Chapter 4, Act II
Kite's Decision

Mantine's Log

It's been one hell of a wild ride for this cowboy... but all things considered, the month has been good to us. I could... almost get used to this.

Needless to say, we all got back down to business a few days after my little solo endeavor. Dr Pepper lead a small group of his elite men to scout the farthest edges of the Continent of Wind, and wouldn't you know it, the Mudkipz got to come along as the guests of honor. Oh, I always did love me a good field trip. The Dr himself's a bit of a man of few words, though. We ended up having to hot-foot it through the volcano on the continent's edge, dodging every manner of monster that outclassed even our group. It turned out to be worth the risk; we scooped up enough gear and loot to keep us out of the red and resupply for the long road ahead.

In the last week of February, we'd fan out yet again to clear out everything the Port and its surrounding beaches had to offer. Noticing a large blockade of ships out on the coast, the GF managed to scout the next boss room before the month was over, and it was time once again for us to band together and do what we do best. Captain Kalygon wouldn't go down easy; we'd have to become pirates ourselves to take him down, Mudkipz and GF alike boarding his namesake Kalygon Fleet! The battle aboard the moving ships added a whole new layer of challenge, we'd have to leap between the rocking vessels and evade the constant hail of cannon fire, finally confronting the mad Captain in the quarters of his flagship! Just as before, we'd taken the boss down without losing a single soldier of our own.

After the destruction of the Kalygon fleet, the path to the next safe zone had finally opened up. Not even that blockade could stop us for long! All that was left now was getting there, but it wouldn't exactly be as simple as a long walk on the beach. Knowing that the going would only get tougher, we hung back in the Port for another week and cleaned the place out of every last quest. I even took a crack at the free quest for a pet, like we'd helped Jin out with. I was really only in it for the experience, but this little kitty I got is downright adorable! I'm still figuring out the finer details of the pet system, and his speed buff is already coming in handy. The little guy sure can put away the food!

Not to say we haven't had our lows to go with the highs, you see... with the next safezone in our reach, the Mudkipz are spread thinner than ever. I've managed to knock out a handful of guild quests on my own, but Kite and Kindon haven't had the time to put into it. Worse yet, we've dropped some numbers over the weeks. We had a couple guys fighting for us, but barely any of 'em even showed up for the Kalygon raid, and we had three or four of 'em leave without a word. Haven't heard from Toshi in a few days either, and I'm scared to even check the hiscores when I get back. We've gotta stow those fears away and press on, and I bet if we can make it to the next safezone, I can pull in some new recruits for us.

I've done my best to keep in contact with Kite and Kindon while we're out; we've all been putting in so much work that we've become a bit distant. I'd been up for so long that I... well, I actually missed out on the guild meeting Kite and Kindon had last night. That's what I get for skipping out on my Z's, I guess. They didn't even come back until nearly three in the morning, so they were understandably right off to bed. I don't blame 'em one bit, considering the mission we had ahead of us tomorrow night. Come what may, we were bound and determined to make the trek to the next safezone. It'd be one hell of a hike, but if we can reach the puff tower we'll be able to add it to our fast travel network.

The days are flying by... winter's just about over... and I've gotta admit... It's a bittersweet feeling leaving the Port behind. We've come to know this place as our home over the months, you know?

16th of March, 2022

Twinkling stars hung over the Port of the Winds as nightfall blanketed the lively town. Kite had instructed Mantine and Kindon to meet by the docks to catch up and make any last-minute preparations for the long trek ahead. Mantine had managed to replenish his dwindling gold supply by selling some of the loot he'd swiped from the earlier excursion, allowing him to upgrade his own gear and keep it maintained. After replacing his shield, he held onto a modest 120 G, keeping his eyes on the open market for anything useful and still holding out for that coveted guild hall. He'd make his way down to the docks where he'd spy Kite and Kindon, who were joined by Morana.

"Good to see ya again. You three ready to move out? We'll be out there for a while, so get everything you need slotted now, just in case." Kite commanded to the three, scrolling through his menus and looking over the map. "This'll be another joint effort; we've got a detachment of the Guardian Force coming for backup, but we don't have time to wait for 'em, so it'll be just the four of us until they catch up. "You can handle it, right... er, Mantine?"

"Well, unless I'm trippin' right now... one of them already has." said Mantine dryly, too fixated on Morana's robes to pay Kite's words any mind. Their soft cream colors had been replaced with a striking white and gold hue, the flagship colors of the Guardian Force. "Seriously, wh- Morana?! YOU joined the Guardian Force too? Seriously?!" he said in sheer disbelief, gesticulating wildly with his hands. "After all that beggin' I did for you to join the Mudkipz... what happened to the whole solo play thing? You know, finding yourself? 'Ooh, I'm not interested in a guild right noooow'!"

The crimson-haired cleric smiled sheepishly. "Well... yeah. I honestly felt I'd done all I could on my own, you know? You of all people should know there are limits to how far you can get as a solo player. They sent me a guild invite after we beat Kalygon, and I let it sit in the inbox for a while, but..." she explained, "...these guys offered some crazy-good benefits! Kinda hard to turn down something like that. Why does it even matter all that much to you, Mantine? Jeez."

'Cuz... we saw you first. Mantine opted to keep his thoughts to himself. Kite rolled his eyes a little at the derailment.

"Mmm? You look as if you're just dying to say something." she noticed the look on his face.

"Nothin', it's nothin'." he insisted, shaking his head. "So we're finally leaving the beach behind, eh? It's practically my natural habitat, but I'm all for a change of scenery. The place we're headed for is called the Sanctuary of Heroes, huh? Sounds dope."

"You'd be right." Kite answered. "A big storm just rolled in over the Coast, so we'll have to be careful not to let the waves take any of us under. We'll stick together and take down anything we see. Simple enough, I think."

"What about Jin and Chocolate?" Mantine inquired, as the other players he'd come to know were curiously absent. "Hell, I'd even take ol' boy Saffron if it means getting there in one piece."

"Said they were busy." Kite answered plainly. "There have been rumours of a field boss roaming about, might have something we could use. They went to go see if they could track it down."

"Man, this game's throwing us for all kinds of loops." Kindon wondered aloud. "I've never seen one before, but... I mean, a field boss is a a common thing in other games... but we haven't seen it before in this one... does that mean it's playing by the rules, or it isn't?" he appeared more confused with each word.

"Don't overthink it." said Mantine, patting his friend on the back.

"Either way..." Kite continued. "If there's no other questions, we'll get moving. Figure if it's just gonna be us four, we might as well bring along the famed berserk healer. Morana, can we count on you to keep us held together long enough to get there?"

She laughed awkwardly, a smile peeking through her hooded face. "Heh... you know it, honey."

Mantine appeared flustered for a moment, but snapped back into stoicism before the others noticed. "Then what the hell are we waiting for? Let's get a move on! I dunno about you guys, but I wanna be one step closer to saving everyone."

"I hear that." said Kite, giving the signal to move out. The four players formed a party, and departed Port of the Winds, marching toward the gathering storm. "No turning back now, eh? Good luck."

Jigsaw Pincers Coast

The party of four began their arduous trek down the coast, taking in the beauty of the moonlit beach while they could, before the storm clouds swallowed up the moon above. They'd managed to make it quite a ways before the rain had begun, giving them a clear view of the coastline. Well off into the distance, strange shadows cast themselves along the rolling, sandy hills of the moonlit beach; flickering silhouettes of what looked to be shark pirates dancing around bonfires that lit up their crude encampment. No doubt the stragglers of Hookah and Kalygon's crews, they'd gathered along the beach with a horde of Starries in tow, waiting to ambush anyone who dared to pass through. Further out to sea, the horizon was dominated by a towering kraken, waving its tentacles about in the murky sky. Its features were hard to make out under the night sky, but it appeared to pose no threat. Either it didn't notice the travelers in the darkness, or had simply opted to remain docile.

"Look... way out there, guys. Is that...?" Kindon asked, pointing toward the colossal cephalopod. "We don't actually have to fight that thing, do we?"

"Doesn't seem likely. Looks wild, but I think it's just scenery. Hmm..." Kite answered, deep in thought with his fingers on his chin. "The real threat's right in front of us. Just look at all of 'em. I'm no Rain Man, but I'd guess about fifty". The Englishman reasoned, motioning over to the pirates' encampment in the distance. It amounted to little more than uneven rows of crude tents, shelters constructed of the remains of the ship fleet, and bonfires that light up the night sky. True to Kite's assessment, the place was practically overflowing with opposition.

"There's no slippin' past 'em, either." Mantine added. "Looks like about half of those sharks are gunners. No need reminding everyone how obnoxious those homing spear guns can be... Not nearly enough room to go around... and ol' Mantine here actually can't swim. Isn't it ironic, don't cha think?" he'd say, trying to lift their morale with a quip.

Kite was already preparing numerous sword skills, his body briefly flashing through a rainbow of subtle auras. "Then I think it goes without saying that we're gonna have no choice but to cut right through 'em. The gunners can only use their slower bayonets up close, so we should all stick close and close the distance. Kindon and Mantine, hit 'em with offensive pressure. I'll give you cover fire a few paces behind. We're undoubtedly gonna take some stray hits, so Morana's gonna be healing the entire time." he declared, giving everyone their effective roles. "Get ready. Once one of 'em sees us, the rest won't be too far behind."

Giving the crossbowman nods of affirmation, the other three cast every buff to their name and double-checked their setups. On Kite's signal, the four stormed the sandy encampment and engaged the seafaring horde head-on! Their high levels identified these sharks and starries as the battle-hardened veterans of Hookah and Kalygon's old crew, now willing to risk it all to avenge their fallen captains. Even with their combined strength, the four were scraping tooth and nail against the horde of pirates! Whether it be just their luck or a scripted event, the torrential rainfall had begun to tear its way across the coast! The clash of steel rang out amid the unrelenting deluge!

As expected, even the beefed up sharks and starries weren't tremendously powerful on their own, going down to a clean sword skill combo or two. It was truly their sinister strategy of overwhelming the heroes that put their reflexes to the test! The sharks would attack directly, while the starries would charge their spin move unnoticed in the confusion, their deadly hitstun no less forgiving that it had been when they served Hookah! Mantine's superb defense combined with his regeneration let him stand tall against the angry sharks and their serrated blades, and he'd even make use of his Knight's Holy Lance to pierce through several at once! Thanks to his weapon's soul craft effect and a little luck, he'd blow through the opposition with an occasional critical hit!

Kindon, however, was not afforded such a luxury with his light armor, opting instead to slip into the shadows and emerge from underneath his foes, catching entire groups of them in his sawblade somersault! His speed buffs allowed him to swiftly weave in and out of the teeming horde, slicing one down before moving onto the next! Kite laid down a hail of suppresive fire on the aquatic denizens, expending his MP to call forth weapons from the distant future! His crossbow temporarily traded bolts for bullets, shredding those who weren't caught in the deadly radius of his grenades! Even when his buff wore off, the Englishman was no less dangerous up close, his next sword skill blessing his crossbow with limbs that extended into blades! Forming a party of four afforded the heroes the unique advantage of being able to switch with any of the other three! They'd make clever use of the instant teleport, confounding the marauders as they struggled to focus on one player before another took their place to blindside them with the very same attack they'd been preparing moments before!

Even when giving it their all, the Mudkipz sustained a great number of stray hits in the confusion of it all! Being creatures of the sea, the enemies here were blessed with an additional buff from the downpour, making each attack add up that much faster! They had been kept alive this long thanks to Morana's incredible healing skills; she truly was the duct tape that held this party together! Her initial move was to hang back and heal each of the boys in turn, but the redhead could no longer afford to divide her attention as the sharks gnashed and sliced! She'd triple maximize her spell, allowing her to heal all three at once with a divine stream of golden light! Though she'd hoped to conserve her mana, she'd have no choice but to thwart the odd attacker with her meteors set ablaze ,and great orbs of lightning sizzling against the rain as they lit up the night air! She'd slug down potion after potion, and practically spam the dwindling stack of crystals on her hotbar, the incredible display of magical prowess burning through her mana at an alarming rate!

They'd thin the pirates' numbers, whittling the crew down until the last one fell! Through their sheer force of will and incredible coordination, our heroes had carved a path to the sought-after safe zone! As the last starry fell, the rain slowly subsided, and the four were even awarded some bonus experience for their troubles. This more than likely signaled that they wouldn't be back any time soon, allowing other players a safe path forward. Though they'd secured the win once more, the battle had left the four friends worse for wear. Mantine had scarfed down the last of his creme-filled cakes, now left with but a handful of crystals and potions. Morana had incurred the penalty for depleting her entire mana bar, now forced to wait out the gruelingly slow recharge timer. Kite and Kindon found themselves in a similar shape, scrolling through their menus to take inventory.

"It's as good a time as any to take a rest, wouldn't you say?" Kite suggested to the other three. "Our bodies might not tire out in this world, but it doesn't go as easy on the mind. We fought our hearts out back there, I'd say we earned a moment to get our bearings."

Mantine agreed wholeheartedly, nearly ready to collapse into the soaked sand himself. "You don't have to tell me twice, fam. Our backup's probably still pretty far behind if they haven't showed yet. Not that we need the help anymore, but... I ain't the type to stand 'em up."

Kite would highlight several things in his inventory at once; a handful of small spheres materializing from light shards. Upon closer inspection, they were some sort of capsules. "They sold these back at the inn in Port, so I kept 'em on me just in case we were ever out for a long time. I was wondering when I'd get a chance to use 'em." he explained, tossing them on the ground, producing puffs of smoke the moment they made contact with the sand. Each one had summoned forth a piece of furniture – folding lawn chairs for each of them, and a pair of tables in the middle. Just like that, the heroes had their own portable picnic!

"Come to think of it, I always did wanna go camping one of these nights." Kindon mused, relaxing in his seat as he gazed up at the stars. "Not a bad spot for it, either... now that it's quiet, anyway."

"How about something to snack on?" the pink-haired gentleman, scrolling once more through his inventory and retrieving a few slices of extravagant-looking cake, its many layers topped with decorative pink icing and strawberries. "These ain't easy to come by, but they'll get us nice and healed up. They say an army marches on its stomach, after all. Reminds me of the Pineta cakes we used to get on holiday back home."

"A world where cake is good for you? A guy could get used to that, y'know." said Kindon, switching his katar for a fork, eager to dig in.

Morana couldn't help but agree, her sweet tooth calling out to her at the sight. "Right? At least here, I don't have to worry about it all going to my thighs. Heh.~" she quipped, digging in along with the others. Mantine stuffed a forkful into his mouth to hide his flustered expression, hoping they didn't notice.

"But wait, there's more." Kite declared, presenting the players an exquisite bottle of crimson wine and some crystal chalices. "A little something special to wash it down with, my treat. A few swigs of this'll get you feeling right lush!"

"Not for nothin', but I've always wanted to try some of the good stuff. Hell, RuneScape even had me craving some frothy ale now and then. I was way too much of a geek to get into the partying scene, but we don't need any fake IDs tonight, huh?" Mantine recalled, having never had much more than a few odd sips of his grandfather's favorite beer or a little champagne to ring in the New Years of days past, both of which he found a bit strong for his taste. "Gotta say, you really know how to spoil us, Kite."

"Think nothin' of it. Morale is as important as anything, I say." Kite insisted, personally pouring them all generous glasses of the alluring scarlet liquid, releasing an intense bouquet that assailed their senses. He'd celebrate their victory with a call for a toast, holding his glass aloft. "To the liberation of Dragon Saga!" he cheered, met with echoes of determination from his cohorts.

"...live on 'til the end!" Mantine called out, adding his own personal touch. With that, the four dug into their decadent desserts, taking their time to savor the unique blend of creamy sweetness with notes of crisp fruit throughout. It tasted unmistakably homemade, the adventurers minds traveling back home for just a fleeting moment with each bite. The wine itself was like nothing any of them had tasted in reality, all of them too young and too unwilling to perform a Superbad caper. The initial taste of dark, dried fruit battled neck and neck with the bitter bite that alerted their senses to the strong alcohol content within. Mantine would initially wince upon taking his first drink, but allowed the taste to mellow out into an uncharacteristically smooth finish. Morana didn't react quite as harshly to the bite, having assisted her mother in wine-tasting at the annual fair back home.

As the four heroes took their well-earned break, they'd all pass the time with some casual conversation. Mantine spoke up first, feeling a little more comfortable letting his thoughts flow with a bit of the drink in his system. "So... whaddaya figure they're doing on YouTube right now? Which one of the wannabe TMZ guys made the first video about the incident, huh? 'THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT...' or some shit. There's gotta be at least one thumbnail of my mug with a red circle around it, and that stupid arrow..."

Kindon got a mild chuckle out of his friend's anecdote. "Yeah, and about five years down the line those same guys'll be like, 'WAS DSO REALLY THAT BAD?' and would ya look at that, another million views!"

Kicking back in his chair, Mantine took another draw of the wine, savoring it a bit longer this time. "...yeah, buddy." he'd say with a light laugh of his own. "Then again, my humble little Alpha Sapphire LP's probably blowin' up too."

"...t's if they know you.. ..apped in the game an... st taking for fucking ever to upd... ylist."

Mantine shook his head, snapping himself back into reality. He completely slipped out of consciousness for a moment there; was he really that much of a lightweight? "Wait, what's up?"

"I said your upload schedule's so inconsistent, half your viewers can't tell the difference. Heh." Kindon teased in between bites of cake.

Mantine's vision grew blurrier, he began to see double. Again, he'd shake his head from side to side in an attempt to stay upright. It was normal, he thought. He'd never been drunk before, after all. "Hey, I'm workin' on it!"

"...ver got the chance to ask, is your name... ntine in reference to the Poké... mes are my favorites! I pla...nce Platinum came out! If y..." was a rough approximation of what he could make out Morana asking him. It was surreal, as if time was skipping forward in tiny intervals.

"Yeah... yeah it is! He's my low-tier... hero after all!" he'd manage to slur out, trying to keep his eyes on the fading light of the bonfire. "Yeah, I made, like... hella vids on..." Even the task of holding his head up became too much to bear; he'd put his face in his hands and rubbed his temples, hoping for some kind of relief...

...but it only got worse. Much worse.

"Guys... uhh, this ain't right... I-... somethin's...!" was all the Knight could manage to choke out before he collapsed out of his seat, landing face-down in the rain-soaked sands! Every muscle in his virtual body felt like it had been turned to jelly! Indeed, his HUD indicated a status condition he'd never seen before, a flickering yellow lightning bolt underneath his health bar indicated he'd been paralyzed! Forcing his jaw to move, he'd call out to warn the others! "Guys! Be careful! I-I think those pirates m-musta had some kinda... like a time-delayed debuff on their weapons! Rrgh...!"

Racking his brain as he struggled to make sense of the sudden turn of events, he remembered that he still had a few status heal crystals in his inventory! He hadn't thought to put them on his hotbar, but if one of the others could initiate a trade, they could use it on him! "Kite! Quick, trade me for some of my healing crystals and pass me one!" he called out to his guild leader.

"...Kite...?"

"Now, then... that takes care of that. One less loose end." was the closest thing Mantine got to an answer to his plea, Kite's words emanating stone-cold conviction.

A fervent panic began to set into Mantine's mind, his heart dropping into his chest and pounding wildly in his ears. The young knight well and truly couldn't believe what he was witnessing...

He'd wrench his neck upright to try and see what the hell was really going on. He'd spy Kite scrolling through a menu a few paces away, only to be jolted by the sudden thump of another body collapsing into the sand – Morana had fallen to the sinister debuff as well! "Kite... what are you... oh, very funny, Kite! This is... you were just... testing us, weren't ya? You're a... great actor, Kite... Didn't... expect ya to steal my joke... but seriously, pass me... one of them crystals!" the knight stuttered out, as even speaking took a toll on him.

Summoning all of his willpower, Mantine forced his upper body up and crawled toward Kite on his stomach. It was only level one paralysis according to the HUD, he could move with great difficulty though his legs were still useless. His vision came into focus as Kite tapped away at the glowing hologram in front of him, now joined by Kindon at his side. He finally got close enough to make out the familiar interface, the Guild menu. He cleared several names away and tabbed over to the disband option, which prompted the Marksman for a four-digit code.

"Wh-whuh-! Hey, wait! What the hell are- Kite, seriously, wh-what are you doing?!" shouted Mantine! "Kite, I don't- I don't understand-!" in an act of desperation, he grabbed onto Kite's leg with both arms to try and get his attention!

...only to have the rose-haired man gingerly kick him away with little effort! "Of course you wouldn't... Mantine, this is about something you're too hardheaded to understand. Let me spell it out for you, chum. This guild... has run its course. I'm not gonna burden myself with it any longer. Real shame that it's come to this... but sometimes, you've gotta learn the hard way." he'd say, looking away from his interface for a moment to stare down at Mantine's fallen form.

Mantine grimaced. "No... no, this can't be happening. That means the wine was... Goddammit, you did this...!-" he choked out, trying in vain to force his body back up. "...but why... I thought we were cool, man...!"

Kite's patience with his old friend had begun to wear away. "Because there was no other way to convince you. Mantine... if we wanna get anywhere in this death game... if we want to survive, we're going to need every advantage possible. I'm disbanding the Mudkipz... and we're joining the Guardian Force, with or without you." he told the Azure Knight with stern conviction.

Mantine felt an overwhelming sensation of dread and disbelief. A mist of tears began to well up in the young man's hazel eyes. "I-I don't... but we were gonna... we were gonna see this through to the end! We've gotten this far, haven't we?! How could you..." he said through light sobbing.

Kite scoffed at his fallen friend's pleading. "God, you're pathetic sometimes." he chided. "Tell ya what, I'll give you a chance, all right. Join the Guardian Force with us and we'll forget that tonight ever happened. They've got big plans for me... said they're gonna get me famous on YouTube and everything! That's what you've always wanted, isn't it? Come on, we'll tell everyone else this whole thing was staged, make a storyline out of it! Your choice, mate. What'll it be?"

Bearing his teeth as he grimaced at the rose-haired archer, the sadness he felt was overtaken by anger; the man had no second thoughts about his response.

"...fuck. You."

"Ooh, wrong answer, Man-" Kite said, only to be cut off by Mantine, not quite done with his refusal.

"NO! No, seriously...! F-fuck... you! ...Fuck you and the Guardian Force!" he snarled. "...go on! Go join your big popular guild! Go get famous on YouTube or what the hell ever, I don't care! Just... hand the guild over to me! I was wrong about you, you're no leader! Give it to me! I was practically the leader already... I was the one doin' all the work, the recruiting... the guild quests... so give it to me!"

Kite drew a long breath from the chilly night air. "...I see. I didn't think you'd actually go for it, I admit. Just figured I'd give you one last shot." he said with an eerily calm tone. "The guild's done, Mantine. I'd never give it over to a dumbass like you, even if I wanted. You've got a lot of nerve even thinking about that... after that little stunt you pulled when we beat Hookah?!"

Mantine's anguish reached a fever pitch. "Are you for real right now? I risked my own hide takin' the heat off of you guys, remember? That was the whole point!"

"...and what the hell were you planning on doing after you rejoined, huh?!" Kite argued back. "Didn't think people would notice the same guy who made a whole show of bringin' all that attention to himself was right back in the guild he supposedly left?! For fuck's sake, Mantine! This is exactly what I'm talking about, you never think things through!"

"...I woulda found a way, and we both know that!" the knight shouted back, having none of it... however true it might've been. "I just wanted... the best for us... Kindon, can't ya talk some sense into 'im? C'mon, bro! Back me up here!"

Kindon had been dead quiet through the whole ordeal, curiously having been spared of the poison's effects as he stood at Kite's side. "I mean, I... damn..." he'd say after a prolonged silence, trying to find the right words. "We weren't really doing much with the guild anymore... Me and Kite talked about it, and he was right. You're really hard to convince..."

Mantine's worst fears had manifested before his eyes, and he pleaded silently for it to come to an end.

"...and so..."

The Azure Knight glared up at the man he believed to be his ally. "Y-you knew what he was up to?! Figures... no wonder you had me do all the guild quests... and the guild meeting last night! This is what it was about, wasn't it?! How long... how long had you been planning all this?!"

"Quite honestly, Mantine? Since that day we spoke about it, really." Kite said, having no reservations about it. "I tried thinking of a nicer way after you turned the idea down... but nothing came to me. We hashed it out... and like I said, this was the only way. I've got great things ahead of me now, man. Too bad you're too stubborn to come along."

"Rrgh... t-think you know someone, right...?" he said through gritted teeth. "I just never thought you guys... seriously, I've known you guys for almost three years now!"

Kindon gritted his teeth, shutting his eyes tight. A look of remorse crossed his face as he turned away, unable to bear looking Mantine in the eye. He had no more words for the Azure Knight.

Just then, Morana summoned her strength to slide Mantine an antidote crystal...

...but Kite's sharp eyes quickly took notice, and he caught it under the heel of his boot, crushing it to dust underfoot. "Only one durability, damn. Tough break. Now, like I was saying... at the end of the day, the Guardian Force is where someone of my caliber belongs. Shame, I really thought the same of you until now... but it can't be helped." he said, stooping over, leaning close to Mantine's ear.

Mantine was nearly fuming at this point. "...and here I thought we could be heroes... Tell you what, friend. Go ahead and delete it. Code 0328! Just gimme enough gold to re-instate the Mudkipz under my name. Like I said, I'll do everything myself, like I always do anyway... "

"...and I'll surpass you!"

Kite shook his head in nonchalant dismissal. "You know, it wasn't just that one time. I realize that you've pretty much always been like this. ...Never knew when to keep your mouth shut, when to listen to anyone besides yourself... Don't delude yourself. Mantine, you'll get no gold from me." he sneered, giving Mantine a cold glare. The Englishman reopened his guild interface, typing the deletion code without second thought.

Just like that, the Mudkipz were no more. Mantine saw the guild name disappear from his HUD, and looked up at Kite just in time to see the blue and orange colors he once wore with pride now erased, overtaken by that same white and gold opulence. Kindon's gear was soon to follow, and Mantine's own armor set reverted back to its standard metallic silver and black state. The dream he'd held onto so dearly had been crushed before his eyes, replaced with a terrible nightmare.

"You s-selfish little...! You know damn good and well you have more than enough to spare, and I'm over here barely scrapin' by! Dammit, Kite! You give me that gold right now, or I swear I'll-"

Kite sauntered back over to Mantine, flipping him over onto his back and placing his boot on his armored chest. "Or you'll what? There's that lack of self awareness... that bravado overpowering your sense of reason again. You're not in any position to make threats. I've got more than a few levels on you... and here pretty soon... more than enough friends to back me up."

"The backup... that was all for..." Mantine said as the realization washed over him. "You... you planned that too, huh? Y-you're somethin' else..."

"Like I said, I knew you wouldn't actually take me up on my offer. I know you better than that... so I made some arrangements ahead of time." Kite explained. "...and would you look at that, right on time."

As if appearing on his cue, a towering warship had sailed its way over the horizon, dropping anchor near the beach. Likely one of the ships seized from the Kalygon Fleet, it was nearly overflowing with GF members cheering Kite on, calling for him to finish Mantine off then and there.

Kite held his hand up, signaling them to silence their jeering. "Looks like my ride's here, Mantine. I guess this is where I say goodbye. Don't worry; I won't kill you here and now. I'm just going to give you something to think about while your paralysis wears off. After that... I don't care if you piss or go fishin'."

One of the players on the ship heard him, and leapt off. He was tall, hulking, and covered head-to-toe in intricate white-gold armor. Even his visage was obscured by a full-face helm, a very unusual sight in Dragon Saga. In his weary and broken state, Mantine took a few moments to recognize the mountain of a man... Dr Pepper. The man known as the current acting guild leader of the Guardian Force... and the strongest known player in the world stood before him under the moonlight. Without a word, the famed leader drew Mantine's Aquatic Sword from its scabbard. He held it high in the air, when another familiar voice called out.

"Wait, hold it! Let me have the honor, Doc!"

Saffron made his own flying leap off of the great warship, catching up with Dr Pepper as fast as his legs could carry him! "Oh, happy day! I never thought I'd get a chance like this... and I sure as hell ain't about to pass it up! No one's gonna help ya this time, Azure Knight. Hmph." he said with vengeful glee, gesturing for his leader to hand over the blue blade.

"Fine. Doesn't make a difference to me. I'm going." said the imposing Dr Pepper in a voice as intimidating as his stature. He'd pass the sword to Saffron and disappear in a puff of smoke, reappearing moments later back on the ship's deck.

"If I was allowed to kill ya here... I'd do it!" Saffron shouted at the fallen knight. "...but if I did, it wouldn't make me any better than you, now would it?!" he said, holding the azure blade in a reverse grip and pointing it right at Mantine's heart. A maniacal grin crossed the swordsman's face.

"...SO I'LL JUST DO THE NEXT BEST THING! THIS IS FOR YOU, POPCORN!"

Screaming his declarations to the stars above, Saffron summoned all of his visceral hatred and skewered Mantine clean through his chest with his own sword, pinning him to the beach like a butterfly! Mantine shut his eyes tight, bracing for the worst as the blade dug deep and relieved him of most of his health!

Catching his breath, he'd cross his arms at what he saw as a job well done. "Now... you keep his name outta your mouth for the rest of your sorry life if you know what's good for ya, Mantine. See ya never." said the spiky-haired blonde, teleporting back onto their flagship.

Kite lingered back for a moment, taking one last look down at the young southerner he once called his ally. He'd meet the man's gaze with a cold stare. "..."

The helpless knight growled in anguish, watching his life bar drain to critical levels through fading vision. "W-wow, Kite... you've bloomed into a wonderful villain, you know?" he said, not wanting to give Kite any further satisfaction. "I'm fl-flattered... you'd risk red player status all for little ol' m-me..."

"Hmph." Kite scoffed and turned away, stepping toward the ship without so much as looking back.

Catching one final glimpse of his former leader as he reappeared on the ship, Mantine could no longer hold his feelings back, whatever was left of his smug facade shattering away! "K-KITE! KITE, YOU SON OF A BITCH, I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU, I'LL KILL YOU, I'LL KILL YOU, I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU, I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOUUUU!" he roared with all his fervor, his words echoing through the chilly night air as the warship sailed over the horizon, out of sight.

His screams faded into the night, giving way to labored tears until he finally blacked out, his health bar clinging by a mere pixel. As the deluge began to pour over him once more, Mantine came to terms with the fact that he'd been left to die.

...and yet, the Azure Knight lived. Eventually, the paralysis did wear off, and the gruelingly slow auto-regeneration took effect while he slept. When morning finally came, he awoke to the sounds of light waves crashing under the sunrise. The young knight gathered the strength to remove the sword and free himself. By the time he awakened, the storm had subsided, and Morana was long gone, her healing abilities likely having taken effect while he was out cold.

For the first time in his life, he was all alone.

Using one of the few teleport scrolls he had left, he returned to Port of the Winds to recover and ultimately, try to press on. He'd retrieve everything he left back in his room at the inn, the place that once served as the makeshift headquarters for the Mudkipz now abandoned in a dark and somber state. The young man couldn't help but tear up, seeing a few of Kite and Kindon's belongings strewn about, empty potion bottles and the like serving as the final reminder of his old friends. He canceled the rest of his reservation days and handed the key over to the innkeeper NPC, leaving the Port he called home for the final time.

The following night, he returned to Jigsaw Pincers Coast, following a discounted tip from a local information broker.

As it turned out, the info he dropped his coin on was good, and a quest NPC known as the Sneak Thief was hiding behind a rock formation near the coast. He introduced himself as Jess, tossing a bag of gold in his palm as he spoke. He told Mantine of a fearsome spectral knight named Artis, who guarded untold treasure and blocked the path to the Sky Sanctuary, one of the four subsections of the Sanctuary of Heroes.

"Yeah, I'll take the job. I'll get it done somehow..." he told the thief with a drawn out sigh. Staring out onto the starlit ocean, Mantine crossed his arms and drew another long breath. "One way or the other, I always find my way out of this... don't I?"

The young knight gazed out at the shimmering waves as they sparkled under the stars. He'd meditate on the situation for a time, still trying to make peace with the hand fate had dealt him. He was almost too lost in his thoughts to notice a hand on his shoulder. He flinched a bit and turned around, meeting the face of a weary-eyed Kindon.

"...Hey, man..." he said, still having a hard time meeting the Knight's eyes.

"...Kindon? So you've made your decision too, then. I'll bite. What do you want?" he said, too tired and too defeated to be angry at the man anymore.

Kindon stroked his peach fuzz pensively, trying to collect his thoughts. "Mantine... I don't know what to say... I don't know what I can say that'll make you hate me any less. So... I'll just try my best ...I'm sorry. I apologize on the behalf of both me, and Kite... no matter how he feels. Really. If it were me, I would've totally listened to you, but... this is how he's always been, y'know?"

"Can't say I disagree..." Mantine said dryly.

"For what it's worth... I tried talking him out of it." Kindon admitted. "I won't lie to you, Mantine... I agreed with a lot of what he said, and... I had a hand in it too. I was the only one with a high enough skill to make the paralysis agent. He's right, you're one hardheaded son of a bitch, but... that's what kept you alive this long. I just... I would've... If I said anything, he might have done even worse to me."

"No, I understand. He had ya by the balls. In your situation, I would've done the same damn thing." Mantine said with a note of resignation.

"...Anyways, I know nothing could ever really fix this, but I... thought I'd just... do my part to help as long as I live. Here." he said, opening up a trade window. "This comes straight from my heart."

TRADE

Shield of Holy Light
Albatross Helm (Special)

…

Cape of Faith (Special)

ACCEPTED

"Looks like some good stuff..." said Mantine, meeting his friend's gaze with a soft smile. "It's really... this cape even..." his eyes welled up, stumbling over his words as he was no longer able to restrain the tears that now rolled down his cheeks. The knight held Kindon in a warm embrace, feeling his arms around him as he met the gesture. Both men were reduced to tears, sharing a brotherly hug under the night sky, knowing their time together was nearly up.

"I-it even looks like the r-real Mantine's fins, see?" Kindon managed to speak through his anguished tears, noting the cape's blue and gray pattern and its unique shape. He'd try his best to remind his friend of his namesake character. Of happier times.

"So you really thought of me... huh?" Mantine said as he sniffled. "I a-almost didn't notice, but it really does look like... Mantine, huh bro? That's so cool of you..."

Kindon reassured him through misty eyes. "...Yeah. It's because I have faith in you, Mantine. Isn't that worth something?"

"...it is. It's worth a hell of a lot" the knight said, drying his eyes. "I can't use most of it just yet, but... I'll hold onto it until I can. They've even got some amazing soul craft effects... Thank you, Kindon. You're a real one." The two shared one last fist bump. "Go on. You might get in trouble if they find out you helped me. This meeting never happened."

"Mantine... live on til the end."

The chestnut-haired man parted ways with the knight, pacing along the starlit beach, returning to his new guild. Mantine looked back, staring at the footprints Kindon left until they faded away into the sand, and he disappeared into the distance.

I'm so sorry that this is how it had to end, brave Mudkipz Guild. Some things simply aren't meant to be, it would seem...

Spring 2022
Mantine's Log

...that was the last time I ever saw Kindon. Just two months later...

...his name... had been crossed out.

With what little I had left to my name, I made my way along the coast and finally reached the new safe zone we'd been speaking so much about: Moonlight Shore Village. It actually wasn't too far from where the incident happened. It wasn't as big and sprawling as the Port, but it had most of what I needed, and the shops even sold new items for mid-leveled players like myself. Its music was a relaxing, mystical piano piece, one of the few things that consoled my mood during my darkest hour.

In my foolish pride, I did re-instate the Mudkipz guild, but it was all for nothing. I couldn't get a single player to join, our reputation now more tarnished than ever. Even worse, re-forming the guild cost me almost a third of my gold reserves. I had earned some decent gear from my last few raids with the Mudkipz when they took me into that volcano... but after a while, everything just stopped selling. Many players became paranoid, hoarding their gold for all but the most optimal gear.

After ten days had passed, the new Mudkipz guild was automatically dissolved by the system for inactivity. So much for that idea. With nothing else to lose aside from my own life, I began my short-lived stint as a solo player. Sky Sanctuary itself was easy enough to reach, lying just on the outskirts of Moonlight Shore. Despite the game itself warning me against going in without a party, I didn't exactly have a choice.

...

Giving it his all, Mantine had carved a warpath through the ancient ruined temples that served as the boss' domain. Climbing his way through the well-worn structures overtaken by vines and lichen, he'd cut down the vengeful spirits of his men until he reached the incorporeal foe awaiting him in the boss chamber at their highest apex. There stood the Spectral Knight Artis, challenging any who wished to pass through the hallowed grounds.

He appeared as a towering humanoid clad in an opulent set of armor trimmed in a ghostly violet and silver, the lustrous metals shimmering under the moonlight as his form faded between this world and the next. A sinister stare shone through the slits of his cloaked helm, and the entire ensemble featured the engravings of skulls throughout. His tattered cape appeared like the wings of an angel of death, billowing in the winds as he drew his mighty halberd in his right hand, and summoned an orb of dark energy in the other.

Mantine stood defiantly against the otherworldly foe, using every buff, item, and sword skill in his arsenal as the two knights clashed atop the sacred ruins...

...and yet, the Azure Knight tasted only the bitter sting of defeat, again and again. No matter what clever tactic he employed, no matter how hard he tried to brute force it and skew the odds in his favor, he could not win. Artis was incredibly resilient thanks to his armor, and would occasionally even shift into his incorporeal form, rendering Mantine's attacks useless. His halberd well outreached Mantine's blade, and his dark magic came in the form of surging shockwaves that were often too quick to evade. Getting caught in just a single one would often lead to a devastating combo, as the hitstun was simply too much to recover from in time.

If only he could Switch with someone, he thought, he'd have a shot at victory. The sad truth of it was, the boss had clearly been designed to be taken on as a coordinated party. Something Mantine no longer had the luxury of. Even on his best attempts, he couldn't even get the fearsome knight to half health. Again and again he'd be bested, using his teleport crystals to escape death at the edge of that halberd, mere seconds from meeting his end...

...

...Until they were all gone. I can't do this. My victory against Endairon was nothing more than a fluke.

To make matters worse, all the failed attempts really started to add up after a while... did a number on my gear and supplies. I didn't have any more gold comin' in... I exhausted whatever quests I could do... repairs and re-ups were expensive wore down my money, and before I knew it, I didn't even have enough left over for basic things like that. The reserve I'd built up had nearly ran dry.

My poor little cat didn't make it much longer, either. Pet food was expensive on the open market, and the GF seized all of the machines Farrell used to make it, more or less giving them exclusive rights to the production of any more of it. I know he's not real, but... he was the closest thing I had to a companion after what happened. All I could do was watch as the timer ticked away on that little crystal that was once a swift kitty. On the final day, when there were just a few hours left on the timer... I broke down to my lowest point and resorted to... begging.

...

"Please, it's all I've got anymore, man! Don't any of ya have a heart?! Not a damn one of ya would be here if it weren't for me!"

"...tch. Get lost. Go on somewhere, cheater."

"...but... come on, I'll give you all this! 20 gold for all of it!"

"We don't want your shitty gear, and no one gives a shit about your dumb cat."

...as the crystal's timer reached zero, it shattered into tiny fragments of light within Mantine's palm.

"Why'd I have to waste my gold reforming the stupid goddamn Mudkipz?! I coulda bought Kitty enough for three months and he'd... he'd still... I'm so fucking stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid, FUCKING STUPID! Why the hell do I even try..."

I'm just not allowed to have anything, huh? Clearing the game with my friends and saving everyone... I should've known better than to aim for such a delusion.

...

I couldn't do it... and that, I felt, was the heavens themselves telling me to resign from my duties... and so I did. I no longer had the will to fight on the front lines, and I'm not cut out for solo play in the least. With no other choice, I retired myself to the Moonlight Shore Inn, a place of warmth and comfort where I'd live out the rest of my days in peace. If this is how Kite and the Guardian Force wanted things to be, then so be it.

Let them do all the work. Clearly, I'm no longer needed.

...and indeed, Mantine did resign himself to live out his days in the moonlit village, returning to a semblance of normal life and blocking out the old memories the best he could. Over the next three months, he'd come to accept this life, settling well into this daily routine, until that one summer night...

"Whoa, holy shit! A-are you... yeah, you're Mantine, the Azure Knight! Never thought I'd meet a legend like you in person, GHAHAHAHAHA! What th... the hell's a hero like you doin' hangin' around here for?!"