Within a quarter hour Val stood at a shadowy arch, beyond which dull sunlight trickled through high overhanging trees. A gray, creepy miasma drifted through the arch. In no way would she have gone through that arch on Earth for anything. The rules were different in Cascadance. This wasn’t dangerous or a horror movie. Airaba considered this the heart of Val’s mission.

  It’s only game fog. Val peeked into the arch without entering. Within the miasma haze, there seemed to be a spoiled garden park. Charon had called it a forum, which made sense if there was a shrine. The reflecting pool that Charon had referred to held some tar-like substance that created the miasma, which drifted above and around it. The miasma hid any sign of a shrine or monsters. Val would need to explore.

  Val took a deep breath and plunged into the forum.

  The first minute was, thankfully, anticlimactic, where nothing happened. The air didn’t poison her once she breathed. Val let her eyes adjust. The ground vines and dust to the left were messy. The tar pit oozed and stirred, but nothing appeared.

  “Please help,” a voice whispered.

  Val jumped out of her skin and then came to her senses, looking around for the source of the voice.

  The voice called again. Light flickered off to the right.

  Val rushed over, tripping through dead vines that climbed over the ground.

  “Did a person say that? Your voice didn’t sound human. I’m here to restore the shrine.”

  Nothing answered her words or reacted to her moving towards the source of the words.

  A building emerged from the miasma, first as shifting shadows, then solidifying into a ruined temple as Val drew closer. The ground trembled with a faint quake. No human or creature was in sight. The flickering light came from high on the pediment at the front of the temple.

  “You’re the shrine. You’re asking for help,” Val said as she approached.

  The voice didn’t repeat itself, but Val could see what it needed help with. The shrine was like a small Grecian temple in ruins: no walls, a roof clinging onto crumbling stone pillars, and a broken foundation, about ten square feet. She bowed respectfully and climbed into it, the stone cold and dusty under her hands.

  “So I need to restore you? The pillars have crumbled, so I’ll get some stone to rebuild them.” She walked around. “It looks like copper ore was set into this fresco for decoration but wasted away. There’s only flakes left.” Val rubbed at the only wall at the back of the shrine. Copper flaked off. “I’ll mine for more. I have a mining skill to level.” She walked around, touching waist-high stone altars for ignisbulbs and herbs. “This place is creepy, but I’ll be back.”

  Val stepped away from the temple. On her way out, she considered exploring deeper into the forum, but even though this was just a game, her courage wasn’t quite strong enough to approach the tar pit or explore the left side of the forum. She crept out of the forum without disturbing anything.

  Once she stood in the bright sunlight of the forest, she took a deep breath.

  I found the first shrine Airaba mentioned. I wonder where others are? I’ll fix this and that should fix that scary pit! Easy-peasy. I’m pretty sure that’s what Airaba said. I’ll fix Cascadance in no time.

  Val ran back the way she came, wondering how far away the town was. For now, running around on a mission in a new beautiful world was fun! She ran past the entrance to her farm. Soon she crossed a bridge over a small stream.

  Val reached a fork in the path. A sign showed one path leading to town and the other way to the mines.

  She wanted to go to town and meet people, but she had just told the shrine that she would mine for copper. This fork seemed like a hint.

  For the next hour she climbed hills, following signs to the mines.

  She almost ran by the dark entrance of the mine.

  “Hello?” she called into the mine.

  Lights hung along the wall. She got her pickax out. She hit excitedly at various things that looked like rock and ore, but no mining meter popped up, so she stopped swinging it.

  Where was the mine introduction? Val was confident that someone would appear to help her out, or something would glow with magic, giving her a hint. No visual hints appeared, but rocks clattered together with an unusual cadence. The thrumming sounds were almost threatening, but that didn’t make sense.

  Suddenly, a rock the size of her fist rolled across her foot and another meter popped up. It had been full but dropped a few points.

  Val stopped. Health meter—she didn’t want that one running out.

  A rock twice the size of her head rolled towards her.

  She dodged to the side.

  Instead of rolling past her, the rock swerved and hit her shins.

  She was so startled that she sat down with a grunt. Her new meter dropped more points.

  The rock, instead of coming to a standstill, still rolled around and ran into her.

  “Are you some kind of monster? Get away from me!” She scrambled through her backpack, but it seemed like the pickax in her hand was her best weapon. The rolling rock didn’t bruise or hurt her, but her health meter still went down. She had asked Airaba if she would still feel pain, and Airaba had been exasperated with her.

  Let’s stop trying to fight and just get out of here before I faint. With that set, she got to her feet and ran for the mine entrance. She looked back over her shoulder just in time to see a rock launch itself off the floor to smack her in the face.

  The rock knocked her unconscious.

  But she didn’t die.

  “Hey, you didn’t die, so wake up already,” a soft, cranky voice said.

  Someone shook her with no respect for the damage she suffered.

  “Come on, it’s impossible to die in the mine. Stop being so dramatic. Drink this.”

  Everything was still blurry but a woman with snowy white skin and ruby-red hair stood at her side giving her something to drink.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Val grabbed the ceramic container and guzzled the potion down, her dizziness and headache receding. Her health meter filled a quarter of the way. She got to her feet and almost fainted again. Better was relative. She was still far from normal, and could definitely still feel pain, whatever Airaba had done to her.

  “You must respect Mount Jacicle’s earth magic,” the young woman scolded. “Middle-schoolers know how to avoid rolling rocks, so who are you?”

  “Val,” she gasped, trying to figure out what hurt the worst.

  “That’s all you’re going to say? Whatever. I don’t care. I’m Reese, by the way, not that you asked. You just fling yourself into danger, eh?” Reese tucked the empty ceramic container away.

  “Thank you. I’m so confused about what happened. Who expects rocks to be dangerous? I didn’t realize there was any danger. Sorry. I think I need to just sit for longer.”

  “You aren’t from here if you think rocks aren’t dangerous. Don’t sit. That might help where you’re from, but here you’ve got to search for help. Come on, I’ll take you to my favorite Healer.” Reese stood up and pulled at Val’s arm.

  “What? But I thought you were here to help me learn how to mine,” Val said, struggling to her feet. She had to lean against the smaller woman.

  “Absolutely not! I’m here to get some crystals. I’ll get back to it as soon as I deal with you.”

  Reese got Val out of the foothills in no time. Val’s consciousness faded in and out. First she saw blurry trees and then buildings. Did she lose time? It seemed to be late afternoon now.

  “I never thought I’d get to see this place,” Val half-joked.

  “The Healer—his name is Fen—is this way,” Reese said for an answer.

  “I’ll follow.” Val was true to her words. Her headache gave her tunnel vision, so she focused on following the strange young woman into an unfamiliar building. The cool, dim room they entered was lined with tiles.

  “Hey Healer, she’s your responsibility now. If you don’t know what to do with her, I don’t care.” With those words, Reese left.

  “Hi, I’m Fen. Why don’t you lay down on a treatment bed?” Fen held his hand out to a small side room. Fen was about her age, wearing dark glasses and a black outfit. He had long, fine black hair, warm light brown skin, slender build, and a nose with a rounded tip. Very pleasing.

  “Bye, I guess,” Val called after Reese, still confused about what went wrong with mining. But she was happy to do as Fen asked, swinging her legs up onto the treatment bed.

  “I’m going to do a scan to see what’s wrong,” Fen said. “I know Reese is harsh, but you’re lucky she’s the one who found you. She’s our resident Mage. No one else would have had the resources to help you.”

  While Fen spoke, he twisted his hands together in patterns and a warm white glow formed between his hands and grew bigger and brighter.

  “I suppose you know what you’re doing. I’m Val. I’m from Earth. I fell victim to a rolling rock.”

  “You are from the earth? I can tell you don’t have any magic. This will help, I promise.” He placed the glow along her body without touching her. “If you’re here to help Cascadance, I suppose the next step is to get you some combat training for the mines.”

  “I’m Farmer class. Maybe I’ll never step foot in a mine again, especially if there’s no tutorial. I’m trying everything like you’re supposed to do in a game and now I’ve tried mining. I’m sure I can buy copper from someone. I’m not interested in combat training.”

  “There’s no one to buy copper from. If you’re not interesting in combat, you should try charming. You need to talk to Xing Yanwei at the tea house, which is on the west side of the square. I’m done.” He stepped back.

  “Do I need to pay you?”

  “Buy me a cup of tea some day. Now, I need to get back to my work,” Fen said with a polite smile. It clicked for Val. He was an NPC, only programmed to help with healing.

  “It’s weird that I’m not getting proper instructions on how to do things from people.” According to Airaba, Val was the protagonist of this game. Why was it so hard to get help? “Don’t you have advice for me?” Val asked, wondering if he’d respond to open-ended questions or if he’d help with only healing-related questions.

  “You want me to give you advice? Since you’re a Farmer, you should farm, probably plant some seeds.” Fen held his hand out, guiding Val out of the healing center.

  “I need stones and herbs, too,” Val said, getting off the bed and following.

  “Stones are in the mine, so that wraps back to Auntie Yanwei, or maybe Liam, though he’ll want to teach you combat. For herbs, you should talk to the Herbalist, but she’ll be closed by the time you get there.”

  “So that’s everything you’ve got for me? Anything helpful?”

  “You’re invited to temple services on every third, sixth, and ninth of each week. I know Reese addressed me as Healer, but my main class is Priest.”

  Val was confused. She’d clocked him as the cute NPC Healer, but being a Priest added another layer. For now, that didn’t matter. She was more interested in mining, and asked for directions to Xing Yanwei.

  Fen led her out of the tiled healing building. Outside, the town square laid out before her, a square of cobblestones surrounded by shops with brightly painted doors in colors like coral, lavender, canary yellow, and aqua blue. White trim and masonry completed the look of a perfect idyllic town with no trace of any mess. A temple with glowing crystal pillars several stories high was the largest building, taking up most of the east side of the square. The tea house was on the west side, standing out with its steep gabled red roof.

  A tea house would have food. Val had eaten nothing that day, but still wasn’t hungry, something she’d have to get used to.

  Val walked across the square to the tea house. A set of bright red double doors leading into the tea house swung on well-oiled hinges when Val pushed on them. Stepping inside was stepping into relaxation and cheer. The tea house had plenty of windows, providing ample natural light. Tea plants grew along the main windows. The seating in the middle was arranged to make it easy to talk with neighbors, while private booths lined the walls.

  “Welcome,” a small woman said, coming up to Val. “I’m Yanwei. You might be the new farmer. I’m honored you came here on your first day.” She had high cheekbones, almond-shaped eyes, and black hair in a bun.

  “Yes. I’m Val. I’m here to clean up Minerva’s mess. More specifically, I tried to mine and I got hurt! I need instructions or something. Healer, or Priest, Fen sent me. How are you going to help me?” Val would get her game introduction one way or another.

  Yanwei hesitated. “That’s a rather direct way to ask for help. Let’s have a little conversation. Have a seat at a booth and I’ll get us a pot of tea.” Yanwei disappeared behind a counter, presumably to get the tea, so Val sat in a booth with a view of the front door.

  Yanwei soon came with the teapot and cups on a tray, her red silk gown flowing. Val sipped the hot tea, enjoying the delicate oolong flavor immensely. Even if she didn’t have an appetite, she could still enjoy things.

  After summarizing who she was and why she appeared in Cascadance, Val said, “I think you might have the answer to why I have a Charm-Combat skill to level up.”

  “I do enjoy a good charming spell. Even though you don’t have magic, you can use instruments I enchant. Instead of slaying the monsters, you can charm them instead.”

  “Let’s get started!” Val swallowed the rest of the tea. “I’d like to return to the mine this afternoon.”

  “No,” Yanwei said, her forehead wrinkling in confusion. “I’m so busy with the beginning of spring, I’m not sure when I’ll have time.”

  “Do I need to help you with chores or a quest first? I’d like to keep moving forward with cleaning Minerva’s messes up. I need to mine for copper.”

  Yanwei frowned, setting down her teacup with a deliberate clink. “I’m not sure how things work where you’re from, but people here don’t center themselves like that.”

  Val blinked, caught off guard. “That’s not what I was saying.”

  “I thought this was a friendly conversation for us to become acquainted,” Yanwei said, gently but firmly. “I don’t exist to guide you. Cascadance isn’t some game for you to speed through. If you want my help, you’ll wait until I have time, just like everyone else.”

  Val winced. She had avoided calling Cascadance a game, but her sense of entitlement and true intentions were still clear. Her interactions with Charon were getting around. She had been treating Yanwei like an NPC mentor, but that wasn’t her role.

  After a graceful goodbye, Yanwei left the table, disappearing behind the counter.

  Val stayed at the table, an emotional exhaustion settling on her shoulders. This was all more complicated than any game she’d ever played. The shrine needed copper, but the mine knocked her unconscious. How was she supposed to move forward?

  Maybe her second day would be easier. At that point in the late evening, all Val cared about was returning to her little farm.

  She stepped outside the tea house and wandered around the town square. During this circuit, she saw two signs that pointed in two different directions on how to get to Cattail Farm. Two different directions?

  This game was throwing up nonsense roadblocks. It couldn’t even direct her home. She followed the sign pointing at the northwest corner of town.

  Val enjoyed this game overall. The immersion was astounding. One silly reflection was that no one had hair in twelve braids all in different colors; Val was satisfied that Airaba wasn’t right about everything.

  An hour later, she arrived at the farm, running straight to bed. She didn’t enjoy getting into bed in her dirty, torn overalls, but there was nothing for it. She climbed into bed and a question clicked in her mind.

  Sleep?

  She answered with a firm yes and fell asleep before she could blink twice.

  What would tomorrow bring?

  New Moon