I knew there was no winning the fight. The third brother was a skilled fighter. Pain consumed me and my vision was filled with stars. My muddled mind somehow gauged the situation and chose to flee the spot.

I jumped into the stream, letting the current take me along its course.

I was vaguely aware that by going downstream I was only increasing the distance between me and the village, where I would have to reach at all cost if I wanted to survive. But for the time being I was choiceless.

I removed the arrows sticking to my body one by one. How I bore the pain I don’t know, but I managed to tether myself to consciousness. It was a herculean task to keep my eyes open.

After what seemed like hours, I found myself lying on a bank filled with small pebbles. I had put a great distance between myself and the farm. Thankfully the archer hadn’t pursued me.

My health was dipping below fifty. If it went down to zero then I would lose a life.

I pushed myself up. My wounds vomited fresh blood. It was a wonder I hadn’t fainted yet. I shook my head and spat. I couldn’t allow any weakness at this moment.

I began my arduous journey to the village. There was no set path and I staggered my way through the plant life. I focused my mental energies to trudge in the correct direction. Losing my way was not an option.

The forest assaulted me with thorns and the insects seemed to take delight in biting and stinging me. A dull throb occupied my head, which I kept slapping it to stay alert.

It was after sunset that my sore feet touched the familiar surroundings of the village. Despite the oncoming darkness the guards saw me when I waved feebly, and came running. My health was down to ten. After pushing myself to the limits the whole day, I found myself incapable of even taking a step forward now that I was at the doorstep of help. I wavered and collapsed. My health further decreased to five.

The bewildered guards asked what had happened, but I was in no condition to explain anything. As they carried me inside the village, I didn't have the smallest doubt that I would lose a life today.

***

It was a buzz in my trousers that brought me back to senses. I opened my eyes to see the Skhite physicians surrounding me. A minty fragrance hung in the air of my chamber. My health had climbed back to fifty and I was pleased.

“Easy,” the head physician said, for I was about to sit up. I obeyed him and stayed low.

Nora and Nadir were also near me.

“Did anyone go to the farm?” I whimpered.

“The second shift guards went,” Nadir said, “they brought back the bodies. Did players do all this?”

I nodded.

“They are all bastards,” the physician mumbled with a suppressed temper. “We try to be peaceful, and they come and kill us.”

Just then I felt the vibration again. I retrieved my phone that Kiara had bought for me. It was astounding that the phone was working after being subjected to the water ride in the stream.

I received Kiara’s call.

“Vicky?”

“Yes,” I said, noting the faintness in my tone.

There was silence from the other end.

“You don’t sound very well,” Kiara said finally.

“Because I am not,” I said.

Had I been more rational at the moment I would have kept mum regarding the day’s events, but my mind was conjuring images of dead guards and burnt farms, and I was irked.

Just then the phone died. I looked at the wet blank screen for a moment. I considered slamming the phone and turning it to bits, but I held my anger. Kiara had brought me the phone with love.

I searched my other pocket and fished out the gold dust pouch.

“Are you going to put anything else on me?” I asked the physician. My wounds were already covered with some herbal green paste. The physician shook his head.

“Do not move much,” he advised me with a firm stare, so I would take his words seriously. “In fact it would be best if you do not move at all. You will recover faster. The wounds should heal at least partially in a week.”

I thanked the physician for his help, and then dismissed him and the others. Once alone, I thought of Kiara’s room in my mind and generated the portal.

Kiara was busy with her phone, perhaps trying to connect with my device.

“Hey,” I said to get her attention to the portal. She rushed into the game world, a look of horror pasted on her face that was thicker than the medicinal paste on my wounds.

“What happened to you?” she asked with wide concerned eyes.

I held up my dead phone.

“Were you attacked?”

“First you gather all that gold dust and put it in this pouch otherwise I would never be able to connect with the real world again,” I said to her.

Kiara immediately got down on all fours and scooped the shiny powder from the floor and put it in the pouch. I narrated to her the ill fated events of the day. As I progressed along my story her alarm intensified.

“You will be alright… right?” she said, gently caressing the skin surrounding my injuries.

“They fixed me last time. I am counting on their herbs.”

Kiara did not return to the real world. She stayed by me the entirety of the next day, despite my pleadings. I was afraid her sudden disappearance would confuse everyone in the office.

The third day after the attack on the farm, Lady Luck smiled on me. My brother Sam arrived. And he had health vials.

What a joy it was to see my health level climb up to maximum mere moments after emptying the potion in my mouth. I removed the dried paste that had covered my wounds, revealing normal skin underneath.

I stood up and stretched my body. No need to adhere to any restrictions anymore.