Playing For Keeps (Alpha World Book 4)

by Daniel Schinhofen

Laughing Alburet, held up his hands, “Sorry, but your face was priceless.”

  “Aye,” Stacia added with a stifled giggle. “He found a way to needle ya, it seems.”

  Karen eyed them both for a moment before shaking her head. “I don’t like those words and tone, so please don’t.”

  Nodding in all seriousness, Alburet took her words to heart. “I can’t promise that I’ll never do it again, but I will do my best.”

  “Good,” Karen said as she took Fluff’s arm. “We’ll be outside.”

  Bowing as he stepped aside, Alburet swept the tent flap open for them, “As you wish.”

  “Better,” Karen murmured as she swept past him with Fluff on her arm.

  “Now we be knowin’ one of the points tha’ she nay be likin’,” Stacia added as the tent flap fell back into place. “It be good to know, so we can have a harmonious relationship.”

  “Yup,” Alburet agreed as he began to strip off his gear. “Give me just a moment and we can go.”

  “I’ll go join them now, so as nay to distract ya,” Stacia told him as she swayed past him. “I already delayed us once today.”

  Chuckling, Alburet watched her go, knowing she was trying to goad him into pulling her back into the tent. He didn’t though, so he could join the others without a serious delay. He got changed and found the rest of his group with Ioaniss, finishing up their plain meal of cheese, bread and jerky.

  “Glad I didn’t miss anything,” Alburet added as he took a seat next to Stacia.

  “Now that you’re here and I’m done eating, I’ll tell the tale of Sir Gwain the Green Knight and his Keep,” Ioaniss said as he stood up. He looked around at all the eager faces, “It’s been awhile since I’ve done a lecture, so please bear with me.”

  People settled in to listen as Ioaniss took a sip from a flask, preparing himself to speak. Alburet took the meal Stacia handed him, his own eyes focused on Ioaniss, who started to pace.

  “Let’s start with a brief recap of Gwain for our Two-souled friends,” Ioaniss began as he finally started to talk. “For, to understand what the histories say, you need to understand the Knight first.

  “Gwain was a man who held duty above all else. He never once failed to follow the orders of the Emperor. Even when an order was obviously not the best thing, he would still follow it until the end. He also cared about the people who fell under his influence. He spent much of his own coin to help build the town you see in the valley.”

  Pausing for a second, Ioaniss tapped his chin in thought, “Unlike some of the other Knights entrusted with Keeps, he wasn’t overly flawed. When the Keep was built, the town quickly sprang up around it. Gwain helped fund a large part of it, working to make sure it could be as self sufficient as possible. This was after the first push into the Dead Lands. This Keep was built as one of the frontier Keeps, to keep an eye on the Undead and Infernals who roamed the sands.

  “It wasn’t long after it was built that it was tested. Gwain led his men into battle against one of the Experiments that roam the Dead Lands. He lost over half his men, but they did bring down Experiment 3. The reason they won is widely accepted to have been the druids. The Keep had a large contingent of them, that being the easiest way for them to grow the food in the valley. Experiment 3 was vulnerable to the natural magic the druids wielded. That is also what earned Gwain his nickname of the Green Knight.

  “Sadly, like all men, it turned out in time that he was flawed in his own way. His men found a woman on the edge of the sands and brought her back to the town. Gwain met her, to try to find out how she came to be there. Her name was Ophelia, and it was she that brought about his downfall.”

  Pausing to sip at his flask again, Ioaniss looked over the riveted crowd. “Ophelia was a beauty, it is said. Long blonde hair that cascaded down her back, trim of waist and big of bust, a voice melodious to hear. A year after their first meeting the duo were wed before the Altar of Justice.

  “Here there is some contention among historians,” Ioaniss started to pace again, his hands behind his back. “We have conflicting stories of the wedding. Some say it was a ceremony like any other, completely ordinary. Some of the histories say that when the couple pledged to each other, the Altar inside the Keep cracked, as though Justice disapproved of the wedding. Hopefully, we’ll find out after the Keep is taken.

  “But that aside, the next two years saw a decline in Gwain’s normal habits. He stopped enforcing the laws of the Empire. He didn’t reach out to his people anymore, shutting himself away in the Keep. One day, three years after the wedding, a massive army of the dead marched on the Keep.

  “Word came that the other Keeps were under attack as well. Gwain didn’t rally his men to meet them in combat as he had in the past. Instead, he ordered his men to prepare for a siege. To this day, that decision is known as Gwain’s Folly.

  “The men were divided, with some of them realizing that Ophelia was influencing the Knight. Those men rallied out of the Keep, attempting to throw back the army attacking them. Gwain grew enraged at the men who had gone forth against his order. He ordered them barred from the Keep upon their return.

  “The men who went forth dealt a blow to the advancing army, but were unable to defeat it. If the entire Keep had sallied forth, as they had in the past, it is contended that the Keep could have been saved. But alas, those that did were too small a force and they were eventually killed. When they reappeared at the graveyard, they went to the Keep to report on the battle.

  “Ophelia met the men at the gates and with a false smile she welcomed them back, praising them for their success. The men were shocked at her welcome, but also excited. They thought she would sway Gwain into ordering a full-fledged attack. They were surprised when the rest of the men at the Keep turned on them, and were killed in the courtyard on Ophelia’s order.

  “As the invading army crested the lip of the valley, the townsfolk fled to the Keep, only to find the doors barred. They hammered on the door and begged to be let in. Gwain appeared above the doors of the Keep. He told them that he was tired of their petty needs and now they would serve as a fitting tribute to the army that had come. He left them there, to die at the hands of the undead.

  “We know this much thanks to the small handful of townsfolk who managed to flee the valley. Without those few reports, the loss of this Keep would be shrouded in even more mystery. The Empire rallied after the Keep fell, pushing back the undead armies, but the sands had already crept past this valley. Still, the Emperor sent an army to find out what had truly happened here.

  “What they found is what we see here, a ruined town full of undead villagers. The Keep gates were still barred, and undead manned the walls and the keep itself. As the army went to leave, a man looked back. He reported seeing a beautiful blonde woman watching them leave from the walls above the gate.

  “It is thought that Ophelia was one of the cultists that followed Stein. She somehow wormed her way into Gwain’s heart, then began to change the Knight. She is the reason the Keep fell. It is unknown what became of her or Gwain.”

  “So, they should expect a bunch of undead, possibly Gwain and or Ophelia as well,” Roberto grunted. “Sounds like a tall order.”

  “We’ll do it,” Karen replied firmly.

  People started throughout the camp as the Alpha Company members all received a pop-up notification. Sounds of disappointment rose as they read the message.

  World First: Keep Capture: Delvers Inc., has succeeded in the capturing the first Keep in Alpha World. Congratulations on your achievement!

  “God damn it,” Karen snapped. “I wanted to be first.”

  “We chose badly for that, it seems,” Gerald commented. “Maybe there’s something for placing second?”

  “I wanted the world first,” Karen grumped.

  “Folks,” Alburet said, getting to his feet, “it seems we’ve failed one of our objectives. That rests squarely on me, as I am the one that led us all the way out to this Keep. Are you still willing to g
o for it?”

  A round of agreement ran through the guild members. “Okay, then. Tomorrow we assault the Keep. Get your rest and be ready to go.”

  Conversation was subdued, but still upbeat as people headed to their tents for the night. Alburet watched them go, his jaw set. He would lead them to claim the keep, he silently vowed.

  “Alburet,” Roberto called out. “You might not have gotten one of your goals, but this is still a major victory. Even getting to this Keep is a very impressive feat. When you manage to take it, you will be well known throughout the Kingdoms.”

  “Thank you for saying when, and not if,” Alburet replied to the Captain. “We’ll see you on the morrow, Captain.”

  “Of course. Sleep well,” Roberto gave a wave of his hand as he turned for his own tent.

  Alburet

  Half-Blood Infernal Summoner

  Level 60

  Strength: 125 (120)

  Agility: 125 (120)

  Constitution: 50 (20)

  Intelligence: 190 (160)

  Wisdom: 655 (400)

  Charisma: 155 (120)

  Health: 3,500

  Mana: 9,550

  Spells:

  Demon Skin- Rank 6

  Demonic Retribution- Rank 6

  Summon Imp

  Fire Blast- Rank 6

  Sap Strength- Rank 6

  Demonic Haze- Rank 5

  Summon Improved Destroyer

  Demonic Vitality- Rank 5

  Fire Burst- Rank 5

  Summon Improved Succubus

  Abilities:

  Personal Spells

  Flame Weapon

  Copy

  Infernal Upgrade: (Succubus- Ally)

  (8 Upgrades to be selected)

  Racial Abilities:

  Cast spells without verbal components

  Physical damage reduction 25%

  Magical damage reduction 10%

  Influence emotions

  Fire resistance 50%

  Reputation gains at half value

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Alburet felt a brief flash of panic as he followed the others into the tent. Tonight, they would be walking in his mind, and he worried about what memory Stacia might have picked out. His moment of worry must have shown on his face, Stacia patted his cheek and smiled at him. “It be fine, trust in me,” she whispered to him.

  He nodded, changing into his bed clothes while the others did. Well, Fluff did, anyway. Stacia and Karen were both nude when he turned back to them. A wry smile flitted across his face, “I guess some things are just going to be.”

  “Of course they are,” Karen smirked. “Besides, we know you like it. Who wouldn’t like seeing us in the flesh, am I right?”

  “You both have beautiful bodies,” Fluff commented from her place next to the bedroll. “It was an honor to be able to draw you both.”

  Karen smiled fondly down at Fluff, before joining her on the ground. “You can draw me again, anytime you want. I’ll pose however you want me to. It’s enjoyable, having you focus on me.”

  Lips creasing into a smile, Fluff placed her hand on Karen’s thigh, “That makes me happy. After we’re done, I’m still wanting to… you know.”

  Karen’s smile grew larger, “I will never tell you no. I’ll be happy to—”

  Stacia coughed gently, cutting off their conversation. She directed Alburet to lay down and get comfortable. “Tha’ be afterwards. First, we be walkin’ in one of his memories. Ya will mayhap balk a little at this one, but it be full of love and tha’ be good for ya.”

  Alburet’s lips thinned at her words, but he nodded. “I trust you. If you say that it’s going to be okay then I’m sure it will be.”

  “We begin. I will be holdin’ ya all night, do nay worry,” Stacia kissed him on the forehead, then began to sing.

  Alburet felt his eyelids grow heavy as the song tugged at him to rest, to sleep and to dream. As he went under, Stacia paused to look at the other two next to her, “This one be of his best friend and his daughter. He has set many of these memories aside. It may cause him some distress, but he needs to recall the love tha’ he used to feel. Just be ready. He may break some, and will need ya support.”

  “Of course,” Fluff replied as she brushed at Alburet’s hair, then set her hand on Stacia’s shoulder. “He’s been there for me.”

  “I’ll hold him gently,” Karen added as she touched Stacia’s back, her other hand on Alburet’s thigh.

  “Then let us walk in his mind,” Stacia exhaled and began to sing again, drawing the three of them into Alburet’s mind.

  They joined Alburet, who was looking at the greyed-out scene around him. “This was my home,” he told them as they appeared. “What memory could you possibly want to show them here?” he asked Stacia, turning to her with a puzzled expression.

  “It be one ya recall iffin ya try, but ya have set it aside. It be precious to ya, but it mayhap cause ya some distress,” Stacia added as she gently hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist. “We will be here for ya.”

  The scene colored in as the memory began. Alburet watched as he came out from the master bedroom, shutting the door behind him. As he watched himself, his brow furrowed as he tried to think of what this memory could be. The group watched as Seamus went to the kitchen, checking a pot on the stove.

  “Almost ready,” Seamus said as he gave the sauce on the stove a taste test. A moment after he set the spoon down a brisk three tap knock came to the door. “Coming, one second,” he called out.

  “Oh,” Alburet whispered his body tensing.

  The group watched as Seamus opened the door, stepping aside to admit his visitors. “David, Kaylee! Glad you two could make it,” Seamus said, giving David a bro hug. He then mussed the eight-year-old’s hair, “Getting bigger, Kaylee.”

  “Also wiser, but hopefully not older,” Kaylee replied with a grin. “Thank you for having us over for dinner.”

  “Well, you guys always invite me over, it was about time I did the same,” Seamus laughed. “Come on in. Make yourselves at home. Soda’s in the fridge, cups are above the microwave, water is from the tap. Don’t worry, it’s well water, not that chlorinated town yuck you guys have.”

  Kaylee made a face, “That water is less than pleasant. I’ll try yours.” She skipped over to the cabinet to fetch a cup.

  Seamus watched her go with a snort, “As precocious as always.”

  “What did you make for us?” David asked as the men went into the kitchen.

  “A simple alfredo, once the noodles are done,” Seamus answered his friend.

  The meal was served not long after, with limited conversation as they focused on the food. Alburet watched it all, small shivers running through him as he knew what was coming and the sadness was crashing against his emotional control. He pressed his lips tightly together to keep any words or sounds from escaping, though tears dripped from his eyes.

  When dinner ended, the banter between the guys picked up a little. Several obvious jokes between them referred to the ongoing game at another friend’s house, while Seamus got the dishes cleaned up. After that, Seamus brought a game to the table they were seated around, “You both up for a cooperative game?”

  “What is it?” Kaylee asked.

  “We play as a team to solve a case. You can pick who you want to play as. There are wizards, a cop, knights, psychics, werewolves… even a really intelligent dog,” Seamus replied as he opened the box.

  David chose Harry the wizard, Kaylee chose Molly, and Seamus played the holy knight Michael. Towards the end of the game Kaylee turned to Seamus, “Uncle, we need to finish this case up.”

  That single sentence broke Alburet as he watched. A sob escaped him as he started to shake, “Kaylee… I’m so…sorry.”

  The scene came to a halt as Stacia held her shaking husband tightly. Fluff and Karen came over, joining the hug as Alburet began to cry hard, tears streaming down his face. As they tried to comfort Alburet, Karen looked
at Stacia with a questioning gaze.

  “It touches on why he be here. I can nay say more,” Stacia’s whispered over Alburet’s head to her.

  “Was it because she called you Uncle?” Fluffball asked him as she stroked his back.

  “It was the first time she called me that,” Alburet choked back a heavy sob as he answered. “It made us stop the game for a moment. It became a running theme for us, later on she meant it when she called me that.” His hands clenched into fists behind Stacia’s back as his grief started to turn to rage. “She was so pure, so innocent and good…”

  “Sleep,” Stacia said quickly, interrupting him. Alburet vanished from their arms, leaving the trio there in the paused moment. “I be sorry, but he was about to say thin’s he can nay be sayin’.”

  Fluff slowly nodded, “I think I understand.”

  Karen looked from Stacia to Fluff and back, “This is all tied into the NDA?”