Game Alive: A Science Fiction Adventure Novel Read Online Free PDF

questing whenever I’m not logged in. I’ve set it to keep simulating when I’m not here. I can have it run at different speeds as long as I’m not in here at the time, but I set it to real time. Days pass at the same rate in Xaloria, whether we’re here or not.”
    “Why?” asked Kari, wrinkling her brow. “Don’t you want them to wait for you? What if they do things you don’t want them to when you’re away?”
    “They do sometimes, but that’s what makes it seem real. I mean, when I’m not at your house, you don’t all stand around frozen, waiting for me to come back. Why should they?”
    “That makes sense,” Kari admitted. “But what if you have to quit in the middle of a quest? What then?”
    “Well, then I can pause it,” Jake said with a shrug. “But I haven’t tried any lengthy campaigns yet. Parts of this world are still being built, and anyway I like to come in with enough time to see a mission through to the end. Speaking of which, follow me. I’ll show you the Watering Hole.”
    “That’s actually what they call their inn?” asked Des as he and Kari fell into step beside Jake, who had taken off across the square. “Sorry Jake, that’s kind of weak.”
    Inside the Watering Hole – Jake had been hoping for something like “Wellspring” or “Spring Hearth” but the plump innkeeper Albred lacked imagination, if not business sense – the trio settled around one of the round oak tables near the big stone fireplace with its perfect dusting of soot. The innkeeper’s daughter Mirabel soon stopped by their table, one hand clutching aloft a cluster of empty earthenware mugs.
    “Your pleasure, Sir Xend?” she asked cheerfully. “Refreshments for yourself and your companions?”
    “Ciders, please,” Jake said. Mirabel turned and headed for the bar, shooting Des a little smile and a wink over her shoulder as she went.
    “She thinks you’re cute,” Kari told him, elbowing Des in the shoulder.
    “No, she doesn’t,” Des retorted. “She’s just nice, that’s all. Right?”
    Jake shrugged, smiling cryptically. When Des turned to look over his shoulder at the departed Maribel, Jake winked at Kari. “She never smiles at me like that,” he said.
    “Oh, shut up.” Des turned back around, cheeks reddening, and spoke in a whisper. “She’s coming back.”
    The young woman returned a moment later, setting their ciders on the table and turning to leave again. Jake stopped her. “Blacksmith Palon spoke of dread wolves making trouble in this area,” he said to the serving girl. “Have you heard anything?”
    Mirabel nodded, peering at Kari and then for a notably longer moment at Des before returning her attention to Jake. The brightness had fled her smile, and her sky blue eyes were darkened now by clouds. “Yes,” she said. “Farmer Dean lost four of his cattle last night, and Farmer Lewin’s entire hen house was slaughtered the night before.”
    “Did either of them see how many wolves there were?” asked Kari.
    “Master Dean says he counted five,” Mirabel answered quietly, glancing over her shoulder as though nervous someone should hear. “Dad says he can’t figure what the dread wolves are doing so far south, away from the Fissure. They’ve never been seen‘round here, never in a thousand years!”
    “I know,” said Jake, leaning toward the suddenly frightened young woman across the table. He had the same feeling as before, when the blacksmith had told them about the wolves in the first place. Jake still could not quite put his finger on what it was that seemed so out of place. He knew he would figure it out, eventually. “Don’t worry,” he told Mirabel. “We’ll get rid of them, anyway.”
    “I hope so,” said the innkeeper’s daughter. She managed one more little smile for Des before returning to the bar, but worry still lined her brow and her eyes sparkled more from barely restrained tears than their own natural beauty.
    “This keeps getting weirder,”