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  Chapter 2: Issuing a Quest and Causing Chaos.

  “Ugh…” Fisk groaned, his eyes fluttering open to stare at the sky above that was oddly crystal blue, a color unseen in urban America.

  With a scream Fisk jolted, frantically patting his body to douse the flames that weren't there.

  A moment passed, with Fisk out of breath as he surveyed his surroundings and the random assortment of items he lay on.

  Am… Am I in a trash dumpster?

  Then, a sigil. A floating circle of blue floating above his head that drew his eye from the drab alleyway he found himself in.

  “Huh? What's- hey!” Fisk yelled, his body suddenly covered by garbage spilling from the sigil. “Fulh! Stop! Da- help! Hell-”

  Fisk's shouts of protest were cut off, buried by the mound of random items pouring endlessly from the blue vortex.

  Beneath the refuse, Fisk was struggling to breath, his body encased on all sides by items that were slowly crushing him.

  Damn! Am I seriously about to die from being buried alive by trash?!

  Fisk's breathing became shallow, his heart rate rising, blood pumping, hands gripping and clawing at anything in a desperate attempt to save his life.

  Then, it happened, a miracle, the sunlight pouring into his pit of discards to reveal a foreign face staring at him.

  “Oh hey, there's an NPC here!” The man said, helping to pull Fisk out of the trashcan.

  “Oh thank you! Thank you!” Fisk exclaimed as the man helped to prop him on the nearby alley wall of brick and mortar.

  “An NPC in a discards bin?” Another man said, walking up to Fisk to eye him. “Where’s his leg?”

  Then Fisk noticed it, the name tags above their heads and the fact that both men were wearing medieval gear.

  Ass&Blaster and Lost_Dog.

  “Oh! Maybe it's a rare quest? Hey Mr, you got a quest?” Ass Blaster asked, crouching down. “You got a quest?”

  “Quest? What the hell are you talking about?” Fisk replied.

  “Hey? Do you need help?” Lost Dog asked. “I don't think he's got a quest, I don't see a quest marker.”

  “Where am I? Who are you people?” Fisk asked, the pair sharing a look.

  “Did you understand that? What language is that? It's not common.”

  Fisk frowned, realizing he could understand them but not the other way around.

  “Nope, must be a prerequisite quest, or an NPC from Lordran? Didn't the forums say they were adding in new NPCs from the new lands?”

  “In the next patch. I thought we had a month? Should we leave him?”

  “Eh, must be a shadow drop. What's he doing in a discards bin?”

  “Might be a player's practical joke,” Ass Blaster chuckled, “Ol one Leg. Anyway I gotta go, if he's not giving a quest I gotta get some homework done.”

  “Yeah, same, hop on discord though.”

  The two suddenly vanished, leaving Fisk alone, confused, and stunned at the two figures who dematerialized in a flash of light.

  “What the fuck was that?!” Fisk yelled before his attention was taken by the loud galloping of what sounded like horses.

  Fisk turned his head and pushed off the cold slick ground and began crawling his way forward to the alley entrance to get a better view of his location.

  Normally when lost and in a foreign position, the policy was to shelter in place and wait for rescue. But, judging from the strangers' clothes, his run in with two Lord of the Rings characters and being nearly buried alive by a magical dumpster… it was safe to say help wasn't coming.

  Then, Fisk saw it, the outside world beyond the dim confines of the brick and mortar alleyway.

  “What the shit?” Fisk muttered, unable to stop the swear that left his mouth as he gazed upon the city of silver and gold.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  Ahead of Fisk, lay a city of spiraling towers, cobblestone paved roads, and beasts of various sizes ranging from humanoid to the size of a full on Abrams tank.

  The city itself was massive, with open spaces of flora and greenery, a far cry from the cluttered dark-grey metropolises so familiar to earth.

  Perhaps most amazing were the literal islands floating in the air, bodies of earth suspended away from the ground in a way that could only be described as magical.

  “Well… this certainly ain't Texas… guess it's time for some recon,” Fisk said as several people in knight-like armor strolled past him carrying spears.

  ****

  “That's just sad.”

  “Should someone help him?”

  “Man, talk about real, looks like they're really shooting for that M rating huh?”

  “Should we see if that NPC has a quest?”

  “Eh there's no quest marker.”

  “Still sad though.”

  Dragging his way through what he assumed was the town plaza, Fisk scowled as the hodgepodge crowd of alien species scoffed and made fun of him.

  Some were human, some had cat ears, while others were a varied mix of brightly colored haired humanoids with confusing skin tones like green or blue.

  Fisk grumbled as he clawed his way across the cobblestone, he had no crutch, no wheelchair, hell, at this point he'd settle for a skateboard to roll himself around.

  Instead, all he had was his one good leg, two arms, and anger coursing through his veins that propelled him forward. That was, until a shadow descended over him.

  “Hey? Do you need help?”

  Fisk raised his head at the sound of a woman's voice, another person with floating words above their head.

  “Yes,” Fisk groaned through gritted teeth, staring at the blue-haired cat? Girl, “That would be most appreciated! Get me something I can use to walk around!”

  Suddenly a translucent box appeared before Fisk, one that startled the paraplegic.

  [Would you like to issue a quest?]

  ->Yes?

  -No?

  Fisk blinked, his eyes trying to take in the words that hung in front of him.

  Yes? If I can get off this damn floor fine!

  [Please select Quest Reward!]

  -Reward Options.

  {0-10000 EXP}

  {0-100 Favor}

  “Ten thousand! Whatever, just get me something to walk with!” Fisk ordered, swiping his hands at the words that were making his vision hurt.

  Suddenly Fisk felt a jolt, an electrifying sensation from within that made his body tingle.

  [Issuing Quest: Find suitable Item for [Nobody] to Walk with!]

  -Reward: 10000EXP

  “Oh hey! That NPC did have a quest after all!” Someone shouted as the woman who had come to help Fisk suddenly went wide-eyed.

  “T-ten thousand xp?” The woman labeled as Senzawa muttered in shock.

  “Did she just say ten thousand xp?”

  The crowd went still, all eyes turning to Fisk like starving leopards observing prey.

  Oh… why do I feel like I've fucked up?

  Senzawa ran, chased by dozens of armed people while a horde gathered around Fisk like a torrent of water breaking from a dam.

  “Hey give me a quest!”

  “Do you need anything?”

  “Try the phrase she said!”

  “Hey do you need help?”

  “No! It was more like, hey? Do you need help?”

  Fisk was surrounded, mobbed down by dozens of ravenous people who were now poking and prodding him, repeatedly asking him for a quest as he tried to shield himself.

  “Maybe he's a rare NPC?”

  “Wait! He gave out ten K XP! if we kill him does that mean we'll get a ton of experience?”

  “Maybe he has rare loot?”

  “You idiot! If we attack him you'll upset the Judges!”

  Suddenly someone kicked Fisk, sending a jolt of pain through his body and forcing him to curl up.

  “Hey! Stop! If you kill him we won't all get XP!”

  “Quick! Join my party! We'll kill him to get his XP!” A guy labeled ShartTrooper yelled, drawing a blade and racing at Fisk who could only raise his hand in pitiful defense. “I'LL BE TOP!”

  However, before the labeled person could attack Fisk, a boom sounded and a flash of lightning, in the place of the charging warrior was now a pile of ash, along with three black armored beings with the words Judge floating above their heads.

  “Cease hostilities!” a Judge yelled, followed by the crowds fleeing and allowing Fisk to catch his breath. “Violence is not permitted within the Imperial Capital.”

  However, he wasn't out of the clear yet. He could see them watching. Waiting. Eager to rip him apart for the thing they called XP.

  “Hey! I got something for you to walk with!”

  Then, the person named Senzawa returned, this time battered and covered in ash but nonetheless smiling ear to ear with anticipation.

  The blue-haired cat girl casually handed Fisk two sheathed swords.

  [Accept Item: Common Iron Longsword x2 as Quest Item?]

  The hell am I supposed to do with two swords?!

  “You can use them as crutches!” Senzawa said, eagerly pushing the weapons to Fisk who closed his eyes.

  “Fine, this'll do,” Fisk scowled, taking the two sheathed weapons as Senzawa’s eyes grew wide.

  [QUEST COMPLETE!]

  “AWESOME!” Senzawa screamed, jumping into the air as her body radiated energy. “I just hit level cap! AAAAAAH!”

  Shivers crawled down Fisk's spine, the woman's words drawing the ire of the crowd once more.

  I gotta get the fuck out of here. Fisk reasoned before grabbing the two swords and stabilizing himself and hobbling away.

  Unfortunately… Like wolves tracking wounded prey, the people followed closely behind Fisk, eager to rip him apart or pester him for a quest.

  “Fuck this world,” Fisk spat, turning and giving the crowd the middle finger only to receive chuckles in response. “Damn hyenas… where the fuck am I?!”

  Fisk yelled his frustration into the air, the ridicule and absurdity of his situation pissing him off.

  Then, without warning, Fisk's surroundings changed, the scenery of high-rise building and silver structures replaced instead with an infinite blackness that stretched in all directions.

  “Who the fuck are you?”

  Fisk spun, eyes wide at the four-foot tiny girl wearing a lab coat scowling at him with an oversized shotgun in her hands.