Chapter 281 - Everspire Expansion (1/2)

”This your girlfriend?” Bev pointed to Mai, who was sleeping on the couch. Nix had slept for a few hours and then woken up. He had covered the Asian girl with a blanket from the bedroom.

”Yep.”

Mai's laugh from the couch told them that she was awake. ”In your dreams.”

Nix considered the statement for a moment before playing. ”I have three girlfriends in my dreams, oh and 'last domino'.”

”Damn you!” Pon's southern accent didn't match up with his old man persona. Pon was actually a 35-year-old Texan with a thick head of brown hair.

Pon, Jun Li, and Semmi had shown up together a few minutes after Nix's family. The six of them were seated around the dining room table playing a domino game called 'Mexican Trains.'

Nix was trying not to stare at Semmi and Pon. Real Semmi was a tiny blonde named Samantha; she was funny and extremely quit-witted. The two obviously had a bit of real-world chemistry. Jun Li was a tall, athletic woman. Her face seemed average, but when she smiled, Nix had decided that she was pretty.

”The two of you look exactly like your avatars.” Jun Li was flipping over dominoes while they restarted the game.

Bev nodded. ”None of us knew anything about VR gaming, so we were complete noobs.”

”Seen Ronnie or Sharl?” Pon said it while hiding a smile.

Nix shook his head. ”They haven't stopped by.

”Yeah... they're super hot.” Semmi opened a can of soda and poured it into two glasses before sliding one to Jun Li.

Jun Li nodded in agreement. ”Scandinavians, if you can believe it, blonde hair and blue eyes.”

Nix made a face. Somehow he didn't want to see that version of Ronnie, his image of her as dark and sexy had to be preserved. ”At least Gideon looks the same.”

Pon nodded. ”I always thought he fought like a woman.”

”The hells that mean?” Mai finally moved from the couch; her dark hair was still standing straight up. There was no way anyone would ever confuse her with her Assassin Avatar Gideon, her easy-going manner brimmed with confidence.

”Soon as you told me you were a female, it all made sense,” Nix admitted.

Mai walked pass the group and peeked in the fridge; it was stocked with all kinds of beverages. ”How's that?”

Nix leaned back in his chair and snuck a peek at his dad's dominoes. ”You regularly go for the groin while fighting, totally against the man code.”

Semmi laughed at the comment. ”Wait... Isn't there an infamous move called the Woodcutter where you relieved someone of their equipment?”

Nix frowned at the tiny blond. ”He was a demon and completely naked. Not the same.”

”Nope, not the same,” Pon agreed.

***********

The clock counter on Nix's hud told him there were only a few minutes left until Colonial went back online. The group was still seated around the table, Mai had pulled up a chair from the bedroom desk.

”What do you think was nerfed?” Pon had been worried about it since they were logged off. Apparently, his concern had to do with several black market items in his inventory.

Semmi considered the comment for a moment. ”I think it's the death of Khione. We all get a quest saying any of us could be the 'General' in a battle for Colonial, and then you guys kill Khione.”

”Does that mean this was out of sequence?” Jun Li had been playing Colonial the longest; she had never heard of anything like a live-patch.

Nix thought back to Hyai, who had been making dinner when the patch hit. What if she was gone? Or if Shae didn't exist?

Mai had been watching Nix's expressions change. He had more virtual friends than any gamer she'd ever met. She wanted to say something to comfort him, but it felt awkward.

Jun Li reached across the table and squeezed his hand; apparently, his friends also picked up on his concerns. ”Don't worry, Nix; we'll relog into the exact moment we left. Our NPC friends will still be there.”

[Logging Off: Virtuna]

[Logging In: Colonial]

[Patch Notes: In an Epic battle beneath the frozen Tundra of Colonial, the Inferno Guild suffered a significant loss. Khione struck down their Guild Leader, and the two of them disappeared into a rift created by the Ice Goddess. ]

[A file labeled Read Me has been sent to your hud.]

Jun Li invited all the Player Officers to her vineyard home, oddly enough only Semmi had ever been there before since Inferno tended to congregate wherever Nix was. Behind her house, there was a large patio with a long table for entertaining. No one was in a festive mood. Ronnie sat with her arms crossed, her dark eyes already blazing with anger.

[Jun Li has created the Vineyard channel]

Semmi has joined the Vineyard channel.

Pon has joined the Vineyard channel.

Wind has joined the Vineyard channel.

Banzi has joined the Vineyard channel.

Chael has joined the Vineyard channel.