by Dylan Keefer
“Mom is still playing, thanks for the ice cream.”
“No problem,”
The ice cream was on the table next to my shaking smart phone. It was one of Mom’s favorite brands so Wata told me to not let her see it, lest I want my mother to rob it from very hands.
Makes sense when I think of it, at least Wata can be relied on when I ask her to do something for me. She was ready, for a small fee of course.
Taking up my phone, I see that it was Vanessa. I slide it across, “Hello?”
“Girl, you are not going to believe this.”
“Tell me,”
“Fiona got kicked out of Golden Blaze.”
As I consider the words carefully, every fiber of me wants to know how? I struggle to get the words I mean out of my mouth though.
There was a deafening silence where Vanessa cleared her throat for effect, “amazing right?”
I sit down in my chair, I hit the computer keyboard and see the lights beam up.
“Fiona is, how the hell this happened, did you hear it from her?”
“No, it is news flying around. Some might think it is a rumor, being hours now…but I called Ashburn,”
“That slithering snake,”
“Yes, he gave me the goods hon, I swear everything is a mess I hear,”
The desktop appeared before me and I opened a browser. A notification was lighting up in my chat program.
“But how, she is admin of that group, she can’t, unless another admin removes her…?”
“Bingo, after you left, a lot changed you know. I never talked about it.” Vanessa asserted.
“I never really wanted to know.” I said flatly, but that was a lie.
“Well part of what happened was that some new people became admins, some of them are a bunch of arrrgh! You get me?”
I almost laughed, “I think you get your language.”
After bringing up the forum webpage, I opened the notification.
“So I was like who are these new people you be loving up and you completely forgot about us, because two of them were from a rival group, I think Saturn Curved…anyways I left because it was getting too crowded and no one orders me around except you honey.”
The notification was from Chester, that traitor was contracting me?
Celina replied to Vanessa, “I never really ordered you around, I just tell you to go out and kill everything that isn’t us.”
“Touché, so it seems they used majority rule to push her out since one admin cannot do it, each admin would have to vote for and against it.”
“That is some dirty politics,” I opened it and saw the message.
Celina, I know you are mad, hell you probably want to punch me in my face right now. I am sure of that.
You know me too well boy.
Regardless, I implore you to come to the Witches of Light base on Walaborn. There I will return the staff to you. Gwendolyn will be there and we will finish this tomorrow. Gather everyone and bring your ‘A’ game.
Signed-
Bain
“…swear this is something else how could she allow that? I was trying to call her but she ain’t answering the phone. Well in a way I would be pissed and too angry to talk too. I wonder where Jody fits in this scenario though?” Vanessa mused to herself.
“Vanessa?”
“Yeah?”
“You said you wanted a piece of the prima donna Gwendolyn and the lizard Bain did you?”
“Of course,”
“You might get your chance, you free tomorrow?”
Chapter 32
A rumble shakes the very ground, dust evaporates like cascading clouds into the blank orange sky. Pings and clanks, the resounding echo, the sound of metal was bouncing in my head. The booming high-pitched shiny drums in the city kept us tipsy.
“Man she is really energetic.” Joshua said through his grit teeth, I second that, “Heard she went to Mata King directly and made him regret it. Just be glad she is attacking their base not ours.”
Gwendolyn was below us hitting the huge metal door to a low walled building which crept deeper into the earth. She might know we were here and just literally did not care being as arrogant as she was.
What Killon heard through the grapevine was the Witches of Lights were getting the staff from Bain. The funny part was that they were doing this without involving Gwendolyn.
So of course, she would be pissed.
The dust shot up in streams that consumed us. Our eyes could barely follow, Gwendolyn was gone with the metal door sliced in half as evidence.
“That woman scares me,” Neil utters.
“Hey are you and Valush fighting her, you are the only ones who can keep up with her. Mom, Joshua protect Alvain, everyone else on me.”
We rushed down after a few minutes and chased in after the determined woman warrior. We kept in close proximity as the denizens of the base attacked.
Gallivant Gang, a bunch of power mongering babies. They attack us, but in short streams. The path that led us down was narrow enough, we could take them in small amounts.
We pushed through, Opa led the line. As Neil and Valush pushed through effortlessly due to Joshua’s swashbuckling. The base opened up like a tropical island surrounded by the tall slate colored rocky sky.
Moss growth nestled the stone like a child nestles against their mother. We gathered on the far side fighting off teams of players with heavy melee weapons and kept away from the archers raining down on us.
Me and Ron were side by side, Mom just behind us, above ground we held our own. So many enemies and so little time, “Black Wonderful, hey Xavier,”
He turned as Medpack drifted beside him leading on a Sword Wielder. Opa hits the Sword Wielder and almost unsettling Xavier into a jump.
“Go cover Deabush,”
He nodded quickly and went forward. Opa rolled his hammer as two more Knight like players appeared to test him.
“Guys stay together!” I shout.
I wonder where is Bain in all of this?
I had tried to contact him but he has sent no reply yet. He better, if this was another trap, I will never forgive him, I came in good faith in his words.
Bain was a lot of things, but when he does certain stuff it usually has a reason behind it. The idea crossed my mind, that he was using the situation to destroy both organizations from within.
Espionage, the art of the spies, it seemed too silent and patient for Bain in that respect. But I think that was what made it so fitting.
No one would suspect a thing.
We finally pushed through until we reached an area that opened out like some shallow dome with these metal breaks in the four corners, flat, they rose like platforms.
Ping
I receive a message from Bain finally.
Make your way to the spot I just marked…
I saw it, it was on the same level as us. The next message said,
…see you soon!
Smiley emojis at the end made that seem creepier than it needed to be.
We jump through and get surrounded, Alvain shouted, a eight sign seal under his feet, “Mercury Rain!”
His body glowed red as streams of blazing fire surged out whipping the sides and around Alvain sending the Gallivant Gang flying.
“Flash Edomy!” A White Mage shot out a blast of lightning at me. I try to dodge but I still get shocked, sent backward, Mom quickly responds with an attack of her own. The White Mage ran away in fright as the upper levels were ballooned with a downstream flood of water.
Another Ping
Some gurgling sound, a high-pitched squeal gives way to this deep male voice. Wait this was coming from Bain's mental ear, meaning he was hearing this.
"...We are tired, you can kill me, it won't matter. Like the world revolves around you, it does not. Besides...Celina of Ragnarok already offered us a deal."
Gwendolyn's voice, "Ohhhh, a deal huh?! You idiots are dumber than I thought. I am twice as strong as everyone in that crap group."
Female voice, "Interesting hearing that from you, I heard the Apocalypse Queen's mom kicked your butt off their ship."
I look back at Mom who was trying to hide her smile. Medpack swept by us giggling as she casted some shields for us while J Ron was laughing with a swinging axe. Oh, it was not only me hearing this.
Gwendolyn again, "Listen to me you backstabbing weak noobs learn this! I do not forgive you at all, you can beg, I will kill you constantly and have you beg just for me to kill you quick rather than harass you in-game. Think you and Ragnarok can take me on me? The top player in this whole game!"
The deep voice, "You have been beaten before...do not think too highly of yourself..."
"Shane, you know what forget this!" Gwendolyn rages, I hear the shivering screech of swords.
Grunts and shouts erupt, I can assume players were going down as we speak, "Oy what a prima donna!" Valush, I heard Valush.
"Leave the small fry, I will be your opponent."
"You think some washed up, White Mage who cannot even test Cathory can fight me!"
"Nope, you're right, so I have a friend to help because that is what you lack!"
"Weakling, I don't need any friends!" Gwendolyn shouts before the mental feed cuts from our minds.
“Purge, Black Rainbow…come on guys we have to reach past here!”
Opa and Xavier pushed through the clutter with us behind them. We reached soon enough to see a treat. Gwendolyn fighting Neil in his Wolf form, we were above them in a sprawling room with helix stairs attached to the walls.
We parked against the wall. She swiped at him and he parried every sword swing but could not advance. Actually he was being pushed back, on bended knees, an axe and a short sword in hand to hold his own literally.
Gwendolyn tried to under swoop him but Neil jumped and dodged. Gwendolyn rushed under suddenly but Neil parries and flies off from the force of the hit.
“Where was Valush?” Ron asked.
That was a good question. Floating my eyes around I notice several players grounded but not dead. They must be the leaders of either group, Stunned probably?
I check the map. Bain and Valush were right on top of me, but where exactly?
I see a figure rush out from behind Neil. An armored Warrior.
I call frantically, “Neil!”
A rush of white electrical energy blasts through the ground sending up vast pieces of rock.
I move my head to the left, Valush, she was hugging the wall on the ground floor. As I see her, she looked weary? Was that a thing, Valush the wild beast was hesitant?
It seemed uncharacteristic and yet, suddenly Gwendolyn rushed her. Valush back stepped out of her first swing, Gwendolyn twirled further with her next sword arm. Neil appeared out of nowhere stopping Gwendolyn within an air’s breath of Valush.
Valush stopped, raised her hand, a nine sign seal appearing.
“Tons…”
She disappeared and a mass of light shot out hitting everything in the room. Damn that spell, Tons was a powerful spell that caused a great amount of damage but it was random. You might get all of its brunt power, some of it, or maybe even none at all. But it did not require targeting.
Something the speedy Gwendolyn might not be able to prevent, I felt the pressure instantly as the light cleared leaving me with this mass of shapes and colors flowing around me.
The Confused status was wreaking my vision but I was alive. I knew that.
“Now!”
Who is shouting? I twitch the muscles on my face in frustration as a bunch of chaotic sounds cascade in my eardrum from so many places.
It was hard to cast but I finally managed to wave my finger and create the six sign seal for, “Cleanse,”
I blinked, shuddering slightly as I feel touch. I rush up, to see Joshua.
“Hey it’s me,”
I lean back, his face drifted forward suddenly. His hand reached out and grabbed mine. I did not even get to scream, how could I forget I was still up here.
Joshua dragged me up and we went down below to see Neil’s hands tight on his weapons as Gwendolyn close to the ground on her right elbow, her other hand slumped straight across, hair in disarray but in a falling droop that heaped up just under her distraught face.
Her eyes were closed and she seemed to be having trouble breathing. I check the health bars of the party, Mom and Alvain were dead.
Valush was slumped against a broken pillar, I wave my hands, “Black Wonderful,”
Gwendolyn is looking at me through the corner of her eyes, I stiffen. She swoops her sword at Neil and makes a bank to the left. With a twisting swing of her right leg she trips Neil and rounds herself, no she was coming for me.
Joshua was too slow, now in front of me, I get pushed backward by Valush's charging jump between us. "Valush!" I cry as static electricity coursed around me.
Gwendolyn swings, but Valush dodges. Hits the woman with a one sign seal spell in the gut, Gwendolyn gets pissed with Pure White Iris. Wait, that one sign seal spell it must be Airto, it does light damage but enrages the target making them stronger.
Gwendolyn grunts as she swings, "Why can't I hit you!?"
Valush relaxed and Gwendolyn's underarm lunge pieces Valush in the chest.
She grabbed the sword, Ron grabbed the next swinging arm and smiled as a two sign seal appears, "Take back all the damage you gave me plus interest, Metrodome!"
A vast light surges forward from her body hitting Gwendolyn. She is sent flying and hits the ground quite twisted and ungracefully.
Gwendolyn convulses and drops flat, I look up to see Valush’s outstretched hand twitch slightly, she clutched it and then stuck out a tongue at her for consolation.
Ron gets up twitching slightly to the static that fizzled off his body.
He looked at Valush, "You did it..."
Valush breathes out and smirks wide, she stalks up to him and pats him on the head.
"No we did it." She said.
I hear clapping, heads turn, there he was, Bain slipped out of the shadows. He was higher than us watching the show and enjoying it seemed.
Why did every fiber of my hand want to hit him?
He finally came down and threw at my very feet the staff. Looking at it now was sobering but I confirmed he was not a complete bastard. Just half of one, I still had questions.
“What the hell was this, you stole the staff why?”
“Because if I did not, Mata King would have wiped you out himself and take it anyway. We could not win that battle, you know that.”
“But you were the one selling info on us, so don’t act so virtuous.”
“What…no? That is someone else Celina, I just recognized that dangerous situation and acted for the benefit of keeping the staff.”
The other guys shift around at hearing that, great… I still had a traitor in our midst. “Funny all this run around,”
“At least with this, Gallivant Gang is done. You can wipe out the rest of players here and take this over. In this cave are five caravans. You will take their north territory so it will be hard for them to attack you if you sail from Alvador. The other bases should be a breeze once you weaken their hold on the sea.”
Valush scratched her head, “Yeah that is possible…”
I get up, “No, we take it and erase it from the map. We have no large numbers so it would be difficult to hold. You…”
“I am leaving you guys,” Bain said confidently.
Widened eyes hit Bain’s reptilian smile.
“It is not that I did not have fun but where you are going Celina, I cannot. I prefer going on my own for now.”
“You idiot,” Was all I could muster to say. There was a moment we just stared and I could feel the tension begin to hit him. Now I know why I want to hit him, he reminds me of his selfishness. Like I wanted him to leave but what could I say to that face. That resol
ution I see in his eyes was very firm.
I guess there was nothing more to say at this point.
“Fine.” I slid my hand inside my coat and draw out his Silky White Sword with its steel guard, handle and tree vine pommel. He looked taken aback.
The sword was heavy though but I managed to lift it towards him. He walked closer passing the sharp outbound edge and was in front of me, he gripped the handle said, “Thanks,”
I took the opportunity to raise my left hand and lightly slap him on the cheek. He flexes his face in a giddy frown, “What was that for?”
I scoff, “I felt like it,”
Chapter 33
The base was looking better with the decorations, more sofas to sit on. Things felt different without Bain, everyone wanted to know why he left, and then again it was more silent in the base. Almost everyone was here, just chilling and looking around, some were talking.
It felt empty without Bain complaining about something, without an argument now and then. I suppose I preferred this. But part of me still felt like this was not what I needed. Was this what it felt like to miss something dear to you?
So wait, what did I miss? Bain or his behavior, it made me wonder and yet I was probably wondering too much.
I gloss my eyes over the map. In the center of a warzone of ogres vying for supremacy in this small space, we were not in a good position right now.
On a daily basis Bourne and anyone here had to fight off a Ogre or two, mostly it was Mom here since Medpack was a regular quest taker for us. Either way it made for good practice for everyone. We can go Ogre hunting when we were bored. The base added creative juice to her imagination she said, so she was writing down in her mental pad her feelings and short stories that she would later unpack.
Right now, what I wanted was to dominate one or two of them as allies. Victor was not happy with that because he would have to be the one to do it. All we had to do was to beat the Ogres enough to scare them, then Victor can intimidate with a simple roar.
But protecting this base was important. Someone was still feeding information to our enemies. It was likely they knew where we were. Well it was not like it was reasonably hard to find us.
