A/N 18-12-2014 Thank you guest reviewer Lottie for alert me for my grammar/spellings blunders. Departure
Lolidragon felt content when she looked at them. Somehow, Prince had managed to gather a diversity of people around himself once again. It wasn't just his face that made him attractive, it was his whole being. Lolidragon felt sad that she and Yu Lian couldn't come along into the dome as original Odd Squad members. Luckily the two of them were replaced by competent players. Lolidragon had confidence in the survival skills of this team. It was a strange sort of confidence that couldn't be explained. It just felt like... they were meant to be. Most certainly they would become an unbeatable team. Each and every one of them were exceptional players, and they all were famous for their own reasons.
The first four of these exceptional players were Odd-Squad members. Four members that have won the central Adventurers' Tournament.
Ugly Wolf brought people in awe wherever he came these days. Being the insanely high ranking priest that was idolized by every priest in Second Life left everyone - not only the priests - in awe. He was the first priest to achieve such a high level that his holy light kept flowing out.
Doll was voted for as the cutest but most fearsome necromancer one could ever come across in Second Life. Nobody had forgotten the fearsome dragons she summoned way back in the Adventurers' Tournament. People could only whisper about what techniques she might have gained afterwards.
Guiliastes was demonic in more ways than one. His good looks entranced people wherever he went, and whenever woman threw themselves at his feet, he would loudly declare his ever lasting love for another man - Prince. Lolidragon didn't even want to begin the count of broken hearts Gui had caused. Gui's behavior was also demoniacally deceptive. Who would ever expect an omnipotent man that excelled in everything he ever tried when all he showed was ridiculous conduct?
But it was the last Odd Squad member to enter the dome whom was the most famous one. He was graced with looks that were even more alluring than Guiliastes' and his voice soothed and seduced whenever he spoke. However it should never be forgotten that the famous Blood Elf, Prince, was initially known for his infamous craving for gore.
Even though nobody spoke of the incident, there wasn't a single soul that had forgotten the last time Fan had dared to crossed Prince, this time without Nan Gong Zui or Ice Phoenix in his vicinity to talk to Prince in order to save his sorry ass. Prince had been burning with cold rage. His gruesome revenge was truly nauseating. After beating the living daylight out of Fan, Prince had hung him above the Infinite City gates. To this day people still whispered about the ease and finesse of how Prince gutted Fan. Within a matter of seconds Prince stood with Fan's intestines in his hands, contemplating which knot would serve his purpose. The purpose of hanging Fan with his own intestines rather than rope. But Prince's vengeance didn't end there. After neatly hanging Fan above the city gates the Bloody Overlord installed several priests to watch over Fan, in order to make sure the poor man couldn't die. Rumor had it that Fan didn't dare to log in until he had confirmed there weren't any priests waiting for him anymore in order to prolong his suffering.
Why a lord so fearsome as the Bloody Overlord Prince possibly needed bodyguards was beyond everyone. Nevertheless, the Bloody Overlord wouldn't go anywhere without this bodyguard of his these days. He had become Prince's shadow. This ...shadow - with the lack for a better word – which Prince was graced with, was a famous top ranking warrior who suffered the terrible fate of having no people around that would dare to engage in a friendly sword fight. Except for Prince of course, hence the loyalty. The bodyguard - Cold Fox - was hunted by rumors about his his icy expression. According to the rumors his cold stare could cause frostbite. His fame reached far enough for everybody to fear his inhuman efficiency and how merciless he was when it came to... slaughter. Even though Cold Fox didn't have the sick urge to shower himself with blood, like his lord did whenever he got the chance, no man could fulfill the role of Prince's bodyguard better.
Neurotic was a warrior that shouldn't be overlooked because he was the last warrior mentioned, or because one could come to the false conclusion that he was only famous for his appearance. Just like Prince and Cold Fox, Neurotic was also a top ten ranking player. As an continent overlord he was held in high esteem, just like Prince. The small, slender warrior couldn't be seen without his ridiculously huge and intimidating claymore called the Ultima Sword. Coincidentally, that magnificent claymore of his was one of the reasons why his team won the western Adventurers' Tournament. None of the contestants could come close enough to Neurotic to actually land a blow on him: his claymore had a far wider range than any sword he had exchanged blows with. Moreover, when he and his wife had a goal, nobody could possibly stop them.
Neurotic's wife was called DanDan and she was worthy of standing next to him. She was a top ranking player as well. The pretty summoner had something in common with Neurotic. She was always looking further in order to find beauty. Even though the quest for beauty was initiated by DanDan, both she and Neurotic were engrossed with their everlasting quest. It was most certain that the crazy couple would enter the glass dome with the same mindset as they had when they had entered the Western Adventurer's Tournament: only if they lived through the whole thing, they could come across all beauty. Therefore it was most certain that both Neurotic and DanDan were the two team members least likely to die. When it came to pursuing beauty, the Wandering Couple showed more persistence than Undying Man in avoiding death.
The last person that belonged to Prince's new team was Kong Kong. A thief that ranked fifty. Very impressive, but somehow bleak compared to his new in-dome teammates. This 'low' ranking was mainly caused by Kong Kong's desire to pursue the arts of ninjutsu, rather than doing the stuff which a thief originally was meant to do. Though his skills were truly impressive, Lolidragon found the bloke very annoying. Her reason for her never ending annoyance was because it was practically impossible to find him, even if he stood right next to you. He had pursued the art of ninjutsu to the point where he could make himself invisible. One could say 'stealth' had become his middle name. But even though she found him annoying for it, Lolidragon was happy that he excelled in copying her special skills. Burrowing and knives. Kong Kong didn't like the knives though, he madly was in love with his shuriken.
Anyhow, the team was composed with truly awesome and inspiring individuals. This would work. Next week Prince would enter the dome with this remarkable team he had gathered. If only she and Yu Lian had the freedom to come along... Lolidragon sighed. She had been completely lost in thoughts, rather than briefing them, as she was supposed to do.
"Guys." Even though she didn't raise her voice, the minute she spoke she immediately got everyone's undivided attention. Silently they watched, waiting for what she had to say.
"We decided your sleep will take only a month, not a minute longer. However, you will not leave the Second Life head office for at least another month. This is because you will have to rehabilitate." Lolidragon sighed again. These looks of confusion were to be expected.
"The board has discussed your stay in the dome and they unanimously decided time will be extended. Depending on how you will thrive in there time will be sped up, or slowed down."
Wolf was the first to react, taken by shock.
"How long are we talking about? How long will I, in the reality of the dome, be without Yu Lian?"
Lolidragon raised an eyebrow.
"One time unit can be multiplied a hundred times. This means you can spend three-thousand-and-hundred days within the dome, rather than one month."
Gui was the one to do the quick math.
"That's like eight and a half years! Are you telling us that Wolf-dage has to go eight and a half years without his fiancée? That's insane!" Even though Gui was the one responsible for the mad outburst, it was Lolidragon whom made a face one would rather avoid.
"What do you think I told those ridiculous old farts when they told me, heiress of Long Enterprises, heiress of the Second Life company when they proposed this plan?! We gave them some freedom in decision making, but we most certainly did not think they would pull stunt a stunt like this!" Lolidragon stood tall, her face red by rage and with her fists clenched.
"I swear, I will do anything within my power to make sure you won't have to spend an in-game minute more than three years within that dome." She let her anger loose and for a moment, she looked just like an empty shell. With a deflated voice went on.
"That's why I told you guys you'll have another month in our head office to rehabilitate. Get used to the restrictions of your human body again... Catch up with the news, get back into studying or working rhythm... Forget in-game conventions and remember IRL social rules. This will take time. If you want certain lecture or literature available for learning with your helmet within that month please mail a list with titles."
Wolf sighed at hearing all the bad news.
"Do we have any way of contact with the outside world?"
Relief was evident on Lolidragon's face. Clearly she was happy that not everything she would have to say would be bad news.
"Travel diaries. Or to be more precise: they are twin notebooks. Whatever you write in your notebook, will appear in it's twin as well. Writing is done with a pen that will draw your element out. This way, you can easily erase the text, by simply removing the element you already are familiar with. They will be sold in Second Life as well. We hope for their popularity because people will be able to communicate despite being on different continents. You can also choose to link them towards a certain email address or a cellphone number. So yes, contact with the outside world is possible."
"We plan to give everyone a travel diary set, so they can give it's twin to the person they want to stay in touch with when they are in the dome. And don't be too happy, please realize that if your penpal fails to respond within the same day in IRL time, you might wait have to wait for one-hundred in-dome days. That is more than three months. And even if your penpal does manage to respond the same minute they receive the message, you still might have to wait up to one hundred in-dome minutes before you receive a response. You guys will also get one group-diary so you will be able to communicate with team members over distance. Prince, you will have another one because you are the one on the expedition as our spokesperson. You will be corresponding with me."
DanDan looked confused over the whole idea of travel diaries.
"Why do we need a travel diary to communicate with team mates? We can use the PM system and team channel, like always, can't we?"
Lolidragon shook her head.
"Unlike Second Life with ninety-nine percent reality the world of the Legend of the Sun Knight must be one-hundred percent reality. Therefore there won't be a 'system' you can call, no leveling up, and no rebirth points." This unsettling sense of reality, the possible chance of really witnessing a cruel death of a team mate, and the insane time they might spend in there were all reasons why the company had already gathered a team of formidable psychologists in order to design programs and therapies to help gamers rehabilitate. Lolidragon truly felt just one month in in-dome game time was far more preferable rather than one month IRL without a known in-dome game time.
Kong Kong looked as if he were thrown in an ice bath.
"What's up with that? So much gaming experience, and we won't be rewarded for the way we advance and evolve? You told me earlier you wanted to make this dome a treat people would fight for to enter, a holiday-alternative, how do you expect to do this when you can't level up in there?" Kong Kong clearly voiced Cold Fox's thoughts. Cold Fox had a magnificent scowl, and gave Kong Kong a curt nod, as if he meant: 'that's exactly what bothered me too'.
Lolidragon smiled a professional sales-smile at the two young men, revealing her business instincts as a true Long-family member.
"Your in-dome actions will be recorded. Furthermore a player will be assessed when they leave the dome. The new estimated level will be updated to your Second Life account, together with your newly acquired skills. Of course you will get a royal amount of experience points you can spend in Second Life, but as long as you are in the dome, it will be divided equally as if it were your natural growth." This bit of information seemed to satisfy the both of them.
Seeing that everybody was silent once again Lolidragon spoke once more.
"As I was saying before: time is easily played with within the dome. As for playing with time, the in-dome time has been frozen ever since the where the last episode ended. So when you enter the dome the Sun Knight just managed to dethrone the King, and you will enter the dome a few days before the festivities in order to celebrate the new King. A nice time to blend in the masses of the city. You won't look queer for not knowing the countries social conventions; you can pose to be from another kingdom. As you might gather, we will drop you near the Kingdom of Forgotten Sound. Please do note we will really 'drop' you, so I want you guys to find ways to survive your first few minutes in there. Surely you have some ideas, make those brains work, and when you have got them, remember them because they will make traveling in there a lot easier."
Prince was still contemplating all the information. Ideas to survive falling down from... Knowing Lolidragon this meant to be dropped from miles above the ground. Prince was sure to come up with something. But rather than a potential death smack, it were the travel diaries that truly spiked Prince's interest.
One diary with Lolidragon, one with a friend, one for the team... But Prince was sure his parents would probably want to have contact as well... Not much room left for baggage. No, luggage wasn't the problem. Somehow Prince felt like he was bound to lose one of the travel diaries without noticing.
"Lolidragon? Do they come as little notebooks with tabs per person, so I can carry one in stead of the three you mentioned plus the additional notebooks I would want to buy for other contacts?"
"Good idea, I'll make sure that it'll become the standard. Do you hear that guys? You all will have two tabs: the group-diary, and the one with your penpal." Only after an affirmative nod from everyone present Lolidragon spoke further with Prince.
"Prince, mention the additional contacts you want and I'll settle it with your salary for next month."
There wasn't a moment of hesitation before Prince answered. These diaries were required for Prince to live happily or more exactely, carefree, within the dome.
"Feng Wu Qing, a group diary with my parents, a group diary with Lü Jing and Yun Fei and a group diary for the Infinite Band. I am sure Gui and I will have lots of time to come up with new tunes, lyrics or show acts."
"Consider it done."
"Awesome."
Lolidragon smiled. The easy part was dealt with. Now the hard one.
"Gui, Prince, I need you guys to promise me something."
Gui looked surprised.
"What should we promise?"
Lolidragon gave the two of them a stern look.
"Gui, I want you to promise you won't try to be Prince's stress-relief whenever he is agitated. I don't want you to be beaten to death. You have to survive, capiche?"
Gui nodded.
"Prince, I want you to promise me you won't beat Gui up whenever he annoys you. It is essential he lives. This time it isn't about a team mate losing a level which is bad for the team average. This time it's about losing a team member and aid all together. He won't lose a level, he would be dead to your reality. Understood?"
"I understand."
"Good, now I want ask Neurotic, Cold Fox and Kong Kong for a favor."
The three men looked at Lolidragon in surprise.
"Whenever Gui seems to anger Prince for some reason, when the two of them fall back in their old behavior, or just when Prince has another fit of anger, make sure he doesn't take it out on Gui. In order to do that, you all have to become his sparring parter at once. Not just one of you, the three of you together. That's essential: enough people for him to hack at to his hearts content, while the three of you together should be strong enough not to get badly wounded if he has a fit of blind rage."
The three men suddenly looked a bit shocked, as if they didn't truly comprehend Prince's potential before Lolidragon reminded them. But quickly shock was replaced by determination. They all responded in their own way. Cold Fox with a nod, Kong Kong with a grin and Neurotic relied the message for the three of them.
"Of course, anything for the team."
Lolidragon smiled. She truly looked relieved.
"Thank you guys. Now I won't have to worry too much."
…
At the Second Life head office.
Both grumbling about their parents absence the twins hugged each other while saying their goodbye's. Shui Han looked at Lan with concerned eyes. This was going to be hard on Lan, as well as on the rest of the in-dome team.
"Prince, you didn't forget the basics of healing?"
"No."
"You didn't forget the spells Yu Lian taught you?"
"No."
"What Doll taught you?"
"No."
"You can recognize blades by elements?"
"If I focus."
"You better focus in a fight."
"..."
"You can see with elements past walls?"
"It gets confusing and all jumbled up."
"You do remember what you promised, don't you?"
"Yes ma'am."
The three of them turned to the group to see everyone had finished to say their goodbyes by now. All the gathered family members or friends from the new dome-team stood, waiting for for their loved ones to leave. Well, almost everyone. Yu Lian and Tian Lang were still wrapped in a teary and passionate embrace. The way the two were hugging each other made every person in the room uncomfortable. For once people silently agreed there was a closer couple than the Wandering couple. It was clear that no one had the heart to tear them apart. When Shui Han saw many expectant eyes looking at her, her heart stung. For a moment she didn't know what to do. Why did this have to be her job?
"Dage, dasao?"
While still holding Yu Lian firmly pressed against his chest Tian Lang looked at Shui Han with questioning eyes.
"It's time."
Tian Lang gave a heavy sigh. With great reluctance the sad couple let their counterpart slip out of their arms. The group left for the swinging doors where they would be put on all the machines necessary for their artificial sleep.
…
Thank you for reading and following my story! I am honored.
Especially all the favorites, you guys made my heart flutter.
About this chapter, sorry for the wait. This was an exceptionally hard chapter to write. I hope you guys liked it anyhow. Please let me know what you thought about it in a review. (And if you came across spelling or grammar errors, please do tell!)
Now Prince and his new team finally enter the world of the Legend of the Sun Knight I have a question for you, my dear readers. Are there encounters you'd like to read about? Say so in a review, I hope you'll inspire me for lots of chapters here! *wink*
