Dragon Kings of the New World

by Dante Doom

  “What about the poison?” Van asked. “There’s no getting away from that.”

  “I can call for a Draco Sleeper unit to pick us up. They’ll show up armed, take down Neil and O’Hara. They’ll free us and then we’ll be extracted to a safe location.”

  “Ha!” Van chuckled. “If you could do that, you would have already. Let’s face it, Kenwar. For some reason, Draco really wants their hands on me. I don’t know why they want me so badly, but I know that, without me as a bargaining chip, you’ve got nothing. We’re sticking to the plan. We’ll get out of this alive. You just need to calm the hell down.”

  “Calm down? How are you not freaking out right now?” Kenwar asked as he paced back and forth.

  “I am freaking out!” Van shouted. “I’m freaking out internally, but right now I’m trying to focus on what’s in front of us. Losing my mind is not a luxury at the moment. I’m sure that, after this is all over, they’re going to have to lock me in the psyche ward for a few months, but at this point, I’m trying to focus as hard as I can on saving the world.”

  “Oh God, oh God,” Kenwar mumbled.

  A loud dinging noise announced the arrival of Kylian. Van let out a sigh of relief upon seeing his friend.

  “Kylian!” Van said as he walked up to the man and clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s good to see you.”

  “Likewise,” Kylian said. “I see I’m the first to get here. What’s the plan?”

  “Well,” Van said, “we’re gonna wait for everyone, but don’t worry, it’s going to be one of the most daring things we’ve ever done.”

  “Looking forward to it,” Kylian said. “You know, Van, I’ve got to say, I admire your strength as a leader. I’ve never met anyone who so effortlessly puts people together and has the utmost confidence in telling them what to do. I mean, I’ve never worried a single time about what our plans are. You might not always have the best ideas, but you’re courageous enough to say, ‘let’s go.’ Most other people just wait around, hoping for opportunity.”

  “Thanks,” Van said, feeling a little guilty about the fact that he couldn’t fill Kylian in on the full story just yet. Eventually, he was hoping that he’d be able to fill the entire crew in on what was really going on, but without any kind of definitive, newsworthy proof, his story would most likely be met with derision. “It’s just fun to organize people, really.”

  As Van and Kylian talked, more players began to arrive to the scene. After about twenty minutes, the entire guild was logged in and ready to play.

  “Hey,” Sahara said as she searched through the crowds of players, “has anyone seen Bidane or Dolly?”

  “They aren’t available to play,” Van said. “Sorry.”

  “Lame!” Sahara replied. “Bidane always gave me the best advice on how to use my magic.”

  Van waited for the army of loosely one hundred and fifty players to settle down before he took his position. He climbed atop one of the boulders and stood firmly before them.

  “Good morning, team!” he boldly declared as he raised his fist high. “Today is the start of an exciting new campaign! As many of you know, we were dispatched here to wage war against the Kyrissian forces who seek to earn favor with King Lemuel of the Ceren Kingdom. Fortunately for us, we have spotted their camp. They are indeed alongside Castle Ceren and they seek favor with the king. Now, it is up to us to move forward and lay siege to their camp!”

  There was a cheer from the players at Van’s declaration. Most of them had gotten bored with travelling, and it wouldn’t take much to convince them to commit acts of wanton violence against their enemies at this point. Few of the players would have time to do the math until it was far too late. Of course, Van didn’t want any of them to have to lose their hard-earned experience, but at the same time, the cost was justified. They would have plenty of time to grind once the world was saved.

  “Now, the operation is going to be very simple,” Van explained. “We’re going to march down there at once and begin to fight against the Kyrissian army. Once we have defeated them, we shall march through the walls of the castle and demand that King Lemuel grant the Melvanian army favor!”

  There were more cheers, this time from the group of players who had been a part of the Melvanian army.

  “Worst case scenario, we cease working for Melvania and begin a relationship with the Kingdom of Ceren, one of the most powerful kingdoms in the realm!”

  This really set off the team as they cheered with even greater enthusiasm. Van grinned. Motivating players was easily one of his best skills.

  “So, arm up and get ready for the fight of your life! Today, we make history! The Iron Dragons are going to be on the map after this day! Onward!” Van shouted as he gestured toward the path leading to enemy territory. The players quickly began to pack up their gear and move into formation.

  “Kylian, a word?” Van asked as he hopped down from the rock.

  “What’s up, boss?” Kylian replied as he placed his iron helmet on his head.

  “Here’s the deal,” Van said, “Sang and I have found an access point that will help us turn the tide in this battle.”

  “Really?” Kylian asked. “Where?”

  “It’s in the forest that’s next to the castle. Now, this army is meant to be moving as a distraction. Sang and I will move through the woods and, when the time is right, signal to you to lead the troops through the walls.”

  “So, I take it we’re not here to make friend with Lemuel?” Kylian asked.

  “Probably not,” Van replied. “But no one can know I’m missing. So, you’ll need to cover for me.”

  “I love me some espionage,” Kylian replied. “Reminds me of the time I went undercover for a year. Good stuff. I’ll make sure everyone stays on target. If anyone asks, I’ll just say you’re observing from behind.”

  “Perfect,” Van said as he watched the rest of the army move out. “If everything goes according to plan, we’re going to pull off an incredible victory.”

  “Cheers to that,” Kylian said as he drew his sword and marched after the rest of the men, barking out orders and assigning separate players to different details.

  “Kenwar,” Van said. “Let’s go.”

  “Are you sure I shouldn’t stay with them? To keep up the illusion that we’re fighting down there?” Kenwar asked.

  “I’m not letting you out of my sight for a minute,” Van said. “And we need to get going, and quickly. It’s only a matter of time before Draco catches on.”

  “Fine, whatever. But when we get killed down there, my blood is on your hands,” Kenwar complained.

  “Gee, how will I sleep at night, knowing that a weasel who tried to play both sides ended up dying?” Van replied. “You know, had you decided not to betray your race, you wouldn’t be in this mess at all.”

  “I’m just trying to survive, Van. Mark my words: right before you die, in the moment that you realize the end is rushing toward you, you will know that I was right. This isn’t worth dying over.”

  “I have no intention of dying,” Van replied. “Now shut up and move.”

  Sang tensed up as she heard the sounds of trumpets blaring in the distance. The cries of men echoed throughout the forest. It sounded as if a massive battle were underway.

  “Sang!” Van hissed as he crept through the woods.

  “There you are!” Sang replied, waving him over. “I thought you’d forgotten about me.”

  “The team took forever to log in,” he explained. “What’s up?”

  “Well, from the looks of it, everything is clear,” Sang said. “Draumed’s… not in the area; he left earlier, but I was able to get some information from him.”

  “Really?” Van asked. “What a lucky break! What’d you learn?”

  “The summary is that the ship has access to the kind of information we’ve been looking for. But I’m gonna have to hack into it, which will take some time. This means that when we storm into that place, we’re gonna have to fight off any
one who comes in.”

  “Did we figure out if this place is lethal or not?” Van asked.

  Sang grimaced. The memory of Draumed flashed back to her mind. “Yeah—yeah, it is. The good news is that this might help us. Draco pros, if you haven’t noticed, tend to be complete cowards. We might be able to scare them into submission.”

  “That strategy worked on Kenwar,” Van said.

  “Ha ha,” Kenwar groaned. “But let’s be serious. If the pros catch us, they’ll try to kill us. But…” he paused and took a deep breath. “These areas are different. All of the muscle memory that we’ve learned from the game will still remain, but things like skills, percentages, spells, and magic don’t work. So, when you fight, it’s not based on numeric values, but rather on how well you’ve played the game.”

  “That explains why my arrows went wide earlier,” Sang said.

  “Exactly. We do have an advantage due to the fact that we’ve been out adventuring, so our muscle memory knows exactly how to punch, kick, attack, and dodge. Pros who have been hanging out back here have probably gone soft due to their lack of adventuring.”

  “Sounds like good news to me,” Van said. “Nice thinking, Kenwar.”

  “Just... please, please don’t die. If you guys die, I guarantee you Neil will beat me to death,” Kenwar said. He grabbed his hand crossbow and loaded it with a bolt. “I’m going to stay out here. If they send reinforcements, I can pick them off.”

  “I don’t think—” Van started, but he was cut off by Sang.

  “Good thinking,” she said.

  “Are you sure?” Van whispered. “What if he runs?”

  “That poison is gonna ensure he sticks around,” Sang said. “Plus, we don’t want to get caught off guard.”

  Van shrugged. “Okay, it’s your call.”

  “Alright,” Sang said. “We’re going in there. Here’s hoping this works.”

  Van and Sang walked to the edge of the water, where the ship was waiting for them. They both looked at each other. Sang could feel her heartbeat pounding away, and she felt faint, but there was little choice now. They had to get that information before it was too late. With Draco and the CIA breathing down their necks, she figured they had maybe another hour at best before everything was lost.

  Van grunted and gasped as he pushed against the invisible door and, once again, a whoosh emanated from the space as he tumbled in. Sang walked inside the spacecraft after him, her bow at the ready.

  “Well, what an interesting surprise,” said a calm voice as they entered. Sang looked up to see that a tall lizard creature was sitting atop one of the consoles. In his right hand was a goblet of wine and in his left hand was a golden staff with an orb atop it. The lizard creature’s tail thrashed up and down. To his right, Dolly and Bidane were lying on the ground, hog tied and gagged.

  “It’s rare for someone to get the drop on us,” the lizard creature said with a chuckle.

  Sang raised her bow and aimed it at the monster. “Don’t move.”

  “Now, now, let’s not be too hasty,” the lizard replied as it leaned forward against its staff. “I’m certainly not here to get into a fight.”

  “Why are you here?” Van asked. “What are you doing all of this for? The murders, the conspiracy… what’s the point of all of this?”

  “Point? Oh, you simple humans. Always prattling on about things like purposes or points—so strange,” it said with a chuckle. “I suppose you want to know my name. Your vile tongue could never pronounce my name, though, so you may call me King Lemuel.”

  “I figured you’d be at the battle,” Sang said as she stepped toward the bound women. They were both very bloodied, but they seemed awake. Dolly was writhing a little more than Bidane.

  “I see no reason to visit the fight myself; at least not in this form,” Lemuel replied. “I fear that perhaps my mind has been dulled from years of being in the presence of humans. Which ones are you again?”

  “I’m Van, and this is Sang,” Van said. “We’re here for some information. And we’re not leaving without it.”

  “Ah yes, Van and Sang!” Lemuel chuckled. “By far, Draco’s favorites!”

  “What do you mean, favorites?” Sang asked. She wanted to just shoot the monster, but at the same time, she worried that provoking it would end in disaster.

  “Do you think you’re the only ones who are smart enough to learn our plan? The only ones that those foolish Xevov communicated with? There are hundreds of them roaming around this place, desperate to save their planet! But you two? You’re the only ones who have ever gotten this close. I mean, you have one of your government agencies involved, and you were just so close to getting a real investigation done. Draco likes that about you. They love strength.”

  “Then you’re gonna love what we have planned for you,” Sang said. “We’re gonna kill every last one of you bastards.”

  “Ah, yes, because we would certainly make sure that we are also affected by our biofeedback technology,” Lemuel replied. “Did you see what I did there? I utilized sarcasm. Of all the human inventions, of all of their methods of spiting one another, sarcasm is the one I like the most.”

  Sang glanced at Van. He shrugged at her. She tensed her arm to release the bow, but Lemuel held up a hand.

  “I would advise against attempting to harm me,” he warned. “You will find it frustrating and fruitless. I wouldn’t want to tear your flesh to pieces without your allowing me to explain why I am speaking to you right now.”

  “So, what do you want?” Van asked. “What does Draco have to gain from killing so many innocent people?”

  “Well, that’s the tough question, isn’t it?” Lemuel said with a sneer. “Why, oh why, would anyone want to obliterate almost 90% of the population? Allow me to explain it to you in very simple terms.” He paused to stand up and stretch his arms. “You see, when our race long ago achieved the power to traverse the stars, we discovered something terrible. We discovered that there were many other species in this galaxy, and all of them living lives of chaos and madness. Starvation, sickness, war, and violence reigned supreme on most of these planets. A few were peaceful, or at least, they were non-violent, but all of these planets had the exact same predicament: they were planets run entirely without organization.”

  Sang looked at Van again, who shrugged. She really wanted to attack the lizard, but she wouldn’t move unless Van did something to distract it.

  “And so, what did we do when we realized that an entire galaxy was full of such chaos?” Lemuel said, raising his hands high. “Why, we did what any civil and organized species would do! We decided that we would tend to this galactic garden. You see, all planets are inherently drawn towards chaos because they have not been blessed like we have. Long ago, the Draco race was given the glorious gift of order by the gods. Our species does not have multiple governments, various states, or even what you humans would call independence. Rather, we are all unified to operate in harmony. There are no wars on our planet. There is no violence. Just one society working for the good of all. And as a result, you will find that we are the most advanced of all civilizations out there. We mastered space flight while you were working on the pyramids. By the time you discovered electricity, we had harnessed the power of travelling across the galaxy, and in less than an hour’s work. Because of the gift of order, we have come along much further than any other race.”

  “So?” Van asked. “I mean, it’s great for you guys that you’re all holding hands and singing kumbaya, but why did you feel the need to come and bother us? Why meddle?”

  “Suppose you were walking along and you saw a child drowning in a lake,” Lemuel replied. “Would you not dive in to rescue him? Your planet is chaos, pure and simple. All other species do not have the gift of order, and so it was our collective realization that we must share what we have with the universe. We tried different ways of bringing about order. One species we approached was… rambunctious. They valued individuality far more than the sancti
ty of life and, as such, we were forced to eliminate that planet. We found a trend amongst these lesser races. The more we tried to bring order on, the more chaos came. Because all of these races are creatures of chaos. They feed on it, they crave it, they hunger for it. You can make a man sit down and be still, but the moment you turn your back, he will try to murder you and just about anyone else that he doesn’t like.”

  “What gives you the right?” Sang demanded. “What gives you the right to tell us how to live our lives?”

  “There it is again!” Lemuel chuckled. “Are you familiar with Joseph Stalin? Perhaps one of history’s most horrific killers. The man made certain to eliminate a large chunk of his own people. They say that he killed roughly 60 million people. You, Sang, in your mad bid for independence and freedom, are condoning such behavior. There are no such causalities on the planets where we rule and reign. Instead of violence, brutality, and starvation, there is order. There is progress.”

  Sang opened her mouth to speak, but realized there wasn’t anything that she could say to fight against this creature’s logic. With his alien mind, would he even truly be able to comprehend freedom? It was doubtful that this thing even knew how to think like a human could.

  Lemuel continued. He seemed quite pleased with the fact that he was communicating his species’ plans with them. Perhaps he hoped to convince them to his way of thinking, Van thought.

  “After decades of imposing order,” the lizard creature lectured, “we discovered a powerful method. Rather than fighting against you anarchists as a whole, which would often lead to needless bloodshed, and the… occasional surprise... we learned that we could convert others to our way of thinking through indoctrination. Of course, it isn’t easy to convince someone to turn against their own people, so we developed a method of weeding out the weak and finding the strong. Individuality is weakness, but teamwork—ah, teamwork is the ultimate strength. So, we invented games such as this one, as a way to find those who are strong leaders. They could understand the necessity of order and, as such, our recruitment efforts went smoothly. In only a short period of time, we were able to seize control of a planet and allow the native race to experience one perfect storm of chaos. Those who remained afterward would be sympathetic to our rule and would march in lockstep with us. They would adopt order, and chaos would be no more.”