by Rick Scott
==True Kill Alert!==
==CelestG’s Body crashes into the dust! Slain by Kurgan!==
My heart jumps with fright as the stark realization of what I’ve just seen takes hold.
The android grins as he steps unceremoniously over the dead body. He then stabs her in the back with the tip of his Zanbatō and her lifeless husk collapses into nano-dust.
“Bollocks for drops,” Kurgan mumbles to himself, looking down at the pile of nano-dust with disdain. He then looks up and flashes Rembrandt a grin. “Don’t you miss it, Lord Rembrandt? Seeing your name plastered across the entire Shard? Owning some punk who probably didn’t deserve it. Piss on them, though. Sound about, right?”
I look at the pile of dust and instinctively back away, ensuring that Gilly is behind me.
“I never enjoyed that bit, mate,” Rembrandt says to him, materializing both pistols within his palms.
“Oh, aye,” Kurgan says. “You never got the satisfaction of an up-close kill, did you? You and that bloody rifle of yours. My poor brother never saw it coming. A record, wasn’t it? A three-mile shot?” His face then darkens, his brows lowering into a scowl of pure hate. “You filthy coward. I’m going to make you feel what it’s like to be killed by a real man.”
“We need to go,” Lexi says, panicked through the party chat. “We need to go right now!”
“They’re not with us!” Lance suddenly shouts aloud and a bank of messages scroll onto my HUD.
Val Helena has been kicked from Young Lords!
Maxis has been kicked from Young Lords!
Becky has been kicked from Young Lords!
Gilly has been kicked from Young Lords!
You have been kicked from Young Lords!
Lance has left your party!
==New Alert!==
You are Factionless!
Factionless players are considered Freekill targets with no faction penalties or rewards.
A new zone-wide quest has been issued due to your Factionless status.
New Quest: On the menu
Alert! Players have become Factionless. Recruit or kill. It’s up to you!
Targets: 0/6
Location: City of Dreams
Rewards: Recruit 2000 XP per target
Clean Kill: 25000 XP per target
True Kill (brain death): 100000 XP per target
“You’ve got to be kiddin’ me,” Maxis says, throwing Lance a glare. “You freaking tool!”
“Ah, appetizers.” Kurgan stalks forward again, less than thirty feet from us now. “Be sure to tell your queen I appreciate her tribute. But I think I’ll enjoy the main course first.”
“Lexi, come!” Lance shouts and makes a bee line for the lifts to our right.
“Yes, run home quick now, boy.” Kurgan mocks the bioroid with a grin as he dashes past.
Lance stops to shout over his shoulder. “Lex!”
Lexi hesitates a moment at Lance’s call, looking at each of us forlornly.
“I’m sorry, mates,” she says through the chat and then disappears from the party list as well. She follows after Lance, her head downcast, avoiding our stares.
My brother lets out a curse. “Son of a—”
“All of you run,” Rembrandt says, his voice coming through the party chat, his lips unmoving. “He’s here for me. I’ll distract him while you make a break for it.”
“Rem, you can’t fight this guy alone,” Maxis says.
“This is the reason I need to be alone,” Rembrandt says. “It won’t matter how many we are. We stand no chance against him.”
My heart races as my mind struggles to find a way out of this. I glance at the newly formed hole in the wall and the smooth exterior of the building just outside. Its obelisk shape makes the walls not completely vertical—more like an extremely steep slide.
“Guys, I have an idea,” I say. “Val, grab Becky and Gilly and slide down the outside of the building.”
“What?” she says.
“We’re only four floors up,” I say. “You should be able to take that. The rest of us will chain CC him until you get away.”
“I’m not leaving any of you here,” Val Helena says.
“We’ll follow right after,” Maxis says, dropping into a ready stance. “Crazy plan, little bro. But the best we got, I think. He’ll probably have four hold breakers. I’ll tag first and call out the rest.”
“Roger,” Rembrandt says, choking up on his pistols.
Adrenaline surges through my veins as I draw my kunai.
“Go!” Maxis yells and snaps his fist forward with a wave of blue energy.
The android doesn’t even attempt to evade, but instead takes the blast full-on.
Maxis uses Dragon Fist!
Kurgan is stunned!
“Really?” he says, nonplussed. “Nice opener.”
“Rem, you’re up next!” Maxis says through the chat as he rushes in and I do likewise.
From the corner of my vision I see Val Helena grab Becky and Gilly, throwing them over her massive shoulders. Kurgan sees her as well and murder fills his eyes.
“Get back here!” he screams, breaking free with a flex of muscle.
Kurgan uses Shrug it Off!
Kurgan is no longer Stunned.
He raises his pistol so fast I barely see his arm move. A faint beam discharges from the barrel with a sharp sprak! of electricity and nails Val Helena right between the shoulder blades.
Critical Hit!
Val Helena takes 765(1256) piercing damage.
The giantess cries out but doesn’t falter, throwing herself out the building and sliding down the outer wall. Three away!
“Rem!” Maxis shouts.
Rembrandt lets loose with a barrage of gunfire, but the huge Android dances in a blur, dodging each one.
“Can’t hit him!” Rembrandt shouts.
Crap! Bullet Weave!
“I’ve got him!” Aiko yells and dashes forward with a Charge Strike. She sails across the room and manages to land a hit on Kurgan’s massive thigh, stunning him for a second time.
Rembrandt uses the android’s immobilization to land a stun of his own, prolonging the effect. “Aiko, go now!”
The elf nods and jumps through the hole in the building.
Four away.
“You next, Rem!” I say and the Cyberpunker gives a brief glance at Kurgan before leaping through the wall. Five away.
Kurgan screams with rage, bolts of energy flashing across his body. “Cowards! All of you!”
Kurgan uses Burst.
Kurgan is no longer stunned.
Maxis jumps forward with a flying triple kick, stunning him again.
Kurgan uses Helicopter Kick!
He breaks free once more, spinning like a top with one leg outstretched. Maxis blocks the attack with both arms and loses nearly half his hitpoints with one hit.
Critical Hit!
Kurgan hits Maxis for 1197 (624) HP!
“Mike!”
But he recovers quickly and stomps the floor with his AOE attack.
Maxis uses Floorstomp!
Kurgan is Paralyzed!
“Go, Ryan!” my brother screams at me. “This is my last one.”
“No, you go,” I shout, wary of his blinking health bar. “I still have mine to use.”
I can see the conflict in his eyes as he stares back at me. He doesn’t want to leave me here alone, but he knows he has no choice. His logic eventually prevails and he gives me a nod.
“Get out as soon as you land it,” he says through the chat. “He should be out of hold breakers after this.”
Maxis flies out the window and Kurgan releases a howl of rage. “Cowards!”
Six away, one left!
The paralysis wears off and I waste no time flying in with a Charge Strike.
You hit Kurgan for 112(412) damage.
Kurgan is Stunned.
Geez! That armor!
I turn to run when he suddenly flips backwards.
&nb
sp; Kurgan uses Backflip!
Kurgan is no longer stunned.
Crap! He had one more?
Kurgan raises his pistol and glowers at me with a nasty scowl. “Guess I’ll have to settle for just you, you little punk!”
I check my buffs to make sure my Shadow Copy is still there.
I’ve got one shot at this.
“Try your worst,” I say with bravado as I back towards the hole in the wall, my heart thundering in my chest. “I bet you won’t even hit me.”
Kurgan grins with his leaden teeth. “Oh, I don’t need to aim for this one, boy.”
He pulls the trigger and a huge ball of black energy emits from the tiny pistol, crackling with lightning.
Kurgan uses Gravitational Shot!
Your shadow absorbs the attack!
The black ball of lightning passes through me with a puff of nano-dust and the wall behind me explodes with thunder, leaving behind a perfectly round hole, ten feet wide.
Kurgan pauses, his eyes widening with shock, no doubt trying to figure out how I’m still alive.
Now’s my chance.
“Told you,” I say with a cocky grin and backflip through the opening using Retreat.
A huge scream comes from behind me as I turn tail and sprint vertically down the side of the building with Wall Run. I can’t believe I just did that. I must be insane! I push aside the fact that I just trolled the most powerful player I’ve ever encountered in my life and focus on just running instead. The expanse of the night city skyline opens up before me as I head downward. Below, I spot my friends gathered at the bottom of the building close to the fountain. Not far from them are Lance and Lexi, who have exited from the main entrance along with hundreds of other patrons all trying to flee.
The sound of shattering glass comes from overhead and I look up to see Kurgan flying high above me, jumping straight out the building and not even bothering to slide down its side. He opens fire with his pistol and I zig-zag reflexively to avoid being hit, even though I know it probably won’t help. The ground explodes in several places below me as the wildly aimed shots go wide and people cry out in pain and terror.
==True Kill Alert!==
==Yoland’s Body crashes into the dust! Slain by Kurgan!==
==True Kill Alert!==
==Tamara’s Body crashes into the dust! Slain by Kurgan!==
My heart jumps when I see the messages, and I’m not too proud to admit that I’m relieved when none of them have my friends’ names attached. But it’ll only be a matter of time before they do. I hit the ground and run towards them screaming.
“Guys, we’ve got to get out of here!”
But how, is the question.
I look for Lexi and Lance amidst the chaos and spot them not far away, heading for the fountain as well. I then spot what Kurgan was really shooting at. Two Lennox Corp Security cars are parked just outside the building, lights flashing. Positioned behind their opened doors are security personnel in black flak gear, firing assault rifles into the sky. Their rounds bounce ineffectually off Kurgan’s armored body, his Health bar barely moving as he comes crashing down on one of the cars, causing it to explode.
Holy geez!
I shield myself from the heat of the explosion and then push my way through the frenzied crowd to get to my friends. I spot them gawking at Kurgan as he goes to town on the security NPCs with his Zanbatō. It’s both horrifying and mesmerizing to watch, his skill with the massive katana like nothing I’ve ever seen. I finally shake myself from it as I reach my friends.
“Is everyone okay?” I ask.
Gilly rushes to embrace me. “I was so scared when I didn’t see you. Are you okay?”
“Yeah. But we can’t stay here.”
“What do we do?” Becky says, her eyes wide with panic as she stares at the flaming patrol car. “That guy’s unstoppable!”
“They won’t hold him for long,” Rembrandt says and then he turns his head towards Lennox tower in the distance. “We need to get there. The security in the city center will be too strong even for him.”
I look for Lexi again and spot her next to Lance just a couple dozen yards away. If we could just get to the city center, we’d be safe. I reach out to her with a PM.
Me: Please don’t leave us here! We need to get to the city center to get away from that guy. Help us! Please!
Lexi pauses to look over her shoulder, searching for me. When she finally sees me she comes to a standstill.
Lexi: I…I shouldn’t.
“Lexi, let’s go!” Lance shouts at her again. “We don’t want a beef with him.”
The second patrol car explodes as Kurgan slices it in half with his Zanbatō. Lance mutters a curse and then throws something onto the ground and it instantly transforms into a motorcycle with a swirl of nano-dust. He hops onto it and revs the engine, spinning the back tire.
“Get back to HQ!” he commands her. “Right now!”
But Lexi’s eyes remain locked with mine as the bioroid speeds away, shifting through the gears.
Me: Please…
Lexi hesitates a moment more, no doubt weighing the decision heavily in her mind. Finally she releases a sigh and tosses her vehicle to the ground, causing the dune buggy to slowly take shape.
Lexi has joined your party.
“Come on, you lot!” she shouts through the chat. “Run like your life means something!”
Me: Thank you! Thank you!
Lexi: Don’t make me regret this!
The buggy is only half formed by the time we all reach where Lexi is.
“REMBRANDT!”
We all turn about at the sound of Kurgan’s augmented voice. He’s still a good hundred feet away, but I have no doubt he’ll soon cross that distance in a flash.
“The buggy needs more time,” Lexi says. “Stall him somehow!”
“Do we stun lock him again?” Aiko asks.
“Gilly and I could try stunning him too,” Becky says.
Rembrandt shakes his head. “No. He won’t fall for the same trick twice, mates.”
“Well he won’t be expecting this,” Val Helena says and suddenly bolts away, charging straight at the android.
“Val, what are you doing?” Maxis screams after her.
But the giantess is already halfway to him, eating up the ground with her long, powerful legs. I’m not sure what she’s planning, but the mere sight of her, bearing down on him in her tight Chinese dress apparently has Kurgan taking pause.
She then bursts into a golden light while releasing a shout! “Fight me!”
Val Helena uses Invincible!
Val Helena uses War Cry!
What the…? “Didn’t she just use that?”
Gilly’s eyes go wide. “It was only in the Sim! Quick, Lexi, get to her before it wears off!”
Val Helena charges into full melee range, taking several hits from the Android point-blank.
Val Helena takes 0 damage!
Val Helena takes 0 damage!
“Almost done!” Lexi shouts. “A few more seconds.”
“Screw this,” Maxis shouts. “Meet us both there!”
My brother then goes running off after Val Helena, dashing forward with a series of flying kicks. I check the timer on Val Helena’s Invincible buff. 18 seconds left! The buggy suddenly roars to life behind us with Lexi behind the wheel.
“In!” she shouts.
We barely clamber aboard before Lexi hits the gas. I grab hold of both Gilly and the metal frame, making sure we both don’t go flying off as Lexi pours on the acceleration.
“Approach him from behind,” Rembrandt shouts. “Out of line of sight.”
“Roger!” Lexi says and swerves the buggy wide, just as my brother joins the fray next to Val Helena. Rembrandt levels one of his pistols across his forearm and let loose a shot.
Rembrandt uses Paralyzing Shot!
Rembrandt hits Kurgan for 231(452) damage.
Kurgan is Paralyzed!
“Got him!” Becky cheer
s.
Lexi suddenly downshifts, revving the engine with a huge burst of speed. “Hold on to something!”
Lexi uses Punch It!
Acceleration and top speed momentarily increased!
Lexi uses Battering Ram!
Frontal damage and defense massively increased.
“Stand clear!” Lexi yells through the party chat and my brother and Val Helena dive for cover. I hang on white-knuckled as we hit close to 100 mph in just a short stretch. We collide with Kurgan, still frozen from the Paralyze and his huge body goes flying up and over the bumper with a bone-numbing bang!
Lexi hits Kurgan for 1235(2123) Damage!
Lexi hits the brakes and pulls the buggy into a power-slide, releasing a huge screech of rubber. “Get in!”
I watch with amazement as Kurgan crashes to the ground, his HP bar barely reduced by 5%. “How many hit points does that guy have?”
“Too many for us to remove,” Lexi says as she revs the engine again. “Come on, you two!”
Val Helena and Maxis jump in and Lexi jets away with another screech of tires.
Behind us, Kurgan flips to his feet and amazingly starts running after us.
“Oh bloody hell,” Lexi says, glancing through the rearview. “Hang on!”
Lexi uses her Punch It ability again and the buggy lurches forward.
The ground explodes next to us, pelting us with concrete and asphalt as Kurgan fires from behind. Lexi shifts gears, swerving the buggy erratically.
Lexi uses Evasive Maneuvers.
Vehicle Evasion greatly increased.