“We’ll need help,” said Cecilia.
“The Purrrrsian Empire will help,” I said, and Kit clapped and yipped happily. “Frisco has already offered us aid.”
“With the Purrrrsian Empire, we might just be able to pull this off,” Cecilia said with a slow nod.
“Then what are we waiting for?” said Trinity. “Let’s go kill this Harbinger asshole.”
Chapter 9
Nanaya flew us back to Haven, and we spent the flight talking excitedly about the prospect of having an elven army on our side. The elves of the Great Wood numbered in the tens of thousands, and if we returned their Everstone, we would gain the most powerful allies in Ozara.
The sunrise welcomed us as Haven came into view. It had been a long day, and though I was excited to begin the quest for the Everstone, we all needed some sleep before we did anything. When we landed at the base of the tower, Mick strode up to me and offered me a small bow. He reported that the night had been quiet, and there had been no sign of the barbarians.
My guild mates and I retired to our bedroom to get some rest, but when the girls undressed, I could see that they wanted to do more than sleep. Queen Lyra had gotten me pretty worked up back in the forest, and my body eagerly responded to my girls searching hands.
I awoke a few hours after noon and grinned when I saw the notification flashing on my interface.
Congratulations!
You have reached level 68!
I hadn’t unlocked any new spells, but I had gained the usual 30 attribute points. I made a mental note to see the mage trainer when I went to speak with Frisco, and I sent the panther furry a message to meet me at Cecilia’s pub at 5 p.m.
After a quick lunch and a cup of coffee, I climbed to the top of the tower with Anna to try out the enchanted emerald that the queen had given me. She said that it would protect my city while I was away questing for the Everstone, and I was eager to try it out. I placed the large emerald on a pillar at the center of the tower, then stepped back and spoke the spell word to enable the gem.
A brilliant flash of green light followed my last word, and I instinctively raised my hands to shield my eyes. The green light exploded outward from the emerald and spread over the tower and surrounding land like an umbrella. When all was said and done, a massive green dome of sparkling energy pulsed and hummed overhead.
“The queen has given us a wondrous gift,” Anna noted and glanced at me searchingly. “Did you give her anything in return?”
“Just my word that I would return the Everstone.”
“You didn’t sleep with her?”
“No,” I said truthfully.
“But you wanted to…”
“Who wouldn’t?” I asked with a shrug.
“True,” she said, turning her gaze from me to the pulsating magic shield.
“What are you thinking about?” I asked as I came to stand beside her.
“I was just remembering when I first found you naked on the road,” she said with a cute grin.
“Ugh,” I said shaking my head. “Don’t remind me.”
We shared a laugh, but then she became solemn.
“When I met you, I had an instant crush,” she admitted shyly.
“Seriously?” I asked.
“Seriously.” She laughed. “You were so excited about being in the game. So full of life. I knew that you were going to do great things.”
“You did?” I felt like I had come off like a bumbling noob when I first met Anna, so her admission surprised the shit out of me.
“Yeah, even before I knew about your special ability.”
“Well, I must admit that I had a hell of a crush on you,” I said. “I still do.”
Her smile grew as she drew near, and we shared a long kiss.
“I love you Anna,” I told her as we embraced. “And I thank the stars that you found me that day.”
“You’re not so bad yourself, Sam,” she said with a smirk.
A half hour later, my guild mates and I took a portal to Aeorock, and I sought out the mage trainer to apply my new attribute points. I spent them all on Arcane Knowledge, then browsed the shops on my way to Cecilia’s pub. A ring sitting in a display window caught my attention.
Kinetic Energy Ring
Level 65
Charged by the wearer’s movement, the kinetic energy ring will release a single blast of energy that will amplify a punch by 1000%.
Charge time when active – average 3 hours.
I inquired with the shop owner and walked away with nine identical silver rings. I had wanted to get my guild mates something special, but we had been low on funds lately. Luckily, I came to an agreement with the shop owner and told him that I would pay for them in full in two weeks at 10% more than the asking price. Given my reputation in Aeorock, he not only agreed, but thanked me for my service.
My guild mates were waiting for me at Cecilia’s pub, and the foxy lady had even closed the place for the meeting. The many tables and chairs had been brought together to create a long banquet table with a nice spread of T-bone steaks, mashed potatoes, various vegetables, cheese, bread, and fruit. Frisco and the Purrrrsian Empire, which numbered thirty-three, sat on one side of the table, and my eight guild mates sat across from them. They were all chatting and having a merry old time, and when I greeted them, Frisco raised his glass.
“The indomitable Samson has arrived!” he said happily.
The table greeted me merrily, and I took my place in the middle of my guild mates, directly across from Frisco. Kit put a plate of food in front of me and filled my tankard, but she eyed Frisco coyly the entire time.
He winked at me when I noticed the looks that he was getting from my furry druid, and I could only shake my head and smile.
“To what do I owe the honor?” Frisco asked me.
“We’ve stumbled upon an incredible quest,” I said and popped a grape into my mouth, letting the suspense build.
“I know that you are a master of foreplay,” said Frisco. “But please do tell.”
I told him and his guild about the barbarians, the friendly dwarven refusal to help, and the elves of the Great Wood. When I explained their predicament and mentioned the Everstone, Frisco and his furrys big ears perked to attention.
“But you have to defeat a demigod,” he said when I finished. His tail tantalizingly swayed behind his head as he considered what I had told him. “This is the part where we come in, correct?”
“Exactly,” I said. “I want you and the Purrrrsian Empire to help me retrieve the Everstone.”
“And in return?”
“In return I’ll give you fifty percent of the loot that we are sure to be bathing in by the time this war with the barbarians is through,” I offered.
“Fifty percent…” He mulled it over and nodded. “That is a good start.”
“But…” I said.
“No offense, Sam, but we have thirty-three in our guild, and you have nine.”
“Ten,” said Zoe.
“Excuse me,” said Frisco with a nod of his head. “You have ten, but as I was saying, we are taking a bigger risk, and if we die, we all lose a hard-won level. If you die, you can all just shag your way back up.”
“Not this guy,” said Tweak. “Not that Sam hasn’t offered, but this ape just don’t swing that way.”
“I never offered,” I reminded him a bit too sharply.
He waved me off and laughed with the furrys.
“As I was saying,” Frisco said above the merriment. “We would need more compensation.”
“Name it.”
“We want a tower and some good, fertile land. Say two-thousand acres with a body of water and a good view? Titles and servants would be agreeable as well.”
“I’m surprised he doesn’t want the kitchen sink,” Trinity mumbled under her breath.
I ignored her and extended my hand across the table toward Frisco. “You’ve got a deal.”
“Excellent,” he said, grinning and shaking my han
d.
“Cheers!” Kit sang and raised her frothing mug. “To a fruitful and most bountiful union!”
We all clanged tankards across the table and cheered, and I emptied mine in one long pull.
With the deal freshly sealed, I used my tower interface to allow passage to the members of the Purrrrsian Empire. All players were banned from venturing to our new kingdom for two weeks, but I could allow whoever I wanted to Ozara. The furrys were eager to see the new land, so we abandoned our luncheon and brought our friends through the portal to Haven.
“Holy shit…” said Frisco as he beheld the emerald energy shield.
He and his guild followed us out of the perimeter of the shield, and I spread my arm wide to reveal our lush green kingdom.
Frisco let out a slow whistle and shook his head. “Damn Sam, you sure hit the motherload.”
“Not bad, eh?”
“There’s plenty of room for the Purrrrsian Empire out there,” said Kit with a coy grin.
I knew that she had the hots for him, and who could blame her? Frisco was a friggin badass panther furry and the leader of one of the most successful guilds in the game. But I knew where Kit’s loyalties lay. Frisco had tried to get her to backstab me during the Guild Wars Tournament, but she had refused, even turning it around on him in the end.
The fact that he had tried to turn one of my guild mates against me didn’t bother me at all. It wasn’t personal, just business. There had been a kingdom on the line, a kingdom that I now ruled.
“So, where’s this Hollow that the elven queen told you about?” Frisco asked.
“About fifty miles that way,” I said, pointing to the south.
Frisco rubbed his hands together. “Sweet, let’s gear up and burn this demigod down.”
Warning!
Intruders!
“What the fuck?” I tapped on the notification and read the message from the tower.
100 Real World Players have spawned ten miles due west.
“What’s up?” Anna asked beside me.
I noticed then that everyone was watching me.
“The tower just reported that 100 players just spawned ten miles to the west,” I told them.
Chatter rose up as the Purrrrsian Empire and my guild mates exchanged surprised chatter.
“What do you mean?” Cecilia asked. “No one is allowed in game for like another three days.”
“Yeah, well they found a way,” I grumbled. “Fuck, I bet you anything it’s the Doom Lords.”
I swiped through the tower commands, trying to gain more information on the intruders. The tower reported that the real-world players were indeed the Doom Lords, but there were two other guilds with them, the Dragons of Fury and the Orc Chieftains. I relayed this information to everyone else, and Cecilia suddenly cursed.
“Look what just began broadcasting on the Rebirth Network,” she growled as she tapped on her interface.
I brought up the Rebirth Network that was always playing on the looking glasses throughout the game. It could also be brought up on the interface, and when I tuned in a slow groan escaped me.
The wizard Donovan was sitting at a finely carved desk and reporting the latest news into a crystal shaped like a microphone.
“In an incredible turn of events, the Doom Lords, Orc Chieftains, and the Dragons of Fury have completed a secret quest to gain entry into the newest expansion, Ozara. As you all recall, Ozara was the prize that so many guilds sought less than two weeks ago in the first Guild Wars Tournament. No one is allowed to venture forth to the new kingdom, now ruled by Samson and his guild, Heavy Metal Thunder. But it appears that these three guilds, which, I might add, were all defeated by Heavy Metal Thunder, have found and completed the secret quest. Even as I speak, they have entered Ozara. We would not bring you this information unless Sam and his crew were already aware of the intrusion, and I am excited to announce that they are. It looks like there’s a battle brewing. Let’s go live and see if Sam and his guild mates can defend their hard-won kingdom!”
The view changed from Donovan, and surprisingly, it showed me and the others standing outside the emerald energy dome. I looked to the sky and spotted a big eyeball with wings hovering behind and to the left of us, and it was slowly panning around.
I cursed and unleashed Arcane Lightning. The spell crackled and arced its way toward the floating orb, but the agile little bastard moved out of range.
“Prepare for battle!” I growled.
I tapped on Tower Command and enabled the warning bell. When it began to toll, the nearby humans began freaking out and scrambling.
“Sire!” said Mick as he came running through the emerald shield.
“Get everyone inside the shield!” I ordered. “And prepare your troops for battle.”
“Yes Sir!” he said with a crisp salute before rushing off to carry out my orders.
“What’s the plan?” Frisco asked, and I could see that he and his guildmates were ready to defend our tower to the death.
“The way I see it, they’re going to come at us with everything they’ve got. In that I mean all the shit they’ve bought in preparation for this attack. Who knows what kind of magic weaponry they’ve spent their fortunes on, but know this, they’ve come to conquer. I don’t know how powerful Queen Lyra’s emerald shield is, but let’s pray it’s enough. We’ve got to keep them from burning it down. If they do, we’re fucked. The closest cemetery is the one a few hundred yards behind the tower, so if they have the balls to spawn there, it will put them on the other side of the tower from the main force. I want my gunners to keep an eye on the cemetery, our cannons can reach no problem. When you see the other guilds respawning, I want you to blast them back to Fucksville.
“If you’re not a gunner, then that means you’ll be out here in the field. We’re going to try and stop them before they reach Tent City. Do not fall back to the tower until I give the word. If I’m incapacitated or dead, Anna here will be in command until I return. Is that understood?”
My guild mates and the Purrrrsian Empire all nodded or answered with a “Yes Sir!”
“I want all you healers to stay spread out. Don’t clump up. Keep your focus on our tanks. Casters, if they’ve got siege weapons, I want you to burn that shit down first and foremost.”
Warning!
An Army Marches from the West
I paused and inquired further, knowing full well what I was going to see.
1,000 Barbarians have joined the Intruders
I looked to the furrys, Tweak, and my girls. “The barbarians have joined our enemies. Shit just got real.”
Chapter 10
“Miramar!” I bellowed.
“I am here my liege,” said the dark-skinned wizard as he suddenly appeared before me.
“I want you on the top of the tower. Focus on the barbarians.”
“Yes, my liege.” Miramar bowed and then disappeared, and I turned to Trinity.
“You’re in charge of the militia and the rest of the tanks. You’re our front line.”
“You got it Loverboy,” she said as she ran a finger down the side of her enchanted blade.
“Ember,” I said, trying to find the assassin among the furrys and my other ladies.
“Sup?” she said as she shimmered into view.
“You and the other assassins and rogues get to work setting traps at the edge of the forest.”
“I’m on it babe,” she said before gesturing to the furry assassins to follow her.
I turned to Frisco. “You ready bro?”
“Fucking right,” he said, and we clasped hands like brothers. “These dicks just invaded the wrong kingdom.”
The tower guards raced out of the emerald energy dome followed by the Haven Militia. The villagers wore grim and determined looks on their faces, and they repeated the war song after Mick, who led them on a steed of pure black. Trinity, Stormy, and the furry warriors moved to the front of the line as they all settled in neat formation about two hundred yards fro
m the edge of the woods.
“You ready to head off the Dragons of Fury?” I asked Nanaya.
“Oh yeah,” she said with a grin. “I’ve got a little surprise for those dickheads. Did I mention I gained a new demon summoning spell the last time I leveled?”
I shook my head and grinned. Nanaya raised her arms to the sky and spoke a long string of incantations. Twenty feet above her, a shimmering speck of light appeared, and as she spoke and danced about moving her hands through intricate patterns, the speck grew bigger. Soon it had grown more then twenty feet wide, and I stepped back as the green portal began to churn and rumble with distant thunder.
“Holy shit!” I said as a big black dragon with the body of a snake as thick as a bus suddenly flew out of the portal.
I watched with growing awe as the long body just kept coming out of the portal. When the ass end finally emerged, I stood with my mouth agape staring up at a hundred-foot-long snake as it glided on a dozen red wings. When it opened its mouth, I expected fire to come spewing out, but to my surprise, about a thousand mean looking bats emerged instead, as if the dragon’s mouth was a cave.
“Damn woman,” I said as I watched the winged snake and flock of bats fly toward the approaching Dragons of Fury.
Nanaya took on a different dragon form than I had seen her take before. She morphed into a massive red with big eyes that sparkled like rubies, and a feathered body and wings that were the many colors of sunset.
I wasted no time mounting her, and together we took to the clouds. I scanned the battleground as we soared higher, and it wasn’t hard to find the big barbarians crashing through the forest. They looked to be about five hundred feet from the edge, where my militia waited.
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