Chapter 2: Duel with a God

After only one month, the game had lost 2,000 players. But, Heruseus and the others each had new weapons and allies. They had met Austin "Lance" Irvine, Axel "Titanus" Gueit, and Max "Azerath" Jure. Azerath and Lance each used a sword and shield, but Axel used a one-handed spear. Lance, Azerath and Gaia each now had a heavy, one-handed sword named Anneal Blade. Aris, who like Heruseus used a one-handed sword, had an Anneal Blade as well. Grimmjack, who used one-handed greatswords, had the Iron Greatsword, Dragonstar had unlocked a rare skill, archery, and she had the Ranger's Bow. Titanus had the Silver Lance and Heruseus had the Bloody Justice, a one-handed longsword. So far no one had died, but there was a weird, stalker chic who followed them silently. Once, Heruseus went to a shop and found her peering around the corner. Now, everyone went in groups of four. It was soon announced that there would be a boss fight.

"Ok, I think we have enough skill to take on the boss," argued Gaia.

"No. I don't trust this boss," Grimmjack returned.

"I trust Evan," Dragonstar said firmly.

"Evan's not leader here, this is a democracy, so everyone shut up!" Lance screamed.

"Can everyone shut up? I'm trying to read!" Heruseus howled. "One more time, if you bother me one more time I swear I will drag you out to the wilderness and chain you to a tree near a field boss!"

"Sorry Heru-chan!" Titanus cried out.

"What the heck are you reading?" Gaia inquired.

"Well, I used the internet browser on the menu, and I'm checking out how to install Skype in Aincrad," Heruseus snorted.

"Ok, whatever, back to what Lance said, we should have a leader. I'm one candidate, anyone else?" Gaia offered.

"Can we volunteer other people?" said Diana's quiet voice.

"Sure," Gaia laughed.

"Then I volunteer Heruseus," Diana muttered.

"Why me?" Heruseus said, peering over his menu.

"Well, you've got experience as a beta-tester and I highly doubt that Evan's got anything on you," Diana explained.

"Yeah, I guess, but beta experience will only take me to floor 10, and after that, I'd not be so useful," Heruseus explained.

"Dude, do you except your nomination or not?" Gaia said, a bit impatiently.

"You know what? I will," Heruseus snorted.

"Ok, smartass," Gaia muttered.

"How am I-, nevermind," Heruseus sighed.

"Ok, people time to vote!" Gaia cried.

The polls ended like this: 7 votes for Heruseus, 1 vote for Gaia.

"No way! Who voted for Heruseus!?" Gaia cried out.

Flare, Titanus, Lance, Azerath, Grimmjack, Heruseus and Dragonstar raised their hands. Gaia voted for himself. "Steph!? Why'd you vote for him!?" Gaia exclaimed.

"Well, he's got a lot more experience, so yeah," Dragonstar said, rather sheepishly.

"Ok, fine. Now what do we do great leader?" Gaia mocked.

"Um, how about from now on, every day, we go into dungeons and labyrinths with one other partner for level up," Heruseus muttered.

"Sounds good. Who's on today?" Dragonstar inquired.

"Me and Dragonstar?" Gaia offered.

"Nope. Today is… Lance and Ugh You," Heruseus smirked evilly.

"DARN YOU! WHY DO I HAVE TO BE WITH UGH YOU?" Lance screamed.

"Can everyone stop calling me Ugh You?" Gaia muttered.

"My name stuck!" laughed Aris.

"Yeah," Heruseus said as he sat down on the couch and pulled up his menu.

"Still trying Skype?" Dragonstar said, peering over Heruseus' shoulder.

"Yeah. I think I got it figured out," he sighed.

"What's wrong?" Dragonstar asked.

We all have to have a house, buy a TV and hook it up to a video crystal, so we'd have to wait until floor 20-ish," Heruseus sighed. He closed his menu.

Lance and Gaia prepared their items and walked out the door. The guild sat alone talking amongst themselves until Heruseus got a message from Gaia.

Help. Some weirdo chic has us hostage. And she wants you.

Heruseus flew out of the door of the inn and ran towards the edge of the town. He activated the Search skill. He tracked Gaia's location and found him out in a swampy area. He was level 7, so any mobs that he aggroed (A gaming term meaning he made the monster notice him an engage with him. Go to the end of the book to find a Glossary.)

He found them tied to a tree and a girl in a long cloak came out from the shadows. She began to clap. She had a simple rapier tied to her waist. "So this is the beta-tester who kicked Shi-san's ass huh? Man, you look like a wimp," She sighed. She spoke in Japanese.

"Who's Shi-san?" Heruseus said, in his rusty Japanese.

"Wow, I'm surprised you know Japanese. You're an American player right? Man, you are a weeaboo!" she laughed.

" I'm an otaku, get it right," Heruseus growled as he drew his sword.

"Wanna fight then? Let's see if you're actually any good," she sighed.

"Tell me who Shi-san is," Heruseus yelled back.

"You're so dumb. Shinigami is the Bible lyric dude you met on day 1, who told you that the death game would begin, because we are both GMs, whose privileges have been stripped," The girl sighed.

She pulled down her menu and sent Heruseus a deul request. It was a fight to the death. Heruseus readied his blade and came up with a quick strategy in the 60 seconds he had. He figured he should use his high level speed to spin around and hit some quick burst attacks. He next had to mentally prepare himself for murder. He was about to end the life of another player. Then he saw his friends, tied to the tree. Both looked like they had been pitched in battle before capture. At 25 seconds the player said, "My name is Seikatsu,"

Heruseus charged as soon as the timer hit 0. He quickly activated a one-handed sword skill, Sonic Leap, but Seikatsu countered with a Linear. Heruseus went in for a Heavy Strike, but was again countered by Linear. Seikatsu thrust her rapier forward, a Linear sword skill, and Heruseus dodged. He slammed the pommel of his sword in her back and took her HP bar down. Both players stood still panting. Seikatsu was at 85% and Heruseus was at 95%, as the tip of Linear had nicked his shoulder. He went in for another skill and this time landed the tip of his sword on her arm. Seikatsu was down to 75% and Heruseus growled and went for a Sonic Leap. She used her rapier to block and then thrust her sword forward once more and the blade pierced Heruseus' virtual skin. The blade had gone clean through his chest. He was down to 50%. He growled and shoved his sword, without using a sword skill, into the chest of Seikatsu, taking her down to 50% as well. Heruseus pulled the blade out of his chest and gave a battle cry.

He charged at full speed toward Seikatsu, activating another Sonic Leap. But this time he was too fast for her and using the impact of his speed, took Seikatsu down to 12%. One more blow would finish her off. Heruseus noticed that during the fight, her hood had been ripped off. She had sea green eyes and bright blue hair. She was a very beautiful player. Too beautiful to kill. Heruseus sighed. He opened his menu and resigned from the duel. Tears had begun to form in Seikatsu's eyes. "Just kill me!" She screamed. "Why won't you kill me? I deserve to die! I sent everyone here into this hell hole! I helped design it!" She wept.

"For one thing, someone that beautiful shouldn't die. Second, I'm not that into killing girls. And third, I'm not really into the whole murder thing so, yeah," Heruseus sighed.

He cut the rope that held Lance and Gaia captive and picked them up. He grunted under their weight, but he had leveled up his Strength up to the point where he could run with them. He began to sprint towards the town of Tolbana, leaving behind the beautiful girl in the clearing. When he got back to the inn his HP must have been lower than he thought because everyone was fondling him, making sure he was ok. Then they checked on Lance and Gaia only after Heruseus growled, "Leave me alone,"

Heruseus lay back down on the couch and opened his inventory. He gasped. "What?!" Titanus asked.

"I need to go buy a new book," Heruseus said as if it was the worst thing ever. He walked outside and went to the bookstore where he bought Divergent. He then walked by the armor shop where he saw a leather coat on sale. It had pretty good armor so he bought it. He equipped it and went back to the inn. He walked upstairs to his room, got in his bed, after switching to his pajamas and leaving his sword by his bedside, and began to read. He fell asleep at around 11, when Aris got in the room he smiled. "Goodnight little nerd," he whispered.

Aris put Heruseus' book on the nightstand and pulled the covers over Heruseus. Aris smiled. These days, Heruseus had mainly had a scowl, but in his sleep he looked like a kitten.

He went back downstairs where everyone was being loud. "Guys, shut up! Heruseus is up there sleeping. Come check it out," He motioned.

Everyone followed him upstairs and saw Heruseus fast asleep. "Aww, he looks like a little kitten!" Dragonstar squealed silently.

Heruseus began to stir and everyone ran downstairs, where they carried out what they were doing in silence. Heruseus walked downstairs in his pajamas and now he looked like a little kid. He rubbed his eyes groggily. He looked funny without glasses. The sight of his child-like state made Dragonstar laugh. Heruseus got his scowl back and put his glasses on. "I can hear you guys from upstairs"

"Sorry dude," Aris smiled.

Heruseus grumbled to himself and went back upstairs. Azerath, Aris, Lance, Gaia, Titanus and Flare followed. Diana and Dragonstar stayed back downstairs. "Man, is it nice?" Diana asked quietly.

"Is what nice?" Dragonstar asked.

"Having two different guys like you," Diana muttered.

"What do you mean? Only Gaia likes me," Dragonstar replied.

"You're dense. Nevermind," Diana said as she started up the stairs.

"Diana?" Dragonstar asked.

Diana paused. "Yes?" she replied quietly.

"Is it because no guys liked you that you became lesbian?" Dragonstar asked quietly.

Diana pursed her lips. "Maybe. I'm not sure,"

Dragonstar sighed. Diana continued up the stairs. Dragonstar sat alone, staring out the window. There were no players outside. Just the light from street lamps. It was the day before the first boss fight. Heruseus was going to make a decision before the fight. Deep down, Dragonstar didn't want to fight the boss. She just wanted to wait. Wait for someone to save them. Her mind wandered until she had gotten to the most prominent thought on her mind: The fact that more than just Gaia liked her. She began to think of the multiple candidates that fit the role. Flare? No way. Maybe Titanus? Certainly not. After a few silent moments she gasped. Heruseus!? She looked to the ceiling above her. Just above, Gaia, Heruseus and Flare were sleeping. In the next room over was Diana and Dragonstar's room. On the other side slept Lance, Aris, Titanus and Azerath.

Dragonstar sighed and went up the stairs. She opened the door to Heruseus' room. All the lights were turned out except for Heruseus lamp. He sat on his bed, reading. "Can I help you?" He whispered.

She motioned him outside. He closed his book and put it back in his inventory. He creeped out to the outside of the room. Dragonstar shut the door when Heruseus got out. She looked him in the eye. "I know it's late, but I want to go hunting. Now," She sighed.

"Uh, ok. But Gaia's fast asleep," Heruseus muttered.

"That's why I'm not going with him," Dragonstar poked Heruseus.

"Hey! Who are you going with," He muttered.

"Who do you think?"

"I don't know! There are a lot of us!'

"Theo, you can be so dumb sometimes…"

"That was uncalled for!"

"I'm going with you! Idiot…"

"Oh. That would have been helpful to know!"

"I figured it was pretty obvious,"

"I'm not really good at picking up social cues,"

"Yeah, you are socially awkward,"

"True,"

The two of them sat awkwardly staring at the floor. "You gonna get ready or what?' Dragonstar snapped.

"R-right, sorry!" Heruseus equipped his coat and sword. "Let's do this!" He shouted.

Suddenly the door from his room shot open. "Can you two lovebirds keep quiet!" Aris shouted.

The door on their left shot open. "Shhhhhhh!" Gaia yelled.

The door on their right shot open as well! "Everyone shut up!" Diane shouted.

"Sorry, jeez, chill," Heruseus muttered.

All three doors slammed shut. Dragonstar and Heruseus walked downstairs and outside. Heruseus made a heavy sigh. It was December 3rd. The chilly air in the town chilled Dragonstar to the bone. Heruseus felt nothing. He fiddled with his menu and gave Dragonstar a long, forest green cloak. She put the hood down. She had braided her hair. Her braid hung behind her back. The two walked in silence to the forest. Heruseus put on a determined face as the first mob spawned. It was a Ruined Kobold Trooper. It was a red, reptilian mob covered in armor with a halberd. He charged up a sword skill. "Uh do you want me to help you-" She was interrupted by the scream of the mob. Heruseus had already taken it down.

"What the heck!? How'd you do that?!" Dragonstar said, exasperated.

"Well, I'm level 10 and I just unlocked the one-handed sword skill, Skull Crusher, which does heavy damage to humanoid mobs," Heruseus shrugged.

Dragonstar stood with a shocked look on her face. A Ruined Kobold Trooper was about to hit Heruseus in his back. Heruseus charged a sword skill and turned around. He slammed his blade into the chest of the Trooper. Dragonstar let an arrow loose, notched another one and let the sword skill charge. She fired and hit the Kobold in the head. The kobold shattered. Heruseus saw another Kobold charged from his left. On his right, back and forward were two kobold's each side. The one on his left had a partner now as well. He stood back to back with Dragonstar. Dragonstar notched an arrow and charged a sword skill. Heruseus smirked and looked at the clock in the right of his vision. When the clock struck midnight he unleashed a sword skill. He defeated the kobolds on his left and forward. Dragonstar had been using the knockback on her arrows to keep them at bay. Heruseus ran as fast as he could, hacking and slashing. Both players fell to the ground, back to back, panting. Heruseus sheathed his sword. He looked up at the sky. He smiled. "You know, since it's so polluted back home, it's so rare we see this many stars,"

"Yeah, it is. I wish people would stop screwing around and fix our problems," Dragonstar sighed.

"Well as pretty as these stars are, we've got a problem," Heruseus stood up and pointed towards a pair of glowing red eyes.

Out from the shadows of the forest came a wolf-like humanoid named Lupus the Wolf God. It had two health bars. Heruseus grimaced. "Dragonstar, stay behind me. You don't need to use sword skills, just poke it,"

"What do you mean poke it?" Dragonstar asked, quizzically.

"When you stay behind and do little damage until the little damage builds up," Heruseus hastily explained. He drew his sword.

Dragonstar leapt back and notched another arrow. Heruseus charged Skull Crusher. He launched himself at the god. He struck with full force but only took it down by 3% He went in for a combo. He strung in a 15-hit combo, but overreached and Lupus struck at him with his claws, which were charged with a sword skill. Heruseus was sent flying, losing 20% of his HP. He was at 80% of his life. No, he was 20% closer to death. He charged a Sonic Leap and threw in an extra sword skill, Dolphin Slash, an upward sword strike. He dealt out 20% more damage. Lupus was at 50% of his first health bar thanks to the powerful combos dealt out by Heruseus and the poking done by Dragonstar. Heruseus went for another sword skill combo, this time dishing out a 20-hit combo. He went for a Sonic Leap and Dolphin Slash. Dragonstar's arrow hit Lupus in his back and a flashy visual effect ensued. She had gotten a critical hit, which stunned Lupus. Heruseus went in for his Skull Crusher and the first of Lupus' health bars went down. Lupus howled and three wolves came out from the shadows, eyes on Dragonstar. They charged while Lupus lunged at Heruseus. Heruseus dodged and countered with a Sonic Leap, Dolphin Slash and then strung together another high hit combo. Lupus was at 75%. Dragonstar's wolves were down to 25% each. She shot more arrows, taking down the pests. Heruseus used Skull Crusher and then Sonic Leap. Lupus was down to 65% Dragonstar poked the boss again and Heruseus pulled off more combos. Lupus went down to 45%. Lupus hit Heruseus with his claws. Heruseus was at 50%. Heruseus lunged at Lupus, who tossed him like a rag doll. Heruseus went down to 35%. He launched another combo and Dolphin Slash. Lupus was down to 20%. Lupus kicked Heruseus. Both were at 15%, thanks to Dragonstar's arrows. Heruseus went for a Sonic Leap and Dolphin Slash. Lupus shattered with a bloodcurdling howl. Heruseus dropped to his knees, exhausted. Dragonstar ran over to him, tears in her eyes. She slapped him, "Idiot! You nearly died! What the hell were you think!?"

Heruseus laughed. "I needed xp. I'm level 11 now! Yay!" He muttered weakly.

Dragonstar smiled. "Let's head back. I hit level 10,"

Heruseus put a health potion in his mouth and practically drowned on its bitter and sour taste. He needed two potions to heal. When the got to town, Dragonstar hugged him. "Don't ever do that again," She whispered.

"Right, I won't. Now let go, you're crushing me," Heruseus managed.

Dragonstar smiled. Heruseus went upstairs and got in bed. He promptly fell asleep. Maybe he isn't such a bad guy. She smiled. She went upstairs, got ready for bed and plopped down in the bed opposite of Diane.