Reggie asked. “Mine’s only about eight, so I’m not the most persuasive of the group.”

Brynn’s charisma was thirteen. Thornhold’s was nine, and Ray’s was eleven.

My own charisma score was fifteen. Elves always had the advantage when it came to charisma, dexterity, and personality.

Personality and charisma overlapped, but if you had a high charisma and a low personality, looks and glamour didn’t do much for you.

“I guess you’re the best equipped to bargain when we come to strangers,” Thornhold said, looking at me.

I nodded. “Now, I think I’m happy that I accidentally chose to be an elf. I wonder if our scores will matter, now that the games broken,” I added.

“I think it will,” Reggie said. “One way or another, we’re going to find out.”

The further into the thicket that we went, the darker it seemed to grow.

We picked up the pace without a word, the wary energy affecting our actions and thoughts.

I could tell by the posture of the others that they were feeling the same thing as me.

Something unhealthy lived in this thicket, a stagnant energy that seemed to take hold of everything the further we went.

Even the leaves on the branches seem to droop, as though the weight of the air were weighing them down, and they were unable to spring back.

We had walked for about half an hour from the edge of the thicket when I noticed a stone outcropping ahead.

It rose about 10 feet above the ground, rounded like an arch, and there was a dark entryway in the front.

But the further it stretched out, the lower the stone edifice became, so I figured it must follow a downward gradient inside.

A hush fell over the forest, surrounding us in a muffled silence.

I stared at the entryway and took a deep breath.

Letting it out slowly, I said, “This has to be it. This is the burial chamber.” Now that I was here, I wasn’t that sure I wanted to go inside, but this is what we had come for.

And if we were truly stuck in the game, we had to find some way to make a living.

Raiding dungeons seemed like as good of an occupation as any.

“Well, here we are,” I said. “Are you ready to go?”

“What order are we going in?” Reggie asked.

I glanced around, and the others waited for me to speak. I had was the head of the group, it seemed.

“All right, Reggie, you and I will go first. Behind us, Brynn, and then Thornhold and Ray at the end. Get ready with whatever you have, because I have a feeling we’re going to meet some nasty creatures in here.

Also remember—friendly fire is probably on.

I don’t know how they disabled it before, but you can bet that if the game’s broke, we can accidentally hurt each other.

That’s the last thing we want,” I added.

“Good point,” Brynn said. She took her place behind Reggie and me. “I’ve got your back,” she said. Ray and Thornhold brought up the rear, keeping an eye out for any enemies coming up behind us.

I undid the peace binding on my daggers, preparing them for battle at a moment’s notice. “Who’s carrying a torch?” I asked.

“Why don’t we just use the lights on our watches?” Thornhold asked.

“We don’t want to wear down the battery too quickly. Remember, this is our only connection with the outside world. So, an old-fashioned torch it is, unless we’re in a place that has high methane content.”

“I have a spare torch,” Ray said. “I can carry it.”

We waited for him to prepare his torch, and then he lit it, and it began to burn brightly, giving off very little smoke.

It was obviously modern make, and not the old fashioned branch and resin or wax.

Another amenity that I would miss if we ended up having to stay in here for too long.

Gameplay was so much more pleasant when some of these things actually worked the way we wanted them to, rather than the way they normally would.

“Okay, let’s head in,” I said.

I ducked my head and stepped into the opening. It stood about six-foot-six. Instinctively, I glanced at the ceiling. There were most likely bats around here, and I had no idea if they had been treated properly, or whether they had been programmed to be extra aggressive.

Hoping no one was claustrophobic, I pushed on ahead, until the chamber opened out a few feet in front of me. We spread out, looking around. The exit behind us was misty, a white fog covering the hole we’d come through. At least we could get back out that way. At least, I hoped we could.

“Thornhold, check to see if you can get out the way we came in,” I said.

He turned around and strode back down the passage, then vanished into the mist at the end.

A few minutes later he reappeared, returning to the party.

” Yeah, we can get out. So, what’s our first move?

I suggest, as with all caves and caverns, we head left, to the first entrance that we find, and we keep making left turns.

Hopefully, that will bring us out to the end. ”

“Sounds good to me,” Reggie said.

Reggie and I set off, leading the rest as we headed toward the first chamber on the left. We had no sooner entered the passageway, when a loud scream echoed from in front of us, ricocheting from wall to wall.

I froze, not at all sure what to do. Part of me wanted to turn and run, but we were explorers in a strange land, and this is what we had come for. I gathered my courage, and motioned for the others to follow me, as we headed down the passage.