Regicide

by Dakota Krout

  “It’s a last resort spell, so beyond using it to rank it up, I would use it if I were in single combat, finishing off a boss monster or if I were in a situation which would otherwise be fatal.” Aten smiled at the sickly look on Joe’s face. “I’m not going to use it carelessly, Joe. I can only use it once a week, so my need will have to be pretty severe.”

  “Is it bad to say that I hope you never use it?” Joe grumbled, making Aten roll his eyes. “Anyway, I have three people that have been in my party and doing quests with me. I’d like to have them added to the guild.”

  Aten’s face turned serious. “Are you certain about your choices? As an officer, you do have the right to make a party, but all that really means is that you get to add a total of four people to the guild. Anyone after that can only be a recommendation, so be sure that the people you add are going to stay in your party.”

  Joe hesitated only for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, they are good people. Fun, too.”

  “Alright.” Aten’s eyes glazed over a bit, showing that he was looking at his status screen. “There you go. I gave you privileges to add four people to the guild with no questions asked. Hope you made the right choice!”

  “Me too,” Joe quietly stated as he looked at the team he had assembled, sending them guild invites which were just as quickly accepted. “Should we get going?”

  “Yeah.” A messenger ran up to Aten and handed him a note. Aten tipped the man a silver and read the information, laughing darkly halfway through. “Ha! There’s a huge blockade waiting for us! Looks like a few of the PvP guilds are joining together to ambush us and our caravan when we leave the city.”

  Another guild member nearby seemed troubled by Aten’s happiness. “And why is that a good thing? If there are enough of them we could get overrun! We have all of the guild’s stuff with us!”

  Aten looked at the speaking man as if he had never seen him before, a distinct possibility with their recent surge in recruitment. “Obviously because we don’t have any need to worry about it.”

  As Aten finished speaking, the guild officers that had access to the new travel point–which Joe had shared with Aten–finished corralling everyone they were responsible for into the area. A notification appeared in front of each person in the guild, asking if they would like to fast travel to a new area. This notification was met with excitement as well as outrage when people realized there were better modes of travel. Aten waited a few moments for everyone to accept the transport, pressing the button to teleport when he figured enough time had passed.

  In an instant, the city square that had been filled with people was nearly empty. All that remained were confused players that had been passing through the area. Outside of the city, scores of people wearing identity-concealing garb waited… and waited. It would be hours before a report got to all of them that their intended targets had simply… vanished.

  ~ Chapter Eighteen ~

  Joe looked around at all the people emptying their stomachs on the ground. The area was beginning to smell sour and acidic, causing the people that weren’t already sick to quickly get there. Joe’s flabbergasted face was the only reason Aten wasn’t shouting at him right now and demanding to know why he hadn’t warned them. Aten held his temper in check and looked at all the people on the ground covered in filth. “What happened to all of them?”

  Throwing his hands up in a helpless gesture, Joe showed that he had no idea, even though he was feeling a bit sore as well. Looking at the people and trying to establish a pattern for their sickness, he saw that those that were nearest the wagons were the most impacted. He hastily opened his status sheet and looked over his stats, wincing as he realized the issue.

  Name: Joe ‘The Chosen of Tatum’’ Class: Mage (Actual: Ritualist)

  Profession: Scholar (Actual: Occultist)

  Level: 9 Exp: 40489 Exp to next level: 4,511

  Hit Points: 80/80 (50+(30)*)

  Mana: 200/1165 (12.5 per point of intelligence, +100% from deity, -11% from mana manipulation)

  Mana regen: 12.26/sec (.25 per point of wisdom, + 9% from Coalescence)

  Stamina: 75/75 (50+(10)**+(15)***)

  Characteristic: Raw score (Modifier)

  Strength: 12 (1.12)

  Dexterity: 15 (1.15)

  Constitution: 13 (1.13)

  Intelligence: 42 (1.42)

  Wisdom: 45 (1.45)

  Charisma: 16 (1.16)

  Perception: 30 (1.30)

  Luck: 16 (1.16)

  Karmic Luck: +5

  “Wow.” Joe shook his head. “Aten, that little trip cost me about nine hundred mana. I have no idea why I’m not in incredible pain right now.”

  Aten frowned and grimaced at his own status. “Almost a thousand stamina from me. You think that the normal draw for fast travel was amped up due to the wagons and horses?”

  “I had no idea the energy needed to travel would jump like that,” Joe promised apologetically. “On the plus side, now we know better than to try doing that before going into battle.”

  “I had been hoping this would be an awesome delivery system for when wars happened,” Aten admitted as he watched his guild members slowly picking themselves off the ground. “We just got a few crafting guys that are trying to find ways to make battle golems or something like that, but if the cost is this high with just wagons… we may need to rethink that.”

  Aten walked off, giving orders and getting everyone into formation. Within a few moments, the guild was rolling toward the town. Joe looked over the area–which was covered in vomit and horse turds–and shuddered at the thought of coming here via teleportation and landing in this filth. He looked over at the shrine and a devious thought made him chuckle maniacally. Walking up to the shrine, his grin turned to all-out evil laughing as a notification appeared.

  Would you like to donate the alchemy material ‘Acid’ and ‘Various Digested Food’? Yes / No.

  “Oh, yes. Yes, I would.” Joe accepted, and the area was once again clean in a perfect circle around the shrine. He quickly jogged away to rejoin the caravan, speeding up as another message appeared.

  Message from Tatum: Joe! What in the abyss did you just send to my temple! You little-

  At that moment Joe got too far from the shrine, and the remainder of the message didn’t appear since Tatum would have needed to use some of his personal power to continue the conversation. Joe jogged to the trailing end of the convoy laughing the entire time which increased his stamina consumption by a third. Even though everyone was more than ready to set up and start the next chapter of their guild’s life, it took forty minutes to walk the remaining distance to the town due to the slow pace of the wagons. As they approached the small settlement, the wooden gates swung closed with a rattling *boom*. Although the others became a bit leery about continuing, Aten had the group roll forward, only stopping about ten feet from the wall as townsfolk appeared over the wooden palisade with arrows on their strings.

  Sir Bearington lumbered into view, glowering down at the assembled warriors. “Have you lost your bearings? I cannot otherwise imagine a positive situation where a large assemblage of people would show up at my town geared for war.”

  Aten stood forward with a dazzling smile, using his charisma to its fullest. “Sir Bearington, I presume? I am Aten, Guild Commander of the Noble Guild ‘The Wanderer’s’. You cannot truly tell me that you weren’t expecting us. We have had at least five groups come through here recently, and all of them have told you of our plans to return this area to the control of Ardania.”

  “That you have, that you have,” Sir Bearington growled while nodding at the words. “And you know I have always replied with the requirements they would need to fulfill in order to have your guild be treated with forbearance. This form of welcome is the result of arriving without the consent of the people. If you want to fight for the area in which we have lived for generations, we shall oblige.”

  Aten went silent, chewing on his thoughts as he tried to keep his temper. Joe
decided to step in, earning himself a sharp glance from Sir Bearington as well as his guild members. The guild members retreated a bit, knowing his reputation for dangerous tactics. “Sir, I will admit that you are trying to be a reasonable person. You gave us a task that we should have eventually been able to complete.”

  Sir Bearington nodded gravely at his words, but a suspicious look was growing on his face because the speaking Traveler was obviously not finished. Joe continued, voice rich with righteous anger, “Conversely… your people have not been so forthright with us, sending us on pointless quests to humiliate us, having us do tasks specifically to cause us harm, or even setting seemingly impossible tasks that will actively impede us, all the while promising to reward us with gold, praise, and recommendations of the highest order at the end.”

  Sir Bearington looked down at Joe with a great deal of concern on his face. To the surprise of all the guild members, his next words were not at all what they had been expecting. “Lad… I need to know right now who in this town offered to bear the burden of rewarding you with gold.”

  “Is that all you are taking away from this conversation? That someone actually offered to pay us? There are far more serious issues at hand right now!” Joe sputtered his reply, face going red with indignation.

  “Not now, boy!” Sir Bearington’s voice boomed over the assembled people. “There is no one in town that has the koalafications to reward you with gold! There is a single gold piece in the entire town, baring what your people have paid for supplies. I need to know who did this!”

  Joe was stunned at this outburst as were all the onlookers. “The… smith. He gave us a quest to clear out his old family mines.”

  Most of the people on the wall heaved a great sigh of relief, a few of them even showing a relieved smile or letting out a laugh. Sir Bearington, however, cared not one whit for this revelation. He turned to the guards and made a motion. “Go, bring me the smith, and inform him that he is about to be on trial for beartrayal of the people.”

  A few tense minutes passed before the smith’s head appeared above the palisade. It bobbed up and down as he walked toward the gate, and he was glowering at the mayor the entire time. “What nonsense is this, that you would call me a betrayer?”

  “Technically, he called you a bear-trayer,” Joe called up with a chuckle. A few people looked at him in confusion, and Jaxon even came over and adjusted his ears. “Ah! What was that for?”

  “Either you are making light of the situation, or you haven’t been able to hear him correctly.” Jaxon patted him on the shoulder and stepped back. “I adjusted your ears just now so you won’t be able to say you didn’t hear him properly. Now I will know for sure what you are trying to do. I’m testing social interactions in-game, carry on.”

  “All gathered shall bear witness to these proceedings. Smith, is it true that you have offered a quest to some people that would pay out in gold?” the mayor questioned in a rich baritone filled with concern.

  The smith shifted uncomfortably. “Well, yeah, but you know that completing the quest isn’t possible. It’s just a little joke to make them clear out the bugs and such that get in there over time. Usually, we can get a good couple months of mining done after someone goes through there.”

  “So… you are admitting to offering an impossible quest?” Sir Bearington rumbled. “You do know that we are not able to give forbearance with these kinds of charges. Smith… you are looking at jail time. Give me a reason not to make it happen.”

  “Oh, come on!” the smith cried out, throwing his hands in the air. “It isn’t impossible. They could complete it… if they spent a few years going at it, digging to the last beast, and finding some way to kill it through its regeneration! I was just trying to get them to go clear out what they could before they were warned away by other people who had tried and failed the quest.” He tried to laugh at the end of his short speech, but his joviality quickly died as no one else had joined in.

  “So then you admit that it is not impossible. That someone could complete the quest you set out for them. This is becoming teddyous.” The mayor stretched to his full height. “We live as a collective! Our people have made a pact to share in the successes and downfalls of our lives! You know what the system would do to us, the punishment it imparts for those who cannot fulfill the promises of their offered quests! You have endangered this entire town. You will go down there, now, and give them all the other rewards that they were promised. Count your lucky stars that they didn’t complete the quest!”

  Sir Bearington looked down at Joe. “Thank you for calling attention to this issue. Please, I beg you, accept the reward for partial completion and allow the quest to vanish. We will open our doors to your guild out of thanks for you bearing with us during this trying time.”

  He wanted to answer, to accept, but Joe couldn’t stop himself from asking one more question. “Are… are you making bear puns?”

  Perception +1!

  That confirmed it. Why was no one else commenting? Joe shook his head and stared up at the overly hairy person speaking to him, and this time, he began using Intrusive Scan. He only was able to maintain the skill for three seconds before stopping out of shock.

  Name: Sir Bearington. Class: Politician. Title: Champion of the Spriggan.

  Highest stat: Charisma.

  Ongoing effects: Conversion to Humanity. Enhanced Acting. Enhanced Disguise. Forced pun-maker.

  “You are… not a human? Are you actually a bear?” Joe’s shocked voice rang through the suddenly silent area.

  Quest complete: The Secret of Sir Bearington. You have discovered the startling truth about Sir Bearington! How you use this information is up to you. Reward: Knowledge is its own reward. What do you mean give him something tangible? …fine. +10 ranks in the skill Hidden Sense for completing the quest in an unintended manner. Your guild has gained an area it can build or buy a guild hall in!

  Skill increased: Hidden Sense (Beginner II). You have learned to trust your instincts no matter what anyone else is saying, no matter how insane it makes you appear! Finding hidden knowledge, items, or locations is now far easier.

  “What? Look, your issue is with me, kid. Don’t go saying nasty or weird things about the mayor. He’s a better man than you’ll ever be!” the smith shouted at Joe as the gates opened to let him out. “Let’s just get this over with already.”

  As the smith walked toward him while rolling his eyes and pouting, the earth trembled violently, causing everyone to stumble and a few to cry out with shock. Several of the worse-off buildings in the town collapsed, and the palisade sagged in a few places as the earth seemed to drop a bit. Joe got back into a standing position a few seconds after the others around him thanks to his low dexterity. Looking around at the damage, then the pale faces of the villagers, Joe asked the obvious question, “What just happened?”

  You have killed a level 32 Rock Monster (Ancient). Heroic feat completed! All stats except Karmic Luck +2! Exp: 3,000 (.3 (immobile/helpless enemy) * 10,000 * Rock Monster x1).

  For defeating an opponent more than 20 levels above you, each member of your party gains the title: Legend.

  Title gained: Legend. You have killed a being more than twenty levels above your own! Your name will be whispered through history; will the whispers be full of admiration or loathing? Effect: Doubles reputation gains and halves reputation losses. +25% damage against opponents who have a higher level than you. -25% Damage against opponents who have a lower level than you.

  Caution! All ten slots for Titles have been filled. Upon gaining a new Title from this point forward, you will need to permanently delete a currently held Title.

  “I know what has happened. This blasted smith’s joke just doomed us all,” Sir Bearington stated heavily. “I hope that our punishment isn’t too grizzly. Pre… *sob*... prepare yourselves.”

  Quest complete: Foreboding Ferrum. You have earned a reward: Reputation, 300 gold, and a discount on ores. Return to the smith to collect!
>
  The smith’s jaw was working, and his complexion was ashen. His shaking eyes locked onto Joe’s, and he managed to ask a question while he slid to the ground with his hands coming up to grip his hair... “Y-y-you cleared the mines?”

  “That is what we had been asked to do, so that is what we did,” Joe stoically responded, unsure of what was happening. He was pretty sure they weren’t getting paid though.

  “No! It… it was supposed to be funny! I… I… I can’t pay you-” A tear trickled down the smith’s face as he was suddenly sucked back into the town through the gate which slammed shut behind his limp form. A hurricane-force storm appeared above the city with a *clap* of displaced air. Howling winds threw debris into the air as lightning struck over and over within the city. The wooden wall transformed as the strangely colored lightning wreathed it, the wood writhing ten feet higher and morphing into dark stone that dripped with moisture as rain fell over the town in a flash-flood.

  There were sure to be changes behind the wall as well, but no one could see what was happening. The freakish storm vanished as fast as it had appeared, and the shocked onlookers read the notification that appeared in front of them.

  You have found an instant dungeon! As recompense for the failure of its inhabitants, the guild ‘The Wanderer’s’ has been granted exclusive access to this dungeon for as long as it exists! Double experience will be awarded in the dungeon to anyone currently in the party of ‘Joe Legend’, and one additional individual can join the party and take advantage of the experience increase! This dungeon will be able to be entered for 24 hours, after which point the area can be claimed for incorporation into a guild. So long as a party is in the dungeon, it will not vanish. Happy hunting!