The Grind

by Dante Doom

“You’re what?” Timon asked with a laugh.

  “I’m going to be running the show in there. I’m in charge of keeping the ship steered right. It’s a long story, and I don’t want to get into it now.”

  Timon hugged her. “You keep saying that, but at this point, I’ve been up for almost two days straight, so I don’t want to question it. I will, however, poke fun at you because you’ve kept swearing that you’ll never go back in there.”

  “Yes,” Savannah said as she leaned against Timon for support. “And once my term is over, I swear, I’m never going back in.”

  Epilogue

  “To the right!” Samantha shouted as she ran forward with her Energy Pistol. The gigantic dragon loomed above her, breathing out fire. The words 300 damage floated above her as the flames washed across her, wracking her with agony and dropping her health down to 200.

  “Sam, over here!” Peter cried. He was waving to her from his position, hidden behind some rocks. His helmet was severely cracked, but his gun was still working.

  Samantha dashed across the red sands of the Eternal Fields of Fire, kicking up dust as she went. The dragon above her swooped down from above, slashing at her with its long, yellow claws. She was fast enough to dodge out of the way, but it was a very close call.

  “I can’t get to you!” Samantha cried out.

  The dragon had landed in front of her and the word Charging hovered above its head. The bar rapidly began to fill up, and it was only a matter of seconds before she’d be obliterated.

  “Sucks to be you!” Peter yelled as he began to run off, away from the impossible to win encounter.

  “Damn you!” Sam cried, returning to the fight. Attacking this boss had been his idea, and the moment the dragon turned out to be too strong, he bailed. This was ridiculous.

  The dragon drew in a deep intake of air and let loose a torrent of flames. Before the fire could wash over Sam, though, a woman landed in front of her wielding a large, golden shield. The flames were soaked up by the shield and the words Absorbed 100% hovered above her head.

  “Enough!” the stranger shouted as she reflected the attack back on the dragon. Critical Hit: 4,000 damage hovered above the monster’s head. The dragon dropped to the ground, twitching and writhing. The woman pulled out her shotgun and finished the creature off with a single shot. The dragon faded away then, and thousands of points flew to the two of them.

  “Thanks,” Samantha said as she climbed to her feet. She then looked at the woman to see that it was none other than Queen Savannah laRange. “Oh! It’s you!”

  “Hey, you! Coward!” Savannah shouted. “Get over here.”

  Peter stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around to see Savannah glaring at him with her arms crossed.

  “Queen Savannah?” Peter squeaked.

  “Get over here, now!” Savannah growled. The boy lowered his head and shuffled over to her.

  “That was a red raid boss,” Savannah said. “Why did you two go after it?”

  “It was Pete’s fault,” Samantha said as she pointed an accusatory finger at him. “He told me that this would be an easy kill, but then he ran off, like a jerk.”

  “Pete? Do you have anything to say?” Savannah asked.

  “I’m sorry?” he offered as he took his helmet off. Savannah smirked. The boy was a dead ringer for his father.

  “Look, kids, it’s all fine and good to get beaten up by a dragon, but we don’t abandon one another in the Citadel,” she scolded them. She placed a hand on both of them. “This place is about one and only one thing: the good of everyone. When you run away, either because you’re scared or because you think you’ll lose anyway, you’re choosing to be selfish. Selfishness kills, but sacrifice saves. Do you understand?”

  They both nodded in agreement with her.

  “Remember, we’re here for the good of everyone. Don’t think about yourself next time, Pete. If you’re gonna be defeated, you should stand by your sister, tall and proud.”

  “How did you know she was my sister?”

  “Fingers asked me to watch after you,” Savannah said with a chuckle.

  “Who?”

  “Your father. Now, get out of here; this isn’t an appropriate area for kids with your load-outs.” The two bowed to her and then rushed off.

  Savannah chuckled as she looked out over the horizon. There were hundreds of people in the burning sands—fighting against Virals, planning raids, and talking to one another. It was all a game to them, but their work was changing Verre. Each time a door was opened, the citizen would be granted a medal within New Verre. She would be there to confirm their hard work, and would sometimes even be asked to bestow the medals themselves.

  Twelve long years had passed since she had been granted the authority and title of Queen. And twelve years had brought about transformation to the city, a transformation that eclipsed everything that she had ever dreamed about. Towers had been built, crops had been restructured, and Machina walked through the fields, harvesting enough food to support the booming population. A cruel wave of invaders had plagued them for some time, but thanks to the Citadel’s advanced knowledge of firearms, they’d even been repelled in the end.

  “Savvy?” came a voice in her ear. It was Timon.

  “Yes, my love?” she asked as she walked toward a group of players who were preparing to launch a raid on the Dragon Lord.

  “What time are you coming home?” he asked. “We have dinner with your parents tonight, remember?”

  “Is the President going to be there?”

  “No, Elanor’s busy with something and said she can’t make it,” Timon replied.

  “Oh good, then I’ll be there at the normal time. I can’t take another dinner where she talks about her campaign strategy.”

  “Me, either,” Timon said with a laugh.

  “Look, I gotta get going,” Savannah said. “But I’ll be there.”

  “Wait, wait, wait,” Timon said. “Before you go… do you know what today is?”

  “What?”

  “It’s the twelve-year anniversary of the day I met you. It’s the anniversary of… everything.”

  “Is it?” Savannah asked as she checked her time-piece. “I never bothered to mark that day. It didn’t seem any different to me.”

  “Maybe it was no different to you,” Timon said. “I’ll never forget the day you changed my life for the better.”

  Savannah chuckled. “Always with the cheesy pick-up lines. Don’t worry, though; I’ll be home on time today.”

  “You better be,” Timon said as he disconnected.

  Savannah watched as the four players charged into battle against the dragon. This group was especially rowdy, and had been killing other players needlessly. She gently patted the Arc Rifle resting in her right hand. They were all about to learn what it meant to break her rules, and it was going to be great fun.

  End of The Grind

  Keep reading for an exclusive extract from

  The Star Dragon,

  Dragon Kings of the New World Book One.

  Thank You!

  Thank you so much for purchasing and reading my book. If you enjoyed this book, please remember to leave a review—I read every single one of them!

  I love hearing from you! : )

  Find out what Dante is up to next at:

  www.DanteDoom.com

  www.facebook.com/DanteDoomBooks

  BLURB

  When the real world is threatened, it’s up to the players in a virtual one to save it.

  Van Vanyushin doesn’t see the point in ever leaving the beautiful digital world of the game he loves—and for good reason. In the industrial wasteland he calls home, it is often the only way people can experience life’s simplest pleasures. But his allegiance to the game is tested when an ambitious CIA agent named Sang Ngo calls upon him to help as she goes undercover in the game to investigate Draco—the corporation responsible for creating the massively popular role-playing game Dragon Kings of the New World.
/>
  Sang is a gifted hacker who feels nothing but contempt for those who waste their lives in what she sees as a false reality…but when people start dying in the game, she must find out why. Van, a talented gamer, is her guide to navigate the world, level up their newbie characters fast and get into some of the most dangerous areas of the game. He dreams of becoming a pro gamer sponsored by Draco one day, but his partnership with Sang threatens to expose secrets from his past that could jeopardize those plans.

  Now, they will have to put aside their differences to discover whatever—or whoever—is killing players, but the truth they find is darker than either of them imagined….

  Get your copy of The Star Dragon

  (Dragon Kings of the New World)

  EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT

  Sivlander, slayer of thousands, warrior of the highest regard, trudged up the mountain. His arms were aching not from soreness, but from the jumpy energies that came right before a fight. His companions—an archer, a paladin, and an explorer—followed behind him, but not too closely. Around him, the snow was falling from the upper reaches of the mountain and he could feel each snowflake landing upon his face. Yet, the cold wind’s blowing was somewhat refreshing, considering the fights that they had overcome in order to reach this part of Vemor Mountain. There’d been many a Troll, fiend, and brute waiting for them along the broken and jagged crags of the terrain, but Sivlander was not a man to be easily stopped by his foes. No—he wielded his great sword comfortably, easily cleaving through the hordes of beasts on his way to the top of the mountain... but Sivlander wasn’t here for them. Rather, he was here for the greatest foe that the Vemor Mountains would ever know. He was here for Crieagg, the Chief Ogre of the Mountain.

  Sivlander turned to face his companions. He could see their faces of fear, and he grinned. “Comrades, we are not here to grimace at fate; we are here to slay Crieagg and reap the greatest rewards there are!”

  The archer shook his head at the comment. “But, sir, it’s—”

  “But what? We aren’t strong enough? Bold enough?” Sivlander interrupted the archer. “We’ve got our weapons, our wits, and most of all, our experience! He’s just around the corner, friends. Raise your weapons and let’s do this!” With this, he abruptly swung away from the complaining archer. His companions for this part of the adventure weren’t particularly the best people that he had been able to find, even if they had seemed motivated enough by the potential coin and plunder, but the closer they’d gotten to Crieagg, he’d heard all the more whining and worrying from them. Still, he refused to be daunted by such talk.

  Sounds of shouts suddenly greeted him from the distance. “We found him!” cried a voice, this followed by the loud balooooo of a hunting horn.

  Sivlander turned to face his allies, “The scouts! We must move quickly!” And with this, he drew his great sword and began to run toward the sound of the hunting horn. The scouts weren’t supposed to have engaged—they’d only been supposed to scout ahead and find the Chief Ogre—but it would be just his luck if they were slaughtered so needlessly.

  Sivlander and his party rushed up over the snow-covered land to find two men in leopard skin battling against a massive Ogre. The creature was nearly three times Sivlander’s size, and it was hideous, fleshy and bulbous. The yellow eyes of the massive beast glared at Sivlander as it roared out, “Feast upon the flesh of the mountain crawlers!” The scouts were quickly clubbed by the Ogre Chief’s huge wooden club and then the beast turned to rush toward Sivlander. Now, Sivlander could see that the Ogre Chief was Level 78, armed with a Club of Severe Crushing, and had a Health of nearly 1,000 hit points!

  “Archer! Shoot the beast in the arm!”

  “I have a name,” the archer grumbled. “It’s Kalifer.”

  “Shoot it, now!” Sivlander screamed as the massive creature lumbered toward him. He braced for impact, as he was a fighter and wasn’t exactly the type to dodge a blow. Immediately, the massive club crashed against his body, but he held himself firm. Pain shot through him, but he knew it was just an illusion. The mind of the fighter needed to be steeled against all pain. Holding fast after the blow, he raised his great sword and hacked away at the legs of the Ogre Chief. He heard the swiff swiff sounds as arrows flew over him, striking the beast in its right arm and causing it to stagger and reel backwards. It tried to lift its arm to slam the heavy club down atop Sivlander, but its injuries slowed it down enough for Sivlander’s blade to block the blow and push it backward. The beast was strong, but so was Sivlander.

  “Come on, men, slay the beast! Together!” Sivlander shouted. The paladin had been busy healing the two injured scouts, but he leapt up and grabbed his righteous silver sword so that he could rush to flank the Ogre. The Ogre was clever enough of a creature to see this coming, though, and while it continued to strike away with its club with one hand, it reached out its other to grab the paladin. Sivlander saw this momentary distraction as the perfect opportunity, and with a deep breath, he leapt up with as much strength and speed as he could, and climbed up to set himself atop the beast’s right arm. The creature’s height was staggering, at nearly twelve feet tall, and Sivlander held on tightly in the hopes of avoiding falling.

  “I’ve got it!” the paladin cried as he leapt aside and began to slash at the creature’s massive arms. The arrows kept peppering the air, striking into the Ogre’s flesh, but Crieagg’s body was so thick that many of them didn’t even draw blood.

  “Our weapons aren’t working!” cried the hapless explorer as his twin axes failed to even cut through the flesh of the beast.

  “We needed something magical for this!” Kalifer cried. “I told you it would fail!”

  “Enough whining!” Sivlander yelled out as he held onto the side of the creature’s arm for dear life. The Ogre Chief didn’t seem keen to be climbed, and it was violently struggling to throw the warrior off. “Ogres are dumb enough—we just have to be smart! Archer, stop shooting it in the chest and aim for the joints! Knees, elbows, eyes! Anything vital! Paladin, keep it busy while I climb it!”

  “Aye, sir!” cried the paladin as he ran in front of the massive creature, throwing a stone at the thing’s head. Crieagg cried out in a rage at this taunt, and began to focus primarily on clubbing the plate-clad man to death. Even as he went after the paladin, though, more arrows flew through the air, this time striking areas that were weak and unarmored.

  Sivlander used the diversion as an opportunity to hoist himself up atop one of the creature’s shoulders, as the shoulder alone was wide enough for more than one man to be stationed atop of it. The beast was far too busy fighting the others to respond in time, as Sivlander buried his great sword into the neck of the Ogre Chief. It roared as blood began to spray from it, but even this blow didn’t seem to slow it down. Instead, it bucked wildly and threw Sivlander off of it, throwing him right into the ground, which he came down upon with a crashing noise.

  “Are you dead?” Kalifer shouted as he continued to fire arrows and strafe the monster.

  “No!” Sivlander responded as he leapt up. He instinctively went for his great sword, but remembered that it was currently lodged in the side of the horrific Ogre’s neck. He grabbed his back-up longsword from his side and drew it. In turn, the description popped up, reading:

  Longsword:

  Quality: B

  Damage: 144

  Durability: 87%

  The Ogre Chief had gone into some kind of berserker rage now and it was violently crashing after the paladin, who had wisely made the decision to back up.

  “It’s frenzied! We can finish it off!” Sivlander cried out as he rushed to the creature’s back. It had lost all sense of reasoning and was just hammering on the paladin with all of its might. Still, the paladin was a tough lad, and his shield was empowered with divine might, making it resistant enough to the clubbing, so Sivlander didn’t worry about bailing his ally out. Rather, he took another deep breath and managed to run up the Ogre’s back and scramble atop the creature o
nce again. The Ogre Chief’s ragged excuse for clothing served as a decent enough foothold for him to be able to get back up to the top, now that he knew the layout of the beast and it was moving more predictably. Astride the Ogre now, Sivlander grabbed hold of his great sword and pulled it out, causing the beast to roar in agony. Before he could stab the creature again, though, it reached up with its massive hand and grabbed Sivlander, hard. Its fleshy fingers wrapped around the warrior and began to crush him in his own armor.

  “Anytime you want to shoot the damn thing would be great!” Sivlander shouted as the archer fumbled to grab more arrows from his quiver.

  “I’ve got it! I’ve got it!” Kalifer screamed as he aimed his arrows at the creature’s hand.

  “Careful with where you’re aiming!” Sivlander yelled out as an arrow narrowly zipped past his head. The Ogre Chief roared and continued to squeeze. “Shoot it in the wrist! The wrist!”

  Just as Sivlander’s command was issued, an arrow flew from Kalifer’s bow and nailed the chief in the wrist, causing the thing to reflexively open its hand. Sivlander landed on his feet, thankfully, and charged the creature’s belly with his great sword, slashing at the exposed, soft area with an intense force. The beast had already been staggered from the blow to its neck, and now, with the great sword rearranging its insides, the pain was too much for it. Crieagg roared out a single, hoarse roar of defiance and then fell over onto its back, blood pouring from its neck and stomach.

  “Is it dead?” cried one of the wounded scouts. He was laying on the ground, clutching his severely wounded leg.

  “It better be!” Kalifer said as he shot a few more arrows into it, just for good measure.

  “Haha, see?” Sivlander shouted triumphantly. “I knew we could slay it! Never underestimate the power of a team!”