I made my way back up the tunnels the small city. The place was in a frenzy of activity. Apparently, the goods had been loaded into the front mine carts by the Miner’s Guild while I was busy talking to Keely. Now, tons of dwarves were busy at the forges in New Kharn-Adan, though Vargruf was nowhere to be found. I asked around and was pointed back up the tunnel to the school basement.
Again, I found reality slowly reasserting itself as I walked up the sloped tunnel back to the mundanity of high school. Soon, I was back in the octagonal room with the giant anvil and chains. Vargruf was hammering at a large battle axe, made completely of a silvery allow. He finished hammering and then quenched it in a nearby barrel. I watched him work, the muscles in his arms and back flexing and popping with each strike of the hammer, my heart in my throat. The gut, the pecs, that ass, that amazingly ornate beard. How could I not have realized how hot Vargruf was before now?
He paused, sweating heavily and looking around for a cool rag. I saw it on the table next to me. I quickly picked it up and dampened it in a nearby water bucket before gently wiping down his bald pate. Vargruf stood silently and sternly, a smile playing across his lips, as I happily wiped away his sweat, my cock aching in my pants despite having cum not too long ago.
“Aye, there’s a good lad.” He picked up the rag from my hands and finished under his armpits and crotch. He set aside the rag and grasped me firmly in his large, calloused hands, playing over my rather hairy chest and small belly. “Got some hair on your chest now.”
“Yes sir,” I grunted, feeling a digit probe my rear entrance.
“Nice.” Vargruf spoke as his finger slid in and I promptly clenched around it. “Mining carts broke you in proper, aye?”
“Aye.” I replied and leaned in and kissed him. His tongue met mine, our beards brushing against each other. My hands wrapped around his back, fingers tracing whorls of hair, down to his prodigious gut and buttocks, feeling them. The older dwarf was soft yet firm, like a well-upholstered yet sturdy couch, and felt just as good to grope. His own cock was rigid in his pants. I could smell his raw musk and sweat and it was (literally) intoxicating.
“Fuck me sir,” I mumbled into his mouth.
“Aye…” Vargruf gave my crotch a gentle squeeze and then pulled away, patting my ass. “Mayhaps I will. But not now. I’m busy at the moment. Here, drop this crate of silver weapons off at the Farseer’s Guild.”
He pointed to a stack of crates.
“Ya can use your inventory screen, now.” Vargruf mimed using Reborn Venture commands.
I pointed at the crates and selected ‘add to inventory’. They disappeared, and I ‘felt’ the weight settle in my inventory. When I went to walk forward, I found myself stuck in place. I pulled up my menu on the virtual HUD and saw a flashing icon indicating that I was overburdened.
“Oh, right, ya dennae have the spell yet.” Vargruf spoke a few words and pointed at me. A purple light shot through me and suddenly, I could move again. “Now get going. They’re in the computer lab in this reality.” Vargruf said and went back to his work.
I walked away, frustrated, and feeling the weight of my overburdened inventory. It was still heavy even with the spell, and basically meant I’d have to trudge all the gear to the computer lab, which was up the ladder and halfway across the school. Panting, I made my way to the step ladder and started climbing, muscles burning as I ascended the rungs.
After climbing up the ladder, I took a break to catch my breath, panting. My shorts felt tight so I loosened the belt a bit, let it out. My ass was pressing firmly against the seat of my pants. Something about that seemed wrong, for some reason I had thought they were loose before. It wasn’t important, the long trek ahead was. With a sigh, I resumed walking, feeling like a great weight was pressing down on me and my shoulders. The hallways were deserted, confirming that had been the final bell before classes started. At least I wouldn’t have to deal with any uncomfortable questions.
My body was getting a workout as I walked down the corridor. The bell rang as I walked past lockers and my arm started going numb as the bracelet got to work merging reality and unreality. The school appeared to be reshaping into a marble building. The floor was smooth and shining, pillars rising up around me to a mausoleum-like roof. It was very similar to the Astidian Network, a main hub for spellcasters. I hadn’t made it this far into the game-I was pretty sure you had to be at least level 35 to access it without a high-level mage’s portal. It made sense, what with all the hidden guilds around here. Some of the portals required you to be a certain race or class or part of a guild to access.
All the doorways were systemically replaced with rifts and portals. I could make out what was through them more often than not, unless they were barred by level/class requirements and whatnot. Progression through the main story was another thing that might block my sight. If I couldn’t see through the portal, I simply couldn’t access it.
Thankfully, the portals had little metal plinths over them for the class in question.
“Druid’s Grove” clearly led to a forest grove, the moon shining down on what looked like massive stonehendges. A centaur druid taught a myriad group of races-most of which were non-human-aside a lake. A light mist rose around them, glowing pale blue as magic started to spark from the teacher’s hands. One of the humans gasped as fur began to sprout from his skin and antlers sprung from his forehead. His body twisted and distorted, muscles bulging, before a full-grown stag stood where a boy had once been, eyes devoid of sentience. The students clapped politely.
“Necromancer’s Crypt” opened into a dingy looking catacomb. Torchlit and damp, there was an altar at the far end with a corpse sprawled across it. Human. Robed onlookers watched a demon-like creature at the front of the altar as he gestured at each part of the deceased. His claws dug into the body, dark energy flowing from creator to createe, and the corpse gasped and sprung to life, visage twisting into something inhuman and undead. The demonic figure pointed and the ghoul began doing simple tasks.
I swallowed. So that’s what would be happening to me if I joined any of my classes. I’d forgotten that the portals in the Astidian Network led to advanced class training grounds. If the altered version of the Astidian Network followed my school’s setup, then my math class should be in the next portal. I wondered what form I would have been doomed into. Following the Network’s setup, it should be…I counted them off, including what I’d seen. ‘Nature, Shadow, Summoning.’
The math portal led to a plain room bathed in a blue glow from colored torches. On the ground were several summoning circles made of copper and brass. There were more humans in this class, though I doubted that would last. The ground began to grow obscured by a mist as the teacher walked into view. Mr. Hostler, an older man, had become a comely female Nymph. Around her, students began placing VR headsets on the humans in front of them. Then the transformations began. I could only watch as a kobold transformed a human into a rather brutish and dumb-looking dragonoid creature. It was a summon, but I couldn’t recall what the actual name was.
Well, most of the summons were fucking their masters, so at least I’d have some fun, I mused. I shrugged my shoulders, rolling the heavy muscles there, and continued on my way. The weight had gradually gotten easier to carry the farther I went. I tried shifting the invisible weight around and found I could target muscle groups that weren’t as exhausted to pick up the slack.
I reached the place where I’d estimated the doorway to the computer labs to be. The doorway had been replaced by a marble bas relief of a large eye. I saw an opening in the pupil and reached inside and twisted something that felt like a knob. There was a flash as the eye emitted a ray of light that slowly scanned me before centering on my pin. Then the light went away and the door opened.
Had…had they trapped their guild entrance? What would have happened if I hadn’t been wearing the Courier’s Pin? Judging by what was going on in the classrooms…probably a transformation or a trap or something. They all really seemed to have a hate-boner for humans. My heaving pecs twitched as I closed the door behind me, muscles flexing strongly as they took on the weight accidentally.
Sweat trickled down my brow as I trudged into the Farseer’s Guild. The Farseer’s were a guild every player on the server knew. Notorious for breaking the game’s code day 1 and data-mining all the future patches up until the first plan expansion, which they knew the code word for. They’d gotten weapons that don’t even exist yet, ran unfinished content, and had never, for some reason, been banned. With their power, they could ruin the game;s economy or rule over the ordinary players, but for some reason they don’t. There weren’t many other hacking groups aside from them, and any other guild that acts up and tried to ruing things got put in their place by them.
The former computer club had been reorganized into a rather seedy-looking guild-hall/bar. Windows rose high, made of stained glass, depicting all of the raids the club had defeated. The colored light filtering through the giant windows had been dulled by the smoke of hookahs, hand-rolled cigarettes, pipes and other paraphernalia. In one corner, secured by a giant Faraday Cage, were rows of computers active and running Reborn Venture. Though, on closer inspection, that wasn’t quite right. They computers were connected to bracelets, and it appeared the students were hacking into the devices. A few of the students-all species that were best-in-class-were running scripts from either the computers or their laptops and cellphones.
Other students gathered at a bar, where the IT teacher-now an Elf with flaming red hair and long, elegant brows-handed out some rather complicated-looking mixed drinks. One of the students sitting at the bar glanced over at me and groaned before getting up and marching over to where I stood.
He was huge, just like Sam and his Barbarian build. He wore a white and teal tunic that strained to contain his broad chest, thick body hair bristling from the neckline. His arms were as huge as his barrel-like chest, covered with more hair. Like me, he was wearing cargo pants that clearly bulged with a rather girthy cock. His boots were black and blue and buckled securely to massive feet. He wore a gruff expression on a face that was lined with wrinkles that outlined his blocky features. His brows were bushy and thick, his hair cut short, partially receding, and stubble covered his face. The man stood a good four feet taller than me.
No, not a man. He couldn’t be a human. No that reality and VR were merging, I realized he was a half-giant. An NPC race that players simply couldn’t become, mostly because it involved surviving a giant’s humongous cock as it used the player like a cock sleeve. That was an impossible task…unless you hacked your health bar. The rest of the players in here were adults as well…but so was I now, wasn’t I? Young for a dwarf, sure, but…hold on, something about that wasn’t right.
“You lost?” The half-giant asked, then his eyes went to my pin and he grinned. “Oh, a courier. What’ve you got for us?”
“Aye, I’m a courier.” I said, voice gruff. “You my dropoff?”
“Narjak, Half-Giant. Yeah, I’m the Farseer Guild’s Treasurer.” The half-giant waited.
I realized I was supposed to do something. With a thick digit, I pulled up my inventory screen and initiated a transfer. With a sigh of relief, I felt the weight lift from me. Just in time, too, as the purple glow dissipated a few seconds later. I flexed my heavy muscles and loosened my belt again, my ass and chest snug in my formerly loose-fitting clothes.
“Huh,” The half-giant eyed me critically. “I’ve never seen a tired Courier before.”
“First day on the job.” I replied tersely, hoping to get this over with and complete my work orders.
“You weren’t a Courier before?”
“No. Human. Why?” I grunted.
“Interesting.” Narjak’s eyes sparkled as he looked me over. “Not done yet, either. Hmm. Wonder how you’ll turn out. Mentally, at least.”
“Yeah yeah, can I go or nae?”
“Nae. What the hell is this silver equipment for?”
“Takin’ down Mugrel.” I said, then paused, blinking. “And, err, hackin’ mah bracelet before..somethin’ bad happens?”
The half giant stifled a laugh. Holding back for a good few seconds before bursting out and starting to wheeze. The brute bending down to compose himself, trying to process what he heard, as I try to stay and look as cool as possible.
“Mugrel, huh? Really? Hold on a sec.” He grabs a VR device from the nearby bench. Popping it on as more eyes in the room turn to me. It’s starting to get embarrassing, made even worse when he suddenly puts the headset off. “Jeremy, level 15, ex-adventurer, now Dwarven Courier. Poor dungeon DPS. Was infected with lycanthropy. That’s you. Right?”
There was more chuckles around the room. Other students giggling at the mockery that was going on. I couldn’t just leave though. If I wanted the work order completed, the half-giant’d hafta sign it.
“Aye, that’s me. I also cured the lycanthropy and have managed to stay a human. Better than all of you I think.” I shoved my chest forward with pride.
There was a few oohs and aahs from the crowd. The half giant’s hand resting on his chin as he deliberates something.
“So why Courier?”
“Had ta, mah boyfriend Sam got turned into a werewolf, then mah friend Martin was captured n turned into a fat old farmer, then traded off to the dwarves. I want ‘em back, I gotta complete these work orders.”
“Hah! You got turned into an NPC, noob!” Narjak sniggered.
“I just need ta get this finished fast and I’ll-”
“Become an NPC?” The Half-giant finished. “Because that’s what happens when you wear that pin. Though I’ve never seen a human wear it. Most of them are just programs. They’re just instanced NPCs. When they are done running tasks, they cease to exist.”
“You..think I’ll cease to exist when I’m done?” I ask, fear suddenly gripping my broad chest.
Narjak shrugged. “Dunno, but it’ll be fun to find out!”
“W-wait, can’t ya fix me yerselves!” I asked.
“And miss an opportunity to find out what happens when a real person becomes an instanced NPC? No way!”
All eyes were on me now. “Please, guys, I’m givin’ ya Mugrel! That’s a million gold!”
“We don’t need gold!” Narjak guffawed. “Don’t believe me? Look.”
He slipped his headset over my head. The screen displayed far too much information for me to take in. What I did see boggled my mind. His inventory was filled with endgame gear for every class. Bright orange borders outlined each item, indicating they were legendary. There was an Admin panel opened at the side with a log of inputs to spawn-in items. EXP and level were overflowing, the health and mana bars so large they moved off the screen. I managed to get a few more bits of information. His name, class, and race were revealed-Narjak, Half-Giant Barbarian.
My bracelet started pulsing hard and I grew lightheaded, feeling vertigo overcome me. Then the helmet popped off my head. I stumbled back and the half-giant caught me. I blinked up at him as he hands roamed across my heavily muscled backside. The half giant’s cock was half erect against my thigh.
“Don’t fall for me, short stuff.” Narjak winked, voice soft.
“A-aye.” I looked up at him.
“You humans are so impressionable. Already starting to kinda look like me.” Narjak brushed his hand over my short, receding hairline. “Though maybe that’s what your dwarf avatar looks like?”
“I ain’t you.” I said.
“No, but if you wore that helmet a bit longer, I think I might have ended up with a perfect clone.” Narjak smirked. “Not a bad end for you, all things considered.”
“I’m not interested in that.” I pushed myself away from the giant’s grip. “I…I gotta save my friends! And fix this bracelet so it don’t turn me.”
“Huh. Resistant even with a fixed bracelet.” Narjak stared at me a moment. “Hey, why don’t you join us? Don’t have to be a dwarf, but you can’t be human. You’ve seen what I got. When the world fully shifts, we’ll be the ones on top.”
“Then I won’t be able to save Martin.”
“Right…” Narjak scratched his cheek. “But we can kill the werewolf and rescue your friend. Or trade. What’s one old farmer dwarf worth for the chance to transform the million dollar bounty into another dwarf?”
“Can you guarantee that with a contract?”
Narjak smiled. “So you’re saying you’d drop that pin if we came with a better offer?”
I looked down at my sigil, my pride as it pressed against my swollen pec. Could I really give it up? Saying it and thinking it was one thing. It was like the bracelet, giving it up made me feel bad.
“Maybe.” I swallowed. “But I wouldn’t remove it if it isn’t a sure thing.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s gonna take a lot of willpower and I don’t think I’ll manage it twice.”
“Huh. Smart.” Narjak smiled. “Maybe you got that from me?”
“Don’t tease.” I blushed, running my hand through my receding hairline, muscles bulging in my arm. “Can you help me or not?”
“You’ve got balls. I like that.” Narjak said. “But we want to have our fun too.”
I swallowed, wondering what he meant by that, and glanced down at his hardening cock. It’s as thick as my wrist. I blush. The half-giant leaned closer, hardy chest pressing against mine. We kissed, our lips firm and tight to each other. He was big and masculine, it made my cock throb. I felt something slide over my bracelet and went to look at it when Narjak pulled me deeper into the kiss. My spine popped painlessly and a found that he wasn’t having to lean quite so much into me.
“Mmm. You’ll love being me.” Narjak murmured.
I managed to look at my bracelet and saw a cord connecting it to Narjak’s VR helmet. With a gasp, I yanked it out. The changes slowed, then stopped. Narjak gave my crotch a gentle grope before I pulled away. The brute smirked and winked as I blushed.
“No. I’m not Narjak.” I said, though I was having some trouble believing that.
“Huh. I really do like that. You’ve got two options. One, finish your work order and maybe disappear. If you survive, we’ll intervene. Two, join our guild. My helmet is optional.”
“So...just go about my business?” I said, trying to ignore how enticing the second option was.
“Yep. We’ll simply..observe your progress.”
“That’s it?”
“Mmmhmm. We don’t like altering things too much. It’s fun watching players work out the game. It’s hot watching humans struggle.”
The schoolbell rang. Other members of the club spilled out of the room. They all gave me smiles and smirks as the walked past.
“If you survive, come see me and I’ll hack your bracelet. If you run, try to leave the school, or take the pin off…then let’s just say you’ll get to experience what it’s like being me.”
Then he signed the work order and left, leaving me alone with the IT teacher, who gestured at an empty stool at the bar.