Playing For Keeps (Alpha World Book 4)

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “Prime meat, so firm and tasty,” Karen snorted as she blatantly watched him. “The rump isn’t bad either.”

  “Aye, though it be the sausage tha’ be the best piece,” Stacia giggled as she got to her feet.

  Ears burning, Alburet mentally promised a small bit of retribution to Stacia later. As he dressed, though, he tried to figure out how to realistically punish her for her practical joke. By the time he’d finished, the others had gotten dressed as well. “We ready for another day of sun, sand, and worms?”

  “Aye master,” Stacia answered him with a smirk.

  “I wonder who gets eaten today?” Fluffball asked in an offhand manner.

  “Me, me, pick me Fluff,” Karen quickly replied as she took Fluff’s arm. “I won’t even fight you.”

  Fluff’s cheeks flushed a light pink. “That isn’t what I meant.”

  “She knows, she’s just being a brat,” Alburet told Fluff. “After you, ladies,” he brushed the tent flap open, holding it for them.

  “Thank ya, me love,” Stacia said giving him a peck on the cheek as she went out, carrying the tray with their empty bowls.

  As she was ducking through the tent flap Alburet silently Copied her, then just as sielntly summoned Tiny and Bob. He nodded greeting to each of them as they followed Stacia and Kitten out of the tent.

  Fluff was out next, followed by Karen who wore a broad smile as she walked past Al, pausing briefly to give him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, practice dummy.”

  Shaking his head Alburet exited last and collapsed the tent, putting it into his pouch. All around him people were taking down tents and getting ready to move out again. Gerald was in an animated conversation with Kim and Rolland, with Marysue nodding emphatically from time to time. Roberto stood nearby, listening curiously but not participating. Alburet joined them, “What’s up?”

  “Just going over proceeds from selling the items we’ve picked up so far. Glad I talked to Kim first, so I had some idea what they’re worth,” Gerald gave Kim a thankful nod.

  “Well, Alpha Company is our guild as well,” Kim replied. “Getting the most we can for the gear is in our best interest, too. The better off the guild is, the more options we’ll have.”

  “Thanks for the rings, by the way,” Rolland added. “It was a good idea to hand around the jewelry to guild members.”

  “I want everyone who participates to get something, as a thanks for them coming,” Alburet finally spotted Stacia, Karen and Fluff talking to Banthor. Stacia looked up and smiled at him, moving to join him.

  “It is a good idea,” Marysue agreed. “The people who’ve gotten them are really happy. The others are all chomping at the bit to be next. We’re handing out one per group at the moment, to help spread things around.”

  “Good idea,” Alburet took Stacia’s arm as he replied. “I know I’m not the best people person, but luckily Gerald agreed to take that role and is doing it brilliantly.”

  “It’s nice to work with a smaller group, only a couple hundred people. I usually have to cope with a couple thousand people, and all of them want something different,” Gerald chuckled. He looked around as Roberto brought his men to attention, ready to pick up the Campstones. “Looks like we’re ready for the first attack. Kim, can you and Rolland travel next to Deirdre to keep her as safe as possible from the Worms?”

  “We’ll join their group,” Rolland agreed as he took Kim’s arm. “Let’s hope for another good day of travel.”

  “Aye,” Stacia said as the groups formed up for the day’s march as the warning that camp was about to break was called.

  “Wonder what the start of the day is going to be like?” Fluff commented to no one as she flexed her claws. Her voice reflected a touch more confidence than she normally projected, Alburet thought. She looked over at Karen with a shy smile.

  At that moment, the sands all around the raid shifted. Eight groups, heavy with Forgotten Elementalists, appeared out of the sands. The outer ring had been waiting and quickly responded to the attackers. Renful was there, and had three of them bound to his will in short order. None of the skeleton spellcasters were able to get off their area of effect spells into the middle of the raid, as they were forced to target the waiting tanks due to the taunts.

  As the raid turned to help kill the eight groups they were taken by surprise when three Immature Sand Worms came up inside the inner ring. Deirdre was shoved aside by Chris, who was swallowed in her place. DrBone was eaten again, as he was focused on casting and didn’t notice the tremor. The third worm targeted one of the crafters and swallowed her whole as well.

  Everyone not directly engaged with the skeletons turned on the worms. Fluff leapt at the worm that had swallowed Chris, her skin flushing deep red as she triggered her Rage ability. She landed on the worm, her claws raking at the beast as she yowled fiercely.

  Karen was a second behind Fluff, her blades sinking into the worm. Rolland was quick to lash out with lightning, shocking and stunning the Immature Sand Worm, locking it in place. Kim pierced the same beast with a rapier thrust, aiming high to hopefully avoid Chris on the interior of the mob.

  Alburet, Gerald, Marysue and the others nearby all jumped onto the same monster, trying to free Chris before he died. Similar scenes were happening where each worm had appeared, as those closest to each one turned on it with a vengeance. Chris was freed with barely a sliver of his life left. Deirdre focused on keeping him alive while the fight waged on. Despite the best efforts of the healers, by the time the monsters were all dead a few members of the raid needed to be resurrected.

  DrBone and a few of the mercenaries who had been killed stood back up as the healers revived them before their death timers sent them back to the closest graveyard. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief that no one had died the Final Death. The one crafter who had been swallowed had survived, though barely. Once everyone was healed, and the corpses were looted, they started on the day’s trek.

  Alburet looked over at DrBone, who was pulling on a new leather chest piece from his bag. His old one had collapsed into dust when he’d been resurrected. Stacia’s comment pulled his attention away.

  “They seem to find me sister tasty,” Stacia said with worried eyes.

  “She is one of the lowest level people here,” Alburet reminded her. He dismissed the announcement, that he’d gained another level, without even a glance. “That means she’s high on the target list. She has Chris, Kim and Rolland to keep an eye on her and she hasn’t been swallowed yet, which is a blessing. If need be we can break the camp in stages, leaving one up that she can hide in while the rest of the raid deals with the first attack. That might be the best idea, so far the first attack each day has been the worst one.”

  “That is true,” Roberto mumbled, as he had been listening in. “We can keep the crafters safer that way as well.”

  “Why didn’t we think of that before?” Gerald sighed as he covered his face.

  “I don’t know,” Roberto frowned. “I never brought a group this size onto the sands before. It’s been a generation since the last big group tried to push deep into the Dead Lands.”

  Ioaniss started to speak, “The Lost Expedition. It was a debacle from the start. My grandfather was opposed to the idea, as he feared what would happen to such a large group. They sent out a group three times this size to find the City of Peace, which is supposed to be northeast of here. No one came back from that expedition. No one knows what happened to them. It was funded by a coalition of noble houses, who had been trying to curry favor with the King.”

  “Has a group of this size ever gone out and returned?” Alburet asked.

  “The last group of this size was the one that fought Experiment Nine, and they didn’t venture far out into the sands. A number of people in that raid died, but they did manage to kill the horror that was the Undead Infernal.” Ioaniss replied before looking at the raid as a whole. “We have done very well so far. The attack this morning is a touch worrying, though.”
<
br />   “We can try dropping camp one or two Campstones at a time, with people coming out from the camps still up to help if need be.” Roberto fingered his chin in thought. “I’ll talk with Banthor about it.”

  Ioaniss told them the full story of the Lost Expedition, including much of the history behind it as they traveled. As the day wore on, none of the attacks they encountered were as bad as the first had been, and no one else even came close to dying.

  Camp was set when the sun began to sink below the horizon. Banthor and Roberto had their heads together, planning how to incorporate their new plan in the morning. Ioaniss joined them.

  Alburet set up their tent and headed inside, followed by Tiny and Bob. “Guys, I know I haven’t asked much from you over these last few days, and the next handful don’t look much more exciting for you.”

  “We understand, master,” Tiny rumbled.

  “I still get some Fire Blasts off every combat, so I’m good,” Bob added. “When we get back to the city…” Bob paused uncertainly for a moment then blurted out his question. “Are you going to get me a new Ability?”

  “Oh, yes. Going to get you that area effect spell Ability upgrade,” Alburet replied.

  “You are the best!” Bob cheered as he began dancing a jig.

  “What about me, master?” Tiny asked.

  “I’ll be getting you an upgrade as well, Tiny. You deserve it with all you’ve done to protect me and my friends.”

  “I am humbled, master,” Tiny replied, taking a knee.

  Alburet clapped him on the shoulder, “Go rest. Tomorrow we’ll have more traveling to do. Tell your wives hello for me. Maybe one day I’ll meet them. Bob, you can go have fun with your wives as well.”

  “As you will it,” Tiny rumbled, then vanished.

  Bob chewed his lip for a second as if he wanted to say something, but instead he just vanished. Kitten tightened her hug on Alburet as Bob vanished.

  “Master,” Kitten purred in his ear. “Can I just stay in the tent tonight?”

  “Promise to behave?”

  “Of course,” came the whispered reply that sent a shiver down Alburet’s spine just as the Stacia, Karen and Fluffball came into the tent.

  “Another three levels today,” Karen said as she entered the tent. “This is a little insane. We still have a week of this, right?”

  “Not positive, but probably,” Alburet replied.

  “We are going to have so many abilities to pick up when we finish claiming the keep,” Fluff added.

  “It is going to be weird to have so many options in one go,” Alburet agreed.

  “Dinner be ready soon. Let’s get out of the armor and go eat,” Stacia commented as she stripped off her leathers.

  Alburet

  Half-Blood Infernal Summoner

  Level 41

  Strength: 87 (82)

  Agility: 87 (82)

  Constitution: 30

  Intelligence: 152 (122)

  Wisdom: 404 (244)

  Charisma: 117 (82)

  Health: 2,350

  Mana: 6,090

  Spells:

  Demon Skin- Rank 4

  Demonic Retribution- Rank 4

  Summon Imp

  Fire Blast- Rank 4

  Sap Strength- Rank 4

  Demonic Haze- Rank 4

  Summon Destroyer

  Demonic Vitality- Rank 3

  Fire Burst- Rank 3

  Summon Succubus

  Abilities:

  Personal Spells

  Flame Weapon

  Copy

  Infernal Upgrade: (Succubus- Ally)

  (4 Upgrades to be selected)

  Racial Abilities:

  Cast spells without verbal components

  Physical damage reduction 25%

  Magical damage reduction 10%

  Influence emotions

  Fire resistance 50%

  Reputation gains at half value

  Chapter Ten

  After changing into normal clothes the group left the tent together to gather at the campfire for dinner. It was stew again, this time pork and bean with a strong hint of pepper. Dinner was mostly silent as people focused on the tasty meal. Alburet ate slower than normal, composing messages to Karen and Stacia while he ate.

  Stacia read the message, a smile blossoming on her lips as she did. She finished her meal quickly, exchanging a glance with Karen who had also finished her meal. They handed off their empty bowls and vanished into the tent. Fluff watched them go curiously, unaware of the message each of them had gotten. Alburet dropped his bowl off with the guard on washing duty, then went back to sit with Fluff.

  “How are you feeling tonight?” he inquired of Fluffball.

  “Fine,” she replied.

  “Remember our talk earlier?” Alburet grinned as he asked the question.

  She finished her dinner as she tried to think what Alburet was referring to, “No?”

  “We’ll do the good bit after the first scene, then,” he took her bowl, handing it off to another guard who was just getting up. He stood up, motioning her to stay seated and turned to address the camp. “Ladies and gentlemen, tonight your guild leaders bring you a presentation. Snippets from the great bard himself, William Shakespeare. We begin with Macbeth, act five, scene eight. Stacia will be portraying Macbeth and Karen in the role of MacDuff.” He sat back down next to Fluff, who was looking towards the tent with wide eyes.

  Stacia came out of the tent first, in her gear, “Why should I play the noble fool, and die on me own sword? Whiles I see lives, the gashes do better upon them.”

  Karen came out of the tent as she finished speaking, “Turn, hellhound, turn!”

  “Of all men else, I have avoided ya. Get thee back, me soul be too much charged with blood of thine already.” Stacia called out as she drew her blades and settled into an aggressive stance.

  “I have no words. My voice is in my sword, thou bloodier villain, than terms can give thee out!” Karen cried as she lunged forward with her own blades.

  Alarmed exclamations rose as the women clashed, but quieted as it became clear that no damage was being done. Fluff leaned towards him slightly, “She’s off with the words.”

  “She’s doing the best she can, and I did change one or two to try and make it easier for her,” Alburet replied to her as the ladies continued the play.

  The scene continued until Karen mock slew Stacia. A loud cheer echoed through the camp, along with applause from those watching. Stacia got to her feet and took a bow with Karen. After the bow she addressed the spectators, “Thank ya all. In the next scene will be ya Guild Leader as Hamlet, Karen here be Horatio and Fluffball be the gravedigger. Please be welcomin’ them for the infamous scene.”

  Alburet stood up, offering Fluff his hand, “All the world is a stage.”

  Gulping, she slowly took his hand and stood, her breathing a little fast. As they approached Karen, Fluff leaned in to whisper to Alburet. “I know most of it, but not all of it by heart.”

  “Same, but I think we can fudge our way through it. Besides, look at how happy they all are to have this bit of entertainment. I don’t think anyone will care if we flub a line or two.”

  Looking out at the massive crowd, Fluff was able to see many eager friendly faces waiting for the next bit of theater. “I’ll try.”

  “Thank you,” Alburet told her as he took his place next to Karen. He turned to the audience, “This scene takes place in the churchyard, with Hamlet and his friend Horatio as well as the gravedigger.”

  The scene started with Hamlet upset with the gravedigger for singing as he worked at digging a grave. It went on with the banter from the gravedigger until the famous but often misquoted line.

  “Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio. A fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath borne me on his back a thousand times, and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gore rims at it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now? Your gambols? Yo
ur songs? Your flashes of merriment, that were wont to set the table on a roar? Not one now, to mock your own grinning? Quite chap-fallen? Now get you to my lady’s chamber, and tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to this favor she must come. Make her laugh at that. Prithee, Horatio, tell me one thing.”

  Alburet stopped the scene there with a bow to the audience. “The scene breaks shortly after with Hamlet and Horatio leaving the yard as others come.”

  The assembly cheered again, louder than before. Many of the native of Alpha World talked excitedly about these new plays they were being shown. The Two-souled who knew the plays were happy to see them done as well as they were being handled, and those that weren’t familiar with the plays simply enjoyed them. After a moment Stacia took the impromptu stage, holding up a hand for attention. “We be havin’ one more scene for ya, iffin we can convince our leadin’ lady. I ask ya to help us show Fluffball tha’ ya wish for her to be the Lady Juliet.”