It was mid-afternoon by the time they arrived at the camp, the sun having just reached it's zenith as they made their way across the draw bridge and through the high gate. The word "Gallinero" chiseled at the top. Ryuu waltzed in carefree, attired in his usual dark green leather, not half as dark as the jet black hair atop his head. "How do you do!" he exclaimed excitedly as he approached the first person to cross his field of vision, a dark skinned young gypsy girl. "Hey, I am Ryuu." his arm was now outstretched towards the girl, hand open and accent thick.
Responding as she was programmed to, the NPC girl returned the gesture as Ryuu began to go through a plethora of expressions with her. A small 2D emote wheel appearing in front of him much like a normal menu would. Over the course of the next minute they danced, burped and even sang. During this a smile never left his face, soon becoming apparent with the girl as well.
"Ow!"
"Ow!"
Ryuu said and thought at nearly the exact same time as a young thumped the side of his head. The realization that no such pain existed also dawned on him at the same time as the girls words did.
"Come on, let's go find this Aladdin guy first. Then we can relax and shop." Ellie said as he grabbed his arm and pulled him her way. Down the path leading to the main fire of the camp. NPCs talked joyously and did randomly generated shopping of their own as they passed them. Paying no mind to them as if they were truly one and the same.
"Man this game is awesome sometimes" he thought, his mental conversations having switched completely to English since the start of the game in an effort to improve his understanding of the language.
"Only the best in all of Albion!" a fat man hollered, Ryuu saw him and his purple vest and recognized his name immediately. A bright yellow exclamation point shone above the mans head. He actually found the quest before Ellie this time, he smiled.
"Hey it's him, Aladdin!" he called to his right, Ellie was searching the stalls a few feet away from him.
"Would the young man and woman like to browse my wares?" Aladdin asked, a devious smirk across his face. "Nothing finer in all the land, I assure you".
Ryuu watched as Ellie ignored the man and opened up a 2D menu in front of her, a few seconds later they received the congratulations for completing "The Bowerfront, 3/6"
"Ah.." the fat purple man spoke as he rubbed his small black beard. "So who was it that sent you heroes?"
"Your cousin Bob." Ellie said plainly.
"Ah yes, Bob. Haven't seen him in years!" he said with an oddly loud laugh directly after.
"That was pretty bad timing." Ryuu thought, though nevertheless his voice spoke differently. "Yeah we're supposed to fight a lake monster or something" he said casually, dismissing his thoughts. Aladdin's brow arched, if only for a second, Ryuu saw it.
The NPC then responded with a impressively lifelike answer. "Yes, yes of course you mighty heroes must slay that wretched beast." he went on "But alas, the necessary tools needed for such a task are far out of reach. Maybe even impossible to recover at this point."
Ryuu tilted his head "Is he…?"
"But if I had some precious cold pieces maybe I could job my memory?" Aladdin said with a sleazy smile that Ryuu thought to be his trademark.
In front of him an Ellie a light brown 2-d menu displayed a simple question. "Pay Aladdin 50 gold to learn the whereabouts of the lost tools?"
Ellie looked at Ryuu almost immediately, giving a glare and uttering a phrase they had used numerous times over the last month. "Half and half?" she asked plainly.
"Sure."
Ellie clicked the okay button and pressed the equal split payment method in the next tab, instantly subtracting 25 gold pieces from each of the players gold purses.
"Ah yes, yes! It's coming back to me, I remember!" Aladdin exclaimed loudly, Ellie yawned. "West from here, not so far." He said as Ryuu watched him place his palms on his head like he was literally pulling the memories out of his mind. "There, a lake exists. Not as large as the Great Bower, but still noticeable. You've likely passed it on your journey here. There on the lone dock you must dive, deep into its waters."
"You can swim in this game?" Ryuu thought, a quick glance at Ellie revealed the same expression.
Aladdin continued. "There at it's deepest point you will discover a chest of wondrous weapons that can slay that accursed beast once, and for all."
The next hour went by rather casually for Ryuu, he browsed the many wares and goods sold by the merchants in the camp. Fastening himself a new iron pistol while dying his clothes in a slightly lighter dark green. He even opted to get himself a face tattoo pulled him away before he could take a look. "I'll just get it next time" he said stubbornly as the two of them walked towards the gate. Ellie didn't buy anything, she only sold her used goods like last time. Bringing her total wealth to over a 1,000 gold pieces.
"We don't know what other game play features Black changed when he started this death game. He might have made tattoos permanent just because he's the kind of guy who likes immersion." the gate was now under them, the sound of boots touching planks succeeding that of dirt. "Remember that guy we found laying on the road? Remember what he said?"
The memories flooded back into Ryuu's head at once. Short, but nonetheless chilling. "Help me, please." he recalled the man asking, probably only a few years older then Ryuu himself. "I haven't had water in a week, I can't…move. I feel like my characters about to die, please can I have some sort of drink? I'll pay you back later I swear!" When they had told him they didn't have any drinks on them he directed them to a nearby river that he was going to himself, but collapsed before he could make it. They had ran as fast as they could, filled their water skins and backtracked to the spot where the man lay. But by the time they arrived, all that had found was a…
"He died just because he didn't drink anything!" she said, not quite a yell but louder then the average conversation. He snapped back to reality at once.
"...Whatever I'll just get an arm tattoo or something to test it out. Anyways…" Ryuu said, more than to change the subject. "How far is this lake? I haven't really looked at the map yet." The virtual sun was shining bright above their heads as the lake was in full view, its waters glistening in the light for nearly as far as the eye could see. The land on the other side only a mere spec on the horizon. They were now down the path and walking on the lakes edge, the water not even ten steps away from their feet.
Ellie didn't even bother to pull it up herself as she spoke, seemingly all knowing to Ryuu at times. "Aladdin wasn't lying, it's only a twenty - thirty minute walk. Including any bandits we might run into."
"Yeah... that guy was kind of…..weird….right?"
"Uh he's an NPC?"
"And NPC's are programmed to act like humans."
"So, you think he was lying?" Ellie asked sharply.
"I mean it would make for a more interesting quest right? If I was a game developer I would definitely try to make more interesting quests. And you have to admit, that guy looked devious right?"
Ellie shrugged her shoulders. "It was probably just an interesting character quirk they added in to freshen things up. And if not, and he was lying…" she said as the approached as a fork in the road, taking a left that led away from the lake and into the forest. "It would be part of the quest and pretty much guarantee that we have a way to survive."
Ryuu let out a small laugh "So stay sharp?"
"Pretty much."
Time flew by as they walked down the path unassumingly, taking a left down a small trail that had them wading through an endless array of bushes and overgrown grass. Surprisingly they did not run into even a single enemy, delighting Ellie while only adding to Ryuu's miniature conspiracy. Nevertheless they arrived at the lake in under fifteen minutes. It was a sprawling body of water, like the fat merchant said it was not nearly the size of Bower lake. Yet still it seemed like it could comfortably hold all of the Gypsy within its borders. Sticking out like a very sore thumb was the dock, painted an oddly fresh white. It jutted out nearly a third of the way across the lake.
As they approached it, Ryuu kept his left hand on the handle of his new pistol, while his right dangled at his side nervously. He glanced at Ellie, who was completely ignoring any potential threat or danger.
"Maybe I am wrong…" he thought as they made their way across it's wooden steps, the creaking sounds mixing in with the constant songs of birds and wind swaying the leaves and lake. Forming small, yet noticeable currents.
A twig snapped.
"Or not" Ryuu thought as he drew both his pistols and blasted off the barrels in the direction of the sound. Immediately after a man of fair skin burst from the leaves clenching a certain part of his body.
"My arse!" he hollered as his friends emerged from the brush around him, each sword or gun in hand.
"Point Ryuu" the ranger said with a smile as he glanced at Ellie, the girl almost losing her balance on the dock in the aftermath of the shots. Turning back he oncoming tide of bandits, guessing their to be about 10 - 15 of them.
"Hells Dynamite"
The large explosion tore up the base of the dock, pulling the majority of the outlaws under the surface while they screamed and flailed chaotically. Without a moments hesitation Ryuu began walking along the now island of a dock, unloading the bullets from his pistols one after the other into the water. From behind a figure had dashed past him.
Overhead Ellie had leaped into the air in a dazzling flip, clearing the dock in one mighty jump before landing upon the three stragglers. The sounds of non-player screaming and virtual glass shattering filled the mid-day forest. Even the birds AI flying away from the carnage.
OoOoOoOoOoO
The trees flew by in a blur, the games engine not being able to focus due to the extreme speeds. Jagged and defined muscles coated the beasts flesh, their size barely, if it all diminished by the thick white fur that tightly wrapped around its body. The designer goal was to make a terrifying beast, one doubt accomplished for any of the players that had witnessed its ferocity. As its targets power grew so did its, outclassing the vast majority of the NPCs in the region by a noticeable margin. This has lead to the death of more then a few unfortunate players.
The White Balverine stopped.
In less then three seconds it had brought it's overwhelming speed to a halt, gripping tightly onto a tree branch high in the forest. The small bit of leaves above hiding it from the light of the virtual sun, now slowly coming down from its peak.
Its massive demon like eyes peered down below, where a large group of players were walking along a small path. Its width only allowing for two to three per row, making for a human snake extending deep into the wilderness. At the head of the snake was their leader, or so the beast assumed. Using its makeshift vision the beast read the familiar players name from afar.
TJ Luther walked in an urgent manner, his usual confidence now deluded with worry and doubt. A new type of weapon was slung across his back since the last time the balverine caught sight of him. A large, rusty iron shield was dangled on his back while a non-rusted iron longsword hanged comfortably at his side. "I want this to be quick and efficient, we just need to get in and get out. We don't have time to fight all of them." he said sternly.
The tall player next to him nodded, the balverine instantly focused in on the ID and registered it into it's system immediately thereafter.
Skittles had no idea what eyes laid upon him, he responded to Luther accordingly. "Still, we don't have the slightest idea about the layout of the camp." Luther listened closely "I think we should split up into two groups, you know, to get a flanking advantage. As long as we move quick we should be safe."
The scarred balverine watched as TJ gave it a good thought and then nodded. The constant movement of the group forcing the creature to hop on yet another tree. "Alright, take Raiden and a few others and go on up ahead. Find the camp and circle around if you can. Be ready to attack when we arrive."
Skittles then sank back into the group without hesitation, talking to the player the balverine had earlier identified as "Raiden" and a handful of others in the camp. Their levels a good deal higher then the rest. Not a minute later and they had already begun to move ahead at a quickened pace, the next and their were already out of sight.
With no sight of its primary target and the overwhelming odds of defeat in the face of such a cluster of men the balverine leaped high into the air. The entirety of the region within its view for a moment before it descended back into another patch of the forest. Out of eyesight before the players even heard the small rustle high in the tree tops.
OoOoOoOoOoO
"How is that even possible?"
"I'm older, so duh?"
"That doesn't make any sense!"
Ellie wasn't angry, a bit frustrated, but not raging. She glared at the black haired ranger as he went through his level up screen, the 17 in the corner having changed into an 18. She paid no mind to the pathway they walked that led up the hill. "We do the exact same quests and generally kill the exact same amount of enemies. How do you always level up faster?" She spat out.
"I think I 1-uped you back there hehe." Ryuu said with his distinct accent, ending a laugh.
"Okay…" Ellie thought as she let out a sigh. They were now on the wooden bridge leading into Gallinero, wooden thumps following their every step before they reach the soft dirt of the village. Overhead the sun was now noticeably heading towards sunset, though still a good few hours off. Other then the few small clouds dotting the sky, it was still a clear day. A light breeze blowing at the two players faces before being cut off by the camps wooden walls.
"So what, we're just gonna attack this guy?" Ryuu asked, Ellie ever the quick to answer.
"The quest log says to confront him about it the ambush and why their was nothing in the bottom of the lake." she said plainly, prepared for whatever "confront" would entail.
Ryuu then began, Ellie let out a preemptive sigh. "I would say I told you so but-"
"Huh?"
Too early for confusion Ellie turned to her side to see Ryuu stopped in his tracks and facing a fat, purple dressed man directly behind them.
"What is he doing right here?" Ryuu asked as he turned his head around to her, oblivious to the backhand the struck him hard. Although the damage was minimal, the kickback effect was drastic. Sending the ranger spiraling into the dirt.
Ellie immediately unsheathed her blade, dug her heels deep into the ground and was on the Aladdin before Ryuu even back to a standing position. Ignoring all else she struck at fat merchant with a simultaneous slash of both her swords, a technique that would brutally behead a man in the real world.
Aladdin smiled.
"What?" was all she could think as she was flung backward, the words "You cannot fight here" appearing as a temporary staple upon the center of her characters vision. Unlike Ryuu she managed to land on her feet, sliding a good five feet before the black haired ranger caught her. Ellie saw that both of his pistols were already drawn.
"Look!" he said before she could even speak. A quick glance was all she needed to understand the situation. From all corners of the camp bandits began to emerge, a quick spin around revealed them to be at least 20 - 30 in number. They formed a ring around the two players, their weapons drawn and their expressions that of blood lust. "This is even more then there were when we were ambushed." she said fearfully, her fingers tightly gripping the handles of their swords.
"Yeah maybe we should've seen this coming." Ryuu said as he stared at Aladdin, the fat merchant only grinned.
"I'm impressed, I didn't think you would survive that ordeal. You two must truly be a fearsome lot. Unfortunately any luck you had at the lake ends here."
"Ryuu was right, the AI in this game really is good". Ellie thought with a mix of astonishment and terror.
"Here's the deal heroes." Aladdin said with a snarl "Seeing as though I don't want to lose anymore men you will drop all you're belongings and leave the camp. In return my men won't butcher you where you stand."
"Wow this guy is bad" Ryuu said, seemingly oblivious to the sheer weight behind the fat mans statements.
"What's a matter heroes? You scared of little fighting now?" a one eyed bandit yelled manically as others laughed around him.
Ellie saw the bandits yelling curses on the edge of the circle, taunting her and Ryuu. Programmed to kill at any second. She then glanced at the ranger to her side, hoping with every fiber of her being that he wouldn't do what she thought he would.
What happened next seemed to go by too fast for Ellie. The faint footsteps she heard at the entrance, then the shots that fired, men screaming and laughing. Her own hollers added to the mix seemingly without her consent. She remembered Ryuu moving with incredibly agility while dust scattered around the camp, while her blades glowed of her most powerful ability. The only memories were of Aladdin, his smile seemingly everywhere and nowhere, and then the red flash that blinded her vision and cut off her senses.
OoOoOoOoOoO
A second, a single moment of serenity. Not a sound in the forest, one second. Gone before it was even noticed as metal once again clashed against metal.
"Hah!" the goatee man yelled, dodging the blow in a single swift motion before he returned with his counter attack. Meeting the battle-axe head on with his skinny longsword. The two warriors then held their weapons against each other in a test of strength before separating in a massive spherical gust of wind, uprooting the grass under them.
"Iron Lance"
Richards body accelerated to inhuman speeds as he seemingly fazed through the bandit. He held his thin iron blade with his arms extended, sliding in the grass as the bandit grunted and fell to the ground. A thousand virtual shards scattering across the battlefield.
"Look out!" Apollo yelled as RICH turned around to greet a bandit with a blunderbuss to his face. The moment only lasted a second before a lightning coated foot jabbed the man in the ribs and sent him spiraling into a tree. Any remnant of health the man had left being instantly eradicated when a lightning bolt struck him in the chest.
"You alright?" Apollo asked as he turned his head to his right, soon confused when he saw the man just a foot away from his body with his sword drawn.
"My turn." Richard said as he swung upwards with his blade, just barely being seen out of the corner of Apollos eye as he flung the bandits machete into the air and brought down a flurry of blows on the poor NPC. The first of which being a critical stab through the chest.
"Heh thanks" Apollo said as he began to glow blue and then sped back into the fray, passing Lightweight as the large man bashed in a similarly sized bandits head into the dirt with his massive hammer. The quick look nearly caused him to be blind sided as a glance to his front revealed a bandit with a giant shield approaching exponentially closer every second. It's apparent speed greatly confusing the young mage.
"Oh wait I'm the one moving." Milo thought as he flipped over the armored bandit at the last second, the top of the NPCs spiked helmet barely scraping Apollo's chest. Then, with his right fist, he charged a quick electric attack and blasted it in the outlaws face before he crashed into the ground in a roll.
The bandit grunted and shook his head, trace amounts of smoke emanating from the helmet. He then began "Why you-"
He was cut off by a gargantuan two handed iron great sword literally cutting off his head. The timing, point of landing and absolute power behind the blow combing to form the ultimate critical hit. The decapitated bandit then shattered before his head even hit the ground, any trace of blood being completely absent.
"Oh…my…"
"God!" TankGod seemingly completed for Apollo, yelling the words at the same time that the electric mage thought it. Any amazement or intimidation that came with the mans powerful attack evaporated that moment as he seemed to a revert to an awestruck twelve year old boy. "I just caught off his head!" he said with a smile. Apollo then watched as he hollered at his brother across the field. "Jared, did you just see that?"
"What?" Neontiger said, confused. Behind him Cheesus was executing a downed ranger bandit with one of his pistols.
"Like, I literally just decapitated this bandit guy. Oh my god it was sssooo epic!"Around them the battle was coming to an end as the members finished their NPC foes, looted and even chased some of the remainders to the brush. Above the sky was beginning to get a subtle orange tint to it, the sun long passed its peak.
"Man we sure have run into a lot of bandits lately." TrixForKidz said as he walked up towards the center of the field where Apollo and TankGod stood. The leader was distracted so the duty of response fell on Apollo, giving him a subtle, more red then orange, tint as well.
Milo shook it off. "Yeah the sun is starting to go down, how much longer do you guys think it is?"
"Holy shit I think he had a shield too!" TankGod hollered in the distance before anyone could respond to Apollo, continuing his conversation with his little brother.
RICH was there to answer, quickly pulling up the mini-map and gazing at their location. "We're about two-thirds of the way along the path, so it shouldn't be too much longer." Lightweight and Cheesus had also walked up, both listening. "If it goes this way we should be able to get out of their as the sun is going down. Hopefully these guys don't respawn." he said with a little worry, Apollo felt as if he had something to do with that.
Jason and Jared had just finished up their own talk and completed the group by adding their presence, TankGod then spoke up just as RICH finished. "So what, 30 minutes then?"
"Give or take."
"Then what are we waiting for? I bloody want to get my 300 gold pieces."
Apollo had begun to notice the pattern. "Group asks, Rich explains, TankGod charges. Wash, rinse, repeat." he thought as he began to walk with the group members. Around him they were already talking and laughing with each other. He pondered their movements from the rear end of the cluster of players, TankGod having long since run out of things to say and instead begun talking with the others again.
"This is just like it was at school" he thought solemnly. Longing to change the mental subject he brought up his character menu and looked over the stats like had some many times before.
"Apollo, Mage, Level - 21"
Below it listed a plethora of statistics about his character, kills, most money, chickens kicked. All stats he had read over countless times, quickly losing his interest he gazed back at the level. The experience slowing down from its usual range.
" I can do better.." he gazed up at the group members "alone."
