Arcane Hazards
Page 5
“Yes?”
“Did anyone send a ticket?”
“We tried. There’s no way to send one,” answers the man. ”No help text either. Not for logging out. Not for sending a message to the mods, or the game masters, or anyone.”
A woman jostles her way through to him. Her elf friend not far behind her. “We just have to be patient, Victor. Devs are probably working on it right now,” she reassures.
“Mar—”
“Don’t you get it!” interrupts a cry somewhere. “While we’re in here, we’re dying out there! And none of us are feeling a thing. Or will feel a thing. We’ll just… Just disappear!” the cry continues. “This isn’t about missing work tom—”
“No!” roars a man. “I won’t disappear!”
“The pods open automatically if we wait—”
“I’ve been here nine hours!”
A sudden shriek tears through the skies and silences all. Without a word, Victor and his friends race to the source. Felix follows closely. He moves with haste, but they’re too fast. He sees a gap and stumbles into a clearing. It’s quiet. No one speaks. A group of five draws all eyes to them. A man — an NPC, is kneeling on the ground next to something.
“I said call the game masters, you bitch!” One of the five kicks the something. It utters a pained yelp and shrinks.
“Emily!” cries the NPC as he throws himself over her curled up body.
“Shut up and call them!” they yell. They land kick after kick after kick.
Victor bolts to the center. He slams into the five. They tumble into the opposite side, knocking spectators to the ground. Victor’s friend, the woman, stands between Emily and the downed aggressors.
“Leave them alone!”
One of the men jumps to his feet. “What’s the big deal? They’re just bots.” His statement meets murmurs of disgust, agreement, and resignation. One by one, onlookers raise their voices to join a cacophony of discordant opinions.
“Fuck this! I have to get home. Wake the girl!”
“Let’s find more NPCs and ask them.”
“There’s nothing else we can do.”
“You, you’re the city official right? Get up!”
“No, they’re not to blame. Everybody, calm down!”
“Stop me then. I’m off.”
“Hey, stop!”
The arguments go on. Disagreements turn to mocking. Mocking turns to threats. Tempers flare. Somewhere, someone throws the first punch. A fight breaks out and like a spark, ignites an all out brawl. Brother against brother. Friend against friend. Stranger against stranger. They vent through their fists. The frustrations of not being able to go home, not being in their warm beds, and families being so close yet unreachable. Victor and sympathizers encircle the injured NPCs. Their back to them, and their weapons drawn. Felix joins a group abstaining from the fighting. Over the sounds of violence, Felix hears a steady rhythm of uncountable stomping boots. Faint at first but soon moving the earth he stood on. Doom. Doom. Doom. Doom. The well oiled machine of hundreds of trained soldiers march down the boulevard.
“Enough of this! Charge!” A warcry shakes the air. Calling chaos onto chaos.
A flood of guards, crash, like waves over rocky shore, into the brawl. Their jade shields smash into the players, sending a few flying. The crowd breaks wide open. Many fall on their back. Some take to their heels. Officers in polished armour, shout angry commands. Sour faced soldiers draw their weapons. The players find themselves facing the flash of steel and the glowing green tips of spears.
“Cease! Criminal scum!”
* * *
END OF INSTALLMENT ONE
Next Up…
Demonic Summoner is an ongoing serial that will continue in regular installments. Please keep checking for new releases! Thank you for your support.
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Demonic Summoner - Installment Two
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About the Author
Sam Strigo is a lifelong devotee of Slaanesh. He writes in his spare time between bouts of feverish worship. His first series Demonic Summoner is inspired by vivid dreams he had as a child. Although determined to live life as a hermit, he does have friends who expose him to the sun from time to time. Arcane Hazards is Sam’s first book.
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