by Dante Doom
“I have taken damage!” Ten-Thirty shouted as it tried to avoid another beam of energy. The red pulsing wave sliced through its leg as if it was tissue paper, lopping the Machina’s limb off. Ten-Thirty crashed onto the ground and began to crawl away from the fight. Its health had dropped down from 2,400 to 1,400.
“That’s gruesome!” Timon yelled as he ran forward to grab Ten-Thirty and pull it away from the fight.
Savannah rushed down to get underneath the guardian. It had begun to fly rapidly again, firing the familiar pulses of red diamonds at the fleeing Timon and Ten-Thirty.
“Crap, I need to slow it down,” Savannah said as she glanced at her Rocket Launcher. It was at 28/30. The head was moving too quickly for the majority of rockets to hit the head, though, and worse, if Savannah switched weapons, the rockets would reset.
“I’m here, I’m here,” Fingers said as he rushed in next to Savannah. He fired his pistol at the head, striking it immediately.
This action drew Aggro and the head began to hover, powering up its powerful beam attack. Savannah activated her Overdrive+ power and fired her rockets upwards. The thirty rockets didn’t have time to spread out, as their target was too close. They crashed into the guardian’s head and the words Overkill: 2,700 Damage hovered above the guardian’s head as the explosion rocked the very ground itself.
“Nice work!” Fingers shouted out as he holstered his pistols. Thousands of golden orbs flew from the rubble where the head had been. They rushed to Timon and 200,000/1,500,000, appeared as well as the words Rank Up: Knight Temporal.
“That is a lot of points,” Savannah said as she watched Timon’s rank increase to the next level. They still had a ways to go, but fighting bosses like this would be a great way to keep Grinding for more points. She wondered how long it would take the guardian to respawn. In terms of a fight, it wasn’t that difficult once the patterns of attack were figured out.
“There’s the shield!” Timon said as he pointed to a large shield that had emerged from the rubble. It was a beautiful chrome shield with two gems on the front of it. The gems glowed with a blue hue, and Savannah couldn’t help but admire the beauty.
“I’ve got it,” Savannah said as she walked over to the floating shield. She grabbed it, and the announcement You have Obtained the Shield of Fieros hovered in front of her. Savannah took a moment to appreciate the shield—she’d never seen one in person before. While armor was plentiful and energy shields existed, a physical shield was something of a rarity.
Shield of Fieros
Armor: +100
Damage Resistance: 50% on all projectiles
Special: The Shield of Fieros can absorb energy attacks. Once it reaches 100%, it will fire a beam of energy that deals damage equal to the total energy absorbed.
Cooldown: 2 minutes.
“Nifty,” Savannah said as she placed the shield over her back. “Someone grab Ten-Thirty. Come on, guys—let’s go find Kirius and give him the shield.”
Chapter Fourteen
“I’ll get the boat,” Fingers said, pointing to where the boat had drifted down the shore and required retrieval. Savannah glanced over to see that her Machina companion was busy working on repairing its leg, using a welding tool that had popped out of its right elbow.
“All right, things are looking up!” Savannah said to Timon as she rubbed her hands together. “We’re on our way to victory. Once Kirius gets his hands on the shield, we might figure out where my dad is and, if so, we can find him.”
“That sounds good,” Timon said as he stared off into the distance. There was a concerned expression on his face, but Savannah was so focused on her father that she didn’t bother to ask him about it.
“Hem is one of the best. Seriously, he’s an amazing Grinder,” she continued. “So what I’m thinking is that, with you, me, my dad, and the Machina, Elanor won’t have a chance in a surprise attack. We’ll trick her into going after a raid boss and–”
“Savannah,” Timon interrupted. “There’s something different about Elanor.”
“Different how?” Savannah asked.
“Well, if you must know, she… she has a plan. And it’s crazy, but it has a chance to do some real good in Verre,” Timon replied.
“I’m not following.”
“She wants to become the Queen so she can bring the Grind down. She’s talking about abolishing the whole class system.”
“What? That’s absurd,” Savannah said with a laugh. “Did you hit your head or something in that last fight?”
“Savannah, all of my life, I’ve been a bored Noble’s kid, waiting for my turn to take over the family business. I’ve worked hard at preparing not for the Grind, but for what it takes to be a leader in the real world. I studied politics, history, and mathematics. I know how to manage an army,” Timon replied.
“So?”
“So, why the hell do I have to play some kind of video game to become a Noble? Why can’t I stand on my own merits? Why does your family have to live in squalor because you can’t get Grind tickets, or because someone made a poor decision in a game? It doesn’t make sense, and deep down, you know that.”
“The Grind is our oldest tradition, Timon; don’t we need it to survive as a society?” Savannah replied.
“That’s what we all say, isn’t it? But it’s so… so damn stupid. I’ve been thinking, and… Elanor has this plan; it’s insane, but… but I keep thinking about it. I keep thinking about what the world would be like if everything was different. If the Grind… if it was gone.”
Savannah crossed her arms. “And you think that Elanor can turn it off?”
“She can! If she can usurp Leopold, stopping him from running the show, then everything goes down. She’ll find the plug to the game and pull it. No more Grind.”
“You’re nuts. Let me tell you something, Silvarspoon—you think you can trust her, but she’s only manipulating you to get your help.”
“Maybe, but then again, there would be better ways to trick me if that were the case. She would have tried to offer me power or something I wanted. But I saw an honesty in her eyes. She’s afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Of what’s going to happen to Verre if the status quo is maintained. Things won’t stay the same forever.”
Savannah shook her head. “And so you’re just going to blindly trust her? That she’ll keep her word?”
Timon shrugged. “What do I have to lose if I aid her in becoming Queen and she doesn’t unplug the Grind? She’ll still need me and my house to support her. If anything, I’ll be better off than I would be working under Leopold.”
Savannah frowned at that. It was true that the King was rather slimy. But would Elanor be any better? “Look, my whole life, I’ve been told that the Grind was necessary for the survival of Verre, that it puts the right people in charge, so that they can maintain and protect us.”
“That’s the big lie, though,” Timon murmured as his eyes darted back and forth. “The Nobles tell themselves and others that, but all they care about is protecting their own positions. But without the Grind, it would mean the end of the traditional aristocracy. Maybe we’ll get some real leaders for a change.”
Savannah shrugged. “I dunno, that sounds like it might be chaos. How would we get leaders? Who would decide who should be in charge?” This was all sounding a little crazy. The Grind had existed for as long as Verre had… it would be madness to just shut it down.
“There are other ways, better ways. Instead of getting points in a game, people will have to show they actually have value to lead!” Timon said. His face was shining, and Savannah could see that he was caught up in the thrill of this grand idea.
Her heart sank a little. If that would be the case, what did this mean for her? She had no formal education, nothing that would make her special in the real world. If the system were to change, she would still be stuck in the same poverty that already plagued her family.
“My whole life, I’ve wanted to get to
this place, Timon, and make a better life, but now you’re trying to tell me that it’s all for nothing? That it would be better if it didn’t exist?” Savannah asked. Her voice was a little hoarse and she felt a fear running through her. What if he was right? What did that mean about anything?
“Think about it. Anyone in power abuses it so readily. Are you okay with Barons?” Timon asked as he leaned in close. “You’re fine with the way they abuse the Serfs?”
“Well, no, but–” Savannah stammered.
“Savannah, I know you want to be a Noble, more than anything, but… you’re not disagreeing with me because you think I’m wrong. You’re disagreeing with me because you don’t want things to change for you.”
“Why the hell would I?” Savannah shot back. “I’m on the cusp of getting the life I’ve always wanted. There’s no reason for any of this to change now.”
“No reason for you, maybe, but what about the others? What about the men and women who aren’t so lucky, to be able to Grind their way to victory? There are thousands of Serfs who are desperate for change. Do you think that you’re more important than them?”
Savannah shook her head. “It’s easy for you to tell me to suck it up when you know your family’s well off. My mom and dad have nothing. My neighbors live in squalor. If the Grind shuts down, do you think people like me and my family are going to suddenly be better off? If anything, it’ll be worse because it’ll be anarchy! You don’t get to tell me that I’m being selfish because I want to play by the rules!”
Timon sighed and put his hand over his face. “I’m not trying to tell you that you’re selfish. I’m trying to say that you need to think of the bigger picture. Elanor means business. I can hear it in her voice. She’s not like the rest of the nobility. I think… I think it’s time we made a stand. If anything, at least removing Leopold from his office would make sure things are fair again.”
“Yeah, right, like any of that is going to happen! Things don’t change, Timon; they haven’t for all of Verre’s history and they won’t now,” Savannah said. “The best thing you can do is put your nose to the grindstone and follow the rules.”
“The rules are the reason why you and your family are so miserable! Don’t you want to change that?” Timon asked.
“I am changing that. I’m going to become a Noble, and leave the Grind and never look back. I’m going to move my family and neighbors to a beautiful estate and go to sleep on a full stomach every night. Why am I in the wrong for thinking that that’s better than going on some fool’s quest to shut down the very cornerstone of our society?”
Timon was silent for a few minutes. “What about all of those other children out there, who will continue to starve? Will you bring food to them? Will their homes be warm?”
“I’m going to do what I can to help my community,” Savannah said. “As a Noble.”
“That’s just treating the symptoms. I know you don’t know what it’s like to be inside of the inner echelons, but you have to believe me, that nothing will change from the inside.”
“How can you be so defeatist?” Savannah asked.
“Because it’s a life I know all too well,” Timon muttered. Anger flashed across his face. “It’s the same thing every day, past the second wall. You wake up and watch as men and women position themselves to gain power. Every waking moment is filled with conspiracy and gluttony. The only time they speak of the peasantry, those who they have supposedly sworn to protect and guide, is when they need a labor force for some project.”
“Well, we can change that, then. Together!” Savannah offered.
Timon shook his head. “There have been plenty who have tried, but in the end, they end up either corrupt or dead at the hands of another Noble who saw an opportunity to expand.”
“Look, my mind is settled,” Savannah said. “I’m willing to take my chances in the courts. I’m not giving up just because you think some other Noble is gonna be less of a bastard than the current King. I’m going to do my job, and kill Elanor and take her points. That’s a one-way ticket to the High Court for the both of us.”
“I wish you’d reconsider. Savannah, we could make an actual difference. We could stand against the tide of apathy and neglect, and do something that really matters!” Timon pleaded with her. “Don’t you want your actions to matter?”
Savannah shook her head slowly. “Timon, I don’t understand what you want. I wish I could empathize with you, but you sound crazy. The system exists for a reason. Just because you don’t like it, that doesn’t mean that we all have to throw it out.”
“You know it’s corrupt,” Timon whispered as he placed a hand on her shoulder. “I know you do. I know deep down that you hate it just as much as I do.”
Savannah avoided eye contact with him. A bit of anger rose up within her, but it wasn’t directed at Timon. Sure, the system sucked most of the time, but it was her ticket to a better life. Then again, a little part of her still wondered… what if Timon was right, and the Grind was the reason life was so hard to begin with? What if the nobility was as incompetent as he said they were?
“Look, let’s just stay on course, okay?” Savannah whispered back. “I don’t know what else to say.”
“Just think about it,” Timon replied. “Please.”
“Here it is!” Fingers said as he pulled the boat up across the beach. “Let’s get going; I’m itching to get back.” He looked up to see that both Savannah and Timon had their arms crossed and were looking in opposite directions. “Aw, did I miss a fight?”
“Excellent!” Kirius shouted upon seeing Savannah and her team walk through the portal of the Fieros Med Center. “I hope you have what I’m looking for?”
“I do,” Savannah said as she pulled the shield out. “Have you had any luck learning about where Hem is?”
Kirius grimaced. “Well, uh, it is rather unfortunate, but I do have some information about the whereabouts of Hem. But… it’s a sensitive matter.”
Savannah crossed her arms, taking a step back from the Baron. “How so?”
“Well, you see, uh… King Leopold is the one who has been issuing me orders and, in our last conversation, I asked him, since he could locate Hem. Then, well, he told me that Hem is in his custody.”
“Custody?” Timon echoed. “What the hell does that mean?”
“It means that your father is currently being detained by the King inside of this game,” Kirius said. “On top of that, Leopold has requested that Savannah meet with him, upon returning with the shield.”
Savannah felt her heart go into her throat. Her father was being held prisoner by the King? That didn’t make any sense… how could Leopold lock him into the game? How was it even possible?
“Why does the King want to see me?” Savannah asked.
Kirius shrugged. “I learned a long time ago to not ask questions,” Kirius said as he pulled out a small, silver disc. “This should teleport your avatar to his current location.”
Savannah glanced at Timon, who merely shrugged. “I guess you better go see him. Just be careful. He might be up to something.”
“Give me the disc, and you guys wait here,” Savannah said to her team as she reached out and grabbed the disc, dropping the shield on the ground. She wanted to put on a tough face, but inwardly, she felt terror coursing through her veins. How could Leopold possibly hold someone in the game against their will?
The disc caused a thin film of energy to wrap around her, teleporting her in an instant. One moment she had been standing in Fieros with her team, and now she was before a long series of golden stairs. They were surrounded by walls, but the ground and the sky were both made up of clouds. The entire room glowed with an ethereal light. At the top of the stairs was a large, ornate throne of gold with red cushions. Reclining nonchalantly was none other than King Leopold.
“Ah!” Leopold said. “You moved faster than I expected.”
“Where’s my father?” Savannah shouted up to him, forgetting all semblance of propri
ety.
“Oh, relax, relax,” Leopold said as he stood from his throne. He casually walked down the stairs, taking his time with each step.
Savannah waited for the King to reach her. She considered bowing, but a hot flash of anger welled up inside of her instead. He had no reason to hold her father hostage.
“You seem tense,” Leopold said once he reached her. He was tall—much taller than the hologram that she had spoken to earlier. He towered above her, in fact, looking down with a saccharine smile on his face. He didn’t seem perturbed by her anger at all.
Savannah fisted her hands at her sides to keep from taking a swing at him. “You’re holding my dad prisoner? Why?”
Leopold sighed, and walked past her and began to stroll toward one of the windows of the throne room.
“Grinders are problematic to people like me,” he said as he leaned out the window. “They come in and generate a lot of points for people who I don’t particularly want to advance. They’re good at what they do, too. Unlike the rest of the people, a Grinder focuses on getting as skilled as possible for their clients. I don’t care for them.”
“So, you capture them?”
“Goodness, no, Savannah, that would be silly. Grinders can be useful to me, but just because someone has their uses, it doesn’t mean I care for them. It’s funny, but I didn’t know you were Hem’s daughter. I only found out after Kirius called me asking about a Hem.”
“Please, he didn’t do anything wrong,” Savannah said. “Let him leave the game.”
“Oh, you are wrong there,” Leopold said as he turned around to face Savannah. His face had taken on an ugly scowl, but he quickly masked it. Leaning against the wall, he crossed his arms. “I had hired him to kill Elanor, a job he delightedly took, but in the end, he chose to side with her. The Grinder thought he could kill me, instead. So I enslaved him and have been forcing him to fight against Virals in a pit, gaining points for me.”