“Master, please send me to destroy these Players.” Javal spat the last word.
“Javal, you are one of my most powerful Champions,” the Dark Lord started.
Javal sneered, but kept his head lowered. His curse had made life all but impossible for him, cast out from society. He had the special ability to suppress magic. He was shunned from society, cast out by his family and made to fend for himself. Mana rejected him as society did. He got sick more often and couldn’t be healed with magical potions or healers. Only healing compounds could repair him.
When he was close to death, the Dark Lord sent a Champion to find him and nurse him back to health.
The Dark Lord’s servants had taught him how to use his curse. To bring the people who stepped on him to their knees. On his lord’s orders, he’d torn apart his old village, covering his hands in the lifeblood of his family.
The Dark Lord had given him purpose and a path, naming him his Champion.
Now a group of Players had dared to attack Boran-al’s Citadel, destroying one of the Dark Lord’s sanctuaries, to make people stop their devotions to the Dark Lord. Javal’s hands trembled, turning white with rage.
“I do not want to waste you on these useless creatures. We will make Hevard kill his own kind. It will be much more satisfying.”
“Master, I can show them the true power of one of your Champions,” Javal begged.
Silence spread through the room as the Dark Lord looked down on Javal.
“Go then. Kill the Players in my name.” The Dark Lord’s aura made Javal shudder in fear. “But if you fail me, not even the entire Pantheon could protect you from my wrath.”
The Dark Lord’s tone never changed, but the force of his aura made Javal pant for breath.
“I will do as you bid or die trying,” Javal swore.
The aura fell away. “Go.”
“Yes, my lord.” Javal rose and left, a crazed smile on his face as he thought of the pain he would put the Players through, watching as the light in their eyes slowly went out, unable to escape his clutches.
***
Jules and Esa laughed at Dwayne’s antics with a group of fifty Stone Raiders. The Raiders were spread out all over the tavern district. The adventurer’s guild tavern in the city had banned them because they’d tried to force Deia and her party to reveal what was sounding like one hell of a raid.
Information had been passed through mirror conferences.
No one was that sad to not be staying at the adventurer’s guild. A number of Players and people of Emerilia who had been staying in the adventurer guild’s tavern had come out to drink in other places.
The Stone Raiders had a number of stories surrounding them, not the least being that they knew how to party and had some funny stories to tell.
Dwayne finished his story to the laughter of the entire tavern. He was rewarded with a tankard of ale that he started slugging back.
Esa’s hands traced out designs on Jules’s leg.
Jules felt her loins move in excitement; she pursed her lips and looked at Esa.
Esa gave her a sly smile, her eyes promising an intimate night.
That was when the first fireball was let loose. The tavern shook as the fireball hit somewhere outside. People turned and looked.
A Stone Raider, Donovan, one of Dwayne’s tanks, burst into the room. “We’re being attacked!”
Before anyone could move or say anything, Donovan whipped around, his shield appearing on his arm as well as his full armor. He grunted as an arrow hit his shield.
“This will be our base of…” Dwayne started as someone jumped for him.
“PKP, BITCH!”
Dwayne’s armor, like the rest of the Stone Raiders, was hotkeyed. His armor covered him. The blade that had been aimed for his kidney left a deep groove in his armor as he turned away from the attack.
They didn’t get another chance to say anything. The two Stone Raiders to either side of Dwayne cut them apart with their blades.
“Anyone not a Stone Raider, get the fuck out! Assassins!” Dwayne barked.
“Jules, you run healing here. Esa, you run protection for the medics. I need two parties, mixed, ready to move!” Dwayne yelled, downing a healing potion.
Thoughts of intimacy were gone as Jules and Esa stood in their armor: Jules looking at the tavern to turn it into a field hospital, Esa to turn it into a defensive position.
Jules applied healing to herself, removing the effects of the alcohol. The healing potions everyone was taking did the same thing.
“Esa, contact Josh—update him on our situation.” Dwayne moved to the door where Donovan stood, looking for anything that might try to threaten them. People who had been drinking started running as pandemonium broke out in the streets.
There were fires raging, spells being flung all over the place. Assassins jumped out of the shadows. POEs and Players were being killed indiscriminately.
Esa’s sword rang out and someone screamed in pain. Jules looked to see the would-be killer now had three foot of steel through their neck, just a few feet from their table.
“If you’re not Stone Raider, GET THE FUCK OUT!” Esa barked. There was no denying her as anyone who had not already run away did so.
Jules looked at the medics, who were looking at her for her directions. Her combat knowledge made her one of the best healers in the field. She had come to train most of the people in this room.
“All right. Long desks along the walls. Central passage clear to allow people through. Esa, you lot can take the circular tables and use them to cover the windows and anything else!” Jules said.
Her medics got to work.
“Fighters, upstairs—make sure there is no one hiding up there. Use detection spells. Check the back of the tavern. All exits and entries. I want archers and casters upstairs. Donovan, tell me what you see,” Esa barked.
People moved, their faces grim and determined.
Jules couldn’t help but be proud of them all. This was a cowardly attack but Jules was excited to see it through. It was a new challenge—a new fight.
***
“How is the fight going?” Koloa asked through the voice chat.
“We got a number of them who were hanging out in small groups. Some were a bit faster to react than others. About eighty percent of the attacks were successful. The city guard is scrambling. There are three large groups of twenty or more Stone Raiders. We killed most of one group. Another, we wiped out and the third are over fifty members. The rest of the guild is rallying to the building. We can’t get close to them,” Damien, operations commander, said.
Koloa looked out at the miniature suns that had appeared in the tavern district. “I’m guessing they’re in that building?”
“Yes, they’re using magic to light up the shadows as well as detection magic of all kinds layered on top of one another. If we want it, we’re going to have to take them out with a frontal assault,” Damien said.
“Tunnel into it—burn it down. I don’t care what you do—get us in there!” Hevard yelled.
“Yes, sir!” Damien moved off to talk through a different group chat.
Hevard was off in the streets killing people—whoever crossed his path—while Koloa and Damien made sure that the assault was a success.
The guards had their buffs but the majority of the fires had been lit to distract them from the fighting. They had to put out a dozen fires, and then try to find the PKP guild Players who specialized in killing Players.
“I have heard that we took down a few guards,” Koloa asked Damien as he walked back over.
“Yeah. They’re only POEs, after all. Big buffs in the city. You hit them hard enough and in the right areas, then they’ll go down. Have to make sure that they don’t see your face, otherwise all of the guards will know who you are and come after you for killing their buddy. I told people to focus on the Stone Raiders.” Damien shrugged.
“Though it’s hard to not take advantage of all this chaos,”
Koloa summarized.
“Exactly. I wish I was down there.” Damien pouted.
Koloa laughed and pat his friend on the back. “We will soon enough. Once the Stone Raiders’ demise is coming to a close, I’m sure Hevard will let us get in there to finish off the dregs.” Koloa saw people running from the fighting.
Might as well get some experience. “Shadow culling,” Koloa said. Five of the party were pulled into the shadows around them, screaming.
“Darkling.” A creature made from shadows let out a cry, as if unleashing its own pain onto the world, wishing for them to bask in the pain that it had felt, that it had suffered so long that it had become part of its identity.
Koloa looked away as it tore a person apart with its arms in the form of blades.
A woman screamed, carrying her crying child.
“Need to turn down the volume on this crap,” Damien complained as they cried out for help.
Koloa sent a silent command to the darkling. The creature of shadow raced off, jumping from shadow to shadow, before the cries of the woman and child ended.
A notification let Koloa know that he’d leveled up. He grinned to himself, looking for his next victim.
***
“What?” Josh barked, listening to Kim.
“We’re being attacked by PKP. Little shits are trying to make a name for themselves. They took out over half of our numbers and are pushing us hard. We need help. We’ve got heavies, ranged and medics for the most part. We need the rogues and scouts. You have to find these fuckers. Oi, fuck off, you spritely little shit!” There were noises in the background as Kim fought.
“Fuck sakes, Rowen, you pick seven others and stay here. Everyone else, you’re with me,” Josh said.
The portal’s runes started to move around, showing that someone was coming through.
Dave walked out, followed by the others. Finally, a massive creature wearing a cloak that covered most of its body exited. There was a huge warhammer on its back. Its hands and body seemed to shine in the light, as if it were made out of steel.
“Good thing you lot are here. We’ve got PKP—a Player-killing guild that takes hit contracts from people and Players all over Emerilia—attacking us in SC. We could do with some support.” Josh moved for the silver doorway that led out of the hidden room.
“Who the hell is that?” He went through the silver arch, finding himself in the living quarters, and pointed at the twelve-foot-tall creature that barely fit through the arch.
“That is Steve. He’s Suzy’s minion,” Deia said.
“Oh. Well, I’ve never seen a minion like him.”
“See, told you I’m useful to have around,” Steve said, barely even jogging to keep up with Josh as he ran full tilt.
“You’re a big, shiny, walking, talking robot. You’re about as questionable as Dave in a tutu!” Suzy said.
“Hey! How the hell did I get stuck in this?” Dave asked. Party Zero spread out around Josh.
Josh had got to the phase where with a single glance, he’d know the lack of strength or feel an instinctive fear of someone based on their auras and power. Party Zero was strong, not just in their overall power, but something that made him wary of them.
Steve was like a walking tank. Josh saw enough under his cloak to know that he was more machine than man. He looked to be milled out of a single massive ingot of metal. Each step he took shook the ground.
Josh was a mix of emotions: scared for his fellow guildmates, guilty for not being there, and angry that someone had dared to attack them.
Party Zero might be passing jokes, but their faces all held the same thing: hunger, anger, and interest.
I feel sorry for PKP. The thought came to him unbidden, yet he didn’t try to deny it as they sped out of the substation, through the cave and out into the forest. Dirt, leaves, and debris were left in their path.
“Trees!” Josh said. The rogues, scouts, and sneaky types jumped into the trees. The tree tag had made them masters of moving through the forest at speed, even if it was the middle of the night.
“It’s good to be outside!” Steve’s voice was deep and bassy as he continued to thump down the path toward SC. His speed was impressive; he couldn’t move his limbs as fast but his longer legs made him faster than most.
“Groups of four, hunt the bastards down; find the PK skulls over their heads and take them out. Party Zero, go end them,” Josh said.
“Speed up!” Deia barked.
Six figures started forward faster than the others. Dave’s hands seemed to light up as a bow appeared in his hands. Malsour dropped onto a shadow, racing ahead with his magic. Balls of metal fell from Suzy; they rolled, keeping pace with Steve.
Josh saw as they got to the gates, each using their own way to get over the walls, from Fire to shadows or Steve throwing Suzy and Dave.
Steve jumped and cleared the wall.
“Well, time to make these bastards regret starting a war in SC,” Josh said, quickly gaining on the wall. He looked through different group chats and maps that showed the outlay of SC and the action happening in its streets.
***
Dave spread out his senses and used his Touch of the Land to pick up all of the Player Killers in the area. The map was littered with skulls around the building, with a dozen glowing balls around it. Others were running through the streets, causing havoc.
“Dave and Malsour, Anna and Suzy, Induca and me. Break up and take out the Player Killers. Anyone who is killing POEs—take them out as well. You get in a group with too many of them, we’ll regroup and hit them together. Dave, keep up that scanner.” Deia headed toward the skulls to their right.
Anna and Suzy went straight. Dave and Malsour went left.
“We’ve got three running amok from the rooftops. Shall we go say hello?” Malsour asked.
“Happily,” Dave said. An arrow appeared on his bow as they jumped from roof to roof.
“Darkling. Bane of light. Speed of Shadow.” Malsour called out his spells and buffs. Dave felt that he was moving even faster and that he made much less noise with the two buffs. The darkling was just some creepy ass monster that Dave saw periodically.
Dave slowed himself down as he spotted the three Player Killer skulls.
Three Players laughed and joked around as they sent spells into the POEs below.
“Wait,” Malsour said.
Dave held the bow down and his hand on the arrow. His eyes followed the three mother fuckers who thought it was all a game and that killing POEs was just a good way to earn some extra experience.
“Now.” Dave pulled and drew his arrow in one fluid motion. It was easy compared to how it had been before.
Need to make this thing stronger. He released the arrow, the air rippling in its passing. Dave conjured four more arrows, linked to the first. It punched through one of the Player’s armor, getting a critical hit and draining their Health to just twenty percent. Another cried out in pain, hit with three of the four conjured arrows. A tombstone appeared above them as they fell down, dead. A darkling appeared behind the third, its shadow-arms tearing their throat out. The last remaining PKP guild member called on a light spell.
Dave could only watch in slow motion as he drew another arrow on his bow.
The darkling screamed out, diving away into receding shadows as Dave released his arrow.
The light blossomed as Dave’s arrow took them in the leg.
He cried out; his Health dwindled as blood squirted out of their leg. Before Dave or Malsour had time to use another attack, the last of the PKPs dropped to the ground, all of them with tombstones over their bodies.
Dave and Malsour walked over to them, clicking on the tombstones. Unlike the normal death tombstones, these ones had red skulls on them.
You Have Ended a Player Killer
All items not soul bound and/or on the Player Killer’s hotbar can be claimed. For killing a Player Killer, there is no penalty.
Dave whistled as he looked at the gear that
they dropped. Their bags of holding and weapons weren’t soul bound, making it all up for grabs. Dave and Malsour took it all, their bags of holding easily capable of storing the extra loot.
Dave noticed one of them had a small Mirror of Communication.
With those things costing a few thousand gold coins, they would be prime targets for Player Killers. A smile passed over Dave’s face, excited at all the possible loot that they could get for killing the PKPs.
Dave saw the same predatory look in Malsour’s eyes.
“We’ve got a bunch in that direction.” Dave pointed at the red skull icons that floated in the distance.
“Well, time’s a wasting.” Malsour headed off in the PKP’s direction.
Dave followed. The hunt had started.
***
“The fuck is going on?” Hevard demanded. Seconds ago, they’d had the Stone Raiders pinned in one main location, with several other parties in the area. They’d been hitting them slowly and surely—an arrow here, a curse and hex there.
The Stone Raiders were taking time to be killed but they could do it. Then PKP guild members had started to disappear and it seemed that the Stone Raiders knew where people generally were.
“I don’t know, but it looks like they can see through our spells and find the PK skulls,” Damien said.
“Shit. I’ve got reports of Stone Raider reinforcements coming from the forest. They’re moving quickly and crushing our people. It’s the sneak types who left yesterday!” Koloa said.
“Shit! Well, deal with them!” Hevard cut the channel. He needed to kill more of them and quicker.
“Forward! Kill them all!” Hevard yelled.
At the very least, the Dark Lord won’t be able to say I didn’t give it my all.
***
“They’re coming!” Rowen yelled from upstairs.
“To your positions. Casters, ready those buffs!” Esa stood with five shield bearers, covering the three-person wide tavern door.
For The Guild (Emerilia Book 2) Page 18