That Wasn't the Plan

by Jason Cheek

  The action was ugly as the Dwarf and Gnome took their targets out of the fight with an economy of strikes. Neither of the two friends took the time to finish their enemies off completely, but left their victims bleeding out on the ground. Between the brutal attacks and the Spider Squirrel’s poison coursing through their veins, the injured Rangers were next to useless as they weakly scrabbled for Healing potions and bandages or bled out in pools of their own blood.

  Seeing that the way was clear, AJ called out to Hefe who was finishing one of the Rangers off with a quick combo of his punch daggers. “Head for the stairs!” He screamed, taking off at a run.

  “I thought we promised Star we’d create a beachhead?” Hefe shouted back, as he looked towards the window they’d been thrown through. Stumbling to a stop, AJ glared at his friend.

  “Really, out of all the times you’ve ignored Jay in the past,” AJ angrily huffed, “now is the time you’re going to choose to follow his directions?”

  “Dude, I already had a major fuck up.” Hefe tried to explain, as he looked into his friend’s seething eyes, while an injured Webby crawled up his back with three broken legs. “I’m not about to screw this up now.”

  “Argh!” AJ roared, wordlessly throwing his arms up in frustration. “Do what you want, but I’m not leaving Jill and Krystal to those assholes tender mercies!” Whipping around, the enraged Dwarf took off at a run, but as he neared the archway, he saw that it lead to a blocked ironbound door and not a stairwell. Before he could figure out where to head to next, Global Brutality players began streaming into the corridor from around the corner.

  “Ah, fuck me!” AJ swore as he came to a sliding stop. Turning around to head back towards Hefe, the Dwarf’s face screwed up in disbelief as he urgently pointed towards the other end of the corridor and bellowed “Incoming!“ as Webby began chittering excitedly on Hefe’s back in warning.

  Seeing both groups of Rangers come to a stop and raise their bows, both friends dove for cover. AJ turning back for the alcove as he brought his shield up, while Hefe raced towards the external wall as a glowing flight of arrows filled the corridor. There was nothing they could do as the terrible barrage slammed into them.

  Pressing his back against the corridor’s inner wall, AJ used his special defensive Multi-Shield Block to defend against the worst of the ranged attack. Even so, enough glowing arrows made it through his defenses to nearly kill him. The enchanted arrow heads shredded his chain mail and buried themselves deep into his body as the Dwarf’s hit points dropped to almost nothing.

  Hefe’s Gnome Barbarian build, on the other hand, was focused on increasing his Agility, which was the main reason he’d chosen the build in the first place. While his friends had given him a ration of shit about his race selection, what they didn’t know was that the one part of his P&M exam that was lower than normal was his Agility. Not that it was particularly a surprise. Most big men had a problem with flexibility. Hefe’s dexterity was just worse than normal due to being so muscle bound from playing High School football. Between the boost to his Agility along with the dodge and movement bonuses from his character selections, he’d been able to accomplish gymnastics feats that had to be seen to be believed.

  That is what Hefe used now to escape the deadly situation he found himself in. Leaping into the air, he twisted his body around and planted his feet against the wall as the hail of glowing arrows flew towards him. Flexing his knees, he launched himself into a twisting somersault that sent him flipping back to the opposite side of the corridor as the arrows harmlessly shattered against the stone floor and wall where he’d just been a second earlier.

  Racing for his friend, Hefe snagged the bleeding Dwarf by the collar as more arrows rained down around them. AJ barely managed to get his shield up to block them both from the ranged attacks coming from his side of the corridor. Unfortunately, the small Buckler Shields on his wrists offered little protection as the glowing arrows raked them both from his side of the corridor. Ignoring the searing pain shooting through his chest and back from the multiple hits, Hefe dragged his friend into the nearby alcove while both of their hit points plummeted. With a last heave using his entire body, the little Gnome fell against the blocked iron-bound door with AJ in his lap as they both groaned in agony.

  “I can’t believe Star talked us into doing this crazy mission,” AJ said, spitting out a mouthful of blood as Hefe struggled to get out from under the Dwarf’s heavy weight.

  “Dude, Star never-“ that was as much as Hefe got out, before AJ abruptly cut him off.

  “It’s all Star’s fault!” AJ reiterated gruffly, as he helplessly flailed his arms around trying to roll over to his hands and knees. The pool of blood he was slipping and sliding in wasn’t helping his antics. “There’s no way we’re getting out of this mess.”

  They’d both taken a beating in that last exchange, Hefe silently thought, checking his HUD. His hit points were down to twelve hundred and thirty points of health. While that was bad, AJ’s hit points were in the low triple digits and was dropping fast as he continued bleeding out from the deep wounds that checkered his torso. No way they were getting out of this mess alive, Hefe sourly agreed, as he peaked around the edge of the alcove. Immediately, he pulled his head back as a hail of glowing arrows peppered the archway a split-second later.

  “You better use a few potions if you don’t want to go out like a punk,” Hefe called out over his shoulder, as AJ flopped onto his stomach with a groan. Before his friend could snarl out a snappy comeback, the air around them began to shimmer with green sparkles as both their bodies glowed with a familiar green healing aura. As both of their hit point bars jumped up fifteen hundred points of health, Hefe saw that it wasn’t just one Healing Breeze but six or seven. As AJ met his eyes in confusion, a beautiful voice filled with barely contained rage spoke out behind them.

  “Release us so we can take our revenge!”

  Both AJ and Hefe backed away from the door in surprise as they saw the blue skinned, silvery haired woman that gripped the bars of the iron-bound door behind them. The barely concealed rage in her glowing hazel eyes and white knuckled grip that crackled with energy was somewhat disturbing. Giving AJ a questioning glance, Hefe hesitantly turned back to the haunting beauty and cast an Identify which showed the woman to be Angela Vakker, level 30, Moon Elf Druid.

  “Are you Angie … Krishna’s girlfriend?” Hefe asked, feeling like a dumbass as he stuttered. “I thought he said none of you have any weapons or armor to fight with. If that’s really the case it might be better if you just stayed inside until we get this mess cleared up.”

  “What the fuck are you doing?” AJ hissed out, unsuccessfully trying to keep his voice low as another hail of arrows smashed into the alcove. “We need all the help we can get!”

  “Dude, Krishna said none of them had any combat skills!” Hefe’s voice lowered to a harsh whisper as Angie’s eyes narrowed dangerously. For someone who didn’t have any combat skills, the female Druid had an aura that made her come across scary as hell!

  “That’s been taken care of,” the Moon Elf woman stated in no uncertain terms, before reiterating her request once more. “Open the door.”

  The sounds of booted feet rushing the archway let them know that they were running out of time. It would be over in seconds if the Global Brutality Rangers caught them in this alcove. Seeing AJ’s shrug of whatever, Hefe pushed the Dwarf towards the door as he hurried to the other side.

  “You’ve got it, lady!” AJ said, speaking for them both as they reached for the thick iron bar.

  Glowing arrows hammered deeper into the alcove as the enemy closed in for the kill. Ignoring their impending doom, Hefe and AJ managed to toss away the heavy bar and throw open the iron-bound door just as Angie’s body began to glow with a dark green light. Not just Angie’s. From behind her, Hefe could see the room was packed pull of Uten Syn players. All of which were casting spells. Some of them were obviously casting the Manifest Pet like the one they�
�d learned for their Giant Squirrels, while others were glowing like the female Moon Elf standing in the doorway. Hefe met AJ’s “what the fuck” look with a shrug of “what did you want me to do” as a bone-popping, skin-ripping sound pulled their eyes back towards the gaping doorway. What they saw standing before them made their blood turn to ice.

  One second, Angie stood before them. The next, the beautiful Moon Elf’s body had begun to ripple and change. Dark blue, coarse hair started sprouting out of her skin while a mane of silver hair grew down her back. At the same time, the woman’s face elongated and widened into a barrel-shaped snout as big as a keg while fangs grew from between her blackening lips. Her clenched fists turned into the size of dinner plates while her nails formed into six-inch long claws. While those changes were going on, her body filled out and grew within seconds to be eight-feet tall with a mass of what had to be six to eight hundred pounds of pure muscle.

  Hefe didn’t know what kind of magic the Uten Syn player was using, but it was impressive as hell. The game’s transformation was way cooler than even that scene in that old movie an American Werewolf in London. Only, instead of being some sort of Werewolf. Angie had turned into what could only be described as a massive Werebear. He had to admit the developers had really done a spectacular job on the transformation spell.

  In that moment, Hefe and AJ saw the Global Brutality players strafing across the opening of the alcove with their bows bent back ready to fire. AJ was already bringing his shield up as Hefe struggled to get his Buckler Shields between him and what was certain death. Behind them, Angie ducked her massive barrel-shaped head through the doorway and bellowed out an ear-splitting roar that blew the mass of PKers off their feet as they opened fire.

  Immediately, the air around them began to glitter with green magical sparkles as twenty separate Healing Breezes popped up in Hefe’s HUD. In that split-second, he saw the surprised Global Brutality players watch in horror as the abominable humanoid creature soaked up the incredible amount of damage as if it were nothing. Well, it would have looked that way for anyone who hadn’t run an Identify. Because of the spell, Hefe was able to see the female Moon Elf’s hit point bar going up and down like a yo-yo as the numerous healing spells kept her alive through the brutal barrage.

  Angie launched herself at the enemy in one massive leap, before any of the Rangers could jump back to their feet. The impact of her charge bowled her targets over as she jumped atop her target and attacked with brutal strikes of her razor-sharp claws. As blood fountained into the air, more Werebears and Werewolves shot out of the prison cell. Mixed in with them were a few Manifest Cave Bears and a bunch of Giant Wolves with their green glowing eyes. Within seconds, the two groups of Rangers that had nearly taken them out a second before were being slaughtered by the overwhelming numbers pouring out of the prison cell as the members of the Uten Syn guild went to war.

  Hefe slowly realized the ferocious attack wasn’t as overpowered as he’d first thought. Many of the Uten Syn guild were only in the mid-twenties. Even so, the surprise and ferociousness of the attack was what had caught the Global Brutality players by surprise. Well that, and the whole mass of team healing that allowed the Uten Syn guild members to soak up the massive damage as if it were nothing.

  The assault was the most brutal thing he’d ever witnessed in virtual or real life. Well, except for maybe the Alien vs Marine games. Still, slaughtering players with swords, arrows, and maces was nothing in comparison to the gruesome attacks of fangs and claws. It was truly impressive as hell.

  For a moment, Hefe could only watch in stunned amazement as the Uten Syn guild took out their pent up frustration on their jailers. Doing a quick count, Hefe came up with thirty-seven Druids and nineteen Guardians. The Guardians were the ones with the Manifest Pets and the ones doing the healing, while the Druids were the fighters that had taken the animal forms.

  Once the last Ranger was torn apart, the Uten Syn players threw their heads back and bellowed. The various howls, bellows, and wordless shouts were tinged with a savageness that sent shivers down the spine. Even so, Hefe couldn’t argue with the results as Angie the Werebear stood up to her eight-foot height once the cacophony of sounds came to an end.

  “Death to our enemies!” Angie bellowed out in a barely understandable animalistic growl as the mass of Uten Syn members wordlessly howled back in blood lust. “To the stairs!” Angie finished, as she turned around and began lumbering for the stairwell. As if on cue, more Global Brutality players showed up as the mass of Druids and Guardians excitedly surged forward.

  Looking at the unreal sight, Hefe shook his head incredulously. There was something primitive and brutal about the whole scene that just grabbed you by the balls and sucked you in. Within seconds, horrified screams filled the corridor as the combatants met. Feeling the adrenaline surging through his veins, he gave the Dwarf a feral grin.

  “Fuck the beachhead!” Hefe shouted, excitedly clanging his punch daggers together. “Let’s go find our women!”

  Chapter One.Fifteen

  (Wednesday, May 7th / Day 17 of The World.)

  “Get the siege ladders in position!” Assault Leader Dell bellowed, as the Kayden Troopers hurriedly worked to get the tied together tree trunks in place. “Move … move … move!”

  At first I didn’t understand the ladder comment, but then I saw what he meant. Some savvy Team Leader had the idea of having the troopers tie strips of leather a yard apart on each of the trunks. The effect created a primitive ladder of sorts. While it had probably eaten up a little more of our precious time for the assault, it would make the climb up to the third floor that much quicker for the troopers assaulting the tower.

  Backing away from the tower, I watched the empty windows as the Team Leaders got their people into position, while making a mental note to ask Dell who had come up with the idea. It was important to reward innovative thinking. The more people of The World that helped out in coming up with new innovations the less I would have to come up with on my own.

  For now, I just hoped we made it in time to help my friends who were inside fighting for their lives. A screaming Dark Elf fell out of a window on the other side of the keep just emphasizing my concern. The woman died before she hit the ground as the troopers blasting the open windows on that side of the tower momentarily switched their fire, killing her in a wave of Shadow Bolts.

  I silently cheered the Team Leaders on that side of the keep for making sure the player died by their hands and not the fall. We wanted to make sure we hurt our enemies by de-leveling them as much as possible, especially with the new Emergency Hot Fixes that had come out. Honestly, I had no clue how it worked in The World but, in most other games, a death from falling usually didn’t count the same as being killed by an NPC.

  Lining up to either side of me, I saw the Devil Dog Warriors, Thomas, Matt, and Terry forming up at the point where the jury-rigged ladders were being set up. Besides myself, they were the best of the remaining players we had left for being the first up a siege ladder. Agreeing with both Thomas and my reasoning, Assault Leader Dell had already assigned each Warrior a team of troopers for direct support. On top of that, Thompson and Sara had joined their Guild Leader for the assault. Having both of those Devil Dogs along would give us a much needed magical punch for taking these asshats down quickly.

  The fifth siege ladder had Krishna and Lyeneru preparing to head up first. I couldn’t tell what they were arguing about, but, nonetheless, I was impressed with the Uten Syn Guild Leader for taking the initiative. It was easy to dismiss the diminutive Moon Elf for not being as aggressive as a normal player but he was quickly learning to do what was needed. Something that I image was especially hard after a lifetime of being visually impaired.

  To my utter surprise, it was Lyeneru who took the lead to be the first up the siege ladder. My surprise wasn’t due to the fact that she was a woman, but because she was a leather wearing Druid and a person of The World. Not to mention how over protective Krishna usual
ly was whenever it came to her safety. Though, even from this distance, I could see the young man wasn’t happy about the decision. Obviously, he’d only bowed out due to whatever superior logic she’d used to win their argument.

  Poor guy, I thought, shaking my head. I could understand where he was coming from, since it was the main reason I’d sent my companions ahead to safeguard our exit out of this valley. The newest changes on Resurrection from the recent Emergency Hot Fixes had me less willing to frivolously use my vassals for dangerous assaults that they could easily be killed on.

  In my mind, it was better to use a player and save the death of my people for when losing them permanently was worth the risk. That, or because there was no other choice in the matter. Yeah, my thoughts on this was different from my contemporaries but, then again, I seemed to be one of the few players that placed a value on the people of The World beyond treating them as cardboard cutouts. I was still contemplating Krishna’s choice, when Neysa and Helgath came to stand beside me.

  ‘We are heading up with you.’ Neysa stated, speaking for them both.

  ‘Helgath is,’ I corrected, giving the Half-Orc a wink as the Silver Dire Wolf bristled at my words. ‘But I’m not about to hold up the assault just because you can’t climb like on the Sea Orc attack.’

  ‘This is completely different then a ladder and you know it!’ Neysa stormed angrily inside my head, as Helgath choked back a laugh. ‘This wooden contraption is child’s play in comparison. Besides, it’s not like I have opposable thumbs.’

  Somehow, I managed to keep a straight face as she continued her mental harangue. It helped that I was helping the troopers to get the siege ladder in place. Like any woman in my life, it wasn’t often that I got the better of one of them in an argument. What can I say, sometimes it was fun to give the ones you loved a hard time. Besides, I bet she’d be up that ladder in the blink of an eye this time around. As the troopers got the siege ladders standing up to prop against the open windows, an unimaginable sound began coming from the tower.