The final chapter of the book. Things come to a head for all the characters, forcing them to use the skills they have developed in the short time since the Ilos launch to survive. Tasalin and Corvid launch the raid against the corruption in the Western Forest and get more then they bargained for. Nick and Jess are ambushed by some mysterious attackers, and Aria faces off with the first boss solo.

 

Themes apply to all chapters, not this one specifically.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 6: Fight for Survival

Ilos, Day 11

 

Tasalin leaned forward in his tall wooden chair, his attention taken with the large hand-drawn map he was overlooking that took up most of the floor. There were paperweights holding down the corners where the pieces of the stupid thing kept trying to roll back up into tubes, and over a thousand small figures and disks littered the collage of rough parchment. One of the women standing next to the map used cirres as solid air to remove one of the figurines, burning a tiny X there with fas, signifying a small group of monsters, now dead, and moved a pair of small disks. Each disk represented a party of four of Sweet Dreams’ guild members, and was colored, one side green for good status, one side red for injured or in need of help, with both sides numbered or named.

He scrubbed his hand through his hair, eyes flickering over the movements of the battle as people moved the little pieces around with magic, responding to telepathic communication. “Have groups 325 and 413 move to support the southern flank and join up with Natalia. Breaker needs to stop advancing; he’s beginning to make gaps in our line. Groups 516 and 34 fall back and recover, they’re out too far. Get Farscope to support the groups just to the north of him.”

Without the tactical overhead map he was used to in all of the Real Time Strategy games he’d played, the battle was proving much more annoying than he’d anticipated. Of course, the sheer scale of the conflict was beyond anything he’d dealt with before, but then he wasn’t directly commanding most of the guild’s power either. Every party out there had been working autonomously for over a week, and while some were more powerful than others, they could all generally take care of themselves. Stack that on top of the fact that everyone out in the field had significant experience in all sorts of videogames, especially MMORPGs, and Tasalin actually had little to do with most conflicts. However, he was the eye that watched over the entire battlefield, responsible for keeping everyone out there alive and more or less working together.

Out of the 4234 champions who ended up joining Sweet Dreams, only a little more than half were currently participating in the battle to defeat the corruption that threatened to take over the Western Forest. The guild was now split into a number of divisions that had established themselves over the past week or so, each with its own head that reported directly to himself and Corvid, who was sitting next to him in another really tall chair and observing while primarily maintaining the Spirit magic telepathic net that connected all the party leaders and command staff together. There was a lengthy list of divisions, including what were basically sub-guilds for merchants, craftsmen, researchers, warriors, scouts, mages, and a whole bunch more. The one thing that Corvid had drilled into them as the divisions were first forming was that they all belonged to Sweet Dreams, and therefore had better work together, and made sure that most people belonged to more than one division and each division had ample friends and connections with all of the others. Even the Nightmares, the elite of the battle oriented guild members, were no exception, and despite the growing gap in power between them and the rest of the champions, there was very little hostility towards them, instead being looked up to as respected combat leaders.

Everything had so far gone better than Tasalin had planned it. The time training against the monsters lured out by Oakheart’s followers had gone by rapidly, the already combat seasoned champions making short work of anything thrown at them, pushing deeper and deeper into the forest in search of stronger enemies. As the days went on, they’d had to move their base camp further west several times, using some of the guild members that weren’t fighting to deliver food and drink as well as get some items prepared for battle, including the materials for the maps, the disks, and the figurines.

There were of course some that stopped after a few days when the divisions began to form, more inclined to do other things to help the guild than just fight, but a good portion still kept at it. Of course, as people were drawn to different things, the initial parties they’d started in broke apart, and while no one enforced having four members to a party, it was still strongly recommended by both Tasalin and Corvid, so almost everyone ended up reforming new groups with the same number, though there were exceptions.

The second day word came in about the first death and the man’s subsequent revival at the plaza in the center of Ilos. The entirety of the champion population breathed a collective sigh of relief to have the doubt of a revival system still existing erased, and the members of Sweet Dreams began taking more risks while leveling.

After a week they'd been drawing close to the ruin that Oakheart had indicated was the source of the corruption, and rather than break camp to travel there directly, Tasalin had just decided to keep with the current course of training and slowly force their way toward their goal. The scouting division had begun their excursions into the heart of the infested area at that point, bringing back large pieces of parchment that detailed everything in a small area. By the time the main force had managed to get to the ruin itself, most of the castle and surrounding land was mapped out in great detail and information on the enemies’ movements and numbers were fairly accurate.

Though Tasalin had seen only parts of the land himself, the maps he had that detailed the ruin gave him the impression that it was once a practically impenetrable fort. What was left of the walls showed that they were almost twenty feet thick at the base and surrounded a massive area with the ruins of a large number of buildings and a castle that rivaled the size of the Illosian Palace. Nature had taken its toll on the stonework, especially on the places that showed signs of a battle fought long ago, yet the castle still stood strong.

Oakheart’s constituents had long since stopped actively fighting the creatures mutated by the corruption, instead leaving the members of Sweet Dreams, who were immune to whatever affected the animals, to take care of the issue. The animals of the forest would still draw the corrupted out, but not at the risk of their own lives.

It was on the tenth day that the main force of the guild arrived at the ruin, and a battle meeting was called that night. Tasalin had gotten up in front of everyone and relayed the strategy he, with the help of many of the members who had leadership or extensive RTS experience, had come up with. To keep everyone on the same track, working together, and alive, he and a number of other handpicked people would stay at the base camp and coordinate the 591 parties of champions participating in the battle in order to keep everything coherent in the face of the thousands of enemies they would be facing. It was far from an even matchup even though the corrupted still outnumbered the Dreamers about seven to one, the champions just that much more powerful than the mutated creatures, but the catch was they couldn’t let even one of the creatures escape the area to possibly begin the corruption anew.

The plan required the forces of Sweet Dreams to sweep forward in a line, the edges advancing forwards and wrapping around the ruin as the middle began encountering resistance, eventually creating a noose that would slowly tighten and crush the corruption inside, allowing nothing to escape. The trick and purpose of having a command center would be to maintain this strategy even in the thick of the forest where groups could easily get separated or lost. However, with the use of a telepathy network, it was possible to keep track of everyone’s movements in relation to each other and various landmarks, aided significantly by the efforts of the scouting division, who could spot out different locations and keep the large map they pieced together fairly accurate while also being able to quickly assist any groups that may be in need of immediate assistance.

As dictated, there would be twenty four operators in the command area, each in charge of keeping track of the positions and status of up to fifty parties, as well as relaying directions to them as Tasalin gave them. It was left up to the groups to figure out which coordinator they wanted out of the men and women selected, and up to the command staff how many parties they wanted to take on, to a limit of fifty.

They had some information on the layout of the castle that was the center of the clearing, but the upper floors on the inside were only rough estimates based on the previous floors and the outer structure of the castle. The task of moving into the unmapped rooms would be the responsibility of the Nightmares as the strongest fighters and therefore the ones most able to react to a situation. Tasalin and Corvid themselves would lead the thirty eight men and women that belonged to that group, and the rest of the guild would follow a little bit behind to make sure none of the creatures escaped.

There was a little bit of dissent at that, some of the groups speaking up in their desire to be with the Nightmares when they investigated the source of the corruption and inevitably fought the ‘boss’. That was the culture of the guild, everyone was free to speak their minds as if they were playing some online game rather than trapped in Ilos and their words would be listened to and given thought. Rather than field these mild complaints himself, he let Corvid take over from that point, who easily settled any who wanted in on the action.

Such was his power. The handsome easygoing man might have been only a middling tactician and fighter, but he was truly an exceptional leader. The force of his charisma was incredible even when he wasn’t using Spirit magic to affect those around him, and his words swayed even those almost completely opposed. After settling the minor disputes, Corvid gave a rousing speech explaining how not only was Sweet Dreams gaining significant rewards for such a massive undertaking, they were also protecting their new home and gaining new allies. He made it sound as though the extermination of some enemies was a glorious undertaking to help the noble leader of an ancient people, and viewed in the correct light it was. With the guild master’s words, Tasalin and Corvid’s encounter with Oakheart the first day became something that people only read about in fiction, the scene almost visible as Corvid described it.

By the time he’d finished there wasn’t a single person that wasn’t fired up and ready to get to battle the following day, the camp filled with a cheery atmosphere that lasted until people began dosing off, only to come back full force the next morning as Sweet Dreams set out for their first massive raid.

The plan had gone off with only a few small glitches, but the corrupted creatures that managed to get through the initial loose circle were swept up by the scouting division, who were no pushovers in combat themselves. The rough ring of circular green pieces slowly narrowed as Tasalin continued to issue orders, tediously rotating out any disks that flipped to red to heal and recover before allowing them to rejoin the fight. There were a few parties that tried to keep fighting even when injured without telling anyone, but with the noose tightening they were quickly found and pulled out by concerned guild members.

There had yet to be a single casualty among any of the Dreamers in the ten days since they were pulled into Ilos, and Tasalin was determined to keep that number through day eleven. The ring of champions crossed the dilapidated wall that surrounded the castle, and with the foliage thinning, most groups could now see each other clearly and were able to collapse inwards to meet any new enemies in sets of three parties or more.

As the last circle flipped from red to green and moved to rejoin the lines, Tasalin tapped Corvid on the shoulder and hopped down from his chair, striding over to a nearby tent with a number of players relaxing under it on large blankets. “Taktik, you’re up. Keep us informed if anything happens.”

Taktik, the man with the most extensive RTS and tactical combat experience as well as appointed strategist stood with a sigh. Standing a few inches shorter than Tasalin, he was a good bit wider and none of it fat. With a short red beard on his face and grey eyes, he looked like he belonged in flannel and jeans with a wood axe, but he had a winning streak a mile long and a mile wide in every strategy game anyone challenged him in. His only losses were to Tasalin, and he even then still won most of the time the two played. The man gestured with his large mug, filled with a sweet red juice produced from the sugrid fruit that grew to the south of Ilos, a beverage that many a champion favored, somehow managing to make the motion convey both his minor annoyance and that he was actually joking. “Damn it Tas. I leave the map for five minutes for a drink of sugrid and a seat and here you come. You couldn’t have just waited till I came back?”

“I just like to torture you Tak.” Tasalin replied, grinning as he filled his own mug, “Now get over there.”

“Alright alright ya slave driver.” Taktik laughed, bumping his mug with Tasalin’s and taking a swig before strolling over to the map tent, greeting Corvid and exchanging a few words on his way over.

“Is it our turn Tas?” A silky voice spoke from Tasalin’s flank.

Resisting the impulse to flinch from the sudden sound, Tasalin turned to face the most dangerous player currently in Sweet Dreams. At just under six feet, the undisputed leader of the Nightmares sported black hair that just touched her shoulders and black eyes that seemed to drink in the light. Wearing light leather armor that was also dyed black, Tasalin mused to himself that Solani was really starting to overdo the whole black motif, Shadow magic user or not. As beautiful as her namesake of 'nightshade' and just as deadly, she was easily the strongest fighter in the guild and likely the most skilled.

Unfortunately, she was also one of the few who didn’t seem to fit in to any party, and almost always soloed. Most of the guild feared her a bit or at least found her somewhat unnerving, likely due to her tendency to go unnoticed until she spoke, usually behind you. She was highly respected, but not exactly welcomed with open arms, and that seemed to drive the shy woman away from others. Thankfully the Nightmares didn’t share that stigma and just sort of accepted her as is, the respect they had for her small scale tactical command and combat prowess positioning her as their unofficial leader.

Tasalin smiled as he regarded the black clad beauty. “It’s time to end this quest. You ready Solani?”

“On your call Tas. The Nightmares stand ready.”

His smile deepened, and he opened his inventory and pulled out the item he’d recently commissioned the crafting division for. A massive kite shield in the shape of an elongated diamond, it was almost as tall as Tasalin himself was, and sunk several inches into the ground from its sheer weight as he strapped it to his arm. “Then let’s go crush us a boss.”

 

------

 

As Tasalin made his way towards the central building with Corvid and Solani, the rest of the Nightmares began to appear and fall in, and by the time they reached the entrance to the ruin the entire group had joined them. As leader of the Nightmares, Solani had charge of the tactics for the raid, utilizing a smaller telepathic network that Corvid set up to include only the present guild members. She didn’t have a touch for larger group strategy, but with only a small number of people to coordinate she was pretty good, and she had an instinct for when not to give orders.

The massive building would be better described as a castle than a ruin. Made of unrelieved grey stone, the structure was overgrown and wearing down, yet still held against the encroaching vines and other foliage. It was frankly amazing it was still standing, much less structurally sound, given the condition of the walls and the large area that surrounded it.

The trip up through the castle was standard fare, Tasalin stood up front with the tanks to take the first blows and draw aggro while the damage dealers killed off the enemies. The only difference between this trip and most training battles was the lack of magic. Mana, as the hardest resource to replenish in combat conditions, was to be preserved for the boss fight that was sure to come, so those that regularly used magic in combat were holding it in reserve. Regardless, the corrupted creatures that appeared were no match for the strongest coordinated group of champions Ilos could currently field.

The hallways were fairly grand, broken occasionally by indents that contained the remnants of candle holders and other metallic decorations, arrow slits on the lower levels or empty windows on the upper ones, and of course the multitude of doors, each of which had to be checked. There were pieces of cloth on the floor that Tasalin assumed were once tapestries hanging from the walls, but it was clear they had degenerated with time and finally just fallen apart. The floor was smooth but covered in dust, only the tracks of the corrupted creatures that roamed it breaking the thick layer to reveal colored patterns in the stonework. The lower levels were made to defend against any encroaching enemy, arrow slits facing into hallways, holes in the ceiling from which boiling oil or burning sand could be dumped, and even what was left of the chandeliers showed that the bottoms had nasty spikes so they could be dropped on an unsuspecting foe. There were several levels below the surface, leading down to what appeared to be the remnants of several large forges, an underground spring, and cool rooms that had obviously once been used for food storage. The walls were smooth despite their age and had simple patterns at chest height that changed as the Nightmares continued upwards from the lowest level.

Hours passed as the raid cleared each floor thoroughly, leaving no door or hall unchecked, making sure there were no enemies left to attack them from behind or take any of the other guild members by surprise as they moved upwards. Any wounds were treated by application of healing salves immediately, making sure everyone was in top shape was a priority when you didn’t know what lay around the next corner. Many other players may have kept going with small injuries until they were hurt enough to get the most efficient use out of their potions, but these people were the best, and they knew any injury, no matter how small, could cost them everything if they were hit by something they had trouble with.

And on the second highest floor, that trouble did indeed appear.

That particular floor seemed to contain a massive room in the center, the only hallway leading in a single direction from the stairs around the outside of the castle, the windows on the right showing glimpses of the surrounding land. The raid was walking down the long hallway after the first corner when another group of corrupted appeared at the end. Tasalin and the rest of the heavily-armored frontliners made their way forward to intercept the creatures, meeting their charge head on. As the twisted animals collided with the wall of metal that was the Nightmares’ defensive line, the stone to their left exploded into the hallway.

Tasalin’s ears rang as he climbed back to his feet. The corrupted that had attacked them were little more than smears against the stone floor, crushed by the rubble that had blown out from the now mostly collapsed wall. Fleshy appendages whipped out of the dust, grabbing Tasalin and throwing him again, this time past the origin of the explosion and back towards where the raid had come from. He glanced off the wall and tumbled down the hallway, his armor and shield taking most of the damage, though he lost his sword in the wild tumble.

*Tanks, do what you can to draw aggro. DPS, focus on avoidance and any adds that appear.* Solani’s ‘voice’ came through over the telepathic network, calm despite the sudden ambush. *Anyone heavily injured pull back and let the healers get to you.*

Tasalin began to pick himself up off the ground, but his right arm gave out from under him, depositing him back onto the stone. Damn! No wonder I lost my sword, I can’t feel my right arm at all! He rolled to the side, using his shield to lever himself to his knees and then to his feet, stumbling for a moment as he tried to move forward, his eyes taking in the situation in front of him as blood dripped into his vision.

The boss had driven directly into the middle of the raid, cutting off the tanks from those they were supposed to protect. Having been thrown by the monster, he was the only defensively oriented champion on this side of the thing, but he was injured and bleeding heavily, not to mention his sword arm was completely useless. Normally the other members of the Nightmares would be able to handle themselves by avoiding any attacks that came for them, but there wasn’t enough room in the hallway for everyone to get out of the way. There wasn’t anything else he could do but try to take the hits in place of those who couldn’t. That was his job as a tank.

*The boss is Plague Messenger.* Corvid, following his role as the observer, began relaying information, noting the name that appeared when one concentrated on knowing what a creature was. *It has eight arms that are capable of moving independently, are strong enough to pick up and throw several hundred pounds, and seem to be able to stretch to reach this end of the hallway at least. The main body a thick blob of flesh and is supported by three legs that allow for what appears to be only limited movement. There are two eyes, one on each side of its head and watching both sides of the hallway. The monster is too large to get past and is blocking the hole it made when it attacked as well as the entire hallway*

With arms that strong I can’t take a hit unless I use Fortify. I just have to hope the healers will back me up if I’m going to be using all my mana to keep them safe. Tasalin reached the front just as a pair of arms swept towards his side and slammed his shield into the ground, casting his spell and pouring mana into it. “Reslos!”

BA-BAM!

The arms crashed into his shield just as the weight of his Fortify spell pulled down on him, anchoring him in place. Leaving only a thread of mana open for his spell, Tasalin shouted, banging his massive shield against the stone wall to his left, sending echoes reverberating down the hallway and, hopefully, drawing the monster’s attention.

*Ranged attackers, target the eyes, make it defend itself or lose them! Melee, go after its legs, take out what mobility it has!* Solani commanded. *Tanks, block together when possible, this is a boss level monster! Corvid, give me access to the guild network!*

*Confirmed.*

*Aye aye, Nightshade.*

*You got it!*

Acknowledgements poured in as the Nightmares gathered themselves, recovering from the sudden ambush and reorganizing. Arrows and bolts of different elements struck past Tasalin, each driving directly at the creature’s eye as he advanced. The close combat damage dealers kept line with him, jumping forwards to attack the legs but staying close enough get behind him when the arms lashed out. Some of those who could off-tank switched equipment, taking a small amount of the force that would otherwise be borne on his shield alone.

*Any guild members outside the castle, target the second to highest floor on the north side, you should be able to see a large creature in a few of the windows. Take it down! Anyone inside the castle with healing or heavy tanking abilities, join the Nightmares.*

Magical attacks lanced towards the windows from the outside, but splashed against an invisible barrier, unable to enter the castle.

*The door to your floor is shut and none of our attacks are having any effect in breaking it down. We can’t get to you!*

*Both groups keep trying! Let us know if you have any success.*

Tasalin grimaced. Looks like we’re on our own.

Within seconds of taking the first strike, feeling began to return to Tasalin’s arm as those that had healing magic began to restore his health, but that wasn’t the issue. As the creature continued to attack he began using less and less mana to withstand each hit until he began sliding backwards and taking a good bit of damage due to the force, but he was still having to use too much. Even extending his mana by only using it just as he was struck, in forty three - his shield shook and his feet slid a few inches backwards - forty two more hits, he would run completely out of mana and be thrown down the hallway when he tried to block, and without a tank the rest of the raid on his side would be easy targets for the Plague Messenger. Those off-tanks that were helping him couldn't take even a single hit with him gone; even now they were being thrown back each time.

*Unless I get some more help here my mana isn’t going to last until the boss falls.*

*Tanks, some of you break off and follow the hallway behind the boss, see if you can find a way around, or failing that, make one. Off-tanks fall back, you're taking too much damage for the healers to keep up with, let Tas handle it. Everyone else do as much damage as possible. We need to try and take this thing down before Tas falls!*

Alright, I just have to last until the other tanks get here. Tasalin thought as he heard boots hurriedly fading into the distance.

BAM!

Vibrations ripped through Tasalin’s shield and arms as he gritted his teeth against the blow. Warriors rushed past him on both sides, moving in to deal as much damage as they could before the creature could swing again as magical and ranged attacks rained from overhead.

Again and again the Plague Messenger struck against Tasalin’s sole defense, and the magic that streaked overhead slackened and then vanished altogether as the raid ran out of mana. The DPS at the front shifted so that those with the most damage output could attack while the rest did what they could with ranged attacks.

*There’s no way around and no way into that room, and neither physical nor magical attacks work against this stone! We can’t even get up the stairs! It seems like there’s some sort of force field surrounding this floor and keeping everything in place and everything away, including the other guild members. Sorry Tas, there’s no backup coming.*

By this point, the Plague Messenger was badly injured, but not badly enough. It was bleeding from countless arrow and throwing weapon wounds, scorched from fire and lightning, pierced with ice, bashed with stone, and it had even lost all of its legs and three of its arms, releasing a smell like rotting corpses. Despite its injuries, it continued to flail at the champions on both sides.

BAM!

One more.

Solani met his eyes as she darted past, and he saw the certainty there. She knew too, yet just like the rest of the Nightmares, she would fight till her death. The raid would likely all die here, and if they succeeded it would be with significant casualties.

BAM!

Tasalin’s feet slid backwards three or four yards, the force almost toppling him before he caught his balance. Bereft of magic, he knew the next attack would throw him down the hallway, but he moved forward anyway. If I’m going to be going down, it’s going to be while keeping my allies alive. Even knowing it was hopeless, braced his shield with both arms against the next strike.

BAM!

The force of the blow sent Tasalin skidding on his back across the floor, his armor trailing sparks as he flew past the ranged guild members. If I hit head first… He slammed his shield into the ground, rotating just in time to hit the wall with his right side. A loud cracking noise came from his right shoulder and he lost feeling along most of the right side of his body. Stars danced and blackness ringed his sight, a sure sign he was close to unconsciousness or death. He moved his shield hand past one of his quick gems, gripping the health potion stored there and draining it.

“Shit.” His voice came out faint, more evidence of his low but slowly recovering health.

As expected, without him at the fore to take the hits and trapped in a narrow hallway, the damage oriented champions of the raid were getting hammered, even with the off-tanks doing what they could. The Nightmares were good enough to only take glancing blows, but when their opponent was a boss level monster, even partial hits took a huge toll. The minutes crawled by, and by the time Tasalin could turn to see the battle, most of the raid was severely injured and trying to recover using potions, and even Corvid, the least combat ready member of the raid, was out of mana and had taken a hit.

Solani and one of the other soloers were the only ones uninjured and still fighting, but even as he watched, Solani’s companion got clipped by the flailing arms and was sent spinning down the hallway, leaving Nightshade as the lone attacker on this side. He could only guess what was happening with the tanks on the other side of the disgusting pile of flesh, but if the damage dealers fell, it would likely only be a matter of time for them. Again and again Solani proved her title as the most skilled in the Nightmares, dodging a whirlwind of attacks and still dealing unbelievable damage with her pair of short blades.

Feeling began to return to Tasalin’s right side, leaving only his arm useless, and he climbed to his feet, ready to render any aid he could. Solani was doing a lot of damage, and if he could take even a single hit in her place it might give the others a chance to heal enough to rejoin the battle. As he charged forwards, the black clad attacker’s luck ran out, and she was clipped in the leg by the arm that had been guarding the boss’ eye, tossing her to the ground.

The Plague Messenger raised an arm to deliver the killing blow as Tasalin skidded to a halt in front of his ally. On one knee with his massive shield upraised, dripping blood from various cuts, and sword arm hanging broken and useless, he shouted his defiance in the face of his death, determined to withstand one more blow.

Flesh connected with metal, and a hollow boom echoed out. Somehow, the sound swept away Tasalin’s injuries and granted him the strength to stand even under the pressure of the arm. A savage grin spread across his face, the impossibility of the situation swept away in elation as he realized he not only had full health, but full mana as well. He pivoted, allowing the arm to slide off his shield and then slammed the massive piece of metal down, the point at the bottom cutting through the monster’s flesh and coating his left side in blood.

Solani dashed past him, her blades coated in magical freezing shadow and mentally shouting through the newly restored telepathic network. *Everyone attack! Let’s take this thing down!!*

A wordless battle cry emanated from Tasalin’s mouth, joined by the rest of the Nightmares as spells filled the air above him and champions sprinted by with their weapons imbued with magic. The renewed magically enhanced onslaught took its toll on the monster in seconds, and with a last shriek of agony, the creature slumped, life leaving its tortured and mostly demolished body.

A rush of power from the experience gain filled Tasalin as he joined in the cheering that came with the end of the intense battle. There was a lot of back slapping and congratulations as people flexed and jumped around, reveling in their newly gained power. Similar sounds could be heard from the other side of the dead boss as well, signifying the tanks were still alive and well.

Of course, everyone wanted to know what exactly Tasalin had done to restore not only the entire raid’s health, but also their mana, to which he shook his head and replied he would tell them when he figured that out.

After a few minutes, Solani cut into the revelry. *Alright, let’s save the rest of the celebration for after we clear the last floor and can join up with the rest of the guild. We’ll debrief and distribute any loot afterwards as well.*

The corpse of the Plague Messenger decayed rapidly, leaving behind a pair of gems, one of which glimmered a lush green and one that was so black it seemed to eat away at the light around it.

“Elemental Gems!”

Awed murmurs flitted throughout the raid as Solani grabbed them and placed them in her inventory, and for good reason. Elemental Gems were the rarest of all Gems, even harder to come across than Spell Gems. Each Elemental Gem increased the power or resistance to its element when worn on any piece of equipment, and as a general rule only dropped off of bosses when they were defeated the first time, so no one present had ever seen one.

As the raid formed up and continued forwards, this time with the tanks sticking with their own parties and the larger group, but only found treasure in the top floor, most notably five Repositories that were glowing an odd grey color. Tasalin had seen a few dead Repositories and had read some about how they worked on the forums set up by other beta players before getting trapped in Ilos.

A Repository was a cylindrical stone holder of a new word of power for whoever used it, but each could only be used once. When a champion touched one with the intent to learn its secrets, he or she would be subjected to visions on not only what the word was, but also how to use it, a necessary component to magic in this world. Each element had its own color light that one of the floating obelisks would shine with, but this grey color had never been documented.

The Nightmares knew the piles of weaponry would be given to those who could use them best and the coin would be equally shared, so everyone watched and waited as Corvid went to each Repository, touching it for a moment before the glow faded and the stone cylinder floated to the ground, inert.

As the last Repository met the ground with a soft thump, Corvid addressed the guild as a whole over his telepathic network. *The castle is cleared and the corruption is gone! Well done everyone!*

Heads around the room glanced up as cheers filtered through the stone walls, and smiles widened on everyone’s faces. Tasalin met Solani’s eyes, her grin matching his own as they listened to their allies celebrating outside.

*Thank you champions. You have done me and my subjects a great service. Know that nothing in the forest will attack any of those who call you ally, and should you ever be in similar peril, we will spare nothing in our efforts to assist you. It will take some time to recover from this disaster however, and my subjects and I will not regain a fighting strength for several months, but they will endeavor to help you in any way they can. I must sleep for a time to regain my strength. Again, thank you, all of you, for your efforts.* Oakheart’s deep majestic voice filled Tasalin’s head.

Another rush of experience jolted through his body, just as big if not bigger than when the Plague Messenger was defeated, and one that looked like it was shared among all of Sweet Dreams.

*We’ve not only completed the quest given to us by Oakheart, but also gained five spells of a new element, though they seem to function more as system commands rather than actual spells. As most of you know, Repositories give the user mental images and basic knowledge on how to use a spell, but because only one person can ever use them, I'll explain what I’ve learned in words as best I can. Of foremost importance to the guild, we can now own land outside of Ilos with the spell claim. With enough of us all using the spell in the same area at the same time, we can create a zone that not only gives us high regeneration and movement bonuses while inside, but also eliminates the spawning of any monsters and allows us to construct our own buildings. I would suggest we use that spell on this place, because even if it's run down, it already has in place all of the basic things one could look for in a stronghold.*

Tasalin frowned, going over the structure of the castle again in his mind, the image imprinted on his brain through hours of staring at that stupid map. The place was practically crumbling with age, but while whatever may have adorned the fort itself had long since withered away, the stone itself was in fairly good shape if you didn't include the walls surrounding it. The area enclosed by those walls was large and contained several underground springs apart from the one under the castle, a clear and natural water supply. The castle was also huge, rivaling Ilos' Palace in size if not grandeur. It would be a lot of work to restore, but it could work very well as a place the guild could call home.

*Second is teleport, which allows you to port to any city, village, or claimed guild area you've personally visited, and is the only spell thus far that takes time to complete. Once activated by thinking of the place you want to travel to and speaking the word of power, the spell will drain mana based on how far you wish to travel and what or who you want to take with you. A ring will appear around each person or thing porting with you and slowly fill in over a period of time relative to distance. If you or anything coming with you moves out of its circle, it won't be transported and you won't get the mana back, but the spell will still complete for the rest of the targets.*

Well at least logistics will be easy with the aid of Storage Gems, and it'll make things a lot simpler to maintain contact with everyone even when exploring.

*Third is union, and is essentially a magic bound marriage or pact system. Two people swear an oath together and gain a lot of advantages when working together, but the bond is unbreakable and if one dies, so does the other. This isn't a spell to be used lightly. I ask that you be careful when considering it, and I won’t be explaining the details of the spell now either, as I don't expect anyone to be sober tonight.*

Chuckles echoed throughout the room at that. There was certain to be a large amount of alcohol consumed after Corvid finished his speech and celebration started.

*The last two are arguably the most interesting: ID and status. ID displays basic information on the target depending on how much you know about them and how much they trust you with their stats. Status displays the character page, showing numerically your health, mana, both physical and magical experience, resistances, outgoing bonuses, buffs, titles, kills, deaths, associations, and special skills.*

Like most of the members of the Nightmares, Tasalin looked up at Corvid in surprise when he described the last spell, but before anyone could say or do anything, the guild leader continued.

*Before anyone goes off to try out these new commands, I’d like to announce we will be celebrating here tonight before we return to Ilos. We have plenty of sugrid to go around, though I suspect most of it has been or will soon be spiked, and we have food curtesy of the cooking branch of the crafting division. We’ve all trained hard to finish this quest, and we will be called upon again and again to protect this world of ours, but for tonight it’s time to celebrate! Tasalin, myself, and the rest of the Nightmares will be joining you shortly, so I’ll see all of you in just a little while. Well done everyone, Corvid out.*

 

------

 

Tasalin sat on his small lightweight bed, alone in his dark tent. Outside, the sounds of revelry filtered in, the flickering of the firelight shining through the cracks that marked the entrance to his temporary lodging. Solani had led a debriefing of the Nightmares, discussing and reviewing some of the tactics they could have or should have used during the raid so that they could have avoided almost being wiped out, then dividing up the loot amongst the group and the guild. It was a fairly short meeting, mainly deciding that when they next worked together that they needed to have a strategy that was more immediately flexible, keeping some members in reserve or in different places to keep the raid mostly balanced even when split up.

After the Nightmares exited the castle to deafening cheers, he’d made his appearances, endured all the slaps on the back and the rejoicing, then slipped away as soon as he could. Normally he would have enjoyed such a party, but the events of the past eleven days weighed heavily on him. He rolled the small slightly glowing Nature Gem around in his palm, still a bit disbelieving that he was the one chosen to receive the Elemental Gem. He’d never seen one in all his time in the beta, and now less than two weeks in this world he held one in his hand.

The least pressing issue but the one that came to mind first was the absence of the seven leaders, famous in the beta for taking down the bosses guarding the Air Gates that lead upwards to the floating islands above Ilos before anyone else. The bosses had respawned in the beta, but weren't aggressive and hadn’t dropped anything when killed. The leaders were the ones everyone wanted to be or meet, and were the only players up until this point who had possessed an Elemental Gem. He knew them all by name and the direction they had traveled from Ilos, as did most of the people in the beta and likely a good number on Earth. Markus Shaffner and Thanh, the ‘Cleric’ and ‘The Assassin’, had gone west, while the brothers Axel and Jerold Hopfer, known as ‘Marksman’ and ‘Knight’ had headed the opposite direction. ‘Rager’ Grabnar Tobos and ‘The Elementalist’ Rovian Girst had traveled south, and finally, the only strictly solo amongst the leaders, Cariss ‘The Calm’, had gone north.

There wasn’t anything he could do about their absence, but it was still worrying. When the goblins had attacked Ilos at the end of the beta, the leaders’ presence had been an enormous boon, each of them defending the gate they had gone through to start their journey and slaughtering thousands of goblins apiece, cementing their names and images in everyone’s minds. However, he hadn’t heard a single peep about any of them in the time since Ilos became the new reality, so what had happened to them? A guardswoman had asked him about The Calm a little over a week ago, Lorilee he thought her name was. He’d forgotten about the woman until now, but perhaps he could talk to her when he returned to Ilos. It might be interesting to get the opinion of an NPC.

Tasalin spoke softly, “Status.” Just like the past twenty times he’d done it, the stereotypical character screen appeared in front of him, shining softly in the darkness. A 3-D model of himself floated in the window, the items he had ‘equipped’ faithfully displayed around the hologram, each connected by a thin but still visible line to his virtual body. Below were his stats just as Corvid had described, the regeneration of health and mana shown in points per hour, though the numbers lacked any mention of specific things like Strength and Agility.

 

 

 

He trapped the 'Skills' button, causing another small window to appear.

 

<Skills>

Mana Sense (Passive):

Through use, the champion has developed the ability to sense mana. The champion instinctively knows exactly how much mana he or she has in whatever way makes most sense to them. With focus, the champion can get a vague sense of the level of mana in others.

Yggdrasil’s Blessing (Desperation):

In times of great need, the Tree of Life itself comes to Tasalin's aid. Fully restores the health and mana of all nearby allies and grants them the most powerful Fireproof (Resfas), Insulate (Respos), Clear Breath (Ressir), Iron Will (Ressu), Strengthen (Resde), Fortify (Reslos), and Immunity (Kasres) spells Tasalin can currently use.

 

Tasalin sighed and scrubbed a hand through his grey hair.

"What's bothering you Tas? You look troubled." A soft voice spoke from his left.

Before he could think, Tasalin was already on his feet, the small shield he kept in his largest Quick Gem in his hand as he whirled with magic on his lips to face...

"Solani." His arms dropped and he stored his shield. "Christ, don't do that, you practically gave me a heart attack. How did you even get in without me seeing you?"

She just smiled, the slightest curve of her lips, and patted the bed at her side. "Come on, sit down. Tell me what's troubling you."

Tasalin hesitated, glancing at his still open status and skill windows hovering to the side of him out of the way, unsure about the woman. It would be really nice to talk to someone, but...

Solani's face softened into concern and she stood, taking his hand and pulling him to the bed before sitting down again next to him. "Please, what's wrong?" She gestured to the windows. "If it's those, I can't see them, they're blank to me."

He shook his head. "It's not that. Why are you so worried about me? You should be out enjoying the party."

"So should you." When he didn't respond she sighed and looked down, fiddling with her nails. "Look, you saved my life today at what you thought would be the cost of your own. No one's ever sacrificed for me, not the smallest thing, and when I went down I expected to die. But then you were there in front of me to take the blow in my place. So when you left so early looking so troubled, I wanted to see if I could help, even if that's just to listen."

Tasalin blinked, surprised. So she felt indebted to him? He'd never considered his actions anything but normal, but if that was the case... "It might be good to have someone listen I guess, maybe you’d have some thoughts on the subject that could help."

The way Solani looked up with a smile on her face told him that he'd said the right thing. "Really?"

"Maybe. See, I'm having trouble determining what exactly Ilos is. The NPCs, the wildlife, the terrain, everything is so real and so detailed that I'd decided that this was another reality or world, just with different rules. Then today happened and we got those new spells. With those, this place is too much like a game. Reality doesn't have a health bar, it doesn't have skill descriptions or a character screen, but Ilos does." He nodded at the mentioned windows. "You said you can't see anything on these?"

She looked again, then shook her head. "Nothing. They're just transparent glowing boxes to me."

Tasalin concentrated, using his experience about how the magic system worked in Ilos based on how his other spells were used. "Try again."

"Ah! There it is. How did you do that?"

"I just took a guess and focused on allowing you to see it. Every other spell is based on the caster’s imagination, so I figured these new ones were no exception.”

Solani leaned forward, reading the numbers. “Huh, this is really interesting; I've not seen anyone else's status screen yet.” She opened her own status screen and began comparing numbers. “I have more experience than you, but a good bit less health for some reason.”

 

 

 

<Skills>

Mana Sense (Passive): Through use, the champion has developed the ability to sense mana. The champion instinctively knows exactly how much mana he or she has in whatever way makes most sense to them. With focus, the champion can get a vague sense of the level of mana in others.

 

“We both have the same passive ability though.”

“What is this twelve here next to this white skull? I assume the bigger number is kills, and the black skull is deaths, but what's the middle one?”

“That's probably player kills.” At Tasalin's surprised look she explained. “There were some idiots pking along the path I used to return to the city, and they were stupid enough to try and attack me. After I'd killed them they came back to try to get revenge, with the same result. But I can understand why someone would think this was just a game; it has so many of the same components.”

Yet then why the opening speech by Xynus where he tells us 'the fate of two worlds rests in our hands'? I can only assume that means Earth and Ilos, and that they are both real, but he also tells us we can't log out, which is a gaming term. There are so many mixed messages and unanswered questions I don't know what to think." Sighing, he dropped his head into his hands. He hadn't meant to say so much, but the words continued to spill out. "What happened to the leaders? Why is it only the beta people that are stuck here, and why haven't we seen anyone that got the black headband? I can't believe that no one out of the almost a million other people would try to log in to contact us. What's happening to our real bodies? Or were we just transported here? I just don't know what to think, what to do!"

"Oh Tas..." He felt an arm around his shoulders. "You always seem so sure, so calm and confident in your path, but you're just as lost as the rest of us, aren't you?"

Miserably he nodded, and for a minute all was silent except for the sounds of laughter and music filtering in from outside the tent.

"Tell me something, what can you do about all that right now, this minute? Nothing. Regardless of how Ilos actually is, everyone out there right now is real. Is this conversation any less reality if we are in a virtual world?"

He shook his head, and she continued. "It's good to think about these things, but not to let those thoughts hinder you. I've learned that no matter where you are, you need to make what you can of what you've got and not worry too much about what you can't control."

"But how can everyone just ignore all of this?" Tasalin looked up, meeting Solani's black eyes. "I can understand not worrying too much, but it's like they don't have a care in the world."

She smiled. "Isn't it obvious? It's because they trust you and Corvid and the rest of the division heads. In this sudden chaos in all our lives you provide direction, something to work towards."

"But that's simply the blind leading the blind! I have no idea what I'm doing!"

"But you've stepped up anyway, that's what leaders do. Look, you can do something about all these questions tomorrow when we get back to Ilos. You can investigate, find out if anyone has seen the beta leaders, ask if anyone from Earth has logged in, talk to the NPCs and decide for yourself if they're real or not. I'll even help you! But for tonight, it's going to do a lot more good if you're out there, having fun with the rest of Sweet Dreams, rather than sitting in here and brooding." She stood up, grabbing one of his hands and pulling him to his feet, incredibly strong for someone her size. "Come and dance with me. Take a break from your heavy thoughts and just enjoy a night with the guild you helped make."

"But can't just-"

Solani's eyes glittered with mischief as she smiled. "You seem to think I'm giving you a choice. Come on!"

Before Tasalin could say anything else, he was being pulled out into the firelight by the black clad beauty, unable to contest her greater strength even if he wanted to. One last question ran through his head as he tried to catch his balance while being dragged along, surrounded by his allies rejoicing in the night.

How had he ever thought this woman was shy?

 

 

Earth, Day 12

 

Nick opened his eyes, immediately groaning and clutching his head, the world spinning.

Next to him in her bed, Jess looked down at him and laughed. "You did it again didn't you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I have to lie down before I log off." The dizziness slowly faded, and Nick sat up. "I swear, that's taking longer and longer to go away."

The two friends had been traveling north over the past week, hoping to catch word of their friend, but as of yet there had been nothing. There had been a girl that had come through that had made a big impression with the Ilosians, some Aria, but no trace of Cariss. They'd made good progress, passing a large number of other players as they made their way through the villages.

Lorilee 'called' to chat every night, asking about their travels or just talking, and had even allowed Vivika to join in a couple times. It seemed to Nick that she was kind of lonely. She didn't look to be on friendly terms with the other Commanders of the Capitol Guard, and while she was close with her men, they were also her subordinates; so aside from Vivika, she didn't have anyone to really talk to just casually. Jess had voiced the idea first, citing how a lot of men had trouble with women that out stripped them, especially in physical activities, and after thinking about it, Nick agreed. Lorilee seemed like an incredibly capable woman, and would probably be somewhat isolated in the almost entirely male Guard. Regardless of the reason she kept checking in, it was good to make a friend and she was fun to talk to.

Nick, as Finn, had taken to his bastard sword very well, liking the adaptability the weapon gave him when he added other equipment to his arsenal. He had begun using a small shield, wielding his sword in one hand when he needed extra defense, and had even taken up a bow for when he needed ranged attacks. He still wasn't truly used to the system assist yet, but he was getting there.

Lassea had proven to be a good shot with a bow, and could defend herself with a long dagger if she ever had to deal with melee combat, but her true talent was for spell casting. She could make fire and water and ice do whatever she wanted them to, and only rarely spoke the words of power for the spells she used out loud anymore.

"Maybe you should actually remember to lie down. We go to an inn every night right after we talk to Lorilee, there's even a bed right there!"

“I know I know, but if I lay down I could very well fall asleep, and I don't know if you could wake me up here if I did.”

“I suppose.” Jess sighed, then yawned and headed for the door. “Well let's eat and get to bed, it's really late.”

Nick glanced at the clock while he stood, groaning, noting that it was indeed late, to the point where it was technically early the following day, then followed his friend. “We can't live on pizza forever you know, we’re going to have to go out sometime.”

“Not until we finish these we don't.” She replied, pulling two boxes of pizza out of her fridge where several more rested. “How many slices do you want?”

“Two's fine.”

She opened one, then closed it and handed it to him. “Here ya go.”

Feeling the heat coming through the bottom of the box, he just shook his head and sat down at the table. Inside was a whole pizza with exactly two steaming slices while the rest was still cold from the fridge. “Show off.”

A smug smile grew on her face as she sat down across from him with her own box, at least until she tried to grab a slice. “Ow!” She yanked her hand back, shaking it and sticking a couple of fingers in her mouth.

Nick snickered. “Looks like your spell casting is…” He mimed putting on sunglasses. “Too hot to handle.”

Jess burst out laughing and Nick took a very satisfied bite of his pizza, which despite his friend's mistake on her own food, was the perfect temperature. It still amazed him how quickly magic had become part of their lives. It’d been less than two weeks since they'd first stepped foot in Ilos, yet they both used spells to do things in their daily lives, like reheating pizza with fire, or drying off after a shower with water or air.

However, neither of them had left the small place Jess called home in that entire time, nor had they had much contact with anyone outside of Ilos. Nick had called his parents and let them know he was okay and was staying at a friend's house for a little while while everything cooled off. They were concerned of course, but he had proven to them time and time again that he was responsible enough to handle things himself and would come to them if he thought that a situation was out of his depth. Of course, this was way out of his depth, but it wasn’t something he wanted them involved in just yet. He'd gotten a few calls from friends as well, but had just texted them a generic 'I'm okay and I'll fill you in later'. The hardest conversation had been with David's parents, but he had relayed his theories that those who had the silver band were permanently stuck in Ilos rather than dead, so there was some hope that they would see David again.

Jess had essentially ignored all attempts at contact. No one had actually stopped by in person yet besides the media, and they had since moved on to a subject less dangerous to their reputation. Once she had her wits about her, his friend had talked circles around even the most seasoned reporters until they left seeking easier prey.

Her parents hadn't called, which while unsurprising, still pissed Nick off. He knew they didn't really keep up with their adopted daughter, but still, she was obviously in grief on national television! How could any parent not be concerned enough to even call? They'd taken Jess in after her parents had died in a hit and run accident when she thirteen, right after she moved to town, but didn't really seem interested in her after that other than making sure she went to church and stayed in line.

He shook his head, drawing himself back to the task at hand now that his friend had gotten control of her mirth. “Well even if we don't leave for a while longer, you should still at least call some of your friends back in the morning. I'm sure they’re worried about you.”

Jess sighed, frowning. “I'm sure they are, and I know you're right, but how can I trust any of them with this?” She gestured and a small candle sized flame appeared floating in between them. “You and David are the only two I'd trust enough to tell about it.”

“You don't need to, just don't mention anything about it.”

“But I'm not good at lying, or even purposefully leaving things out. Everyone always seems to notice when I'm hiding something.”

Nick squinted at her, noting the way she tensed a little bit and how her lips thinned. How had he missed that for almost two weeks? He and David had long since figured out those signs, and they would have been there any time she thought about hiding something from him while making eye contact. “Like now for instance?”

The slight widening of her eyes and the way she dropped her head so her blonde hair covered her face gave him the answer. He sighed, but smiled. “Jess, how many times have we told you? David and I aren't going to try to force something out of you that you don't want to share. You’re safe with us, with me.”

She looked up at him and smiled. “Thanks Nick. I'm not ready to tell you this one just yet.”

He waved her off with his pizza. “Not going to bother me.”

They finished off their food and put the rest back in the fridge, then headed back to the bedroom to go sleep, but the sound of Jess' phone ringing on the nightstand stopped them from lying down. Jess walked over and looked at the display, hesitating.

“Who is it? A friend?”

She nodded. “It's Daisy.”

“The martial artist?”

She nodded again. “Yeah.”

Silence reigned for a moment, broken only by musical sound of Jess’ phone. “Look, it’s almost three in the morning; she wouldn’t be calling if she didn’t really need to talk to you. Just pick up.”

“You’re right, you’re right.” She sighed, grabbing the device and answering the call. “Hello?”

Nick sat down on the bed, watching Jess as she talked. He’d never met the girl on the other end of the line, but had heard a little about her from his friend. From what he’d been told, Daisy, despite the gentle name, was an incredibly talented martial artist, though he didn’t remember what discipline she followed, and she was sociology major. From what he could hear of it, her voice sounded fearful, but still controlled.

*She says she has a black Key too, and she just realized she can use magic on Earth.* Lassea’s voice said in his head. *She lives alone and doesn’t have anyone else to talk to. What if there were others like this? I should have been answering calls! I’ll check on things tomorrow morning.*

She sounds like Lassea when using su. I wonder if that’s a side effect of using magic. *Good, I’m glad. If she needs to talk things out, take your time, I’ll stay up till you’re done.* Nick thought back.

He leaned back on the bed, his eyes drifting as his friend continued to try to soothe Daisy. Behind Jess there was a movement in the window. Maybe it was all the time he had to keep alert in Ilos' forests, but he had a sudden sense of foreboding. He focused on the view outside, trying to pierce the darkness. It was probably something innocuous, but still, he couldn’t help sharpening his hearing and slowly rising from the bed, preparing himself to use magic if necessary.

Jess noticed. *What’s wrong?*

*Can you stop talking for a few seconds?*

In the silence that followed his request, he heard the bolt on the front door softly click and the hinges made a slight sound as they slowly swung open. Even just a week ago, Nick might have panicked at the thought of someone breaking into the house he was staying in, but now he had at least some live combat experience, enough to keep him thinking rationally.

*There’s someone in here with us, and I saw some movement outside the window. Can you contact Daisy with telepathy? We need somewhere to go.* He began stuffing clothes into his duffle bag that was still on the ground. His, Jess’, it didn’t matter, he just grabbed it all.

Jess’ eyes widened, and she held the phone back up to her ear, but didn’t speak. After a few seconds she nodded at him and hung up, softly opening her closet and beginning to shove things into it. *I’ve got her.*

*Good. Grab what you can and let’s run. I can buff our speed with cir, but that’s going to leave any defense to you. Try to make it sneaky, I don’t know if it’s public knowledge that we can use magic yet.*

*I will. They probably know we’re awake, if there’s more than one they must have seen the light on. I wish I had my weapons.*

Nick zipped the duffle, hooking the handles around his shoulders like a giant backpack and then turning off the light. *Same. Ready? We’ll probably just have to run for it.*

She nodded, slipping her arms though the shoulder straps and tightening them. *Can you grab our shoes on the way out? It’s going to be hard to run in bare feet if we have to go off the roads.*

*Got it.* Nick watched as his friend put her hand on the doorknob and looked back at him.

*Three. Two. One.*

“Cir.” Nick whispered, focusing on speeding their movements.

*Go!*

The door shot open and the pair of friends dashed out into a squad of very surprised men dressed in dark military equipment who seemed to be preparing to breach the same entrance. Jess didn’t hesitate, sprinting past them and around the corner with Nick hot on her heels. Gunfire sounded behind them, punching holes in the wall where they would have been if Nick wasn’t boosting their speed, some bouncing off where the stud was in the wall.

Rubber bullets?

“Targets are on the run!” One of the soldiers shouted, likely into a microphone.

The front door was still open, guarded by a pair of men who brought up their weapons, only to have the firing mechanisms freeze over. Nick scooped up their shoes in one motion as they pelted past the guards, then poured mana into his Air spell, pushing their frantic flight even faster as they ran out into the street.

Wind whipped Nick’s face as he kept behind his friend, letting her lead them towards Daisy’s home, and that was the only sound for a few long seconds.

A small pain flared in his shoulder, and he stumbled a bit as he reached around, his fingers encountering a tiny dart where the pain originated, now quickly being replaced by numbness.

He ran harder to catch up, then handed Jess her shoes, thrusting them into her hands. *Jess, keep running, I’ve been hit by a dart and I’ll probably lose consciousness really quick. I’m going to keep the spell on you for as long as possible, so get away and come back for me.*

Her steps slowed and she turned to look at him, her eyes wide with fear. *What?! NO!*

*Yes! If you get captured too it’s over for both of us! GO JESS! RUN!*

Still, she hesitated. *But-!*

*GO!*

Tears began to drip from Jess’ eyes as she whirled, sprinting out into the night.

“Cirres.” Nick whispered as the numbness spread to his legs, depositing him to the ground. In his mind’s eye he pictured a thick shield of air around his friend, swirling to deflect any other darts. He poured all his mana into the speed spell as blackness started to creep in along the edges of his vision.

*Run Jess… Run.*

 

 

Earth, Day ??

 

Nick groaned, a pounding in his head pulling him from the inky black where he'd been resting.

“Ahh, you're awake. Good.” A man's voice spoke to his right.

A bright light was shining down on Nick's face where he was lying on something somewhat soft, blinding him for a moment when he tried to open his eyes and setting his headache off again. He tried to bring his hand up to shield against the brightness, but it only got a few inches before a metallic click stopped it.

“Yes, sorry about those, but I'm afraid they're necessary for our protection.”

What…?

Nick fought through the fogginess that clouded his brain and lifted his head to see why his arm wouldn't move. A piece of metal that could only be described as a manacle encircled his wrist and was attached by a short chain to the metal frame of a bed. He was dressed in one of those thin hospital dress things, and it seemed like his ankles were similarly bound.

Memories rushed back. Pizza, Jess hiding something, being attacked, making sure his friend got away. He had to let her know he was okay.

“Su.” He whispered under his breath, hopefully low enough that the man next to him didn't hear it right.

*Jess? I'm-* fine. His eyes widened. That fraction of a second was enough to drain his mana entirely and end the spell? How was that possible?

“I forgot to mention, you won't be able to do much in the way of magic. As cliché as it seems, cold iron has a significant negative effect on that particular phenomenon, which is why you have those cuffs.”

Nick's head snapped to the side despite how his headache protested to face the voice. The man standing next to the bed was tall and imposing, his short cropped black hair and beard setting off his ice blue eyes and strikingly handsome features. Wearing a long white lab coat, he smiled coldly down at Nick.

“My name is Doctor Arterian Dark, Nicholas Finn Charleston, and you're going to help us discover the secrets of this new magic.” The man smiled in an unsettling way. “Let me be the one to welcome you to the Terran Inquisition.”

 

 

Ilos, Day 26

 

The guard laughed, putting his hand on the top of my head and ruffling my hair. “Don’t you worry about the monsters little missy, you just leave that to us! The watchmen will take care of it for you don’t you fret.” He leaned down to peer into my scowling face, his grin fading as worry creased his brow. “Actually, you don’t look so well, are you alright? Where are your mother and father? Wouldn’t want a precious thing like you getting sick now would we?”

In a single movement I unlimbered my quarterstaff and swept his feet out from under him. “If you won’t listen I’ll go find someone who’s not as much of an idiot and can actually do their job instead of flirting with random passerby!” I snarled down at him before stalking off.

I knew that was cruel, the man was just concerned about me, but my fuse was so incredibly short lately. It’d been seventeen days since I’d destroyed Travant, and things had not been going well. The Ilosians were generally a kind and caring people, and, as predicted, would often refuse to send me on quests that would put me in harm’s way. It would have been kind of nice have all that goodwill directed towards me if it wasn’t so insulting and based almost solely on my appearance. I might be a girl of not exactly large physical standing, but that had little bearing on my combat prowess. Unfortunately, until I convinced them otherwise, the Ilosians didn’t share my view.

Having swapped sides, so to speak, no longer seemed off to me. I wasn't David or Cariss anymore, I was Aria, and try as I might I couldn’t convince myself otherwise after the messing around in my head that bastard mage did. Being referred to by female pronouns didn’t bother me, nor did my body for that matter, but the change in my social status did. Without Nameless traveling with me, I’d been treated like a young and beautiful woman of marriable age, or sometimes even a child, both of which got old unsurprisingly fast. I was constantly underestimated by just about everyone even when they knew I was a champion.

I can’t blame Nameless for leaving, but damn it I hate that guy! If he hadn’t left, Travant would never have happened, and I wouldn’t be this fucking tired and pissed off all the time!

Admittedly, the reactions in the first town I’d come across after Travant were mostly my fault. I was still wearing that black dress at the time because it was easily the best light armor I’d ever seen, not to mention magically fit to match me in as many ways as possible. Unfortunately, it also made me look that much more the damsel. It’d taken a lot of work to get the people of that town to even let me go outside the walls, much less go kill dangerous and hostile creatures for them. After that I’d taken to only wearing the thing when I was alone, either in my inn room or hunting.

Despite the memories attached to it, I really liked that particular piece of clothing, it offered almost complete freedom of movement, was incredibly durable, blended in with the shadows, made no noise when I moved, and, well, it was really soft. I was a sucker for soft things, sue me.

Honestly if that was all I had to deal with I’d have been alright. Once I made my combat prowess known to whatever town or village I was in, few of the people there gave me any trouble when it came to questing, and with the massive experience boost I had gotten from Travant, I didn’t have any issues clearing even the night quests and mini-bosses solo. Another thing on the list was the guilt that I felt over ending so many human lives, slaughtering hundreds of soldiers in my rage and essentially destroying a city single-handedly.

Or rather it was the guilt I didn’t feel.

Even the gardeners the mage sent to stop me, who had probably been completely innocent, only caused the slightest twinge on my conscience, no more than when I would tell my parents I’d brushed my teeth when I really hadn’t, and that bothered me. I knew I should care about taking that many lives, because Ilosians were just as alive as I was, but there was nothing. The mage though, even thinking about killing him filled me with pleasure. I'd even enjoyed killing all those guards who’d been a part of the heinous acts that were going on in that city! It was wrong, I shouldn’t get pleasure from taking lives, but the feelings were undeniable. I didn’t know what exactly was happening to me, but it was another thing I really needed to find out.

The biggest issue though was the nightmares. Every single night, without fail, I woke up screaming or covered in cold sweat after only an hour or two. I could never remember what it was I dreamed about, but I could guess. If that mage had succeeded… just thinking about the result horrified me. I knew I was just running from it, busying myself with questing rather than think about all that was wrong with me and the world, distracting myself from my vulnerability, falling asleep only when too tired to do otherwise.

I'd thought of quitting, of just going back to Ilos, maybe help out some of the less experienced players, but every time I woke up from another nightmare, I found myself pressing onwards, advancing at a furious pace. I had no one to go back to in Ilos, but more importantly, if I fell behind, or really even lost my lead, what would stop a player from doing the same thing as that mage? I fully believed that people weren’t generally the most kindhearted of creatures, and while a lot of them were pretty dumb and therefore of little threat, there were also those who were not only smart, but saw others only as tools to be used. There were bound to be a few that were that way in Ilos, especially with the relatively large percentage of the high upper class among those of the silver Key, and if one of them gained enough power, there was nothing to stop them from doing whatever they wanted to me if I couldn’t resist on my own.

After over two weeks of dealing with all of it, I was completely exhausted. Even though as a champion I didn’t need much sleep to maintain my mental and physical health, one or two hours a night simply was not enough, and it was really starting to catch up with me now. My temper was barely better than a hair trigger, and it was getting more and more difficult to concentrate.

It was early morning in the town of Cirsir, and I’d just woken up screaming and frightened out of my wits yet again, so I wasn’t exactly in the best of moods, much to the detriment of that guard. I’d been planning to do some questing before the main event of the day to replenish my money a bit, but that had been the third watchman I'd tried to talk to, and I decided the time and effort it would take to convince the entire town of my capability just wasn’t worth it. So rather than confronting the guardhouse, I headed towards the town gate. If everything went well, today would be the last day I spent in this place anyway, as well as on the mainland of Ilos.

Cirsir was about two thirds of the way to the edge of the mainland, and was the closest settlement to the northern Air Gate. In order to access the islands floating above Ilos, a player had to use teleporters known as Air Gates. Each Air Gate was a two way transport to or from a specific island, and was locked until its guardian was killed. Such a boss was meant to be taken on by a group of people, but was possible to do alone, if with a lot more difficulty. The fight would take most of the day, but I knew I could do it provided I stocked up on powerful healing potions at the market, and I had used almost all of my money to do just that in the previous city.

If there was one place my appearance was a benefit, it was the market. Most of the jobs in Ilos seemed to be male dominated, the exceptions being barmaids, innkeepers, cooks, maids, launderers, herbalists, and those in, ah, pleasure houses. That is to say most merchants were men, men that had a hard time focusing on bartering when their eyes were full of me, and I took full advantage. I'd learned pretty quickly that leaning over a table to get a better look at something also gave the man on the other side a better look at my own ‘merchandise’, so I started doing it on purpose, leaning in more the further they dropped their prices. I still felt like a fool every time, but I’d gotten stuff for cheaper than I'd ever thought I would, so I could deal with it. Besides, good quality potions were expensive, and I needed the best I could get my hands on for this fight. I might have gone to the market in this town to see what they had if I had anything left, but I'd hardly had enough money for an inn room and my normal bread and water this morning after stocking up on consumables for the boss fight ahead.

I could see the Air Gate the moment I walked through the open gates of Cirsir, a white gleaming archway constructed with that same mysterious material the plaza in the center of Ilos was made of, or, used to be made of before it turned black. It sparkled in the morning sun as whatever was in the stone caught the light, throwing colors everywhere. Beside the glittering arch there was a tree that looked really out of place in the grasslands. Covered in vines and having large leaves on long branches, it wouldn't have been out of place in a jungle, but the Plantea was rather obvious on the surrounding plains.

The golden morning sun felt a little warmer today for some reason, pleasantly burning into my skin as I walked. A slight breeze rippled the knee high emerald grass and a couple puffy clouds drifted slowly across the clean blue sky. As the noise of the town faded behind me, I took the chance to just admire the beauty that was Ilos.

The sun rested at the top of the snowcapped mountains far to the east, making the clear streams of water that rolled down them sparkle like silver. Beyond those mountains floated the first island reachable on the eastern path, a stream of water falling from it until it dispersed enough that I couldn't see it from that distance. I supposed that it must be a magical sight close up if it was so beautiful from where I was. The grasslands and farms that dominated the land started from those mountains in the east and swept across the land to end at the forest to the west, which blocked my view of the rest of the landscape that direction. The western island floating over in that direction looked fairly flat on top, though I couldn't make out anything else about it.

Above and slightly ahead of me was my destination today: the first floating island of the north. I knew that on top of the rocky base I could see was a green field filled with cows, none of which were aggressive. The boss there was a large bull that would charge you and could knock you off the island if you weren't careful, but all in all an easy boss, one that would be a nice break from what I'd dealt with so far.

Shaking my head to refocus, I checked over everything one more time as I approached the 'tree'. All my knives were in their places, my Spell Gem was filled with kasi, the six pouches I had attached to my belt each held a potion, the light armor I'd picked up two towns ago was in good condition as was my quarterstaff, and my hair was pinned back out of my face by my wolf’s head clip. I should have been wearing my dress, but I hadn't been planning on fighting this boss until later in the day, and I certainly wasn’t going to change out here in full view. Check complete, I cleared my mind of everything and floated in the Stillness.

Like any boss, this Plantea was not bound by a specific move set; it could use its body in any way it wanted. Thankfully Plantea couldn't use magic and it was restricted to using only physical attacks, so I didn't have to worry about it healing itself or hitting me with anything I didn't see coming. It had vines that could grab and whip, branches it could hit with, and roots that would usually try to entangle the feet and get its foe on the ground. That last one was by far the most dangerous to me because I was alone. It wouldn't be too big of a deal in a party where someone could protect me for the short time it would take to regain my feet, but alone I would almost certainly be killed in that brief span of vulnerability.

The Plantea began to subtly move as I came into aggro range, the roots creeping towards me under the cover of the grass, some of the longer vines uncurling from the trunk, a few branches moving even though there wasn't enough wind to stir them. I didn't give it the opportunity to strike first.

Drawing my long knives, I sprinted forwards. Searing light! Fassi! The thoughts overlapped as I cast the spell, my knives suddenly blazing with white light. I swung my blades in large arcs as I charged, my slashes carried forward by the spell and burning into the Plantea before I was anywhere close to melee range. The plant let out a low pitched wail, and the ground came alive around it as the roots writhed in the creature's pain.

Vines lashed out at me, but were severed by the waves of light that came from my knives. I burned my way around the trunk, removing as many of the branches and vines as possible before they had a chance to do any damage. Of course, getting that close to an enemy that has so many limbs to hit you with isn't a good idea for very long, so I got out of short range and retreated back towards Cirsir, letting my fassi spell fade now that I was out of the reach of most of the boss' attacks. As expected, the Plantea's vines lashed out, and I cut them down before they could land a blow, shortening them and drawing more cries from the tree.

I was prepared for an extended fight. The Stillness would keep me focused as I slowly trimmed down the plant, preventing it from hitting me by staying out of reach of all but its longest attacks. If the Plantea were truly immobile this fight would be easy, but it could move slowly towards me with its roots, so I had to make sure to stay only in the range of attacks I could handle.

The sun steadily rose, morning transitioning into midday as the hours passed and I methodically ground away at the boss' limbs, occasionally moving away from dangerous looking groups of roots that kept trying to get near me. I was well into shaving away at the actual branches as the sun reached its peak and began to descend, occasionally imbuing my knives with fassi and dealing damage to the trunk at range whenever my mana neared full.

Things were much more dangerous now. Some of the branches were thick enough that they took multiple cuts to get through, so I had to either get those attacks in before it hit me or dodge the swing, and had only a split second to decide which. Broken wood and severed vines marked a path from the Air Gate halfway back to Cirsir as I continued to slowly retreat.

A branch arced out and I split it with two quick slashes, revealing a second branch hidden by the first, following too closely for me to dodge and catching me with both my knives too far out to block. It's learning? I guess when it couldn't hit me with attacks at multiple heights it started trying other things. Well it's fairly injured by this point; I can take a few hits with the potions and healing magic I have prepared and still be safe. With nothing else I could do without expending more mana than it was worth, I mentally prepared myself to take the damage, twisting to make sure I wouldn't be knocked off my feet.

The branch hit partially, cutting into my skin at the shoulder, and there was pain. The Stillness, which might have buffered me a little, shattered in my shock, and without it my sleep deprived brain couldn't process what had happened in time to do anything about the next strike, which caught me full across the chest and sent me flying.

I hit the ground and rolled, letting out a shriek of agony as I tumbled away from the Plantea, coming to a rest twenty yards away. Nothing in all my life had prepared me for this agony. Lines of fire raced across my skin where I'd been cut through my armor, and each gasp brought new spikes of pain throughout my chest as I coughed up blood. Tears flooded my eyes as I sputtered out the one thing I knew would make the pain go away.

“Kasi.”

Light flared around me as my injuries vanished, my Spell Gem going dark as I used the stored spell. I breathed in tentatively, sighing in relief when there was no stab of pain. A whistling sound alerted me, and I rolled to the side just in time to avoid a two foot thick root that crashed into the ground where I’d been lying. I flowed to my feet, taking a few minor cuts from smaller branches before I could dance backwards, sending a few throwing daggers into the trunk of the Plantea to distract it from attacking while I got out of range. My first thought was to run away, but now that I had awoken the creature it could very well go and attack the town of Cirsir, and they stood next to no chance of defeating it. I may have been the destruction of the corrupted city of Travant, but I couldn't let the same happen to the innocents of Cirsir. I had to take this thing down.

The small cuts I’d taken getting away stung as I tried to reassume the Stillness, but again and again questions and fear filled the forming bubble of calmness. Having gone with little to no sleep each night for two and a half weeks, I simply couldn’t concentrate enough to form the Stillness in the midst of battle, and all the things I was frustrated with came bubbling to the surface. Damn those nightmares for keeping me awake, damn that bastard mage for being the one to cause them, and damn that stupid Nameless for leaving and being the root cause of all of this!

I readied my knives, gritting my teeth and glaring at the boss. “I will take you down you stupid plant. Let’s do this.”

Seconds passed, then minutes, then hours, and I fought a losing battle. Without the Stillness I was always a half step late, a fraction of a second too slow, and I’d gone through my potions and mana at an astonishing rate just to keep myself alive, but now I was all out of options. The Plantea was almost dead, most of its limbs missing, its vines severed, its roots cut to bits, and its trunk riddled with daggers, but I was down to only my quarterstaff, even my long knives having been thrown to give me precious seconds to heal. I'd taken cuts everywhere, and pain lanced through me with every step, every breath, but I refused to fall, even exhausted and in agony. I wouldn't lose to this, not after coming so far. I was close to the city now, and though I'd hoped they'd give me aid, they had instead closed their gates and barred them.

The roots under my feet suddenly coiled towards the Plantea, grabbing at my ankles. I tried to jump out of them, but my legs simply wouldn't move quickly enough, too weak to dodge with any speed. The attack took my feet out from under me, a pained gasp involuntarily escaping my lips as the shock sent another jolt of pain through me and my quarterstaff bounced out of my hand. The world blurred in my sight, bits of light sparking in my eyes, and when I could focus again I saw the killing blow, a gnarled root two feet thick coming down at me just like before, but this time I was too weak to move. I snarled in the face of death, denying its power, struggling to do something, anything. I felt something, something deep inside me for the briefest of moments, and then a shadow fell across my eyes, a pair of swords blocking the blow meant for me, staggering slightly but sending the root to the ground beside me. There was a silhouette of a man there above me, blocking out the afternoon sun as he straightened to face the Plantea, and a familiar voice spoke in a slightly amused tone.

"Were you always this weak Masso? Surely when I left you this weed would not have given you so much trouble."

 

-----

 

With the morning sun a couple heights above the horizon, the nameless man shielded his eyes against the light, just able to make out his objective in the distance. Cirsir stood just a large dot in the distance, miles away, and beyond it the first Air Gate. He knew Gate bosses could be soloed, though it was very difficult, and intended to do so in order to gain access to the network of floating islands above Ilos. Knowing it would take most of the day to travel to the city, he took his time, arriving at Cirsir in the late afternoon when the sun was well into its decent but the sky had not darkened significantly. An eyebrow rose slightly as he found the closest gate locked, noticing a large number of NPCs gathered on the wall of the city and looking towards the Air Gate that was just a short mile walk from the gates. The guardhouse was located just inside the gate on that side anyway, so he headed around the wall in that direction to see what the commotion was all about. As the Air Gate in the distance came into view, a small figure fighting the boss just outside the city also entered his vision, and as he came closer the figure resolved into the diminutive form of Aria.

The main gates to the city were closed, and when he tried knocking on them the guard there notified him in no uncertain terms that they couldn’t risk opening the gate while the large creature was just outside the city. From where he stood at the gate, he could see that the battle between the small girl and the boss monster, a large Plantea easily between fifteen and twenty feet tall, had indeed drawn very close to the city. He studied the fight for a moment, considering.

Aria looked ragged, with bloodshot eyes and heavy circles under them, and her movements, while still graceful, didn't have the snap he remembered seeing. The Plantea was riddled with throwing daggers and was heavily wounded, but Aria also had numerous bleeding cuts and nasty bruises. Her Spell Gem was dark and the pouches on her belt that he assumed once held potions swayed emptily with her movements. Even the sheaths at the small of her back that he remembered having long knives were empty.

“She’s been fighting that thing since this morning.” The guard told him through the small window in the gate. “I have no idea how she’s still going.”

The nameless man watched, analyzing the situation. The boss would be valuable to help kill, but having an encounter with Aria would be almost unavoidable unless she died. As he attempted to take the time to consider his options, he noticed that Aria was being pushed back.

The roots at her feet suddenly struck out, and while she started to jump to avoid them, she was simply too wounded or exhausted to move fast enough. The attack swept her legs out from under her and she landed hard on her back, a pained gasp escaping her lips and her quarterstaff bouncing away from her hand. The Plantea wasted no time in starting a finishing blow with a knotted root around two feet thick.

With a heavy sigh he leapt forward to shield the attack. You weren't supposed to get attached. You weren't, but it's too late now. The blow struck hard but off the mark, clearly having not been intended for him. He staggered but stood up straight to face the monster, his back to Aria.

"Were you always this weak Masso? Surely when I left you this weed would not have given you so much trouble."

Without waiting for a reply, he sprinted towards the Plantea, dodging or cutting through any branches that tried to block his path to the main body of the monster. Reaching the boss, he struck powerfully once, twice, three times, carving deeply into its already burned and severely damaged surface. The creature let out an unnaturally loud shriek of pain and began to collapse in upon itself, waving its branches and roots around weakly. Not one to leave something unfinished, the nameless man attacked again and again, cutting through the trunk till he reached the center and severed the Heartwood that was the life source of all Plantea. He ripped it from the hollow it rested in and cut it open to reveal the rewards from defeating the boss, a pair of Nature Gems and four Nature Stones, which he placed in his inventory.

As the monster went limp and began to topple, he walked back to Aria, who was in terrible shape and still lying on the ground. Most of her armor was ripped to shreds, and while she was not indecent, it was a very close thing. What little clothing she retained was completely soaked in blood from the huge number of cuts she had sustained, particularly on her legs, though her boots and socks seemed undamaged. Her quarterstaff was a few feet away and in similar shape to its wielder, very likely unsalvageable.

She was breathing raggedly and staring into the sky, but she had a small feral grin on her face. When he entered her field of vision her golden eyes tracked him, but it took a few seconds for them to focus on his face. She was obviously at the edge of consciousness, her eyelids flickering as she forced them to remain open. “Way to-- take him down-- you fucking-- bastard.” She gasped out, struggling to breathe. Tears dripped from the corners of her eyes as she endeavored to keep them focused on him.

"Ha, save your insults. You chose to follow me after I made it very clear I didn't want to be followed." He pulled a healing potion from one of his pouches and poured a little into his hand, the liquid quickly solidifying into a creamy paste which he spread on some of her more serious injuries, preventing her from bleeding out but nothing more. "Look where you are now girl, the person you chose to follow abandoned you as you should have known that he would, and in order to not be left behind you rushed blindly forward to certain death. I have healed you enough to avert that certainty but I do it so you can hear, not due to some foolish fondness." I will sever ties. I will not be attached. I will kill her if it means she will no longer follow me. “Do not attempt to follow me again Masso. Find friends, find people to rely on, but do not find me for I am as likely to kill you as that weed." He backed away from her and turned toward the Air Gate, beginning a slow stride ridden with the guilt over what had befallen her.

“Damn you-- for a fool! You can’t-- do this-- solo-- and neither-- can I! Not anymore! Things are-- changing!” He heard a slow shifting and a groan of effort.

A sharp impact hit the back of his head, accompanied by the sound of shattering glass and the sudden uncomfortable feeling that was associated with injury. Wetness flowed down his back, and he saw the remnants of a weak health potion splash around him.

"Wasteful." He shook his head and turned to face her.

Aria was somehow on her feet, her face bruised and cut and streaked with tears, her clothes in ribbons, her skin and hair covered in dirt and dry blood, and she had wounds that were still bleeding. Her teeth were gritted and she was still breathing raggedly, but her gaze was clear and glaring at him. The sun was at the right angle that it caught her eyes, making the gold of her irises look as if they were on fire, glowing with the captured light. Her inventory window was open, and she dismissed it with a slight wave of her shaking hand.

She shouldn't be standing; she could kill herself if she pushes too hard. "The world IS changing, I agree, but I will not face it with you nor anyone else. Find others if you don’t wish to face it alone, but don't force your own failings on me! I will be fine on my own." He turned back towards the Air Gate and again began to stride forwards, this time a more frustrated march rather than a trek full of guilt.

The anger faded a bit from her voice, joined by surprise. “That-- didn’t hurt you-- then? You didn’t-- feel any pain?”

The nameless man paused for a moment, rolling her words in his head. Does anyone feel pain here? He turned and gave her a questioning look, the kind one gives to someone who said something foolish but asked it in seriousness. "No?"

Looking her up and down, He noticed that she had been acting strangely. Through all the time spent in beta he had only come so close to death a few times without actually dying. Never once had he acted as she did; shaking, shivering almost, and having a hard time mustering words off her tongue. He may have had a hard time standing, but that was just the world simulating his weak state, and maybe his voice wasn't as loud as it could be, but never did it seem hard to speak. She was... strange.

Her angry expression faded into one of confusion, or even despair, and her legs gave out from under her. Collapsing to her knees, she managed to keep from falling completely to the ground, but it was a close thing. Tears began anew in her eyes, leaving clean streaks in the blood and dirt covering her face. “Is it-- only me then?” She whispered in a vulnerable voice.

As her anger faded, she seemed to lose some of her lucidity and sat slumped and shaking with tears streaming down her face. The nameless man noticed some of the townspeople heading towards him and the girl with concerned looks on their faces.

Aria squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth, then looked up at him again, pain and determination etched in her face. “Go. You obviously don’t like me or want my company, so go.” She motioned with her eyes towards the now active Air Gate behind him. “Don’t worry about me; I can take care of myself.”

He sensed she was holding on to consciousness with pure will at this point, but with the townspeople coming he certainly didn’t need to worry about her safety even if she did pass out.

"I have nothing against you nor anything against anyone Masso. I'm merely a solo player and you a girl who forced herself upon me." He paused for a moment then shook his head and let out a long sigh. "Rest, I'll take you to an inn."

He moved forwards, gently taking her up in his arms. Her golden eyes stared up into his uncertainly for a moment before flickering closed, her small body going limp in his arms. The nameless man strode through the crowds that had come out now that the Plantea was dead, ignoring them completely until he got to an inn. He rented a single room, then carried Aria up to it, laying her down softly on the bed. There he waited until her breaths were even and stable in her slumber and he knew her remaining injuries would heal naturally. She was safe, and he could leave.

 

 

Ilos, Day 27

 

I woke to the warmth of the morning sun on my face and a distinct lack of pain. Turning my head to look out the window, I admired the sunrise as it crested the mountains to the east for just a moment. I’m not dead. I sat up slowly, noting that I was still pretty hurt and my armor was completely unsalvageable, little more than tatters over my completely unharmed underwear. Despite the wounds, there was only slightly numb feeling that indicated injury, not the fiery pain I remembered.

Kasi.

Light suffused the damage that hadn’t healed overnight, mending them in an instant and leaving my soft skin completely intact. I was alone in what looked to be an inn room in Cirsir. My boots were on the floor beside the bed with my socks, and there was a note on the table along with a few small items.

Discarding my broken armor, I pulled out my dress and slipped it on over my head, then walked over to the table bare footed to see what was there. Two Nature Gems and three Nature Stones glittered at me from where they sat on a folded piece of parchment, the rewards from killing the boss, though one of the Stones was missing. I suppose that was his price for helping me. I mused as I scooped the incredibly valuable items into my inventory, then, curious, opened the letter.

 

Masso,

I feel some guilt over what has happened but as you said this world is changing and I cannot let myself fall behind. Maybe you were right about me not being able to do everything alone, but I am and always have been a solo player, and that is unlikely to change. You are strong and do not need me to carry on, simply take care of yourself and no weed nor any other monster should trouble you. Also don't trouble yourself over feeling pain. Again the world is changing, and nothing is as anyone had once expected. I have often thought this world might as well be the real one, being that we are unable to leave and have the constant worry of death around our next turn. Perhaps everyone will feel pain after a certain point. Perhaps we'll even have to worry about thirst and hunger being life threatening conditions as they are back home, but for now it would be best not to worry. That all said I write this letter for more than just to comfort you. I'll give you a chance. If you truly are as stubborn as I believe you to be, try to catch up with me, and if you do I swear I will never sneak off in the dead of night nor try to lose you in a rough patch of wilderness. I may even call you by your actual name though I'm long attached to calling you Masso. Rest well and don't get yourself killed.

- Solventus Gale

 

“Solventus Gale, huh?” I felt a small smile form on my face as a warm feeling suffused my chest. “You’ll see me again, but I’m not going to kill myself to catch up to you, so you’ll just have to wait.”

I slipped on my socks and boots, placing the note in my inventory before heading out. There were still my knives I had to collect, and I needed a new quarterstaff, but I walked with confidence in my step.

No matter how hard it may seem, I’ve just dealt with what should have been my death and pushed through the most painful agony I’ve ever experienced. I don't know why I felt pain then and not now, but there are a lot of things I don't know or understand. I know I’m not the only one struggling, but I have the strength to carry on and I will not let the fear of what could be torment my soul. There’s someone out there I can call an ally, and I know I am not alone.

The Air Gate stood in front of me now, sparkling with an infinite rainbow of colors that filled the arch, the portal to the beginning of my journey. My long knives and other daggers were once again in their sheaths, and even my quarterstaff, though damaged, rested on my back. I glanced back, taking in the landscape again and feeling at peace for the first time since I was ripped from my friends’ side. I belonged here. If there were people who thought I couldn’t do things because of my appearance, I’d set them straight right quick, or perhaps even take advantage of their mistake. There were so many questions that I needed answered, but everything would become clear in time, and I’d see my friends again. For now, there was adventuring to do.

A smile boomed on my face as I turned and strode into the rainbow light. “Ilos? I’m home.”