AVARICE ONLINE: KEL'VAN RED HAND

by Titus Nettles

  “But why would anybody want to set up characters there now?” asked Ara.

  “The bigger question is how not why. So, they can build a better power base before the new launch,” Alex interjected.

  “That’s what I’m thinking too. Tomorrow we go in for another dive, be prepared people and get some sleep,” ordered Gerald.

  Gerald ended the meeting with a nod while Kandice and Ara were still sitting in their chairs.

  “Everything alright?” he asked.

  Kandice looked up, startled. “Yes, just a lot on my mind.” Gerald tapped her shoulder. “Let it go, we have plenty to do tomorrow, and you don’t need distractions. Especially with the importance of the new launch, right?”

  “Yeah, you’re right, Gerald.”

  “Get some sleep Kandice.” Then he walked over to Ara as she was leaving the table.

  “You okay?”

  “Huh, umm yeah, of course,” she stammered. “ I didn’t really think things would get so…real in there. I actually felt my neck…my neck it-“

  “Ara, we knew going in that the pain receptors would not function like they normally would. If you want to back out now, I’ll understand. Though we would have to consider it a breach of contract. That will significantly lower your payout. Do you really want out at this late stage now?” asked Gerald.

  “No!” exclaimed Ara…it’s just…a shock is all I’m saying. She hugged herself as she turned her head from the group.

  “Trust me, I get it,” Gerald consoled. “I got stabbed and beat-up out there too, remember? This thing is bigger than us right now…are you gonna be okay?”

  “Yeah…can we end this meeting already? I got people I need to see Gerald.” Ara said impatiently.

  “Not a problem Ara…see you tomorrow.” Then he walked behind Ara shortly after collecting his notes.

  Kandice watched Gerald leave the room. The man had it only partially right about the situation. She couldn’t fault his reasoning, in fact, the way he had put most of it together was impressive. She wasn’t sure about the other player’s invading part but listening to the man’s hypothesis and what that orc said had made one thing cleared to her. Even if it would tear open the wound of a past betrayal, a man she thought was dead was still alive in the game, and she was going to get some answers.

  CHAPTER 28

  “There is not much here to salvage captain,” said a bored Voresh. He was looking for something to help with his cooking. Recipes, ingredients, even cooking ware. All he got for his trouble was dirty hands. Kel’Van covered his mouth to hide the laughter threatening to erupt from his face.

  “I must agree with the angry cook. There is nothing of real value left here,” Belar murmured

  “It’s always better to check in order to be sure” Kel’Van intoned. After the battle, they had walked around trying to find anything of use before they went looking for a new place to sleep. The next day was going to be an all-out journey till they reached home. Voresh was doing the final rounds before they left.

  “Captain, I’m still puzzled how those tiny Terrans were capable of pushing the original orcs out,” Belar stated. “They are so small, and they fell to us easier than I would have suspected.”

  Kel’Van looked back to see where Fer’shad was. He was bringing up the rear, making sure nothing was missed. When his eyes met Kel’Van, he nodded his head, signaling there was nothing behind them worth getting. He had taken to not speaking since the battle and the confrontation they had about his attitude, which was to be expected. If he wanted out when he got home, he would not stop him. Seeing him watching the rear, Kel’Van restarted his conversation with Belar.

  “They only fell easily because we surprised them. We gave them no time to sufficiently launch an attack,” said Kel’Van “As you learned in the depths, surprise is a great asset.”

  “True,” Belar agreed. “It’s just the way the older orcs talked about them; you would think they would be more…intimidating. Not the beings we met back there.”

  “Belar, what you are doing now, is what probably cost the elder orcs their original home. We won that battle not just because we surprised them but because they underestimated us. They didn’t expect us to attack in the way that we did. They thought we were dumb and stupid. They will not make that mistake again,” he warned.

  Belar’s face scrunched up. Voresh looked up from surveying around them and starting paying attention to the conversation. “What do you mean by come back? They are dead captain,” Belar declared.

  “Those beings were not just Terrans, but players. Like I used to be. Their minds went a save point, and a new body will be created for them. And now that they have faced us, they will be looking for vengeance and will not take us lightly again.”

  Belar looked at Voresh. He just shook his head at the news and smiled.

  “If this is the power of the Terrans, I see how the elders eventually lost.”

  “Not all the Terrans have that ability, just the ones called players,” Kel’Van cautioned. “But that doesn’t make them weak, just smaller. If we didn’t kill that healer quickly, the battle might have gone a lot differently than it did. This is why I want to get home quickly. Getting a class will go a long way to defeating them again when they eventually show up.”

  “I don’t know,” commented Voresh. “I’m rather looking forward to seeing my sparring partner again,” he smiled.”

  “You mean getting more of the XP we got for them?” smirked Belar

  That of course, was surprising to Kel’Van. They got a whole level from killing off those players. He didn’t think they would get any. But then again, they didn’t act nor look like beta tester characters. Those type of game characters were only allowed a max level of 12, which was precisely what they were. But their gear and abilities seemed too class focus to be that.

  “Voresh, I am sure he is dreaming about the next time he meets you. Except I don’t think he’ll be smiling when he tries to take off your head,” Kel’Van mused. “At any rate, take the front with Belar and see if we can hunt down a decent place to rest. We only got a few hours till daybreak, and I want to get home by the afternoon.”

  Belar rushed forward to take his place, just paces behind Voresh so that he would have space to scout ahead of them and still make room for herself. Kel’Van was in the middle, with Fer’shad bringing up the rear. It didn’t take long for the group to discover a small alcove. Voresh and Belar cleared out the vermin, then they bedded down as Kel’Van took the first watch at the mouth of the cave.

  While they moved on his orders, Kel’Van pulled up his D.S.and smiled. Belar was right. They were at least good for experience points, if nothing else. The fight with the players pushed him to level 12, with 75% left to make 13. Though he still had some lingering hopes of making it as a shaman, the other's growth in their abilities was, making it harder to spar with them, even with his knowledge of blade work. There was only so much a person can do with experience alone. At some point, he would come up against someone who was both competent in the use of their weapon and strength to wield it. So with that in mind, he put both points into stamina, bringing it to level 190.

  Fifty minutes later, with Kel’Van’s watch nearing its end, a large shadow overshadowed him as he sat guarding the cave.

  “You’re a bit early, Fer’shad. Having trouble sleeping big guy?”

  The large orc looked around as if unsure of what to say. His face in consternation, he just shook his head. “No, captain. My sleep was somewhat fitful. Though Voresh’s snoring leaves a person to questions one’s patience and sanity many times over,” The orc said distantly.

  Kel’Van grinned, shook his head, and stood up. “Well, I’m glad that I’m not the only one that has problems with it. I’ll leave you to it then.” Kel’Van laid a hand on the large orc's shoulder, then began to make his way back into the cave for a shot of rest.

  “Wait captain, just moment, “asked Fer’shad at Kel’Van’s back.

  There wa
s a pause before the orc said anything, followed by a sigh. “I know that you have lost faith in my abilities as a warrior. When I saw Belar’s hit the wall…I…I just reacted. I left everyone to fend for themselves. I cannot help it sometimes; I just react to things without thinking!” he hissed. “But I promise you captain, that I will earn your trust again, I promise you.”

  Fer’shad drew his sword and shield and sat down on a rock to begin his post.

  Kel’Van began walking into the cave. Then at the last minute, he turned around and laid a hand on the shoulder of Fer’shad.

  “I haven’t lost faith in your ability at all bruh. You have performed above your station too many timesto think that. But you have to learn to follow orders and stick to a plan. When you don’t, lives can be lost. That is all I’m saying, Fer’shad. It had nothing to do with you as a warrior, just you being more of a team player.”

  And with that, Kel’Van left Fer’shad to his post and walked his way into the alcove.

  A chirping sound was going off in Kel’Van’s ear. He sat up on his makeshift bed in the dirt, rubbing the sleep from his eyes when he heard the sound go off again. In his confused state, he looked around for a clock to smash the “sleep” function. It took him a full minute to realize the sound was coming from his D.S.

  He clicked on the screen and looked at the bottom right, and saw the mail icon blinking.

  “What the hell?” he murmured. “Who in the hell would be sending a dead man message?” He clicked on the icon and saw the heading “It’s me, Blue Princess” on the in-box message board.

  “Christ, it’s Kandice…” he mumbled.

  He pushed the picture with the white envelope, and the message opened up.:

  Hello Kevin,

  I’m not sure if it’s you or where you’ve been all this time. But if you are reading this, we need to talk. There has been so much that has changed since last we…spoke... I can’t do it with the others, but I’m going to try to log-in 2 hours before the rest of the team shows up. Take care of yourself, PVP man.

  P.S. Please don’t attack me…The big guy stomping my insides out was very painful partner.

  V/R,

  Kandice, Breadman

  “Yeah, this is Kandice.”

  She went a little overboard to let Kel’Van know it was her, with the whole “PVP man” and the humor with getting pawned and all, but it was definitely her. He didn’t fully understand why she wanted to talk. Maybe she was worried, maybe not. He was able to be honest with himself about wanting to see someone outside of Avarice Online. But he was also not that in a hurry to do it. In fact, thinking on it for a moment, he was also a little bit peeved. He couldn’t place it, but he was rather annoyed at her for some reason. As if the woman was somehow invading his space.

  “What the hell is that about,” he thought to himself after examining his feelings.

  After looking at the blinking screen, he decided to file that under “I’ll deal with it later” in his own mind. The question at hand was whether he should meet her or not. He was serious when he told Belar that catching them by surprise and attacking them the way they did had caught them off guard. Friend or no, it was apparent she wasn’t in control of the situation either. The very fact that she was trying to meet him 2 hours after the fight, and without her friends, was proof of that fact. Whether it was a trap or not, he would be putting his team and himself in the hands of an enemy who was now aware of what they were capable of. It would be a whole different ball game with a bunch of players who were now on the hunt after that defeat. No, it was best to wait till they had classes before he chanced a meeting with her. They would at least then be on equal terms.

  Kel’Van pulled up the reply button:

  What’s up Kandice,

  I think we are going to have to make a rain check for that talk. I have things to take care of, and time is of the essence. We can do this later if you still want, just not now. I’ll let you know once the matter at hand has been settled.

  V/R,

  That spell sword dude…

  “That shouldn’t be too off-putting. It was cordially enough, I think.”

  Pushing the send icon, he then closed his D.S. He turned to his side in an effort to get at least another two hours of rest before they set out.

  The patrol they came upon almost attacked them on sight.

  Voresh and Belar were in the front, scouting ahead of the group as they traveled. Kel’Van had pushed them out of their alcove during first light, in order to get to the village in the afternoon. Their pace was going steady before Voresh put his fist up, indicating to slow down. Belar crept closer as Voresh pointed to the ground and some broken branches between them.

  “See here with these tracks? These almost match our own in size and depth.” He then pointed to the broken branches and leaves. He then squeezed the end and let the moisture bubble up to the top. “See the broken ends? They are still wet. They crossed here not too long ago.”

  “So, they can be Holmgren or surface orcs?” said Kel’Van as he closed in on Belar and Voresh.

  “Yes, and they are not at all far from here.”

  “I’m so used to hearing “Surface orc” for so long, I’m not even upset it’s not our name,” said Fer’shad as he shook his head. Kel’Van had to do a double-take as well. He used the phrase effortless without even thinking about how it denotes the proper name of Ulgo.

  “Well, won't have to worry much about that soon enough. Let’s get going,”

  They trudged down a narrow pathway, which was muddy and froth with buzzing insects and heavy dew upon the large leaves. As they pressed through the wet green foliage slapping against them, they kept a mindful eye on any possible signs of the Holmgren. The point when Voresh stopped and looked confused, looking around for tracks, is when the attack commenced on his right.

  “Die Holmgren!”

  Voresh immediately raised his sword above his head to block the overhand strike coming from his right. Belar simultaneously ducked low and followed up with a sweep underneath the attacker. Fer’shad rushed into the forefront, shield first trying to cover any additional attacks. Kel’Van looked down at the fallen enemy on the ground, and it’s green face scrunched up in pain as Belar stomped down on the orc's hand. The sound of snapping bones can be heard as the Ulgo snatched the ruined palm from under Belar’s foot.

  Kel’Van shot a blast of fire into the air.

  “Hold!” he screamed as three more orcs popped out nowhere, running towards the party. He wasn’t too surprised. The initial patrol was an introduction to the basic Ulgo attack when facing the enemy. The good news was that they were Ulgo.

  Kel’Van pushed himself to the front, passing Fer’shad as he pulled down his hood to show his face.

  “We are Ulgo!! Stay your hand!!!”

  The Ulgo patrol froze. One of three Ulgo’s came out to the front. She was garbed in tight, thick leathers, with short axes in both her hands. Her black hair was cropped short and thick. Tall and lithe in appearance, she approached the group.

  “I am Field Captain Ulgo Kelza Jagged Edge. Who speaks for this group?” she demanded.

  “I do. I am Kel’Van, captain of my team.”

  The felled orc picked himself off the ground by his knees, cradling his injured hand to his chest. Grimacing, he walked behind his captain while eyeing Kel’Van’s party in pain and with deep-seated malice. The field captain merely gave the injured member a side glance to the back. He rumbled to the rear, where another Ulgo attended to his wounds. That settled, Kelza refocused her attention on Kel’Van.

  “You are garbed strangely captain Kel’Van,” she said with an eyebrow raised at his party.

  The injured Ulgo took this time to scream out his opinion while his hand was being tended to.

  “They are not true Ulgo’s! No true follower of Gaea would wear the garment of Terrans!”

  The field captain turned her head toward the offending Ulgo.

  “Your injuries must have also addled yo
ur mind orc,” said Kelza menacingly.” “Two officers are speaking here, mind your tongue, or I shall remove it.” Satisfied, she then turned back to Kel’Van. “As disrespectful as the orc has been, there is some truth to his words. It is hard to believe an orc would armor themselves this way, knowing our beliefs.”

  Kel’Van stared her in the face, trying to calm his mind. Angry or not, this officer was asking pertinent questions. In her place, he would have done the same if soldiers bearing the uniforms of another nation was standing before him. So, keeping his anger in check in what seemed to be an officer of higher rank, he answered as respectfully as he could with his temper and impatience rising.

  “With all due respect, field captain Kelza, we have been on our own since we were separated from our trainer on our first patrol. We have had to scramble and battle for weeks on end to survive the Undercaverns. I do not regret taking the armor of the Holmgren we had to kill if it means life for the Ulgo’s under my supervision,” he said, straining to hold his simmering irritation in check.

  The field captain stepped back; eyebrows lowered in thought. When she raised her face at Kel’Van again, her mouth was slightly opened in disbelief. “You were on your own since your first patrol?” she asked. She began to process the battle in her head with the injured Ulgo. The orc had blazed fire into the air, and there was no apparent elemental with him.

  “You’re the adept that went missing weeks ago with Ulgo Meatgrinder?”

  Kel’Van nodded his head. “We have been on our own since level four in the caverns of the Holmgren, and this is the closes that we have been to home. Talking to you right now.”

  Ulgo Kelza stood there, staring at Kel’Van and his crew before she spoke.

  “Given that you spent so much time away, it is expected that you would not understand our ways fully… wait, do you even have classes?”

  “No.”

  “By Gaea’s breath…how did you even-?” The field captain closed her mouth as she looked at the ground. Then with an authoritative voice, she issued her commands.