AN: Hello guys and girls! Thank you once again for the reviews, they mean a lot.
Ross: Nothing snarky to say this time?
Mason: …
Me: Nope :D.
Dan: Well, that's worrying…
Alex: Why… do we hang out?
Shecklestein: Duh! We get to steal all their gold.
Joel: Touch my gold and I'll-
Me: QUICK! READ THE NEXT CHAPTER BEFORE WE HAVE AN OUT OF CHARACTER BRAWL! (I'm also aware that I've been sloppy lately and I apologise, as there's been many delays recently. So to make up for it I intend to post two chapters this week)
As Tom looked around everyone was showing signs of fatigue, he and Megan had both lost their first life while everyone else was on low health, then he returned his gaze back to the Skull Weaver who had one and a half health bars remaining. They had all been fighting for 2 hours and it was only just now they had it under two health bars.
Alatheus got into a stance, raising his sword and running at the Skull Weaver "Die!" and swung, getting a good hit on the right 'shoulder' now that the skull protecting it had been broken off entirely
Dan sweat dropped, noticing its health bar dip from one and a half to just one… "Guys, my scouter's picking something up from the Skull Weaver… it seems like fear-" then shook his head quickly "That can't be right?!"
The Skull Weaver screeched, and jumped up to the roof.
"What's it doing?" Adam shook his head
"Simple" Alatheus sheathed his sword "it's panicking now that it'll lose health slowly, because it's bleeding out, but at the same time it's toxic blood is spilling out… all we can do now is keep moving and try not to get caught!"
"Right" Tom sheathes his sword "just keep moving! Don't stop"
And finally, after 10 or so minutes…
An exhausted screech escaped the Skull Weaver, who had weakened considerably enough to let go, collapsing to the ground and twitching as it forced itself to stand.
Ross stepped forward, raising his hammer "let's finish this!"
Alatheus shakes his head "just watch…"
The Skull Weaver took a few steps forward, it was in a terrible state: one of the large skulls had broken entirely and the other was heavily damaged; the jaw that protected its eye had snapped off and blood was pouring from it, as well as other wounds on its body; before giving a final noise, a sad mix between a screech and clicking, before it collapsed, dying…
"D-did… we do it…?" Joel asked tiredly, as they waited until-
The message finally showed up: 'Congratulations! You beat the second major boss; you have obtained the Weaver Blade, please continue onto the next floor'
Alatheus walked forward and picked up the sword, putting it in his inventory.
"Hey!" Tom snapped, walking forward "that was our reward! We did more damage to that thing!"
"True…" Alatheus turned to them, a blank look in his eyes "but I had the plan… and my forces were here first…"
"Just give us the sword!" Joel yelled, stepping forward and getting into a stance, ready to fight if it came to it.
Alatheus turned to Joel "The guild requires this blade… for our true plan"
Luke trembled slightly "W-What plan?"
He chuckled "I will not fall for that…" then turned back to them "let me just say this now… interfere with the plan, and you will not be shown mercy…" Alatheus turned, heading towards the stair-case leading up to floor 51 then stopped again, glancing over his shoulder at the players "this plan will help us all… it'll keep us free, peaceful… never again will war or strife terrorise us…" then looks forward "Alpha squad, come with me…" and goes up the stairs, going to floor 51.
"You hear that?" Derrick chuckled "by the time you're all ready, it'll be too late… the plan will be in motion and nothing you can do will stop it, us, or lord Alatheus…" Derrick turned, then followed up the stairs, quickly followed by Mason, Alex and Shecklestein.
"I wouldn't try to stop us" Vince giggled "after-all, by the time it's all in place…"
Emily nods in agreement "you could stop us, but you would have to be quick…" then turns away as she and Vince follow their teammates up the stairs…
Later, at floor 50's Inn…
"I wonder what their plan is…" Dan muttered, stretching "oh well… but still, that fight was near impossible…and that's only half way through the Ever-Hollow Tower…"
"I wonder what he meant…" Joel murmured, remembering Alatheus' words from earlier that day…
*flashback*
"This plan will help us all… it'll keep us free, peaceful… never again will war or strife terrorise us…"
*end of flashback*
Joel shook his head "what could he mean…? That his plan will 'keep us free'… free from what? And what could he of meant when he said 'Never again will war or strife terrorise us'…?"
Adam shook his head "no idea Joel… for now let's just get some sleep, we all deserve it…"
They all nodded in agreement, eventually saying goodnight to each other and going off to their rooms…
Meanwhile, something was wrong on floor one…
A ranger was walking through the town of Balmoral, heading towards the 'Drunken Huntsman' when he felt a hand touch his shoulder "Hmm?" he turns to the person "can I help you- Urk!" he looked down slowly, looking at the sword that pierced his chest, the handle was a deep shade of red with marks on it, as if the weapon was used very often. He looked back up slowly at the person who stabbed him "W-W… what are you…?" he was looking into a hood, with the person's face hidden by it as well as the shadows of the night
The figure said nothing, removing their blade from the ranger's chest, and sheathing the weapon, not even bothering to wipe the blade clean and walked off, leaving the Ranger to bleed out slowly until he died…
The figure got a communicator out of their inventory and speaks into it "Sir, I eliminated the target
"good job… did you get the amulet?"
The figure nods, taking the amulet they had stolen from the ranger and holding it "Yes sir, I got the Amulet of awakening…"
"Good, bring it back to me… once I have that amulet and I can unlock my true powers, I can make sure no one ever leaves this game…"
"Still sir, it seemed odd that a random weakling would have the amulet…"
"True, either way… bring it back to me immediately"
"Understood sir" and turns off their communicator, heading to the teleportal in the centre of town, beside the stand that lets players set up guilds…
