World Upgrade

Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Another Tier Three boat held the family that signed the contract for this sector with the Nature God. More employees as players on Tier One and Three crafts than any other in any sector. The Beaufort's, a family of extremely old money with no plans of changing that standing. Pereguine Beaufort, head of the household, came into this game with his call unlocked, Pact Maker Class. He watched his son and daughters distribute the contents of the rough wooden chest aboard the ship, he wanted it removed from the decking immediately after. Paying more attention to the contents when his son reached in and brought out a Beast Tamer Whistle Legendary Tier, turning it over in his hand, strange look on his face, he asked if there were more. After a quick glace inside the chest the only son, Caspian, laughed and told his twin sister Cecelia.

“That whistle request just unlocked Collector Class.” He smirked pocketing the whistle, turning on his heel to find his other younger sisters, Ophelia and Aurelia inside the cabin finding the best rooms after the master, to share his good fortune. The progression speed of his children pleased him, it was the only way they could, doing what would benefit him. The rest of the loot was moved into a personal chest of Pereguines’ in the Master Cabin, the chest was an item from his Class, unmovable from its location by anyone but him, with a mental connection to access no matter the distance. Checking the contents after his children had their pick, Pereguine saw The Doppler Tuning Fork Epic Tier, a deafening shockwave that shatters enemy armor and stuns them, duration of stun dependent on constitution. The Graveyard Pocket Watch Legendary Tier, when HP hits 0 player has 2 minutes in Ghost Form with triple speed and double damage to take a life to replace their own, if successful revived with 1HP. Cecelia immediately took the Duplicate Box Elite Tier, any objects placed inside will double in quantity after twenty four hours, the first bottle of alcohol she found was going in and never coming out until a better version arrived. Aurelia took the Preservation Jar Elite Tier, can store any activated buffs with their time left for an unlimited amount of time, can store up to three buffs and the Emergency Raft, a small bag with instructions to pull a rip cord, for an emergency Small Tier Three boat, fits two people, 2 week countdown to upgrade to Standard Tier Three Ship. Ophalia held the Mirror Link Dagger Elite Tier, whoever looks at the reflective mirror surface of the dagger, links to the holder, any damage delt mirrored back to dealer. Combining the chest loot with his Class equipment, The Ice Blue Monocle, able to see past any player masks or identity scramblers and his Golden Quill. Once every seven days, Peregrine can use the quill to write one single word onto any blank parchment. The written word instantly becomes an absolute physical reality within his immediate environment.

The Tickets featuring the name Briar, changed to the name of the players who came in their stead. Sarah Johnson and Jackson Johnson. Appearing with a flash and the children the Briars expected them to leave behind, seven employees of the Elite filled an Eliteless Tier Three ship. Mr. Briar expected his employees would jump at the chance of a superior world compared to what the rest of Earth was in for. His latest girlfriend hovering close by, ensuring she did nothing to ruin her chances of a ticket with the temperamental old man. And jump they did, just not with him.

Lily and Chole Johnson, thirteen and ten, couldn’t help but light up and grin with a tinge of embarrassment at the immediate, infectious celebratory atmosphere of their victory. Laughing and shouting cheers between one another, amongst hugs and excited sprints over the ship as they bounced from side to side of the vessel exploring their new home. Their fathers short, loud barking laugh stood out, he didn’t leave the girls sight from their spot in the middle of the deck next to a chest opposite the Wheelhouse Cabin. Lily watched him as he glanced at their curly brown heads for a split second now and then, checking they hadn’t moved.

“The nerve of Briar.” Gemma Miller, a 23 year old who had cleaned for Mr. Briar the last year, gasped with flat disbelief. Pausing her explorations to stand near the girls. “In what world are they old enough to survive by now.” She repeated their old employers opinion of leaving the girls on their own, in a separate unreachable sector. Gemma had been approached by Derek Moss, the grounds keeper, in private, offering a plan of giving the Chefs children their tickets without Briars knowledge so it couldn’t be stopped. She had a better plan of taking the Elites tickets for the children.

Swiping the Tickets from the Briars for the girls gave Gemma the same rush and satisfaction as the perfect secret Santa gift. It was something she loved and did well, working out what people desired and making it happen for them. It was her perfect coup de grace before leaving her home world. Banishing the arrogant, entitled Briar and his latest squeeze to the common masses, whilst making a family's dreams come true.

As Gemma basked in the glow of her good deed, an urge to open the chest pulled her stomach. Looking to Sarah, the girls mother, as Sarah made her way back toward them from below deck, Gemma suggested, “why don’t the girls open this chest up and see what goodies we have inside?”

Sarah looked at Lily and Chloe, nodding with a smile and a raise of eyebrows to the box, indicating them to open it. Knowing from the letter the chest was safe to open, the contents inside may be another matter. Jackson, the girls’ father stood next to his wife, followed by Derek the grounds keeper and Leo Finch, the previous Bultler. Once the girls had their audiences full attention, they knelt and counted down to open it together.

‘Starter Chest Unlocked’

“Wooooah.” Lily the eldest, stared in wonder at the virtual reality overtaking her, like the ultimate upgrade to VR Glasses. A glowing screen overlaying her vision, allowing her to focus on either real world or the words raining down in front of her eyes.

‘One fishing rod Standard Tier, One fishing hook Standard Tier.

The Mimic Badge Rare Tier +10 HP, 10 minutes stat change to highest of opponents stats, 30 minute cooldown.

Anchor Tether Epic Tier +5 strength, locks player in place, skills and buffs work but the players stays in place, high agility, running in any direction and they don’t leave that spot, teleport, back to that spot, 2 minutes active, 1 hour cooldown. Rebound Ring Rare Tier +10 Constitution, any curses, negative buffs or effects are reversed, instead of poison dropping HP it rises at the fall rate.

Environmental Thermometer Legendary Tier stabilizes outside weather influence on the ship to maintain steady temperature of boat.

Gill Filter Necklace Epic Tier unlimited breathing under water ability.

Infinity Core, Legendary Tier a light yellow cone shaped crystal on a necklace, 30 seconds all items and skills cooldown are reduced to 0, cooldown 72 hours.

Magic Lamp Legendary Tier.’

“Why doesn’t this one say what it does?” Gemma asked lifting out the Magic Lamp from the chest. Turning it over in her hands, it was an old fashioned oil lamp shape, made of ornate gold, beset with gems accentuating a floral nature design. Pulling a sleeve over her palm, Gemma rubbed a speck of dirt from the side of the lamp. It happened. With a poof of purple smoke Gemma accepted Genie Class.

Laughing she looked down at herself, decked out in floating deep purple silks, a tiny crop top with billowing pants. Gold seamless cuffs the size of her wrist were wrapped tight, a short fabric bun veil dangled a single coin from the fabric reaching the nape of her neck. Laughing loudly, Gemma saw on her screen as she poofed into purple smoke again.

‘Smoke Flight 10EXP 10MP’

‘Genie Class Tier 1 Level 1 10/50EXP 70/80MP’

The group saw her disappear in a puff of smoke the shade of her outfit, it cleared quickly again, lastly barely a second. Gemma had transformed again, smoke trailing from her waist where legs would be, floating off the ground she bellowed out another laugh and flew in a flip, shouting.

“Someone make a Wish!”

In another Sector, far from the Elites, the atmosphere was the absolute opposite to the laughing Genie. Floating on a small Tier One Raft alone, a rage like no other filled Claudia T Vanderhill. It consumed her. They hadn’t informed her of the mail fiasco, apparently occurring all her life at The Bay. When her letter and ticket were delayed the staff assured her it would arrive in time. It was not until the countdown numbered less than two hours, the Head Housekeeper Gloria admitted to their failings. Far too late to do anything about it. Hiring someone who could be there in minutes would still take them over three hours by helicopter to deliver her the ticket.

She had swiped Glorias Ticket, absolutely furious. Or so she had thought. The business card sized stiff paper crumpled, stuffed into her pocket, was just an everyday train ticket. The difference invisible in her lofty high life of never handling cash, personal drivers and private planes. She knew it was intentional. The purposeful delay to tell of her letter. The calculated silence of possessing the Head Housekeepers wrong ticket.

They were jealous. They took what was rightfully hers. Claudia screamed out her futility at the empty ocean, rage burning to a simmering glowing coal driving her every action. They had no idea who they were dealing with. But they would find out.

Almost kicking the starter chest open in disgust, knowing she was now delegated to random chance, she glared at the contents listing down her vision.

‘Starter Chest Unlocked’

‘One fishing rod Standard Tier, One fishing hook Standard Tier. 5 Ocean Coins, The Sculptor’s Chisel Rare Tier (sculptures made real, cost 50 Magic Points), 5 iron’

Later in the evening after hours of fury driven grinding, Claudia sat with her chisel and a log of wood. Carving a rough bottle of water, she activated the skill. A bottle of water true to size of her carving took place where the wood once was, a clean hollow the water fit snugly in. Notifications ran down.

‘Magic Points 30/80’

‘Carver Class Unlocked.’

With a grin at the chisel she accepted. Reading through her new class she saw the activation cost had shortened to 10 MP, set to increase with Class Level. Starting to carve a larger bottle of water, Claudia wondered how much she would have to Level up to carve a vortex creating Sector Travel Ticket.