thanks again to all reviewers!
And less than an hour later, we were all in front of the ships. I hate public speaking, and the idea of leading such a large group of people, but Argo had bullied me into the position. I stood on one of the ships, looking down at the people who were staring back at me. 'Damn, I feel like I should say something inspiring' I thought to myself, 'but I cannot think of anything to say. Well, here goes something'.
"People of the Human Race. We have had the Viking nation declare war against us. They attacked our sacred land, and killed our people. We will now go, and take them, take their land from them, show them how it feels to be victim to a more powerful foe. Yes, they were stronger than us, but, we are the hunters now. We will attack, and be victorious, and then move on to the next challenge, head on!" This elicited a cheer from the group of assembled people. "Now, get into two groups of somewhat equal amounts of people, we will board, and set sail." They did as I commanded. I turned to Angelica. "You are going to be on the other ship, the captain of it, keeping order and making sure no one does anything stupid" she nodded. I turned towards Sinon. "You will be on this ship, as it will be ahead of the other. You will be in the crow's nest, keeping an eye on the horizon to find enemies and their land." Now to Liz. "Split the smiths into two groups, one group on each ship. Obviously, I want my favorite smith on this ship' she nodded, and ran off. "Yuuki. You will be here. If we are attacked, this ship will be boarded first, and I will need you to help defend it. Now, Argo. I need you to be everywhere at once if you get what I mean. I want to know what everyone is thinking before they know it." Argo grinned sadistically.
"Oh yeah" she said when I basically gave her the job she does best.
"Don't go overboard". Was my response.
"Literally, or metaphorically?" She asked.
"Just go!" I said. She ran off, sniggering. I sighed, 'what am I going to do with her' I thought.
"What about me?" Asked a little voice. I looked at Silica, the owner of the voice. She seemed a little down at not being given a job.
"I thought that was obvious!" I said lively, "I need my best fighters on this ship!" She brightened up at my words.
"You think I am a good fighter?" She asked hopefully.
"Well, duh!" Was my response. "Besides, you are a mage, and you specialize in ranged magic. If anyone comes near, you can give them a load of badass-Silica-style-fireballs!" I held out my hand for a high five, and she jumped up, clapping my hand. I grinned as she passed. 'Phew, I dodged a bullet there'. I shook my head, clearing it to think of the mission ahead. Once everyone was up the plank onto the ship, a window appeared in front of us all, saying:
"Spawn point set".
'Good' I thought, 'this means that when they log in tomorrow, they will spawn on the ship'. "Okay, I need fifteen people on each side with sizable Str stats, manning the oars!" People shuffled to either side, and sat on the benches. Yuuki got off the ship, and pushed it off the sand and out to sea, and Angelica did the same to the other ship. As soon as the boat was entirely in the water, the single sail unfurled, startling Sinon on top, and filled with air, propelling us forward. I stumbled as the motion took over, and the oarsmen looked at me expectantly. "Well" I said. "I guess we don't need to row. Okay, everyone, you are going to be assigned to a person who will be your commander. This commander will give you your orders." I also sent that as a pm to Angelica, and she sent back "affirmative".
After assigning everyone in groups of seven, there being twelve groups, eleven with seven each, and another with three, and then I added the commanders to my contact list. The commanders were my friends, and some people Argo said I could trust.
"Now, you can log out. It will take a while for us to arrive at the shores of our enemy" they nodded, and logged out one by one until it was just me and Yuuki on this ship, and Argo on the other.
"Hey, Yuuki." I called to the girl. She walked over, and saluted. "No need for that! Just tell me, do you think you can throw me to the other ship?" I asked.
"No need, Argo told me that it will follow this one. I have no idea why, but it will. In fact, I think she just logged out" I looked to the galley trailing behind us, and saw that it was empty. 'Well, yeah. It is getting dark' I checked my HUD and saw the time was 7:57. I opened my menu, and using my messaging stone thingy, sent her, "Hey, sweet dreams". I then opened my inventory, and brought out a sleeping bag. The rocking of the ship wasn't that bad, so, we could handle it easily.
"Sorry, I did not bring another…" I said, chiding myself.
"No need! That just means I get to sleep with you again!" She said, too enthusiastically.
"Uuummmm, now I feel very uncomfortable" I said.
"No prob! I am not trying to steal you from Argo, I a, trying to show you that I care bayous you, since, well, you are my only friend…" then, when she exhaled, I saw the steam her breath was making. 'Oh great, it is getting cold'. Since I have been in the game,I realized I feel things just like I do IRL, like cold, heat, and pain. Especially pain. I handed her the sleeping bag.
"Thanks" she mumbled, unfurling it. I then opened my menu, and pulled out a bottle of a slime, and smeared it on the deck, in about a four foot diameter circle, "what is that for?" She questioned. I smiled, and didn't answer, instead, got some logs from my menu, and some flint and steel, and lit the logs. Her eyes opened wide. "Dumbass! This ship is made of wood!" But before she could kick out the heat source, I stopped her.
"Don't. The wax I placed on the ground isn't flammable. It will keep the ship's planks from burning. We are safe, I am not as stupid as some people think"
"Oooooohhhhh" she said. "That makes sense then" she curled up in the bag. "Are you sure you don't want to snuggle?" She asked.
I sighed. "I don't trust myself" I said, staring into the flames. "Besides, there are some things I need to think about for a while."
"Okay, your loss" was her answer. After a few minutes, I heard her breathing slow.
A few hours earlier, while Argo was on their boat (somehow she could go from one to the other without anyone noticing), she pulled Yuuki aside as she was yelling at some people for trying to throw another overboard. When they went to a corner where they could not be heard over the ruckus the passengers were making, Argo had spoken. "Hey. Please take good care of Tryth. I know you probably are, but after what I have to tell you, you will realize what he is going through." And then the weary girl sighed. "I found out his Pain Absorber is turned off. If he gets hurt, it will feel like IRL"
This hit Yuuki like a deadpan. "You mean that he has been fighting this whole time, feeling everything?" Argo nodded.
"I found out when I added my friend to his contacts. I scrolled through his menu on a hunch, and saw that it was set to off, and that no one, not even he, could change it"
"Damn. Now I feel sorry for him. Well, more sorry than I did" the purple haired girl sat down, absorbing what the Rat told her.
"I am going to regret this later, but, we are going north, so it is going to get cold, I want you to make sure he doesn't die from the cold. Or die from anything. That is your job, okay? Girl to girl" the info broker said.
'She is entrusting me with her boyfriend's life? Why?' Thought Yuuki. As though she could read minds, Argo answered this, "He trusts you, and if he trusts you, I trust you. Can you do that for me?"
Yuuki felt the weight of what Argo was asking settle down on her. "Yes, I think I can" she said. 'At least, I hope so' but she didn't say this aloud.
"Thank you!" Argo tackled her unexpectedly. "Thanks you so much! I am counting on you!" And then the Rat stood. Yuuki got up, but when she looked up to speak again, Argo was gone. Yuuki looked at the other ship and saw her cloaked figure, listening to what happened.
As Yuuki lay by the fire, she thought about what Argo had told her. Then, she rolled over, facing the back of Tryth. He opened his menu, and saw that he didn't have any more wood besides the one he was throwing on the fire now. She sighed aloud.
"Something wrong?" Asked Tryth.
Yuuki stood up, out of the sleeping bag, and pointed to it. "In the bag, now!" She commanded. He blinked, and opened his mouth to argue. "Shut up, and get in the bag!" She pointed at the bag again. "Don't make me make you!"
"Fine" he sighed, and climbed into the bag, facing the fire. She climbed in, facing the opposite direction, so they were back to back. The warmth spread over both their bodies.
'I hope Argo understands' thought Yuuki.
'I hope Argo doesn't kill me' thought Tryth.
Yes, that was supposed to be a little comedic.
