A/N––Another chapter here. I'm thinking that my updates will become pretty erratic later but for now I'll try to get them up asap. Still hoping for some critique on how I write. But I guess no news is good news. I hope that someone can PM me about anything they'd like to see. After all we're on tier seven of a 100 tier campaign. Best wishes, with white feathers.
Phase 02 The Alliance of White Wings.
We spent a good long time at a restaurant in Ala, the second floor. Having a nice long reunion. We talked about everything.
"I'm glad your safe."
Reese said as he slapped my back with enthusiasm.
"Man what would we tell your sister if..." There was a frozen silence filled only by the crowd and our eating.
"Is she here?" I dreaded the answer.
"No, thank god no. She was going to–"
"I remember now." I tell him.
It was a vague memory, from that other life. "I remember now."
I couldn't help but suppress the smile and tears that came to mind from that memory.
"Yeah." I take a long drink of the coffee, I think its coffee, beverage and slam the glass down.
Then its back to less serious topics. "Well its nice to see you all in one piece."
"Amen." They gave a small cheer before our second course arrived.
"So now that I'm thinking about it."
I looked at them all, the twelve of them. Reese, Jack, Mikayla, Shay, Shiloh, Sim, Burt, Mike, his brother John, Jason, Laura, and Jane. Jane was the one who recognized me first and who destroyed the sub-boss.
"When did you guys start this guild?" Jane gave a slight smile.
Reese laughs, "Well."
Jack starts. "It sorta happened when we found each other in the Starting city. We officially formed around the time the third boss was beaten."
That long ago. Guilds were a relatively new feature that appeared in one of the updates. I remember it now, the slight blur of everything, how enemies disappeared for a few minutes. The update took twenty minutes but it was a noticeable twenty minutes.
"So what name did you get stuck with?"
I had seen some ridicules names, the Savian Liberation Allegiance. The Draconian Order. So on and so on. Its hoped that eventually the guilds can be renamed.
"Well Jane here's the leader. She should be the one who tells you." Jane again.
Back in the real world she was on the cheerleading squad. Her black hair shined slightly when the light hit it. Her eyes looked...as if they'd swallow you. She could understand you, see right through your facade. I knew this to be true, her grey eyes were made for finding out your lies and secrets. She was the worst person you can have as an enemy, and the best person to have as a friend. I was a bit unnerved whenever I met her gaze. It was like she could read me, step by step.
"The Alliance of White Wings." Her voice was cold, as if she suppressed every last bit of emotion.
I didn't doubt that though, she was an incredible person. She was a natural leader.
"That's not to bad a name." I said shifting my gaze back to my food.
"Anyway, didn't you hear. The guy with the Skull mask is a criminal." Reese got a jab in the ribs.
"I kind of figured." Jack, who had jabbed Reese, said.
"When we ran into the four monsters there I thought we were goners."
"You might as well have been. If I wasn't treasure hunting you guys might have gotten wiped out." I saw more than one of them shiver.
"Yeah. But you weren't exactly in the best situation either." Jack reminded me.
"Yeah." Our silverware clinked against plates after a while.
"Phew." I said, reclining in my seat.
Then I was bombarded by requests.
"AH!" My vision was blocked by the sheer number.
They were all friend requests. All twelve of them.
"So we can stay in touch." Jane explained as she sent me hers.
I grumbled a little as I rapidly accepted them all, then I had to clear the notices or else I'd be blinded by the wall of messages.
"Give me some warning will you. I could have walked into a wall." They laughed at me.
I laughed to. It was just like the good old times. In the middle of it I got a message from Red, it was a voice recording actually. "Sol. We're meeting up at the usual place. Sid has a requests."
"Be there in a few." I sent her the response.
"Sorry. Got to fly." I dashed off in a hurry.
Sid got himself a house in Mythril. He turned it into a small café like place. Red and I used it as an unofficial meeting place. Sid had delegated himself as a merchant. He ran the shop and was a fair person to barter with. Or at least to me he was. He doesn't take so much a part in the clearing anymore but any of us front-liners can go there for a good deal or two. I got onto the dais and called out, "Mythril."
I teleported to the city on the seventh floor. It took me a moment to find Sid's house. It was two stories on the outskirts of town. A wooden cottage that could probably accommodate several people should the need arise, especially since it was two stories. The entire ground floor was dedicated to business, tables and a bar were set out and the man himself was there.
"Yo Sid, still alive." It had become a type of unofficial greeting between us.
"Yeah. Business just died down so your in luck." I sat at the bar and tapped the wooden surface.
A menu appeared. Sid leaned over and pointed out a few things.
"This ones a steal, that one is worth the price."
"A business man to the core." I remark as I choose one of his suggestions.
I wait to eat a meal before I ask about his request.
"Order up." He says and I gawk.
I just stare as she puts the plate down in front of me. When I finally close my mouth I turn away.
"What's wrong?" She asks with a bit of menace in her voice.
I had rarely seen Red without her trademark cloak. Now she was dressed as a waitress, serving me food. I had to stifle my laughter as it threatened to bubble up from me. I take a throwing knife and quietly stab my own palm. That calms me down. I turn back to the bar and eat with my eyes concentrating on the things in front of me. The glass of water, my food, the whorls of the wooden bar. Anything but Red. I slowly finish my third lunch of the day. I felt a little sick, maybe I ate to much.
"How was it?" Sid asks further down the bar.
"It was good." I deposit some Lire onto the bar and slide it over to him.
"Keep the change." For letting me see Red like this he could keep the twenty percent.
"Anyway. What do you need me to do?" Red sat next to me as Sid told me what he needed.
"I refuse." I say rapidly.
"You can't. Little Red riding hood made the bet, your bound by honor to pay your half."
A little background on our little wager.
"Whoa!" Sid exclaimed.
"I know. What would you give me for it?" I was trying to sell Sid one of the eagle eggs.
The golden egg had occupied the bottom of my inventory ever since that quest from the first tier.
"You kidding me right? This is an SS–Class Ingredient! Do you know how rare this thing is?" I let him rant on and on about it for about ten minutes.
"Besides, who in the World can cook this high a level ingredient?" It was at that moment that Red jumped in.
"I know a girl." We stared dumbfounded.
"B-but that's nearly impossible. To cook a SS-class ingredient you'd need to nearly max out your cooking."
She nods. "Yeah, I know somebody like that."
Then there was a fierce twenty minutes of bartering. "WAIT!"
Red stopped us. "She might not do it."
We were crestfallen. This egg could make several servings of delicious omelets, or whatever it could be used to make. But then Sid got a brilliant idea.
"I propose," He started off.
"That you get her to cook this egg and you both get a free serving." My mouth watered.
Food, sleep, and a bath. The three luxuries of the game. Supposedly the higher your cooking level the better even simple food tasted.
"But," I would regret this, I would seriously regret this.
"If you can't. Well," What he asked of us was something I refused to do.
"Deal." Red jumped the gun on this.
"H-hold––"
"Alright its settled." They shook hands as I prayed that Red's friend wold cook the egg.
"Let's see what you can do in a week."
Now back to the present.
"Come out now." Sid said outside the door.
"Go to hell." I muttered quietly as I looked at myself in the mirror.
I took a deep breath before opening the door. "You look good. It was worth the twenty-five pieces of Lire and a spear."
Only that. These clothes were the highest grade stuff I've seen so far. They looked a lot like real world clothes.
"I'd never thought I'd see armor like this." Sid shakes his head.
"Its not armor. It just clothes. Uniforms if you want to get technical." I was surprised.
I had never seen regular clothes in this world. "Don't tell me you never realized this was available?"
Asides from clearing and treasure hunting I had very few hobbies in this world. I did like to explore and find perfect napping spots but that never really took me long. i was clueless, sue me.
"Your hopeless." Sid said as he pushed me downstairs.
"W-wait." I didn't want to go down like this.
While you might see me wear something like this in the real world, using it here in Purgatory made me feel...uncomfortable. "Sorry, rules of the bet."
We both stopped at the foot of the stairs.
"W-what." Red asked. Sid chuckled.
I wished I could go back up stairs. "Come on. Smile."
Sid shoved me forward. I stumbled a step or two and stood to one side of Red. "Come on now. You two are going to advertise for me."
He rubbed his hands together, I thought I saw the glint of Lire in his eyes. My imagination no doubt. I toyed with one of the buttons of the long sleeve shirt.
"Come on come on." He would later describe what he did as a friendly push. I'd describe it as more like shove.
Now Red, in a red dress looked down and away from me as she was nudged closer to me. "There, now if you just..."
We ended up holding hands.
"Now."
I took a step back as Sid's hands reach for my head.
"W-wait–" After a few eternal minutes and some quiet threats I have a pleasant smile on my face.
"Good good. Better. Sol, don't act so stiff." It took a long time before Sid deemed us presentable.
"Go. Go my little love-birds." I wanted to smack him hard for that.
We were told to go from tier to tier, discretely advertising for his shop. I felt a dozen sets of eyes bore into me as I walk down the street. Eventually we follow Sid's advice and go to a restaurant. He told me to be less stiff. I think that would be incredible hard.
Brief gossip from the Paper.
Yesterday something highly unlikely happened. Reportedly, a couple was seen in several restaurants, having a good time and comparing the food to that of a player run café on the Seventh tier world. Nothing surprising there...except that it was Red who was seen. The highly popular clearer stunned many by showing off her b––
The paper turned into polygons in Red's hands. I never realized how popular she'd become. From what Sid said she had many fans, even an official fan club. I stifled my laugh as he went onto explain how, according to him, her generosity and bravery made her highly popular. Something about saving a group of players from a strong horde by herself. Now, the idol, was shaking across the table from me. Because of her popularity if she does something that amazes her fans it goes straight into the Paper. She had a lot of fans.
"I'm glad I'm not well known." I receive a kick under the table.
On the bright side Sid has been busy for the past two days.
"Thank you guys." He says as he hurries by us.
"He seems happy." Red's knuckles crack.
"I should hope so. After all the rumors of the beloved Red––" I deserved the next kick I get.
She glares at me from the deep shadows of her cloak. Towards the evening Sid puts two platters down in front of us.
"What's this for?" I eat a little of the omelet.
"Consider it a thank you." I dropped my silverware and felt tears come from my eyes.
"So good." I agreed with Red.
"W-what is this?" I ask wiping a tear away.
"A Hercules omelet." I stare at him.
"You didn't." Red asks with a bit of anger in her voice.
"Your friend is a good chef. She sends her regards."
I see Red's shoulders move. Was she...laughing. I caught a glimpse of her face.
"C-ca-calm down. Calm down Red." She was most definitely not laughing.
"She says she had a great laugh." Sid leaves before Red decides to kill him.
Things seemed to be going great. I had found my friends from the real world. I was making friends in this one. Of course it can't last. But...it wasn't time yet. I'd be given some happiness before they came.
I got a message from the White Wings. "We're going to go through a dungeon. Want to tag along."
It was on the fifth tier. I wondered if they'd be alright. I decided that I'd ditch the strategy meeting and go with them for a bit. I sent E-stone a message with an excuse. I arrive at the dungeon and see no one around.
"Damn." I start to enter but a knife thuds next to my foot. I turn with my sword at the ready.
"Didn't expect you to come." Jane says as she approaches.
I feel something, not hostility per se. But I wanted to run.
"Where is everyone?" She shakes her head.
"Its just you and me Sol." I swallowed.
I called her by her username now. "Okay Diana, what's the matter. Where is the rest of your guild." She gets close to me, I tense up.
Then she walks past. "I think we should have a chat."
I hesitantly follow her into the dungeon. "What is this about?" She's quiet. Eerily quiet.
I see a horde ahead. "Cover me."
She sends me a Link invite. I accept as she charges into the horde. She throws knives faster than I can see. Several Wendigo, a gray, humanoid giant, lose a sixth of their health. I charge in and destroy the horde.
"Wait." Jane...Diana is already continuing deeper into the dungeon.
We take down several more hordes of Wendigoes and Wraiths, just like the one from the first tier. Finally the anticipation gets to me.
"What is it?" I stop as I loudly ask her.
She's a few meters away from me. "If you want to know,"
In a split second I'm on the ground with her on top of me. Her knife is against my throat. "I want to know why you didn't tell us about your career as a clearer."
I felt something cold pour into me. "Its not important."
The knife presses a bit into my neck. "Your an idiot. If the others realize that your a clearer they'll have a lot more respect for you." I blankly look at her.
"Don't you want that? They are still over protective of you. They forget that the old you stayed behind with your body. Probably still ho––" My anger flares and I wrestle her off me.
She punches me hard. I blink rapidly to clear my eyes and duck under another blow. I tackle her and pin her to a column.
"..." She looks into my eyes.
Her coldness spreads. "I don't want them to know. I just want things to stay as they've always been."
A corner of her mouth turns up. Then her head slams into mine and I reel. She kicks me down and stands over me. "You're hopeless." She tells me.
"They'd risk themselves because they think your weak and frail. I don't want to have a wipe out because they were being overprotective." I swallow.
"The guild is going to have a go at this dungeon in two days. Come or not we're going to challenge it." I sit up.
"What is it that you want from me?"
"I can understand why you want to keep everything as it was. I really do. But we've both changed here in this death land. What I want from you is to let the others see it. Let them know that they can count on you. That your strong." She pats my head as she heads for the exit.
I think for a while. A message appears. I open it and stand. "We're starting the boss fight in thirty minutes." That's all I needed to hear.
"About time." E-stone says as I arrive.
"Sorry." Is all I say before he tells me to go join the tanks.
"Cover their asses alright. The boss spawns minions like crazy." I nod as he opens the door.
The seventh boss looks like a woman and a bird. She is inside a gilded cage, asleep.
"The Harpy Queen."
I say her name and watch as the first seven clearers, all armed with long weapons like spears and pikes. They stab between the bars and wake the boss.
"NOW!" The spearmen fall back and the tanks I rush forward.
The cage shatters and the Harpy Queen dives at the shield wall. Her talons bounce off the armored surface and she falls somewhere behind us. E-stone lead a bunch of damage dealers, including Red, to take the attack. The boss lay stunned while half her health bar was destroyed. She screeched from the floor and several stone warriors appeared.
"Tanks!" I dash ahead of them and destroy a handful of enemies.
The shield wall forms up and they advance towards the boss as she recovers. Another screeching call and enemies formed behind the defensive line. I struggle and distract the Golems as the tanks take the brunt of the boss's blows. Its a tricky victory, we finish after two hours of hard fighting. I dedicated only two blows to the boss. The other clearers can take the credit for this victory. Its probably for the best. I wasn't in this fight. I was somewhere far away...
"Hey Tom." I looked at Cooper.
"Hey." He smiles at me.
"I got past the first tier." He was euphoric.
"That's great Cooper. But I've been wondering," He sits up straighter.
"Why don't you call them floors?" He blinks, then gives me his beaming smiles.
"Because a floor is to small for what Dæmonica is. A tier should be to small a word to describe it as well. I think they should call them worlds. Each world has a sky under it separating the world underneath from the one on top." He seemed to have put a lot of thought into this.
"Even when the worlds grow smaller to the point that you can think of them as tiers or floors," He cups his hands, as if he has something in them.
"They are so beautiful and unique that you can't help but think that its another world."
He pretends to throw what he has cupped in his hands. Outside, as if sensing this, a flock of birds fly by the window.
"And that is why they aren't called floors. Though the other name isn't better either." The clock on the wall chimes.
"Oh, its time again." The light outside becomes blinding.
"I hope we can talk in that world." He says before I wince from the light.
"Hey Sol." I was sitting, slouched slightly forward.
"Huh." Red and E-stone are behind me.
"You lagging or something?" I shrug my shoulders.
"Just had to think." Is all I tell them.
"Come on, they've activated the dais." I stand and join them.
I look back and see Cooper sitting, waving at me. I look forward and see E-stone use the teleporter. When I crane my head to look back, he's not there. I sigh. I know Cooper. I'm just being difficult. I step onto the teleporter and move onto the next tier...the next world.
"Alright. Deven, take the right." Reese nods as he realizes that his leader called him by his username.
"Zeke go with him. Silvia, Darius" Jack joins Reese while Mikayla and Shiloh stand straighter.
"I need you to the center."
Jane turns to the left, thinking. "Libra, Thanatos." Shay and Jason start moving.
"Good. Now Amethyst, Nico, cover the rear." Laura and Mike reluctantly take the rear of the formation.
"Ike and Zarroc, you two going to be damage dealers. Take point and be careful." John and Sim nod before spearheading the formation.
Jane looked over at the last tank. "Burrs...Burrs..." Burt sighed.
He drew the short stick this time. "Alright your going with the rear guard as well."
He perked up, no use crying over spilled milk and all that. Jane went over the formation in her mind. Tanks to the left, right, and rear. Partners provided for them. Point team made up of a damage dealer and supporting member. Center group ready to shore up any weakness. Jane glanced at the time in her menu. He's not coming. She took her place with the center group and was about to start moving out when she heard footfalls behind them.
"Wait up!" The carefully made formation broke apart to welcome their friend.
"Sol." Jane regarded him.
He stopped, before nodding once. "Can I be point?" Was all he asked.
After they seemed to reorganize, I joined Sim and John at the front. Or rather Zarroc and Ike at the front. It was a common courtesy not to call people by their real names. Its a painful reminder of what was taken from them.
"Okay. You sure there Tom?" Ike asks.
"I'm sure." We head off.
The hordes appearing a few minutes in. "I got it." Zarroc tries to rush at the first Wendigo when I cut him short.
I lunge forward and stun it. Then I use Crescent to take it down to the red. He finishes it off. I take down the remaining two Wendigoes.
"That's impressive." Ike remarks as he rests his spear against his shoulder.
"Not really." I say as we continue.
I risk a glance at Jane in the center of the formation. She is expressionless. Isn't this what you wanted? I want to blurt out. But as usual the things in my head stay there. We fight our way through the hordes to reach halfway through the maze in just two hours. Its definitely slower than what I could do in two hours. Buts it better. More relaxed. I can rely on these people.
"Alright...we should take the left turn to get there quicker. But its stuffed full of hordes." Jane, no, Diana says as she regards her map.
"Can we risk it?" Silvia asks.
I see her mull it over. "We can. You have two tanks covering the flanks. We won't be so easily overwhelmed that way." Diana nods.
"Well it just comes down to a vote."
"Rejected." Silvia says.
"We're going the short way." I didn't expect her to want to take the harder road after voicing her concern.
"Alright, that's settled."
Moving in a formation, however loose, means moving slow. We walked through the dungeon. But in this hall we dashed. There were several hordes. Almost to many. If I was alone I could have simple avoided most of them or picked them off in isolated areas. Moving as a guild doesn't have that flexibility. But it does give you the chance to completely destroy anything in your path. I tag-teamed a Wraith with Zarroc. It took a few seconds to destroy. We charged through the enemies and whatever came at us from the sides was pushed back long enough for the center group to have at it. The rear guard had their work cut out for them. Several hordes, with fewer monsters in them courtesy of the point team, were chasing after us. A rapier and and saber duo of Amethyst and Nico finished off whatever got to close. And what bypassed them met the tank Burrs. This was an ideal formation. It left very little openings, it maximized the use for individuals, and it prevented anyone from dying. Eventually, after thirty minutes of fighting we were able to clear the hall and reach a designated safe-room. The group collapsed, tired.
"Alright. Who's alive?" I didn't raise my hand.
"Sorry. Can't move my arm." I had a mild paralyze ailment.
"Gah. Get him a potion." Someone stuffed the bottle of antidote into my mouth.
The drink that tasted like lime juice cured my ailment. "Thank you. It was a bit to forceful but thank you."
Silvia took a step back and apologized. We took out healing draughts and continued into the dungeon. The hordes weren't so clumped together now. We took them down at a steady pace, one by one. I was sure I could have cleared the dungeon in no time compared to the guild. But I would rush through it. Missing the treasure and avoiding most of the enemies. We gathered quite a bit of Lire and some decent equipment to look at later. The atmosphere with the group was also different. It was lighter than the clearing group's. I found myself smiling more often. It surprised me that we enjoyed the dungeon clearing, even in this death game. Within the hour we're standing in front of a heavily decorated door. Its not to dissimilar to the tier boss's doors.
"Alright one last check before we go in." We drank some more potions and a few of the others did a few breathing exercises as we prepared to take on the dungeon boss.
"Okay, the boss is a spider monster. It attacks with its front legs, using rapid slashes." This felt oddly like a strategy meeting for the clearing group.
"I want the tanks to man the front lines. Then I want Amethyst, Silvia, and Libra to take the right flank. Its the side it least attacks." I guess if you prep for one boss fight you've prepped for them all.
"Sol, Nico, and Darius take the left. Be careful. It sometimes rushes to the left when it takes heavy damage." Then she looks at the spear users.
"Ike, Zeke, your attacking over the tanks. Stay behind them and duck when the thing screeches." Then Diana's expression softens.
"Take care of me alright. I'll probably be throwing stuff into it until I get knocked down." The planning done we entered the room.
The spider, Damned Widow, wasn't to strong. It only had two health bars and the fight in itself took maybe forty minutes. But at the end of it we cheered as if we cleared a tier. Maybe the guild setting wasn't all to bad.
"Now then." Thanatos...No, it was just us friends here. Jason, Reese, and Sim lift me up.
"Three cheers!"
"No, wait!" They tossed me into the air a half dozen times.
I lay sprawled under them all in the end, the cheers turned into a dog pile mess when they got to close together. Jane was on top of the pile. The king of a very lumpy hill.
"Idiots." She said smiling.
"Hey, give me a hand would you."
We returned to town enthusiastic about the successful fight and loot we collected. I separate from the others and hang back with Jane.
"So what are you guys aiming for?" I hadn't bothered to ask them at the beginning.
I assumed they were a treasure hunting guild. "What all players are aiming for. The 100th tier and the Obsidian Blight Palace."
I looked at her. "You guys want to join the clearing group?"
She nods. "Right now we're to under level and inexperienced. We do what we can for the clearing group. Sell them looted weapons at a cheap price, supporting them with some information about grinding areas on lower floors. You get the idea."
I always wondered where we get the info for new grinding places or item harvesting areas came from. "So its guilds like you guys that help us out a lot."
She just stays quiet. "They want you to join the guild."
She says as we approach the town. "Why don't they ask?"
"Because you'll second guess yourself." Jane says immediately.
"From what I've heard your one of the few solos on the front lines. Even for the boss fight you usually go lone wolf for part of it." I never really thought about it.
"And that's not what being in a guild is about. Especially in this game."
She was right. I knew she was right, about it all probably. "We're weaker than you now. You probably could have cleared the dungeon in a fraction of the time it took us. But does doing it solo like that really give you any peace of mind, or joy?"
I just stayed quiet.
The group decided to have a celebratory dinner. Before they could rush to a restaurant I stopped them.
"I know a good place." I shouldn't have done it.
It was probably for the best. But I took them to the seventh tier, to the shop run by one of my few new friends. Sid was about to call out to me when he noticed the others following close behind. He quietly whispered a handful of questions and I gave him rapid answers. When we sat down he personally came over and gave us all suggestions.
"Don't get the omelets. You'll go bankrupt." Is all I contribute.
Sid sighs as he goes back behind the bar.
"Anything new kid?" I open a brief trade window.
"Dinner's on me." I say as I put a few pieces of equipment for sale.
"Come on you don't have to do that Tom." Burt says next to me.
"I want to. Besides we're good friends. He'll cut me a deal." I thought I heard Sid sneeze as I said that.
The chef made all the orders in record time.
"Whoa!" Was the general response at the dishes in front of us.
"Dig in."
I see Burt grab a fork. "Amen to that brother."
The food tasted divine. We laughed. We joked. It was a good place to be. I noticed Sid smile a little as he glanced at me. At the end of the meal I got a special cheers for buying them the food and bringing them here.
"To Thomas. The best friend to have." That might have been a bit much but I appreciated Laura's thought.
After the clinking of glass we left Sid's place. "Alright wonder-boy, any cheap places to sleep?"
I pointed out one and we separated there. "If you need anything message us."
I nod and leave them to rent out rooms.
Out of all my memories that night was one of my happiest. But it stings now. Because I realize they didn't deserve what they got. And I realize that those moments are never going to happen again.
I woke up in an inn on the eighth tier. I remember back to last night. I realize that I'll need to tell them the truth eventually. They'd be shocked and worry about my safety no doubt. I rubbed some sleep from my eyes as I opened my mail. Around twelve pieces of mail were flashing. I sigh then smile. It was all thank you's and good mornings. I replied to them all and then found a strange one. It was from E-stone. An assembly. This time we gathered inside a large stately house. There was a stage in front of us. E-stone addressed us from it.
"I am sorry to call you all so soon after our boss fight but I got some interesting news." He wasn't smiling.
"Eld has resurfaced among the lower tiers." There was some silent conversation at this.
We clearers had grown to maybe thirty-six players now. Those that weren't there when Eld attacked at the second boss fight were informed of him. "He now has accomplices."
The room turned into a mini-riot that was quickly calmed. "I know. I KNOW!" E-stone's yell got our attention.
After clearing his throat he continued. "Gladly there are a few guilds that are dealing with him. Trying to establish some order."
There were several sighs of relief. "But I'd still like to keep tabs on this. If things get out of hand we might need to go face him ourselves. Also to help these guilds that are fighting against player killers such as Eld we are going to be sharing information with them...so, uh...here is the person helping with the spread of information."
I recognized him as a clearer from the fifth boss fight. He had the beginnings of a mustache and a...mischievous look in his eyes. Other than that he looked like your average internet gamer.
"This is Gent. He'll be an information broker and is willing to run information down about grinding areas and item harvesting places. He represents a guild of brokers, Argus, who are gathering information for us." This was news to me.
I had just recently learned we had people contributing to us like information brokers and the like. "For a slight price." Gent added with a slight smile.
So it wasn't volunteer work. Well they should get rewarded for what they do. "This brings up a few new items to notify everyone about..."
E-stone steps down and another player takes the stand. Its Sid. "Hello everyone. Its nice to see everyone in one piece." I grin.
"As you know I left the clearing group to join the merchant class." I noticed an icon next to his name.
It looked like the Lire symbol. A circle with a line going through it, Φ. "And with much work and talking we have formed the first merchants guild. We are Bazaar." I smile at the name. Sounded funny.
"As representative of Bazaar I am hear to provide you with reasonable negotiations. We hope to also be able to provide financing for purchasing homes and guild houses in the near future." So they'd double as money lenders.
Well that's nice, I'm sure more than a few clearers have considered starting their own guilds. Having a base of operations would be ideal for them. Another player took the stage.
"H-hello." He didn't seem like the type of person to get nervous.
I got a sudden image of this person in a board meeting, wearing an expensive suit, haggling with six figures to make eight figures in profit.
His name was Al. After a brief coughing fit he addressed us. "I represent The Dalian League of the lower tiers. We are assuring you to leave the lower levels to us. Criminals that steal and threaten players are starting to pop-up. And there is also the threat of Eld and his killing group."
His voice seemed to harden, as if he was back in familiar waters. Negotiating a point and selling it to the masses. "So far we are six guilds, around seventy strong, we are hunting down these criminals and trying to stop Eld."
Then he stood straighter, strength and pride radiated from him. "Trust us, we'll keep the peace."
With that yet another player took the stage. I nearly fell out of my seat. Jane. "I'm Diana." She started.
"I lead a treasure hunting guild, and I have been talking to a few dozen others who would like to see what we can trade to help the clearers. We aren't clearers ourselves but we do take on dungeons that you miss all together to advance the penetration."
With that she opened up a menu and a variety of armaments and armor appeared at her feet. "Consider this the beginning of a beautiful partnership..." She pulled on the hood of her cloak.
"Please." Her tone changed.
"Clear this game." With that there was a rallying cry.
Feet stomped and cheers started. The clearers are invigorated. The clearers are ready. For what? To wage war against the Death game. What better way to rally a male dominated group than having a cheerleader turned guild leader plead with them to win the game. I was certainly moved and wanted to go clear. Then there was a distribution of gear by her. She'd smile and shake hands as she handed out the gear. She skipped me entirely. When E-stone finally managed to calm us all down it was because the various representatives had left, meaning Jane had gone with them.
"Well." He said as he ran a hand through his girlish curls.
"That was something." Then he chuckled.
"Well there you have it. We can't give up now." There was general agreement with him.
Then he had to wait a moment for the voices to quiet down. "Right now, we have another issue at hand." He took out a small greenish cube of light.
"These have been circulated by the Press, the supposed news guild." He tapped the cube and a screen appeared.
I could see it. A fight. A boss fight. The Mummified Banneret was wielding its great-sword as the clearers charged at its legs. "What." I said to break the silence.
"Exactly. We don't know who or how but they have videos of all our boss fights. I'm not sure what to make of this really. If we get wiped out and it circulates..." Then no one will want to fight.
"I'm not sure if we can stop them from doing this either. Pretty much every player gets a copy of the Press or buys these. And the info brokers are working with them, spreading information on useful quests or monsters. Its not that they themselves are wrong but...I want you all to know about this. In case you feel its better not to have our fights out there then we'll go and order the Press to stop."
There was a brief moment of silence. E-stone asked for our opinions and in the end it was decided to let the Press run on as it was. E-stone looked tired. Considering he had been leading the clearing since day one. He was tired. Now two other players took the stand. Each of them were highly respected members of the clearing group. E-stone, Mickey, and Set. Mickey took the hot spot now.
"For what we are here to ask is this." He opened a menu and hit a few buttons.
E-stone and Set did the same. There was a small sound effect and suddenly they had icons. Guild icons. "We are growing with each tier. Soon I doubt we'll be able to get organized for boss fights." I nod as Set explains things.
"So, we plan to do this." They opened a new menu.
"Registration for our guilds is open. Any who want to join, do so now." There were several hushed conversation.
I felt nervous. After a moment of deep thinking I decided to stay solo. Slowly all the clearers left to join the three guild masters. I only saw one red hood stay still as the registrations went on. When she did move I smiled and reclined. That's smart of her. Going solo probably had more disadvantages than joining a guild. But to my surprise she came and sat next to me.
"How about it?" She sent me a link request.
"Aren't you going to join them?" She gave me a knowing smile.
"I'm better off alone." I sighed.
"Yet our asking to link up." I accepted her request.
"Well I'll feel bad if you were to be the last guy picked."
"Ouch, that stings." She giggles.
The rest of the meeting was just the usually stay alive, share information, and good luck speech by E-stone.
"You should have joined." I tell Red as we walk away from the meeting.
"They each asked me personally, I declined. I want to see how far I can go alone." She gave me a look that said aren't you the same?
I sigh again. "Cheer up." She tells me as she gives me a sandwich.
I quickly become cheerful as I stuff myself. "Slow down, you'll choke."
"So good." I licked my lips.
She laughs. "You remind me of my hamster. You look cute stuffing your cheeks."
I blush slightly. Whether at the comparison to a hamster or for being called cute I don't really know. A new voice joins us.
"Now now. You can't just go and call a man cute, you'll hurt his pride." E-stone approached us.
"Sol." We shake hands.
"Guild master Stone." He grins at me.
"Yeah yeah. Its Guild master now. Show me some respect." I clapped him on the back hard.
"If your here to recruit me I'm sorry. I have to decline–––AHH!" My vision suddenly filled with messages.
"What the..." I quickly scanned them. I tsked. They were all one letter messages. I quickly pieced together the message. It went something like this.
H E Y , ?
I sighed as I closed them all. "Sorry about that. Friend was in a pickle but she's fine now." E-stone chuckles, probably at my sudden panicked yelp.
"Don't worry about. Anyway sorry to hear you declined."
"Yeah. But don't worry. If I ever join a clearing guild I'll give you an advance notice, see if you can bargain for me." He laughed.
"I know this is probably a bit over do but." He sent me a friend request.
I blinked once before accepting. "Damn it." I say.
"What now?" I sigh.
"With you that makes three people on my friends list. I definitely need to add more girls to that list." It was a blatant lie of course, but I'd have one good joke with E-stone before he had to start his guild life.
He grins at me. "But don't you have little Red here."
"Yeah but she rarely dresses in anything cute or acts like a–––" I double over as her fist meets my gut.
She huffed before walking away. E-stone laughed and we high five.
"Take care man." He goes to address his guild, a smile back on his face.
Red disbanded our link. I sent Jane a quick message.
"That was fun." She says behind me as I hit send.
"What the? Where–" She presses a finger to my lip.
"I just wanted to watch you get a little flustered is all." Why did I feel a certain menacing feeling come from her.
"Any way I just thought I'd let you know that the guild was very happy for what you did last night."
She probably knew they each had sent me messages. She didn't have to come talk to me after the meeting.
"They actually want to get you to join the guild. So I told them I'd approach you today." I swallowed.
Was she going to send me an invitation. "Don't worry. I'll give you a bit more time before I'll invite you to join my group. We take only elites you know." I smile.
"Sure." We went to a café and shared a drink.
"To the clearing of the seventh tier." She said, our mugs clinked.
I looked at her for a moment. There was something else she wasn't telling me. After the longest time of her staring down at her food as she ate she spoke. "Are you trying to see if you have X-ray vision or do you want to ask me something?"
I blush and look away. "You want something don't you?"
"We'll be taking on the four sub-bosses on tier seven in a week. Want to help?" I nod.
Then we walk for a bit. We head down to the Central Plaza and we head down to the fifth tier, Ganymede. The mostly hilly area of the fifth tier was rich and fertile. Several log cabins can be found in the forests to the south.
"Why are we here?" I ask her.
"Leveling up." We head to the field.
The horse sized dragons on the level didn't give much experience but where ideal for training skills. Together we beat three of them in record time. I was about to sheathe my sword when Diana lunged. She brought something down hard on my sword. I tensed and saw the Zweihänder, that had fatefully seen me through two boss fights, shatter. I stare dumbly at the hilt in my hands as it turns into scrubbed data. A feeling that I haven't felt in a while takes me. The stars above my head may well have been nonexistent. All I saw was red. I pinned her to the ground, my hands keeping her arms down.
"Why did you do that?" I was ready to attack.
All I could see was red, a single scene replayed over and over again. Another sword shattering, not the first but the second weapon to shatter in my hands. Damn it! Eld, when I had struck him. His sword shattered at the tip before becoming polygons. Then my head cooled and I saw Jane again. She just calmly looked me on the eyes. I realized how it might look so I got off her and kept my back to her.
"To prove a point." She told me.
Something metallic fell in front of me. I blinked. I reached forward and grabbed a leather wrapped hilt. I felt the pommel and cross guard. A rose motif similar to the one on boss doors was etched into the metal. The long sword I held seemed to suck in the dark and the light.
"That's the Black Rose." She pressed her back to mine.
I suddenly realized it. I hadn't been mad at her. I had been terrified. Since when did having a sword make me feel this safe and grounded. I hugged the blade and felt tears stream down my face.
"I'm sorry." I started.
Was I that afraid of being caught unarmed.
"I'm sorry."
Was I that pathetic that I'd snap if my weapon was broken. I swallowed hard as warm tears fell on the new blade.
"I'm sorry."
Or was I scared of something else entirely. I had had a sword with me when we were released at the starting city. I had a sword with me when Eld first tried to kill me. I killed the Roc with a sword that broke in my hands afterwords. A sword protected me when Eld attacked the second time.
"I'm sorry."
I was a sword.
I had only participated in one boss fight where I had been without one. And I think I'll never take part in another without a sword in my hands. Warm arms wrap around me.
"I know." She whispers.
She knows. I'm a sword. I was newly made and was being used in this death game. I'd get my nicks and dents. My cracks and breaks. But I would last. I wouldn't crumble away like these digital weapons. I'd bite deep into the system, dealing a lethal blow before I'd disappear. I don't remember how but I got back to an inn. My new sword safely in my inventory. As was most of my equipment. I had on only pajamas. I sighed as I sat up.
"Do you know how long its been?" I froze at the voice behind me.
I instantly thought of Eld. "Do you?" I slowly relaxed, it was just her.
"How long since what?" She sighs.
"Since the game started." I took a minute to remember.
"I think...four months now."
"That's right." She tells me.
I was about to turn around when I hand fell on the top of my head. She forced me to look forward.
"Don't."
There was a hidden death threat there, I was sure of it. After some menu sound effects and a small glimmer of light I was allowed to look at her. She sat on the second bed of the room. Her arms crossed, staring at me expectantly. I opened my menu and was about to reequip my armor when I looked at her. She admired a bird outside the window. I hurriedly reequiped my things. The reason being that for a handful of seconds you'd be in your underwear when completely changing your equipment. Only a few of the most daring male players would even consider changing like that in public. But if it was just switching out single pieces of gear then the lag was much less. So much so that the first blinding light effect wouldn't even be over before you had your new gear on. After a few silent moments I broke the icy quiet.
"Thank you." I stood and left.
I sent a message on the go and went to Sid's shop.
"Yo, still alive?" I smile and greet him.
"Yeah. I know." He serves me a drink free of charge, just one though.
He is a business man. His shop is closed for the moment. I sip at the coffee like beverage.
"You seem happy." I say to him.
He had been humming a small tune now, a happy expression on his face.
"Yeah." I sipped a little more.
"Something special happen?" He shook his head.
"No, I was just thinking about...the real world. So I'm putting on this happy face."
There was a petrified moment of silence. Nothing moved. Nothing at all.
"Sid." He comes around the bar and sits next to me.
A bottle of what can be described as liquor in his hands. "Did you know you can get drunk in the game."
I pushed away my half empty beverage as he put a shot glass in front of me. "Do you mind if I ask you about...the real world?"
It had been an unspoken rule. Don't talk about it.
He nods and pours me some of the drink. It tasted oddly sweet. The alcohol burned my throat a bit, though.
"I ran a shop like this with my wife." He told me.
As one we drink our liquor. "We were both happy, you know. Just each other, everyday, for life."
He poured into our shot glasses.
"I think that that's why I had to buy this place."
So...the atmosphere he had made here in this shop. This warmth that seemed to permeate it, the silent joy. It was a real sensation that he mimicked from his real world shop.
"I just don't know man. Its been four months." I understood him.
"Come on, you'd better not break down on me right here at the starting line." I patted the strong man on the back.
Feeling slight tremors start in him. I turn and lean on the bar. "Sid. Look man I can't tell you how much you mean to us players."
I drain my glass and let him refill it. "Its just that you're our rock. Red's. Mine. Probably a few more clearers, and a dozen other players need this shop. They need you." I leave the shot glass alone.
"Don't worry Sid. We will beat this game. You will see your wife. And I will personally stab Gene Lockeless in the ass to commemorate the occasion at the Obsidian Blight Palace." I thought I saw Sid's shoulders start to hitch.
"But you promise me something as well." The morning rush of people outside started to appear.
"That you'll keep your shop open for us when we come in here broken. That the fire will roar when winter comes. And that we will share a laugh when we are sad."
Unexpectedly the man-mountain next to me fell out of his seat. Laughing and holding his ribs.
"Huh." He calmed down after a few seconds, wiping away tears.
"You're alright kid. I have gotta be there when you meet Lockeless." I smile.
He seemed okay now. I reached for my glass.
"No more for you." He snatched it away.
"Come on. I'm not even drunk yet." He smiled as I whined.
Then it was the same quiet atmosphere from before. No one had entered yet. "You know I left people behind as well."
He washed dishes as he listened to me. I looked out a window and seemingly it was my past.
"My mother...my father...My sister. I left those people behind too."
Counting the first mouth it had been four months since that day in early January. It was mid April now.
"My sister should be getting out soon. Summer break and all that. I wonder if I messed up before logging in." That memory would haunt me, along with the nightmare of Eld, till the end of the game.
"You were close?"
"No...Not particularly. At least I wasn't close to her. But...I don't know about what she feels." I clenched my hand into a fist.
"This game is messed up. You just can't be happy in here." I turned back to the bar.
Sid concentrated on his task with the cups and plates. "I don't know about that. I saw a player walk in here with about a dozen or more friends. Laughing and telling them I'd cut them a deal on the meal." I smile a bit stiffly.
"Yeah. Friends from the outside. They're good people."
I can probably count on one hand how many times I'd done something worthy to them. But I'd need to borrow at least ten pairs of hands and feet to count the number of times they had done something incredible for me. Felt something catch in my throat.
"They are good friends."
I can probably guess why they first befriended me. It was my sad fact. The reason why I sometimes stayed awake and thought that this game was my blessing.
"Hey Sid."
I could feel that oppressive fact press on my mind. Could I tell another person. Not even the Alliance of White Wings knows it. But, this man who bared his heart to me, who told me his inner turmoil, could he listen to mine?
"In the re––"
The door slams open. "I'm here." Red said as she rushed in.
"Oh, about time." I force that darkness deep down into me.
Back under a hundred layers, to where it can't hurt me anymore. She huffs at me before warmly greeting Sid. I stand, a little woozy. Sid did say it was possible to get drunk in game. I shake my head and bow to Red.
"Sorry about before." She sighs.
"Don't mention it. So what was it you needed?" I swallowed dryly.
"I need help in clearing a dungeon."
"Treasure-hunting?"
"Something like that." Sid continued to whistle his tune.
"Its on this floor...Eld sent some players there to die."
The frozen silent threatened to break me. "We should notify the frontline guilds. Or the Dalian League."
"Or about a dozen other guilds and individuals. But I want to see why he would send people there. I can understand it if he sent them there to get killed, but they were more than a dozen of them. I'm thinking he was using them for something. Trying to get something."
Red nods. "Maybe he's just kill happy and wants to see how many will die before he gets to pick off the survivors."
"That too is a possibility." So it was agreed.
"In return for helping you," I felt a chill start the base of my neck and crawl downwards.
"I need your help finishing a quest." I still felt dread at her request.
Perhaps it was some kind of super embarrassing quest and she wanted me to do it in her place. Albeit rare, quests like that do occur from time to time. I heard once that a girl had to go through a certain forest on the sixth tier. She was assaulted, or rather molested, by various tentacles and left all gross and slimy. She shivered for days afterwards.
"Fine. Then let's hurry up and go." I left some Lire for Sid.
"Save me a drink next time." He waved at us as we left.
The dungeon was a few hours running distance from Mythril. It was a large cylinder, about a mile in diameter. It was towards the edge of the tier, right next to a wall of trees that ringed the tier. Beyond that you'd find about zero feet of solid earth under you with around a hundred percent chance of pure free fall to your doom awaiting you. The large cylinder was a bit awing to approach. It towered over everything. But because of its position on the tier most of its shadow was cast over the edge. The yawning entrance breathed out cold air.
"Alright. They're a lot of Golem class enemies inside. Piercing attacks don't deal so much damage. Impact and blunt attacks are your safest bet."
"Does it look like I'm a mace user?" Red asked as she showed me her saber.
"No. But then again your fist packs quiet a wallop. I wouldn't be surprised if you could O.H.K.O them." She raised her fist.
"How about we test it out. Let's see if I can kill with one punch!" After a brief bout were I took blows to the rib we grew serious once again.
"Ready." She tells me.
I draw the Black Rose sword and we enter. The dark halls slowly grow brighter. "That's a nice sword." Red remarks.
"Thanks. Diana gave it to me."
It took me a moment to scan a map before deciding which direction to go. "Diana, isn't she the treasure hunting guild leader?"
"Yeah, you remember her. It was just yesterday." A horde awaited us.
They took some time to deal with. "Yeah. I remember." Red said after the fight.
"We talked afterwards. It took some time, but I was able to obtain this."
The sword was pretty, freaking amazing. Quoting E-stone. "Look at it! Its amazing!"
"Get over it." She grumbled something else but it was mostly to quiet to hear.
We ascended to the next floor. "So how about those recordings from the Press?"
Red shrugged. "Its not like I can get any more popular." She said a bit annoyed.
I remember her fame. I bow. "My humblest apologizes. I forgot I was in the presence of digital royalty."
"Stow it." She told me.
We continued on in silence. Its odd being in a place like this, mostly private. Dark. Alone. I decide to play a little trick on her. I secretly drop back and snuff out a flame. The path behind Red darkens. She doesn't notice. I do it a few more times before she realizes I've been quiet to long.
"Sol?" She turns to face the dark.
"Sol." She calls out.
My seeking skill had advanced to the point I could use night-vision. It didn't have that much range yet but it was effective. For six feet in front of me I could see as clear as day. I followed Red. I breathed out heavily. She turned.
"Come on this isn't funny." She walks in the dark and into a wall.
"Ow." She starts to stand when I let my sleeve brush past her neck. She jerks and stands. Her back to the wall.
"S-Sol." She gets her weapon out.
"C-come on, this isn't funny." I couldn't help it, her expression was just to adorable.
I slowly creeped behind her, i threw a pebble and let it bounce of her ankle. She turned and slashed. I was already circling around her.
"S-Sol!" She seemed to be on the brink of tears.
I decided I over did it and was about to call out to her when I was thrown to the ground.
"Sol!" My cries are muffled as something pins me down.
Its claws dig into me, illuminating the passageway with red damage light. I hear Red gasp. I can't pull the god damn thing off. Then the lights come back on and I see what's on top of me. Its a shape that's pure black terror. Its tongue licks up and down my neck. The beady eyes scan over me. A black lizard man is on me, slowly killing me. A glowing blade appears from its open mouth, the lizard, the Creeper disappears. I gasp and cough.
"Oh God." My health was still green.
I lay on the ground a few seconds longer. Red has her back to me. I stand and look around once more.
"Don't do that...ever." She orders me.
"Y-yes." We continue forward.
I thought I heard her sniffle once or twice. I was a real jerk. Though it was quiet we weren't silent. "You there?" She'd call every ten steps.
I'd answer immediately. I hadn't encountered Creepers before in this dungeon. I hoped never to meet one again, or at least that close. Eventually I realized what had changed. The time.
"They must be an enemy type that appears at night." I said as I heard claws on stone behind me.
I continued to look behind me as I walked into Red.
"S-sor––" Directly in front of me I saw nothing but pitch black.
There was an occasional sputtering as a torch cast weak light for five feet. But the dark went on for meters, at least 250 feet. I gulped. Red held my hand, trembling slightly.
"Eh."
"So we don't get lost." She claimed.
I nod and take the first step. Looking only six feet in front of me I lead us through the dark. It was terrifying, especially since an occasional tail would cross the edge of my vision. Or heavy breathing would sound terrible close. I swallowed dryly and heard Red whimper more than once. I stopped maybe twelve feet from the lit corridor.
"What's the matter?" Red asked next to me.
"I'd rather not say."
A huge Creeper was standing to our left. It was standing at the edge of a torch so I could see its outline was maybe eight feet away, If it moved slower than us...One of us might get to the light. I made my decision. I tightened my hand around Red's.
"We won't have much time. I need you to run towards the lit corridor. Here, switch hands." Red now stood to my right.
She was trying desperately to remain calm.
"Okay...its moving away...steady...steady..." I inched us forward as the creature just stared straight.
"GO!" Red half dragged me as she ran to the safety of the light.
The creature hissed and lunged. That was definitely faster than us. In a heart beat I was on the ground, Red slid within a few feet of the light.
"Keep going." I order her as the Creeper tried to grab my throat.
My sword. That's right. It was just out of arms reach of me. If I could just let go of the beast...
"SOL!" Red called from the light.
She made it, good. Then the Creeper roared, I saw it bare its fangs. Then it dove at my neck.
"GAHHH!"
Red light was thrown across the corridor. My neck being mauled by the Creeper. I let go of its arm and reached over for my sword. Then the torches turned on and I could see several Creepers disappear. Except the one on top of my.
"AHHHH!" I yelled out as my health went yellow.
My fingers nudged my sword a few centimeters farther away from me. The shock finally settled in me. I was going to die. I was going to die. With my sword out of reach. The thing killing me rapidly. I was doomed. I gave up on my sword and tried to push the thing off me as its fangs took my health down fast. Then it stiffened and shattered. I blacked out soon after.
Something soft and warm pressed into my cheek. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling but it was something. It moved and pulsated ever slightly. There was one bit that–– I opened my eyes, Red was holding my head quiet close to that precarious region of her chest. After rolling away slightly Red toppled. Asleep. That was dangerous in a dungeon. My sword was back in its scabbard. I sighed with relief. I sat down with my back against the wall. Red was curled up next to me. I rubbed my cheek were it had been pressed against her. I blush for a minute before I hear Red.
"Stupid." I cover my head and repeatedly apologize.
Only to find out that she was still asleep. Her arm was stretched towards me. She tosses and turns a bit more than she should. Her hand grasps my sleeve. She nearly pulled me down on top of her. Gladly I fall slightly to the side. Still this is far more closer than I'd prefer. I need to get up before––
"H!" She hugged my head again.
Bring it close to her chest now. I squirm a bit and cause her to wake up.
"EH!" She looks down at where I''m sprawled out.
After she had let go of me. She crossed her arms defensively over her chest.
"You...You..." She wasn't about to congratulate me on surviving.
"IDIOT!" Her fist glowed as she punched down at me.
I covered my face as her fist collided. The dust that was thrown up showed that she had punched the stone floor. "Idiot." She said again with tears in her eyes.
I sat up and let her sob into my chest. I can only guess at how traumatic it must have been. Hearing a player getting killed in a most gruesome way as he screamed from the dark. Then seeing it as the lights come on. I shivered at my own imagination. When Red calmed down we couldn't get back to the exit without cross about a hundred yards of unlit corridors. We continued deeper into the dungeon and thankfully avoided several dark corridors.
Finally, we stood before a heavily decorated door. "Ready?" She nods and we push open the door.
As we step in the four sub-bosses appear. "This might be a problem." Red said behind me.
"They are just oversized Golems. Let them run into a wall to stun themselves and then climb them. The eye is weak to piercing damage. You have the best thrusting power so you'll have to do it. I'll cover you." There was only one problem.
"I just had to wear a skirt today." She said.
Then in a more menacing tone she told me, "If I catch you peeking I will PK you."
I swallowed. "O-Okay. Let's go."
She had the easiest part of this boss fight. I had to keep three huge, albeit slow, behemoths off her. It worked though. Before the Vault-Keeper could get her she had already destroyed both health bars. In twelve minutes she had singlehandedly destroyed a boss. I was reduced to the yellow of my health bar by the time she destroyed three of the four.
"Alright." I said as the last golem stunned itself.
We climbed it together and beat it in record time. A teleport crystal pad appeared. Taking us to the entrance once again.
"That wasn't what I expected." I tell her as we check over the loot.
I used the very valuable teleport gems to get us back to Mythril. I was to tired to run back. "Thank you." I tell her as we enter the inn.
"Don't mention it." I'm certain she doesn't want to remember what happened. That night I was so tired I just ran on autopilot. I bathed and dressed for sleep as if I was a machine. Not noticing my actions until I felt the pillow.
"Hey Cooper." We sit together. Cards in our hands.
"Yeah Thomas. I think I'm right."
"Right?" I take a sip of water.
"That she likes you." I choke and spend a good two minutes coughing.
"Breathe." He tells me.
"I know I know." After a while I calm down.
"Don't just say stupid things like that all of a sudden." He smiles as I blush.
"Come on. I told you I think she likes you. Just embrace it." I gave him a blank stare.
"Give it a whirl. Its what every guy needs. A girl." Cooper touches the interface near him.
"Have they said anything about you?" I shake my head.
"Oh...that's to bad." I lose as he plays the royal straight flush he had.
"So close."
"Yeah right. In your dreams." We laugh at that.
"But you might be right about that whole girl talk there. I think, my senior by one year, that you should get yourself one." He cracks a grin.
"Come on, no one can contain me. I'm a god amongst men." We laugh a bit more.
"Its that time already. I was just about to get you to lose for the sixth time in a row." I grin at him.
"I'll make you eat those words next time." He smiles at me. But I can see him mouth the words.
If there is a next time.