Hey, hey guys Jason here with another chapter of The Salient. Nothing new here, ignore the man behind the curtain.
Chapter 5: Hell Or High Water
_GDFO_
Tball Skulls and Kingster ate in companionable silence. The thick smell spiced the air and the clatter of plates and utensils slightly calmed King's nerves. The setting would almost be familiar in the sense of the two just eating out, it would've been if it wasn't for the fact that every couple of seconds, something out of a mythology book came walking by.
NPC with cat ears or plant hair. Guys with horns, bee stingers, discolored skin. Actually, more people have weird skin tones around here than what is familiar to our duo.
Tball took the surrealistic setting with grace unfathomable. Kingster just stared rudely.
"Are you guys good?" Kingster looked up for his food to meet the eyes of their waitress.
"Um, l don't think. ." King trailed off and looked to Tball for help.
"Can you refill me beautiful? I like whatever this house special is, it's almost as bright as your smile." Tball said, glancing up at her with cup upraised and a grin plastered on his face.
"Huh," the waitress blinked, not expecting the compliment. Kingster watched her long green hair shuffle, confirming that yes, it is in fact alive.
"I'll be back with your drink, you sure you don't need anything sweety?" She turned her vibrant blue eyes to Kingster.
"No. l think l'll be fine." King said. She kindly excused herself and went to get Tball's drink, flower-printed skirt flowing behind her.
The warm breeze drifted in through the open wood windows. The sun provided more than enough light to illuminate the busy restaurant. King looked to Tball to start some more conversation, but Tball had already ducked his natural scowl back into his food. Closing his mouth, Kingster gazed about the restaurant interior.
Most everything here is made out of a greyish-blue wood. Apparently, the stuff is sturdy enough and is local to the area. The only things not grey inside are the tables, chairs, forks, knives, plates, and cups. And even then, those things have the same rough texture as everything else, suggesting to King that they're simply painted. Bored of looking at nothing, King watched as their waitress came back and set down Tball's refill.
Kingster sweat-dropped. What in the world are those Dryads doing? Are they making out? Oh God, they're looking this way! Just look away and act natural.
Kingster blanched and tried to ignore the gross sound they made in his direction.
King and Tball had only arrived in this town earlier in the morning. They'd appeared during the morning market rush from the East Gate and spent the majority of the morning sleeping upstairs in this inn/restaurant hybrid after walking all night to find a decent place to sleep. The mixed-mashed assortment of monsters and humanoid creatures received them well, directing them here for cheap food and lodging.
"So Tball, what do we do?"
Tball raised his head, thumped his chest first and belched. "Ah, that shits good! I don't know. When the girl comes back, we'll ask for who's in charge of this town. We'll find out what's going on before deciding to leave or not."
"Yeah, that makes sense." Kingster nodded in assent.
Letting the white noise drown out their thoughts, King and Tball went back to their meals, nothing to it but finishing and then finding the town's leader.
_GDFO_
Kingster and Tball walked together down one of the main roads. The road here is cobbled, but most in this town aren't. From what King could tell, this world lacks most electrical fixtures. No street lights, cars, air conditioning, but in replace of those things are orbs of magic for when things get dark, beasts of gigantic proportions for good carting, and really no substitute for AC as far as he's seen.
After asking for direction to a leader figure, Tball and Kingster were pointed to the largest building in town. The Head Office as they called it. King looked about the residential, before really taking an interest in the market district as they passed it.
"Damn, thats a big boy sword." King remarked.
"Mhm, l was thinking about buying some gear. But this assassin stuff is durable as ever." Tball glanced down at his all black garb in approval.
"Yeah, it kinda sucks that my stuff doesn't come with buffs."
"Well, there is a trade-off in the sense that assassin players can't really fight in straight confrontations." Tball reasoned.
"True, last night we did see that your skills suck for fighting head to head. But do you really know what throws me off?" Kingster asked.
"Hm? What?" Tball said while waving off an insistent vendor.
"The whole clean clothes thing! l mean, l kinda get how laundry would suck in a game like this, but l woke up and my clothes were spotless!" King looked to Tball for purchase.
"You're right. If you're going to clean off my clothes, why take so long to do it?"
"Right!" The duo walked on conversing about nothing in particular before falling silent after a while.
The Head Office is only a bit further and with the information from here, they can decide on what to do. How to move forward. Trapped in a world not of their birth, the pair gradually lost their appetite for conversation, things have been tough but based on the information they receive here things could get even more difficult .
_GDFO_
Jak lead the way into town, the buildings don't look overly sophisticated, simply built with grey everything and a distinct lack of homely adjustment. The dirt paths they walked were barely populated and the different creatures walking about have a sort of tense, unfriendly feel to them.
"Hey, you, with the cone head!" Smoke's stomach -and by association himself- didn't seem to care all that much about the friendliness of the locals.
A short trollish-looking gnome turned toward the much taller Smoke with a sneer. From the looks they've been getting so far, this guy may as well of grinned and greeted them kindly. Hell, some of the creatures simply didn't acknowledge them, so this may be their best shot at getting any sort of help for the time being.
"Listen, we don't mean to impose, but where can we get something to eat?" Div smiled as sweetly as her clenching stomach would allow.
The gnome deadpanned. "Follow the smokestacks sweetheart." His deadpan look became lecherous after taking a closer look at her attire.
"Where can we get cheap food?" Cratoos meet the beast's look squarely.
"Ghaa! Walk down this road here until you get to Fauna Foods." The gnome turned to walk, and but stopped at Cratoos' words.
"And where can we find your village leader?"
"The biggest building in that direction." The gnome left to continue his business without pretense.
"Well, you heard the man. . Dwarf thing. Food's that way, info is that way." Jak pointed with his finger before internally deciding which is more important.
The other three fell in step with him towards Fauna Foods.
_GDFO_
The group arrived and entered Fauna's without a seconds hesitation. The exterior looms with the same greyish-blue wood as everything else, but the interior has a sort of design to it that screams 'woman's touch'.
"Hi, how may l help you?" l cheerful -human- woman with bright blond hair smiled at the entering group of players, as if they didn't look like cloaked demons garbed in all black.
"l heard from a little bird that you guys got good food. Is it true?" Smoke eyed up the woman in mock suspicion.
"l don't know, you got the money?" She leaned in conspiratorially.
The exchange was meet with smiles and laughs. "Mkay, well follow me and we'll get you guys off your feet."
Jak, Smoke, Cratoos, and Div walked behind their platinum-blonde waitress. The busy establishment was nearly packed to capacity, only a few larger tables still unoccupied.
"Are you guys usually this crowded?" Div asked. There are so many flowers everywhere, this place smells as much like flowers as it does food.
"Oh yeah, ever since Mom learned how to do that one spell which lowers the temperature slightly, we've gotten a lot more business," The woman stopped at a table with four seats and prompted them to sit.
"Now that your butts are firmly seated," The woman paused for breath before continuing. "My name is Flores and this is my family's dinner, we've been around here long enough to know how to meet the needs of any customer we have, even new faces like you guys. Here are your menus, take your time and come up with whatcha want to eat and i'll be right along to get whatever you like. Now, do you guys have any questions?"
"Um, no not really," Without another word, Flores was off, catering to the menial request of some other patron. "Wow, she ditched us quick."
"Shut up, it's food-think time and l can't think about food with all your not-food words."
The group fell silent at that, focusing on the more important.
Ten minutes later, Flores came back and took their orders. Jak, Cratoos, and Smoke ordered platters of meat. Div took up a fruit and salad dish, it was one of the only meals they served that did not have meat in it. The Crew talked and gripped about being hungry for a bit before their food came along one plate at a time. Some of the food had a weird texture to it, while others tasted closer to something from home. The Crew ate quickly, agreeing that the quicker they finish up, the quicker they can get some information.
"Enjoying the meal?" Flores had returned to check up on the group.
"Hell yeah, that steak burger was amazing!" Jak replied, using a bone to pick his teeth.
"Yeah, these fruit taste different than l'm used to, but were good with the salad." Div remarked.
"That's good. Do you need anything, have any questions?" Flores left the question hanging.
"Yes, actually-" Cratoos said.
"Yeah, who cooks around here, they're damn good." Nick cut in.
"Oh, my brother Abej cooks the food, Mom runs the store, and l wait the tables. Together we've been running an effective restaurant for the past six years. Abe is busy though, usually is this time a day, but l'll let him know you appreciate his cooking." Flores replied.
"Who-" Cratoos tried.
"Your mother knows magic? Just how good is she, just how proficient can you get in this. . Um around here." Div finished lamely, but silently eager to learn more. Her spell tome only has the two basic spells every Mage starts with.
"Oh yeah, Mom's great from what she's told me. There are so many paths to choose when it comes to magic that you'd die before completely mastering even one. Let alone all of 'em," Flores collected their finished plates and cups while she spoke. "Why do you ask, are you an aspiring mage? If you guys stuck around until nightfall, when things are a bit more calm, l could probably get Mother to teach you something, she is always looking to impart some knowledge on anyone interested. And maybe stay the night at the inn we run next door."
Cratoos grimaced in annoyance at being ignored.
"Okay, that works. By the way, do you know where we can get some information about what's going on worldwide? Like a Mayor or Governor?" Div asked just to be sure the information they received earlier is valid.
"Good question, someone should of asked that earlier." Jak complemented Div and she nodded in thanks.
"Well, l would ask our village leader, Gerda. Or actually, our librarian may be better for what you guys need, her name is Nano. They both work in our Town Office, the largest building outside, you couldn't miss it on your life. Good question by the way, especially seeing as how you guys don't know much about the area or its inhabitants."
"Thank you!" Div smiled and Flores dashed off to get their bill. Everyone began talking, everyone besides Cratoos.
"Dude, you okay?" Smoke asked. Jak looked over to his older brother's sullen face, worried.
"You guys are so-" Cratoos started.
"Here is your bill, you guys-" Flores was cut off.
"GRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Cratoos cried in anger at being cut off so many times.
"-Don't be strangers mkay, whenever you need to rest, my family runs an inn next door, Flower Beds. Oh, and l hope you guys get what you're looking for!" Flores finished.
Three of the four seated nodded at her words. They paid for the food and then left to go find out what to do next.
The quartet exited Fauna Foods and made their way to the Town Office, taking the main roads with gusto. The walk felt much shorter than it should have, but maybe that's because their bellies were full.
The building looked spartan. With a wooden finish like everything else in this smaller village, the group felt a budding uneasiness settle over them. From the moment they entered this town, that feeling had been chasing them, trying to entrap them like it seems to have done to everyone else in this community. The group muscled on anyways, entering the most distinguished building in the village. In the hopes of reuniting with their other friends walking into a building to ask for information shouldn't be so anxious filled. So why does it feel like this is the beginning of a series of unfortunate events.
_GDFO_
Ultorem turned towards the door at the knock, his important conversation interrupted. Since getting here, he'd been busying himself, doing something all the time to divert his thoughts. Or more precisely, to avoid thinking at all, better to not think about your heavily injured friends when you can't do anything to help them.
All it took was a few moments of pause for Ultorem, all at once his mind flashed to his near breakdown at being taken out of his and Thrum's fight with that mystery woman last night. His face betrayed nothing but his body tensed visibly.
After being dropped in the middle of the woods, he wandered his way to this town in the middle of the night. In the dead of night, the man shuffled his way, studying the buildings one by one and doing his best to not tear his own hairs out. Ultorem shuffled without direction, though his mind was racing all the same.
Why? Who would keep me from- I'll never forgive them, and if not a person, then this game itself. Ultorem's mind flashed from Thrum's body splayed out and at the mercy of that beast.
Azura Rivera. It's her, the blame rests with her. Making me wear this gear, a set of cursed armor with no alternatives. She put Json in danger, because if l hadn't been wearing this then l never would of been targeted. Then he never would of had to take a hit for me. Ultorem looked down to his garments in disgust.
His dark clothes, that make seeing him in the dark nigh impossible. His silenced boots, that make all of his steps light and inaudible. His scowl, that masks his face and make identification that much more difficult. These clothes are as much of a problem as anything else.
Ultorem walked up the steps in the middle of the night, pausing at the entrance to the inn to looked down at his gloved fingers. The gloves give buff to dexterity apparently, and he believed it too. Without these clothes, he wouldn't have been able to stay safe behind the moving wall that Thrum created, even if he could, it would of been exponentially more difficult.
I hate these clothes. Why am I still wearing them? Ultorem wrinkled his nose. A breeze had blown past and pushed the smell of blood and guts from his clothing into his nostrils. Opening his menu, Ultorem removed every single piece of Assassin gear that he was wearing, replacing the gear with his Warrior set. Leaving his menu open Ultorem debated discarding the Assassin gear. Deciding not to solely based on the fact that he can sell it all, Ultorem adjusted his iron sword at his hip. The unfamiliar weight causing him to frown in frustration.
I'll at least keep the dagger. It's much better than the sword anyways, and it can be a really good sneak attack strategy. That decided, Ultorem slipped the dagger into his off-sleeve and walked into the hotel, Flower Beds. Greeted by smiles, from the staff in particular, Ultorem adjusted his eyes to the lights and sounds of the inn. He smiled to the woman behind the desk and blinked, to see that he had returned to the present.
"Come in." The village head, Gerda, called toward the knocker.
The receptionist from the lobby poked her head through the doorway. "Sorry to interrupt, but you have another group of people foreign to the area asking for directions Gerda."
Before Gerda could speak a familiar voice sounded from outside the door, "Yeah, we just want some help figuring out where we are, actually, a map of the world would be great! And maybe some type of, l don't know, some suggestions for finding a group of players."
"Nick?" Ulotrem asked from inside the room.
Silently, the door swung open to reveal four shocked faces to Ultorem. Two of the men present had brown hair, identical in everything except that one of the pair had glasses on. The slightly younger man, who was speaking, was a bit taller with black hair, and the odd ball out of the group of white males is the single black female.
"Josh?!" Smoke marched forward into the room without permission, to the annoyance of Gerda and her receptionist. Stepping up to his best friend, Smoke wrapped Ultorem in a hug, and Ultorem returned it full-force. Div, Cratoos, and Jak walked into the room as well ignoring the distressed squawk of the receptionist.
"Wow, no love for the rest of us? Must have been hard to live out the life of a burger all in your lonesome, huh, it's okay we'll wait." Jak's joke was slightly inflicted with emotion, they'd come here for information. Here is where they would find out how to find their friends, who'd of thought they'd find one here.
"One down, five to go." Cratoos said.
"And then what? What'll we do after we find all the guys?" Jak asked his brother.
Cratoos was happy he was cut off for once, that question in itself requires a lot of information before it could be answered. There are too many variables to make a decision now. Gerda cleared her throat roughly to gather the attention of all the random people gathered in her office. Ultorem and Smoke chuckled in their increasingly awkward embrace, they broke apart and turned to the woman sitting at her desk. Gerda stared at them severely from behind her folded hands, opened her mouth, and began speaking.
"If you're quite done with your little family reunion, let's get down to business, shall we. I have enough work to get done, with or without visitors."
The Crew, one more strong, grew more sober with at her gaze.
_GDFO_
After speaking with Gerda, the group took a glance over her different maps depicting the nearby regions, the only areas she has maps for. In the most painful and awkward way possible, the band of foreigners managed to get her to explain the world to them in its entirety. Gerda pointed out a few of the more common creatures of the wild and began to detail to them the different places to avoid via map. For ten minutes or so Gerda, referenced names, places, people -or well not always exactly people-, and events before recognizing that she was drawing a blank with all of the youngsters there.
"Uncultured townies." Gerda muttered.
In the end, she kicked them out with directions to go find Nano, the resident librarian and unanimously, the most knowledgeable person in town. The even older cat-human hybrid of a woman was in her office. Which doubles as the public library as well.
They spoke to her for a while and were recommended books to read, maps to memorize, and some even caught a nap in the meantime. By the time The Crew made it back to Flower Beds to rest for the night they were bone-tired and ready for bed. Though, in a sort of silent consensus, the five players decided to stay up and tell their story, Ultorem speaking his piece and then the rest since they were together.
Jak packed into one of the three rooms they rented for the night, Ultorem pulled off his shoes and reclined back onto one of the grey beds. Taking the polite looks as his cue, he spoke. "l was with Json for the event," everyone leaned focusing intently. "We're just meeting up, he named his character Thrumaticus Thomil and when shit hit the fan we almost made it out fine."
"What do you mean 'almost made it out fine'?" Div echoed.
"I mean some BITCH with a hate for Assassins and anyone associated with them came at us, she must have killed a ton of players to get to the level she did so early on. l mean. . Json and I tried our hardest not to you know? We just wanted to get out of there, find you guys, figure something out and move from there." The venom behind his words devolved into raw emotion, bottled and kept in much too long with no place to vent. Choking himself up, Ultorem took a pause then to collect himself.
Div stepped over to Ultorem and sat next to him, wrapping her arms around the younger male, she waited ever patiently. Jak, Cratoos, and Smoke didn't make a peep. A few minutes later, Ultorem calmed his breathing enough to continue.
"It's my fault. He took a heavy injury trying to bait her out and get me an opening," the soothing silence shifted to oppressive, at least for Ultorem. He felt chained, wrapped up in the terrible nature of it all, or maybe that's just Sarah's soothing touch turned tense. All the same, Ultorem knew he had to get the whole thing out now, or he might not ever be able to.
"That heavy shot gave me the opening l needed, but l never had the opportunity to take it. l was surrounded in that teleportation light first." Ultorem said in brevity.
"It's okay man, Json's a trooper he's not dead." Jak said quickly with a bravado he didn't have.
"He's right. If anyone can handle themselves out there alone, then it would have to be that man, besides, if you teleport then who's to say he didn't as well. Or even that person you fought. So many scenarios could've happened, for all we know that attack, may have only looked as bad as you say and he got right back up and kicked her ass!" Smoke backed up just as fast, trying to be as optimistic as possible.
Div smiled at that statement. Arms still wrapped around Ultorem, she began to rub his shoulders, in her mind, Json dying there would most definitely be partially Ultorem's fault. But even if he did, she wouldn't resent him for it, even without knowing hes doing more punishment to himself than she could ever manage with just the information they have now. Faith. That's what is important here.
As if hearing her thoughts, as if hearing her judge him, Ultorem turned to meet the dark-almond eyes of Div. Studying her face, Ultorem looked for the scorn and hate that should be there, but found none. Looking away, as if afraid to find that hidden resentment through further pursuit, Ultorem stared at the wooden floor before continuing.
"I reappeared in the woods, found my way here and have been here for all of a day or so." Ultorem concluded lamely.
Div stood up to her feet, too full of energy to sit. "Yeah, we popped up in the woods too. Though we kinda camped it out there for the first night."
"Wait, I'm not done," Ultorem cut in. "Have you guys checked your menu lately?"
The rest of The Crew shook their heads dumbly, fighting the urge open their menus.
"Well. Before you guys walked in, Gerda and I were talking about the state of Nigrum. From what she told me things aren't good, and the reason even warrants the amount of edge that these people have around here. Nigrum is currently having a feud with Tenebris, a neighboring village similar to this one. For whatever reason, the two villages have been growing bolder and less tolerant of each other as time has gone on," Ultorem paused to look at the lower levels of all of his comrades.
"Maybe you guys didn't get the quest because your levels too low." Ultorem reasoned. Fed up with waiting, Smoke simply checked his menu for the quest to not find it there. While he was looking, Cratoos drew Ultorem back to the subject matter.
"So they're pissed, okay we get that." Cratoos said impatiently.
"What I'm getting at here is l was offered the job of being a third party diplomat, Gerda wants me to go to the village of Tenebris and try to negotiate a pact or treaty."
"That's good, instead of us wasting all our coin on low-class inns and food we can make a little something back here!" Smoke said in excitement, Jak, Cratoos, and Div nodded in agreement.
"That's what l was thinking too, until l read the description of the activated quest in the library with you guys. Without reading the thing verbatim it basically said, l can complete the quest one of two ways. l can diplomatically end the bad blood between the two factions Nigrum and Tenebris, which will allot me with the highest coin and experience returns." Ultorem started.
The rest of The Crew nodded in assent of understanding.
"Or l can help the faction l started this quest with with the upcoming battle, that got me nervous. So l asked Nano about the town's military strength and she told me that more and more people are joining and becoming trained. The funds going into higher-grade weapons are at an all-time high, and from the way she spoke it was like. . . it was like she didn't know what was going on." Ultorem finished softly.
"If she did, she wouldn't have given away so much info." Cratoos supplied, and the group shared looks of uncertainty.
"The way the quest implies things it makes it seem as if the Tenebris people are also gathering their strength, readying themselves for a confrontation. If this goes like any type of cartoon I've seen, they'll probably make up before the fighting starts." Ultorem said.
"But if it goes like an anime, then they'll probably meet each other in the middle like dumb-asses. More than ready to slaughter each other to pieces!" Smoke slammed his fist down hard on the hardwood desk next to him.
"Don't worry Nick, l figured as much. And won't let it happen either."
"Oh right!" Div drew the attention of all the males present. "We've decided to use our in-game names to, ya know, be more clear about who's who. This way randoms can follow our conversation without extra names thrown in."
"Okay, that makes sense." Leaving his sentence there, Ultorem waited for someone to continue, but the flow of words died there.
Picking up a book that they had taken from the library, Jak cracked open the book Monster Fighting 101 to get started on understanding this cruel and unusual world of punishment. "Might as well hit the books early, l always say." Jak joked, blowing some of the lingering dust out of his face.
"You never say that. Correction: Don't ever say that again." Cratoos said as he reached for a book on some of the geology of the surrounding area.
Smoke swiped the book before Cratoos could get a hold of it, "Sorry, bud. l want the one with the pictures. "Ignoring Cratoos' bird, Smoke split the book in half and started scanning the first page he saw.
"It's not too late yet, maybe l can grab a hold of Flores and get her to introduce me to her mother, because if l want to be a good mage, a head start from an experienced user would be smart, huh?" Div said as she headed for the door.
Ultorem blinked as his friends got to work, looking at his four Assassin friends, he felt a little left out, looking from book to book, Ultorem wasn't sure which to read first. Either way, they'll all be read and done soon enough, so the only question is which order. Prodded in his side, Ultorem turned to his good friend Smoke and smiled as he was handed a thick book on the subtleties of diplomacy.
Dropping down onto the bed, Ultorem opened his menu for a minute before he started reading. Jak, Cratoos, and Smoke took note of his open menu and watched him for what he was doing. The only reason Div didn't is because she wasn't there to witness the procession. To their pleasant surprise, his clothes morphed into an exact copy of their own, full-out Assassin's gear. The rest of the The Crew were polite and left him to open his book. For today at least, The Crew's unofficial color is black. And that's just as fine with them.
We have a lot of work to get done before morning, good thing Gerda gave me a few days to get ready for my diplomatic mission.
_GDFO_
Down here, things feel so much more quiet and simple. Tball and Kingster sat in their adjacent holding cells, banished to this prison under the village for trying to leave the town directly after meeting with the leaders in the Head Office.
Apparently Tenebris and another town nearby is having a problem with stealing each other's trade, crops, agricultural and construction based plans, and other thefts of minor offence. From what could be discerned, these thefts have been going back and forth for quite a few years, the catalyst driving the towns to aggression being last year's festival. Both towns held a festival, but one town stole the ideas and plans from the other, allowing them to have a much better festival with an exponentially larger number of tourists. The two towns have been on the verge of combat for some time now, ready to destroy the other at any given time after amassing a combat force.
"Just because we didn't want to fight with them," Kingster sighed from outside of Tball's line of sight. "I think I've had enough fighting in me for a lifetime."
"Yeah." Tball replied, not sure what else to say about being captured.
"The way these people walk and talk about death and fighting. They really don't know what they're talking about, l mean, even the people who aren't cool with this whole thing, their main argument is 'C'mon guys, instead of killing them all, why don't we negotiate.'" Tball could hear the disgust in King's voice.
"They talk as if they won't suffer any casualties, it's fucking stupid! They're just so. ." Kingster struggled for the right word. "Ignorant!"
"King, just calm down. These guys are definitely NPC based on the quest that man in the Head Office gave me. Which means their not real people, as soon as we get out, we'll just leave them to their war." Tball Skulls said in a calm/subdued manner.
"How do you know we'll get out?"
"l don't, but we have time from what we've been told. As long as we get out of here before things go to hell, we'll be outta here and fine." Tball responded.
The pair sat in silence for a minute, no words passing between them. "We never did find out how to get a hold of the guys." Tball didn't have any way of placating Kingster's thoughts, so he opted for staying quiet.
The darkness of this dungeon is good for something after all. Tball thought to himself in bitterness.
_GDFO_
The brown-haired man walked aimlessly through the dense fog and trees. He'd already bitten his lip raw from stress and was tempted to get started on his nails. The giant trees gave off the impression of California Redwoods and they were almost the same color. Deep brilliant red, with orange leaves and vibrant yellow everything else.
Even the Jungle lmpache around here are yellow. Charles 'Bendazi' Rancliff thought to himself. So far, Bendazi had already killed nearly a dozen lmpache since arriving in this place the night before last, when he'd appeared, away from his friends and just about any time of sentient life. Bendazi looked up to the Sun, even though the Options Menu has a clock the man has taken to checking the Sun as well. Might as well know the difference between noon and three in the afternoon just by looking right? Not like he's doing anything better.
Daniel had been walking aimlessly for what feels like forever. Marching in one direction through the unending fog and trees, "Greeeeeeh!"
And Jungle Impache, can't forget about the Jungle lmpache. Bendazi took the time to kill off another level one monster with his bow and arrows, compliments of his secondary Archer class. "If l could eat you guys, l would." Daniel's face was deadpan as the beast burst into red polygons.
Bet you'd taste like chicken too. Bendazi thought to himself as his stomach growled. Taking a break, he flopped under a tree and checked to see if the logout button is still missing, sighing at the obvious answer, the man took a few minutes to rest. He lied there listening to the Impache bicker and argue with each other out in the trees, some had decided a long time ago that he's just too much of a hassle to try killing. While others -like the poor guy that just died- still seem to think that they might have some luck.
Bendazi sighed before climbing to his feet. "Back at it again, l guess." As Bendazi rose to his feet, he heard a sound foreign to the rest. Distant and clumsy. Whatever it is, it has more than two legs, and bears much more weight to it than a typical lmp. Instantly on alert, Bendazi froze.
"Why didn't l catch this sound earlier?" Daniel dulled out the forest ambiance and willed his heart to stop beating in his ear. The noise, whatever it is. ls getting closer!
Bendazi climbed the tree he was once lying against and waited. Whatever it is, it'll pass and depending on how it looks, he'll either try to kill it for food, or hide until it goes on its way. Worse case scenario, the creature spots him and also has the potential for flight. Adjusting his glasses and sweeping his short hair back, Charles 'Bendazi' Rancliff waited for his nightly entertainment to pass.
_GDFO_
Thrum and Houten ambled along like a pair of dumb-drunk horses with a missing leg respectively. Houten had been supporting Thrum's left side slightly, making sure the guy doesn't topple over. Since getting up earlier today, they've been seeing nothing but milky-white fog.
"Sorry about this again, Murphy." Thrum apologized, looking to his shorter friend.
Houten nodded in response, "Just be happy that TP took me with you."
"For real, that's one of my worst fears. Being unable to move, with things trying to eat you in the night." Thrum conversed.
Houten stayed silent, not hearing Thrum's words. Taking his opportunity, the older male pulled out of his younger companions arms and stretched to full height. Feel his muscles and tendons scream in protest Thrum grimaced. Standing at full height, he forced himself to walk through his own power. And took the time to notice that Houten had in fact not even realized that Thrum's weight had disappeared.
Especially quiet. Thrum opened his mouth to speak, but Houten beat him to it.
Not even looking in Thrum's direction and simply staring out into the impenetrable fog, Houten asked Thrum the question that had been weighing on his mind all day.
"Do you think we'll get out of this red forest. ?" Houten asked passively.
Thrum studied Houten's blank face, the question is appropriate but off somehow. Deciding to answer truthfully, Thrum said, "Fuck knows."
Houten looked to Thrum without even a half-smile at the crude joke and turned back forwards, not finding the answer to his silent questions in Thrum's gaze apparently. "Are you afraid you'll never see Sarah again?"
Json looked at Murphy in shock, all day they had a sort of gentleman's agreement in not talking about The Crew. Murphy. . .
"Murphy. If this is about a girl, you know you can tell-" Thrum's body tensed at his Sixth Sense, an interesting skill Thrum realized he'd had all along while walking with Houten, and stopped walking to identify the threat. Houten hasn't realized yet, better say something in case our enemy attacks.
Thrum jerked suddenly to dodge the attack he could vaguely feel from above and as he did three things happened nigh simultaneously, Houten stopped walking because he realized that Thrum had stopped moving, Thrum clinched in pain from his jerky movements, and a figure in a green-blue cloak dropped down on Thrum from above. Slamming the latter into the ground back first.
"AAAAARGH!" Thrum yelped in pain.
Houten drew his sword in one fluid motion and advanced on the demon from behind until a familiar voice cut his ire short.
"Json?!" Said the person who fell on top of his injured comrade.
_GDFO_
"So, you just drop down on any guy walking by with good enough looks, huh fam?" Thrum asked as the group of now three hiked their way.
"No actually, l only drop from that high on the people who look ugly ugly, like straight ugly guys, l don't even do what l did to you to the lmpache." Bendazi replied, and then proceeded to die of laughter at his own joke.
"Funny." Thrum deadpanned.
Houten smirked at the banter, but kept to himself. The question about Sarah was unwarranted and absolutely not needed in his mind. lt's just. . l wonder if Merida and her friends made it out alive, let alone The Crew. We don't need that weighing on our minds right now and drawing attention to it will only cause in-fighting among us. You may of re-cracked Json's healed ribs Daniel, but if l was left alone with Thrum for much longer his mood would of ended just as bad as mine.
"Bro, why are you still holding your chest like it's going to fall off?" Bendazi asked Thrum, half joking and half concerned.
"Well, if one asshole didn't come flying out of the trees like Tarzan," Thrum paused to let his painful half-chuckle pass, "But on a real thought, if you take a heavy hit then even after your health regenerates you still retain some of that soreness, at least for a little while. The pain should of passed by the end of today but-"
"Yeah, listen, I'm sorry man, l thought you guys were a monster l could. . . Eat." Bendazi's stomach growled and Thrum's and Houten's answered in kind. The group started walking forwards in search of food.
"We really need to find a damn town, or village, or something to munch on. This is bullshit! All I've seen is damn trees and land clouds!" Thrum groused.
Daniel opened his mouth to tease the 'land clouds' bit, but when his stomach protested the potential waste of energy, he clammed up and increased his pace. Hell or high water, we're eating tonight. Bendazi swore internally.
_GDFO_
The manly trio pressed their hunger march deep into the night. Killing lmpache on the way and even finding an Alpha at one point. The monster only dropped a damn spell tome for creating minor fogs, suffice to say no one was happy with that outcome. It was near midnight that the group of guys struck a lucky vein. Guided by it's lights before smells and sounds, the trio managed their way into Saleem. A town partially embedded into the side of a mountain.
The town's made of mostly granite and redwood from what Thrum could tell, but that mattered less to him than the buxom elves that inhabited this town. And the architecture meant even less to him when their group of men were offered a free dinner, being the first non-elves to enter Saleem in nearly a decade.
"All we have to do is pledge ourselves to the laws of your Theocratic government and we can eat?" Houten asked the village elder while eyeing up the feast laid out in front of himself and his friends.
"Why, of course, as long as you adhere to our rules you may stay and feast upon our bounty as long as it takes for your friend to make a full recovery." The not so elderly looking elder said, nodding her head vigorously and making her assets do amazing things.
Thrum and Bendazi, instead of staring holes in the food, stared holes into other things. A lot of things, all standing around them, as they sat at a table in the public eating hall. "Json, never get better." Bendazi said out loud.
"Noted." Thrum replied, for the first time regretting the fact that he's in a relationship. Albeit only a slight regret. Ah, those who wait shall be rewarded. Thrum thought to himself, buckling down to enjoy his first meal in a day or so.
_GDFO_
The group of amateur diplomats wandered for a day or two, passing through port town after port town. Looking for their remaining friends, after a week or so, news of a player constructed city began to pop-up. NPC talking erratically about the plan, hinting to anyone with enough care to hear about different things like player and NPC population requirements. Land, food, and water requirements, etc.
Word is as many players that can manage their way to this ideal spot for a city, the faster it can be built. And if rumors are to be accepted, then the magnitude of a player-created town/city is much more great than a generated NPC one, so to find their friends more than to help with this city project, the group of four made their way to the center of the world. Where this monstrosity will be built.
Interestingly enough, in a world devoid of maps and compasses, besides those specific to a documented region by that regions locals, every NPC of a certain knowledge of world events knows exactly where to go to find this mega-quest city. On their way to their destination, the black male asked the brown haired male a question that left everyone in the group skeptical about this project working. An essential question that nearly everyone in the group had been avoiding since the reality of this world became apparent.
"Do you think this player city will survive without safe-zones?"
"Are there even safe-zones in this world?" The brown-haired male replied. In the original death game they existed, but thus far not one has been encountered.
"To my knowledge, no. But we've only been in here for a week and a half, maybe we just need to give it some time?" The first man asked more than said.
"Your guess is as good as mine, big guy. Though to be honest I really do wish that there'll be one over every major city in this world."
"Even if there aren't well just have to move forward, we've been threw this song and dance." The group nodded at the black haired male's voice, bolstering their resolve. With that fleeting conversation the last vestiges of doubt left their minds, they're going to find their friends. Even if it means going through another great hall massacre.
_GDFO_
Hey there. First things first sorry for the super late update, after last chapters mediocre size l didn't want to push out another weakly sized chapter, even if it meant l was on time. Things have been a bit busy over in these parts, so I'll have to make the chapters a once every two week phenomenon. Besides all that, if you're confused about the last little break in a few of the chapters here (Chapters 1, 4, and this one 5 for sure have them.) then don't worry too much and tear your hair out, it'll be explained at some point. But you do get virtual cookies if you can guess right in a review.
Furthermore (lol furthermore), l guess l can drop the hint on a couple things from chapter one. If you don't want the hint, then skip on to the next paragraph. HINT: I recommend looking up the significance of October 7th in the SAO Universe, and then re-reading Chapter 1.
Please review, and big thanks to AwesomeA909 for the beta work.
Uploaded October 24th, 2016
Updated November 4th, 2016