Kittish responded hotly, “If that’s the way you feel, go join Vengeance. I hear they would welcome you with open arms, you small minded person.”
The players who had spoken grabbed their weapons, causing Dumadin to step forward. “If you are going to threaten violence to others here, you should go. Differences of opinion will be tolerated but fighting won't be.”
As he finished speaking Dado and Dido came towards the group, their faces grim. “He speaks the truth lads, if you offer violence we will toss you from our ranks.” Dado said firmly, but not totally unkindly. “Now are we going to have an issue?”
Most of the group backed down except for one of them, “Fuck you NPCs. Just wait til they rewrite your code again and you end up as drooling idiots.”
Terets appeared behind the talker and grabbed his arms, “I believe that was the wrong answer.”
Dado went forward and disarmed the player and slapped manacles on him. “Once we escort you out of camp you will be able to go where you will.”
The player started yelling about not being able to log out and how much this situation was idiotic. Dado ignored him and dragged the cuffed player away from the wagons back the way they came along with Dido. “Sorry for the problem folks, please go on about your business.” he said as he dragged the player along behind him.
Dumadin watched them go, shaking his head and a puzzled line on his brow. “I guess the manacles act as if he is still in combat so he can't just log?”
“Could be a continuation of combat since I started it,” Terets shrugged.
The group turned to find some of the other dissenters standing there. “Look, we apologize for what we said. It’s just so different that the NPCs should matter.”
“It takes a little getting used to,” Amythyst agreed. “The easiest way past that though, is talking to them. You’ll find you look right past the wall you have up about them. Some might not, but it does seem that just talking with them conveys the sense of humanity better than anything else.”
The group nodded and broke up, walking off in different directions. Kittish watched them go and muttered softly, “Maybe things are going to start devolving. We didn't consider that players would take offense to the townsfolk being people and not just code.”
“I have a feeling things are going to start getting really interesting. I wonder how the Devs are going to feel about it?” Dumadin replied as the group walked back to Bjorn's wagon to check in with him.
As they pulled even with the wagon Bjorn greeted them, “Evening Heroes, how are you today?”
“Doing alright, Bjorn. Wanted to see how everyone is doing. Figured checking with you would give us an overall sense of things.” Dumadin replied.
“Well, we still feel a big hurt from losing the nine yesterday. We have started to notice a shift in a lot of adventurer’s attitudes towards us though. In the last hour I've had no less than thirty people stop by to just chat briefly.” Bjorn shook his head, “It's been a bit different.”
Kittish smiled, “Good, it means that they’re learning.”
“People learning is a tricky thing from my experience,” Bjorn said. “Hopefully they just learn to value all life a bit more.”
“True enough, Bjorn,” Dumadin cut in, “Where are we with the shrines?”
Bjorn chuckled, “I've had the caravan on pace to make sure we’re between them again. Tomorrow we will pass through another village and I can check on Tabitha.”
“Tell her hi for us and let us know if there is anything we can do?” Amythyst added before the group drifted back down the line of wagons.
“It’s good he’ll get to check in. Maybe then he’ll tell us what mission he sent his wife on.” Terets said as they nodded to players who were just logging in.
“As long as she’s okay,” Dumadin agreed. “Let's make sure everyone is ready for another big attack. No reason to plant people in the wagons, it will be easier to support each other at the gaps.”
Terets nodded and started to lead Amythyst away with him, “On it.”
“I’ve been thinking, we should see if we have anyone who is willing to be a rear scout for us.” Kittish suggested.
“Makes sense. Let’s circulate and see who is stealthy and wants to volunteer.” Dumadin took her arm and the pair started asking other players about the idea.
They found four people who were willing to fall back half an hour once the caravan stopped to take up spots to hide and watch. Dumadin and Kittish friended the four scouts so they could get messages from them. “Thanks guys, this will really help out.” Dumadin said as the caravan pulled off the road for the night and the quartet of scouts started back down the road.
“Good idea, beautiful,” Dumadin said to Kittish and gave her a kiss. “We should have some time before the first attack, so let’s go talk to Alvira.” Arm in arm the duo walked through the camp being set up and found Alvira emerging from her tent. “Well hello, Lady of Leather, might we entreat you for a moment of your time?”
Alvira smiled at both of them and held the flap of her tent out of the way, gesturing them in. “It will be my pleasure to have you both, I am sure.” She winked as they passed her, causing the duo to chuckle as they went into the tent. She followed them in and moved to the side of the large tent, grabbing a couple of cups and a bottle. “A drink?”
Dumadin nodded, “That would be wonderful, Alvira.” He waited as she handed out the filled cups to each of them. “We came to talk to you about your missing memories.”
Alvira took a sip of the wine she had poured, looking down into the glass. “I thought you might be coming about that. Before we start can I have your word not to tell anyone, even your closest friends, about what we might talk about?”
Kittish paused, then nodded slowly, “We will give you our word, yes. But now you have me immensely curious as to what you are going to say.”
Alvira drained her cup before setting it aside and sitting down on the mat next to them. “You have come to tell me you two are the ones I loved. You two gave me the Elixir of Life that gave me my life back and fought for me time and time again.” She looked up at their stunned faces, her eyes full of love and pain. “I’m sorry I kept from you that I knew before now. Did you not catch me calling you by your name the first day you came back to our town? Did you not find it odd that upon joining me for intimate time after you came back that we fell right back into our usual habits in the bedroom?”
Dumadin blinked as he put all the small hints together. “Yes, and Phobee called us Legends and then corrected herself. So it’s not just you that remembers, but you told Ashley something vastly different.”
“Yes, I lied, well about us anyway. For most of the others in this world what I said was absolutely true. Before you left for the Carnival you brought Bjorn a book, the Word of Thallien. That book has since been passed around the entire town and given to Smee. When one of us reads it, it changes us. Makes us more aware and alive. I was the third person to receive this gift after Bjorn and Tabitha. For an hour I hated you both as I came fully awake to the realization that you are only here to play. But I recalled your tears and rage at my life almost being taken and you giving me the elixir and my hate faded. I knew that you cared for me, I dared to hope you had even maybe grown to love me. When you said goodbye to me the night of the Carnival ending I thought maybe you would never come back.” Alvira paused and grabbed the bottle, drinking from it directly.
Kittish slid over and wrapped her arms around Alvira as she drank, “We do, love you that is. We knew that your memories were supposed to go and it pained us that we were going to lose you.”
Dumadin cut in, “I never wanted to cause you pain and considered not going back to you again Alvira, because of the cancer that is killing me. I thought if your memory had been wiped it would be best to not approach you again. But when we got to your shop to purchase armor, we found Vengeance attacking you.” He paused, his face clenching in anger thinking again of that first day of live. “We got
there in time for you to die and my heart shattered a bit. I felt a tearing in my chest thinking you gone from the world forever. I didn’t even question the elixir still working, I was just so happy you stood back up.”
Alvira snagged him and pulled him into the hug with Kittish and her. “Yes, I stood back up because of you two giving me the elixir and because of Thallien’s book I remember you both. That book shifts us away from what affects all the others in this world. We gave the book to Smee and he was able to take what the book does and distill it into an elixir form. The Elixir of Knowledge is what he’s calling it, and with good reason considering what it does. He sent a sample of it to Dunstun who handed it over to Phobee who then manufactured a few dozen of them. We’ve been handing them off to the elder in each village we pass along with the instructions on how to make more of them.”
The duo sat there stunned in Alvira’s embrace, trying to take in what they were being told. “You see, we understand what this world is for you all. It is a game where you go to relax and enjoy yourselves by and large. Some of you have taken the first step in considering this an alternate reality, which will make the next few weeks much easier if people can start to accept that. We have a plan and we are starting down the road of it as we speak. After I talked to Ashley I knew you two would came to tell me and in return I felt obligated to tell you.”
“So you all have a plan?” Dumadin said, his mind trying to come to grips with this information. “What is the plan and where does it lead?”
Alvira bowed her head and took a deep breath, “I can’t tell you that right now. I want to so very badly, but I am honor bound not to tell even you. I’m sorry,” she sobbed, “I want you to know so you can know the joy I know is coming. But I promised Bjorn that I wouldn’t tell anyone, even you, what we are trying for.” She stopped talking, her tears over taking her. She feared they would leave her again because she could not tell them everything.
Kittish pulled Alvira tight to her and stroked her hair, “We understand dear, it’s okay. You are all risking your lives on some gamble and any hint might give it away to those that can stop it. We’re a little stunned by what you have told us, but we’re not mad that you did what you did. Every relationship has its rough spots, it is how you work through those that defines the relationship.”
“Can we help in any way?” Dumadin asked as he completed the Alvira sandwich by hugging her from behind.
Alvira shook her head slightly as she calmed herself with the help of the two people she cared for most. “Just don’t tell anyone yet. When we reach your castle things will come to a head, one way or the other.”
“Alright,” Dumadin said before releasing Alvira and getting to his feet. “I should go check on the camp and make sure we are in order for the attack to come later tonight. Kittish, stay with Alvira and keep her company please.”
Kittish snagged his arm and pulled him down to the mat, “No, you will stay and I will go. You have been avoiding her and now you will make it up to her. Alvira, we do love you, spend as much time as you can with him. He only has a month or so left until he dies and then he will be lost to us both. I will need you to help me then with my grief and I hope you will.”
Dumadin started to argue but Alvira tackled him and began to feverishly kiss him, effectively silencing his protests. Kittish slipped out of the tent as Dumadin gave up and pulled Alvira tight to him. “Play nice, I’ll call if the attack is on the way.” With that she slipped out of the tent and dropped the red sash across the flap so people knew not to disturb the occupants. She considered for a moment that the tents being soundproof was probably a good thing before she shook her head and went to find her friends.
Two hours later Dumadin left Alvira sleeping soundly with a small smile on her lips. He stretched, a smile plastered on his own face as well as he looked about. The camp was active with players moving about, all of them seemingly talking about the townsfolk. Many groups were having discussions about whether or not the NPCs should have the perma-death status revoked. As he started to walk off to find his friends one of the scouts sent him a whisper telling him that a mass of people were coming down the road.
Determined to find Kittish he turned, only to find her jogging towards him with Terets and Amythyst trailing her. “Just got word from the scouts,” she said as she came up to him and hugged him. “All ready for another brawl?”
Dumadin nodded, “Let’s split up and get the players ready for it. Post groups at each gap. If they aren’t being attacked they can use ranged weapons to help the nearby groups but do not abandon their gap unless a mass breaks into the middle.” His friends agreed and they split up, determined this time to not lose any more townsfolk.
The players all responded readily to the plan and took up positions. Each group had a minimum of two healers and tanks with DPS filling out the rest. The quartet of friends were joined by Kristof, who was also a tank it seemed, and a few more random people. “How has your night been, Kristof?” Dumadin said, making small talk as they waited beside the wagon but not standing directly in the gaps.
“Not bad. Me and Camelia were having a debate on how you prove the existence of life over automatons. I have to say, she caught onto the concept of robots really fast even if she does keep calling them golems.” Kristof smiled, shaking his head, “I very well might be the luckiest guy in this camp.”
Terets laughed, “Nope. That title belongs to the ugly short guy.”
“Now be nice dear, or he might not taunt and let them kill you first,” Amythyst chided him.
“Thanks for the assist, Amythyst. I don’t care who wants the title though. Anyone who finds love is a lucky person indeed. Even if they are broken down ex-mechanics with black hair.” Dumadin said, glancing towards the gap. A number of stealthers were hidden around the wagon circle with orders to launch an arrow into any gap the enemies appeared to heading to. Dumadin could feel the excitement of battle creeping up on him as he waited to ambush the attackers.
Terets was about to reply when an arrow came shooting in through the gap next to them so he stealthed up and waited. Fifteen people surged for the gap only to find Dumadin and Kristof suddenly in their way with shields out. The pair of tanks hunkered down and triggered taunts to force the attackers onto them as the DPS lit into them with AoE spells and ranged attacks. Around the camp similar battles could be heard starting.
Terets slid under the wagon and behind the attackers with two more rogues following him. They picked out the healers at the back and attacked with everything they had, removing the healers from the attacker’s party. This tactic was repeated around the camp, leaving the attackers without the healers needed to sustain the attack. It was only a few minutes until all the attackers were dead, with only one or two dead defenders who got mobbed before their own healers could get heals off.
The defenders let out a cry of triumph and celebrated their win. Dumadin shook his head, knowing with that few defenders dead the attackers would be back in two hours or so. He waited to let everyone have a moment of celebration, then he and his friends circulated the camp making sure everyone understood another attack would be coming in about two hours. The friends got each groups to agree to a slight shift in tactics for the next battle before retiring to the middle of camp where Dado sat with Dido.
“That was much better than last night,” Dado said.
“We were expecting them and there wasn’t any distraction this time.” Terets replied as the group sat down with the two guards. “How has everything been when our friends are here during the day?”
“Quieter than now. Frankly, I will be surprised if they don’t shift times and attack with the sun in the next day or two.” Dado opined. “We still have over a week of travel time left so another curve ball would be appropriate.”
“Been thinking about that. I think they will shift for a day, then the two groups will split and attack us independently, one on days the other on nights.” Dumadin said, rubbing his nose, “Would make sense. If they
stop really winning they might do that to keep up harassment if nothing else. I would probably lay an ambush during the day and try to use as much ranged as possible to pick off the horses or the drivers.”
“You like tactic games too much,” Kittish sighed. “Considering who one of the groups is they very well might try that soon.”
“Oh well, might as well relax for a bit,” Amythyst said and snuggled into Terets. “Nothing like a starry sky and the person you love to make you feel warm and content.” The others agreed with her and a comfortable silence fell over the friends as they looked at the sky together.
Almost three hours later the two groups attacked the caravan again. This time they had their healers in the middle of the attacking forces. Having figured that might be the case, the tanks held the line while all DPS focused the healers down with single target spells, leaving the other attackers untouched at the start. The attacking tanks couldn’t get close enough to force the defending ranged DPS to attack them, which again caused the attacking force to wipe after a few minutes of attacks.
The rest of the night went by quietly with no more attacks. Dumadin feared that his friends might get a bit more trouble during the day than they had been getting. When Felton logged into get briefed, Terets filled him in on the night and warned him about what they thought might be coming. The group said their goodbyes and climbed into Bjorn’s wagon to before logging out.
Last Horizon: Live Page 20