“As much as I would like Sir Godlike to take the throne that he rightfully deserves, I shall trust his judgment,” said Alonzo.
“Besides,” said Matteo, “what do you think the people will see when they know that you are the leader of Godlike? That even a great player accepts you as a superior. Not to mention two Shockers.”
“That’s a good point,” said Boran. “Around here, power is respect. People want to see someone do something and show the results of it.”
Kabaka frowned, as though he were mulling things over. It seemed the big man was unconvinced. “What is the point of all this? I do not want to control you all.”
“You are our leader,” said Matteo, his hands gesticulating to emphasize his point. “That doesn’t mean you’re controlling us. It means that you’re leading us. You’re keeping us together and showing us the way. Besides, when people see the kind of team you lead, they will respect you immensely.” Pausing briefly to organize his thoughts, Matteo continued, “And let’s not forget your army.”
The looks of intrigue, surprise, and curiosity, as well as occasional confusion that spread in the group was something Matteo had anticipated, though he was not aiming for any theatrics.
“What army?” asked Boran.
Level 10
And that was how the team returned to the well.
Matteo had told them the plan, and while it was met with a bit of skepticism, it eventually found its place as a goal among the team members. They had nothing to lose and decided that his plan was the best shot they had at getting back at the Shockers.
Team Kabaka—or Kabakans, as Kenji had named their members, in the tradition of allowing one-word nomenclature for groups, such as Agris and Shockers—finalized the details of Matteo’s plan. It took them a couple of hours to finalize the plan, with different members suggesting their own approaches. Once again, Kabaka reiterated that, despite what plans they made, they needed to stick together. Just that statement alone changed the tide of the discussion. People started supporting each other’s plans, but they still didn’t come to a conclusion. Eventually, Matteo took the major points from everyone and organized them into a cohesive strategy.
“The first thing that we need to do,” Matteo told his team, “is to start looking intimidating. And to do that, we need numbers. Even if it is a small addition.”
The Kabakans had reached the healing well, and Shaury had taken the initiative to spread the team around the area. The result was that each member had taken up a strategic position. They were hidden among the foliage of the forest surrounding the glade where the healing well lay.
Since Matteo knew Shaury’s position, he looked in her direction, on the other side of the glade from him. He waited for her signal, since she was coordinating everyone’s position. In the meantime, he looked at the healing well, noticing that Boss and his group had stuck true to their word; they hadn’t left the comfort of the well and the newly sprung apple tree. The group was also joined by three more people whom Matteo could not recognize.
Matteo spotted a thumbs-up sign. Shaury was ready. He looked at Kabaka, who was across him on one side of the glade, and gave a quick nod.
The big man stood up tall, brushed off his shirt, and strode into the glade with confidence. For a few moments, the people in the glade were unsure of what to do about the sudden presence of what could only be considered as a giant of a man. Eventually, Boss must have decided that he was the de-facto leader of the group. Despite him being almost a foot shorter and much slimmer than Kabaka—which was saying a lot, since Boss was all muscle—he must have decided that he shouldn’t look intimated in front of his group.
Kabaka’s smile seemed to throw Boss off his game, and he now seemed to be wondering what he should really be doing.
“Greetings, friend,” said Kabaka as a way of introduction.
Boss looked behind him at his group, perhaps to make sure that he still had an audience for his bravado. “We are not your friends. At least, not yet.”
Kabaka wasn’t fazed. The man’s compassion was his shield and his weapon. “I understand. What I also understand is that tomorrow, the Shockers will be all over the forest, hunting down anyone who is not them.”
“That’s not our problem. We are going to find Godlike and earn our freedom. All of us.”
Kabaka looked over Boss’s shoulders before returning his gaze to the man. “That’s not possible. Only you and your group will be saved. The others will die, even though they were with you during Godlike’s capture.”
The three newcomers to the group shifted, looking at each other. “Don’t listen to him, friends,” said Boss. “He’s trying to separate us. The man is alone. I wonder why.”
This time, Kabaka did not respond immediately. He allowed the silence to communicate before his words drove the message home. “I am here because I don’t want us to stand on opposite sides of this pointless fight. They have pitted us against each other, and they simply stand back and watch as we slowly diminish our numbers. They know that the moment we realize something, they are finished.”
“Oh, yeah? And what is that?”
“We are stronger together.” Boss snorted, but Kabaka continued, now looking at the other members of the group. “What do you think they are going to do when you gain your freedom? Do you think they will simply let you go? If they could place Godlike in the servitude of a Shocker, what do you think they will do to you?”
“At least we will be alive,” countered Boss, but Matteo could see that his heart was not in the response.
“But will you truly be alive? And when I say alive, I don’t mean bound to anyone. I mean, roaming these lands of your own choice. Without someone holding a leash on you.”
Boss hesitated for just a moment. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“We fight back. We let them know that they don’t have any control over us. They are not our masters. We are not here to serve their whims.”
Nobody had any response to those words. Each person in that glade knew that all they ever wanted was even an ounce of self-respect. Despite boldly claiming that they wanted freedom, they had forgotten what that word truly meant.
“You’re talking about all of this as though you got an army,” said Boss.
In response, Kabaka merely raised his hand and brought it down. From behind two trees positioned on opposite sides of the glade, Boran and Emiri made their appearance, Crossbolts held at the ready.
The group in the glade were on their feet, panic filling their eyes. Tourd looked like he was almost going to flee, but a single look from Emiri stopped him dead in the tracks.
“Halt,” said Kabaka. Matteo was surprised by his commanding tone. Earlier, he had expressed his dismay at having to order other people around. After a long conversation, Matteo had convinced Kabaka that it was necessary.
Boran and Emiri came to a stop, weapons pointed at the group. One moment, the group were staring helplessly at the fact that there were two Shockers near them. Then, one by one, it dawned on them that it was Kabaka who had ordered the Shockers to a stop. They turned their heads toward him, eyes filled with wonder and amazement like a child watching a shooting star for the first time. Matteo supposed that Kabaka was indeed like a shooting star, a wonderful sight that had an uplifting effect on people.
Even Boss couldn’t hide the awe from his voice. “You control them?”
“No,” said Kabaka. “I lead them. And not just them.”
The big man repeated the hand raising and dropping gesture, and Matteo stepped out from behind a large bush.
It was at that moment, when the group realized that Godlike heard the command of Kabaka, that hope flourished in their eyes.
Matteo had no doubt that he had just found new allies.
“Our next step would be weapons,” Matteo had said, back when he was still discussing the plans with the Kabakans at the place where they had killed the Griffin. “Right now, we have two flash grenades and two Crossbolts, a
s well as the Griffin Claw.”
“If I am not mistaken, the claw gives temporary flight abilities,” said Shaury, her brows furrowed in concentration.
Matteo nodded. “The ability to fly to a height of sixty feet for thirty seconds and then use the Wing Blast move. It’s a strong gust of wind that staggers the target. In other words, they feel incredibly dizzy.”
“Yeah. We need more than what we have right now if we want to make a stand,” said Kenji.
“Exactly,” said Matteo. “But before that, we need to pick our skills.”
“I have been thinking about that,” said Alonzo. “I think I would like to go with the Shadowfiend skill. It decreases movement sounds by sixty percent, even when I am running. Plus, it increases the damage of my attacks when I attack someone from behind. And I get the Quick Step, so I can move faster for five seconds. But only if you think that is wise, Sir Godlike.”
“That is wise, Alonzo,” agreed Matteo. “That is the perfect skill for you to have, especially after how you took care of Boss’s team and the Griffin.” He looked at Kenji. “Sharpshooter. Accuracy increases by fifty percent, which is incredible considering how accurate you already are. And you get a hundred and fifty percent damage boost if you strike someone with a headshot. Then you get the Last Breath. Slow time for five seconds so you can take an accurate shot.”
Kenji nodded, a smile playing on his lips. “Oh, yes. Now that is a wonderful skill to have.”
“I’m guessing you would like me to choose Gladiator, like Kabaka,” said Shaury, not because she wanted to look powerful in front of others, because she understood that she was good with melee weapons.
“Actually, you should pick Striker. Ten percent increase to attack damage with each strike you give for a maximum of five strikes, before the countdown resets. Your base damage increases. And you get the Quick Strikes ability. You attack five times in quick succession in a span of three seconds, each attack giving you an additional five percent increase in damage, over the ten percent you already get.”
Shaury thought about it for a while. “I see what you mean. But I don’t have any weapon to strike with, Matteo.”
At that, Matteo gave a small smile. “You don’t have to worry about that.”
And that was how the Kabakans, along with Boss’s group, had reached the outer edge of the forest.
Once again, Shaury had coordinated positions to make sure that everyone stayed hidden in the forest. Matteo’s plan hinged on knowing just how many Shockers were outside the forest and whether they were traveling in groups. Now that they had all chosen their skills, it was obvious who should be the one scouting the outer perimeter of the forest.
Alonzo was making the most of his skill, darting between trees like a phantom. One second, one would glimpse him hiding in the shadow of the tree, and the next, he would not be there.
Matteo knew that when someone used their skill’s special ability, there was a cooldown period of five minutes before they could use the ability again. That was a fairly long time period, especially when you were in the middle of a battle, when every second counted.
However, Alonzo was not fighting anyone. He was merely observing the enemy, learning about their movements and how they coordinated with each other. This gave him the opportunity to use his ability more frequently.
After an hour of scouting, Alonzo appeared behind the Kabakans, surprising them so much that both Boran and Emiri had raised their rifles. Raising his hands in an apology, Alonzo spoke. “They are arranged in groups of two. It seems that they are positioned so that one group will always have a view of at least one other group.”
“That complicates things,” said Shaury. “Should we lure them in?”
“I think that would be best,” said Kabaka. “Alonzo. Can you do that?”
The stealthiest man on the team simply nodded. “I can do that, Kabaka.”
“It’s Sir Kabaka, by the way,” said Kenji, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. “You know, since he is the leader.”
Alonzo opened and closed his mouth a few times, unsure of what to say. He was clearly finding it difficult to affix the title to someone other than Matteo. “Yes, indeed,” he said, clearing his throat. “That would be the way, shouldn’t it? I mean, you are the leader now.” Shaury folded her lips inward to curb an explosion of laughter. Boran and Emiri pretended to examine their weapons. “Well, in that case. I shall be on my way, sir.”
“Sir Kabaka,” repeated Kenji as a way of a reminder.
“Yes, of course. Sir Kabaka.” Alonzo pronounced the sir as a “sure,” a little act of defiance even at the last moment.
Without waiting for a reaction, Alonzo darted off into the trees. Kenji had a broad grin on his face, as though he had accomplished something truly significant. “I could never get used to that.”
“Remember,” said Matteo, “Kenji and Emiri are the best shots. Let them take care of the Shockers.” Nods from everyone in the group.
Within the next five minutes, the Kabakans spotted Alonzo approaching them. Matteo realized that the only reason they were able to spot him was because he was making his presence known. And that was when he heard the shouts.
“You know you can’t run. There is no point. Give up now, and maybe we can make this quick.”
Soon, Matteo spotted two figures heading in Alonzo’s direction, their weapons held casually in their arms, as though they had no worries about the fact that they were the ones who would emerge victorious in the confrontation.
When the two Shockers reached the spot where Matteo and the others hid, Boran gave a quick whistle from behind a tree. The two Shockers pointed their weapons at the sound.
That would be the last mistake they made.
Kenji and Emiri, their weapons trained on the Shockers, each let out a single shot. Kenji’s aim was true, hitting a Shocker right in the center of his face and sending him sailing backward to a hard landing. Emiri’s shot struck the target’s chest, flinging him toward a tree.
Matteo ran up to the unconscious men and collected their weapons. He tossed one to Boran. From the trees, Boss and his group emerged, their eyes filled with admiration that bordered on worship. Matteo suddenly felt self-conscious.
“That was,” said Boss, pausing to find the right words. “just extraordinary.”
Despite the fact that he found it rather uncomfortable, Matteo was grateful for the admiration of Boss and his group. It would help them trust Matteo even more.
“There is more to come,” he said. “We need to arm you, and your team as well. For now, can you bind these Shockers?”
“We are not going to kill them?” asked Boss, confusion quickly overpowering his face.
Matteo shook his head. “No, we are going to incapacitate our enemies. No matter what they aim to do with us, we are going to be much better than them.” He glanced at Kabaka, who had a look of pride plastered on his face.
“It’s impossible to make sure of that,” said Boran. “You can kill a target easily if you are not aware.”
“Not necessarily.” Matteo turned to Shaury. “What happened when Kabaka was shot close to a low health?”
Realization suddenly dawned on her. “He fell unconscious. And he was out for quite a while.”
“He would have been out for longer if we hadn’t arrived. I am thinking that it’s the same for these Shockers. Besides, even if they did gain consciousness, the last place they would want to be is in front of Olympus, explaining to him how they lost their weapons to the enemy.”
The Kabakans nodded. Even Boss joined in, as though he understood everything that was being said. Without another word, Matteo tossed the Crossbolt in his hand to Shaury, who deftly caught it. “I don’t understand,” she said. “I thought I was a striker.”
“Do you know of the Spearex?” Matteo asked.
“You mean that golden spear that pinned you to a wall when you last fought with Olympus?” asked Kenji. “What about it?”
“Shaury is not
just a Striker. She’s a Weaponsmith, as well.”
The look of wonder that Shaury threw at Matteo told him that she understood exactly what he had in mind. “You want me to craft the Spearex.”
“Bloody hell,” said Kenji, visibly surprised. “I didn’t even think of that.”
“But I need more materials, Matteo. I mean, this Crossbolt can be dismantled and reconstructed, but it’s not going to provide the right amount of resources.”
“What do you need?” asked Matteo.
Shaury thought for a while, staring at the weapon. Then, she looked up at Matteo. “I need more Crossbolts.”
“Then it’s time to grab us a few more,” said Kabaka, warming up to the idea. “Shall we lure in a few more Shockers?”
“Let’s take care of these guys first,” said Shaury, using the Crossbolt in her hand to point at the unconscious figures on the ground. She looked at Boss. “Can you and your team tie them up to a tree or something?”
Boss nodded, eager to get in on the action. “We’ll take care of it, no problem.”
And that was how the team managed to secure more weapons. Alonzo would lure the Shockers into the forest and the team would incapacitate them, depriving them of their weapons and tying them up to nearby trees. The entire group worked through the day and night. When it was too dark to make any more moves, the team rested. With the advantage of numbers, there were four people keeping watch at any given time.
At the break of dawn, the group walked the perimeter of the forest once again. Matteo noticed that each member of the group was armed. He hoped it would be enough to stop Olympus and the other Shockers.
As the newly formed Kabakans, which included Boss’s group, walked through the forest, the big man himself began walking next to Matteo.
“What are we going to do next, Matteo?” asked Kabaka. “We still have the problem of fighting the Shockers.”
“I am thinking about that,” Matteo said. “While I do have a plan, I don’t know how to execute it without getting anyone in harm’s way.”
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