《HELM.ONLINE》 0.1 - The Betrayer Clouds of dust and smoke hung in the air below the powdery sun, creating a haze which shrouded the area. The smoke''s origin, wide black smears of scorched earth, decorated the already Scorched Plains of Cordendosa. Shrapnel of once towering masses of white rock hid within blades of surviving, short jade grass along profound craters. The dead were everywhere, struck down by heavy, greenish wind, swords of the same color, or earth shattering magic, but not in blackened lines or bloody piles of bodies, but in innocent looking brown sacks fit for carrying loose change. Men and women with finely sewn green high-collared coats and cloaks of alluring gold, now tattered or shredded from battle, stalked the death stashes like wolves, eyes alert for any movement not theirs. Some even searched the neatly tied bags, small blankless screens appearing before them as they inspected the fallens belongings through baby blue displays only their eyes could see. Ko watched in deafening silence. Seated, gagged, and tied to a lofty boulder, he occasionally heaved as a breath of soot laced air entered his flaring nostrils. The cloth in his mouth tasted like dirt. His bound bear paws for hands fidgeted as they yearned to reach for his Skull Helm which lied a few inches away in the grass. The ruined air couldn¡¯t be doing his already acne leathered face any kinds of justice. A combination of tightened rope and sweat had his dark-clad attire clinging to his love handles uncomfortably. Knee high boots patterned with laughing skulls hid beneath his wide criss crossed legs. Ko uncrossed them then in another attempt to reach his Skull Helm, which seemed to be getting farther and farther away as the dust blurred his vision. The crunch of grass and stone froze him in his tracks. As he blinked away tears, the dust seemed to step aside to reveal a man and woman, both with matching high collared green coats. The man was tall and lanky and at least in his early twenties, with a handsome face and even handsomer short brown hair which lied unruffled atop his slim head. For that matter his green coat, patterned with swirling lines of gold, looked untouched. The only sign the man had been fighting at all was found in the gold hilted shortsword gripped tightly in his glowing Valor hand, the green blade broken at the tip. The young rotund woman on the other hand, short and maybe pretty if her face was not covered in dirt, looked disheveled, yet at the same time composed. Sweat and dirt glued short unkempt blonde hair to her face. Ko wondered if she was okay but a faint smile on her thin lips suggested she probably was. Greenish wind, visible to the naked eye, danced around her tattered coat aggressively, as her dark eyes scanned the landscape. The haze continued to ¡®step aside¡¯ for them as if their very presence willed it to. Ko surmised it was the woman''s doing through some sort of passive Blessing. The hairs on his neck rose then as his own passive Blessing, Phantom Eye, activated. It was a great skill in retrospect, activating whenever another player sent him a threatening look, but here, surrounded by Wind Guard guildsman and a vision obscuring haze, the Necromancer couldn¡¯t tell if it was the approaching man and woman who activated it or some unseen player. He silently prayed to the Winds it was the former. ¡°So, here lies the mole,¡± The man said scornfully, leaving Ko no time to investigate. ¡°Ko of Penatara.¡± The woman seemed to relax as the man spoke, the dancing wind calming to barely visible wisps. ¡°No sign of Shade, Master Bodhi,¡± The woman said, resting her hand on a small wooden wand at her waist. Ko hoped she was right. ¡°While we¡¯ve found the Necromancer, we¡¯ve yet to find this peculiar item The Tribunal was fussing about¡± Fist rested on hip, Bodhi acknowledged the woman''s comments with a slight nod without looking at her. Upon approaching Ko, Bodhi¡¯s eyes had rested on him and never left. Ko barely masked his increased fidgeting at the Wind Guard¡¯s cold, empty gaze of pure disinterest. Barely. ¡°Perhaps our Necromancer ¡®friend¡¯ here has the answers we seek, Ursula¡± Bodhi began, eyes drilling into Ko¡¯s soul. A chill managed to reach his spine in the scorching heat. ¡°After all, it was only ten years ago that all of Helm was engulfed in a war against the Nevermore, led by those silly Chaoswalkers. Ten years later, everyone forgot these guys still existed¡­..until you, Ko.¡± ¡°Ihafdgtehitehsnwers-¡± Ko started, forgetting for a moment that he was gagged. Saliva dripped down his mouth and onto his dark cloak. His heart pounded, trying to break through his chest. For months, he had communicated with The Tribunal, committing the greatest betrayal any Chaoswalker could make to their own. They had found out of course, and he evaded and evaded until they finally snatched him in the Scorched Plains. Tied to a rock, his execution was all but imminent until the arrival of Bodhi and the Wind Guard guild. The Tribunal had sent them. Of course to rescue him! More than likely in an effort to retrieve the item he possessed, but they were here for him nonetheless! They weren¡¯t the governing body of adventurers for nothing! Relief supported by the remorse which led to his betrayal in the first place swelled inside him. He had never wanted to be lumped with the Chaoswalkers. Helm picked your class at random in character creation and he ended up with one of the four ¡®bad guy¡¯ classes, forced to commit atrocities across Helm with others of his breed in order to gain Valor, better Blessings, and items. Just his luck! Ko would have been fine with any other class, even the joke of a class that is Seer! He had never met a male Seer but he would have been ecstatic to be the first. Ko¡¯s legs once again reached for the Skull Helm nearby. It was the only cool thing to come out of Necromancer, that and the undead summonings. ¡°Ursula, remove the cloth,¡± The greenish wind aggressively returned on young Ursula as the pressure in Ko¡¯s throat was relieved and a soggy piece of cloth retreated from is mouth. The crunched ball of saliva hung suspended in front of him, dripping into the grass between his legs. ¡°Speak, necromancer¡± The order was all Ko needed for everything to come tumbling out. ¡°G-Gosh, am I glad to see you guys! The item... I-it''s in my inventory! You have to untie me!,¡± Like all players, having his hands or arms bound in any way prevented Ko from opening his displays or using non-passive Blessings of any kind, a mechanic he hated greatly. Ko suddenly cleared his throat. ¡°D-Do you guys have water, by chance? My mouth''s as dry as this plain! Perhaps a snack or somethin¡¯? I could go for some jerky, you guys like jerky? They have this peppered kind in Penatara. O-Oh I know I know, I look like I¡¯ve had enough to eat already¡­..Are you sure you killed them al-?¡± The soiled cloth returned its way into his open mouth, causing him to retch in surprise. Ko managed a frown as best as he could at the plump Stone Mage. Her faint smile seemed to grow less faint as her amber gaze took on a mocking look. He guessed he shouldn¡¯t be surprised, his tendency to ramble incessantly had always annoyed others. Bodhi stroked his short stubble in thought, his blue gaze studying Ko. Abruptly he frowned before nodding his head as if coming to a decision. He quickly closed the very short distance to Ko before slicing the rope constricting him with one clean, vertical arc of a slash. Ursula¡¯s eyes flashed in a mix of surprise and displeasure but was quickly concealed. Bodhi was a guildmaster after all. He was but one of them, Ko was sure. To his knowledge, the Wind Guards were the largest guild in all of H.O, boasting hundreds of members with multiple guild masters across the South. ¡°This peculiar item, Mancer. Now! ...No, no do not utter a single word! The item! Now!¡± Ko nodded quickly with a weak smile, absently stroking the Skull Helm now gripped in his paws. The moment the rope had dropped to his large thighs, he had reached for the helm without hesitation. Donning his helm gingerly, Ko cleared his mind of all extremities, Bodhi and Ursula, the battle, the haze, soot, and smoke, and thought of items belonging to him. The result was instant, a screen like the ones the Wind Guards encountered appeared before him, close enough to warrant a focus of the eyes but not far enough to require any meaningful effort in doing so. The baby blue, slightly transparent screen was not large, only about twelve inches wide and ten inches high. At the top right corner rested a white number out of fifty which indicated the amount of slots left in the inventory. Using the in-game eye tracker, Ko searched the miniature icons that rested in small squares across the display, making up a grid. As his eye met an item, smaller blue displays appeared sharing information on said item. His eyes hungrily paused over an icon of a small strip of dark meat...Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Peppered Jerky: Lean meat that¡¯ll make those buds tickle with delight! A Penataran favorite! (Hunger rating: C+)
...and quickly began moving down the grid again as Bodhi began to tap his boot, impatiently. Arms crossed, Ursula looked ready to smash his face in, her face a frozen, dirty scowl. She should really wipe that crap off, Ko thought. There was definitely a pretty face under all that grime. He thought she had nice eyes, albeit a little scary looking¡­ Focus. Ko ceased his screen peeking, returning to finding the item. His bad habit of constantly sorting his items using the various options found below the slots indicator, always seemed to disorganize him. A sudden thought occurred to him, so he scrolled back up to that very location and rested his eye on an icon showing the letters ¡®''N.E.W '' and focused so intently on it that it seemed to cave in as if he pressed it with a computer mouse. Those item icons shuffled then as they looked to sort to his choosing, newest first, and at the top left corner rested the sought after item.
??????: A small ball of glass harboring an enormous amount of [Shade]! Try breaking it!
Ko damn sure wasn¡¯t going to ¡®try breaking it¡¯! He wanted nothing to do with the thing. Even as a Necromancer, whose main element of practice was shade, just looking at the ball made his stomach turn and now knowing what the ball held¡­ With another look of intent, the glass ball was in his sweaty open palm in an instant as if it was there all along. Before he could close his inventory, Bodhi was there in an instant, snatching the ball from Ko before realizing it was glass and caressing with care with his free hand. Ursula moved to get a look from over the guildmasters small shoulders. Looks of confusion claimed their faces as small displays appeared with the description Ko already saw. ¡°This is¡­!¡± Bodhi began uncertainty before frowning, turning the darkly clouded ball here and there. Whatever he thought it was, he didn¡¯t anymore after reading the description. ¡°Shade¡­...So they¡¯ve finally returned then. This has to be Nevermore doing, yes?¡± Distracted, Ursula practically leaped out of her coat as Bodhi¡¯s questioning eyes turned to her. ¡°Oh yes! That can be the only explanation. I mean, finding Chaoswalkers here with the necromancer only confirms that. They must be up to something again¡± Bodhi nodded in agreement and their verbal speculation continued. Ko tuned them out as he used the edge of the boulder to lift himself up. While he was sweaty, his dark cloak and trousers were still untouched, albeit a little dirty. Especially his bottom which glued grass and dirt alike to it. He hadn¡¯t put up much of a fight when the Chaoswalkers caught him. It wasn¡¯t his forte, fighting multiple enemies alone. Once they took out the undead army he summoned, all he could do was surrender. The Wind Guard¡¯s conversation suddenly brought him back to reality. ¡°Well, why don''t we break it then¡± Bodhi suggested. ¡°Whatever this ball harbors, can¡¯t be tougher than those Chaoswalkers we took out¡± Ursula nodded in agreement. ¡°Let¡¯s do it. I¡¯ll gather the guar-¡± ¡°Nooooooooooo! You cannot!¡± Ko leaped for the ball but Ursula was there first, wand in hand and aimed at him. He slammed against the boulder before he could blink, hard. His vision shook as he staggered, gripping the edge of the boulder to steady himself. ¡°Why not, necromancer?¡± Bodhi began, lowering Ursula''s Valor hand which gripped the wand. Ko failed to stay on two feet and slid down the boulder to his bottom, trying to find his breath. ¡°It¡¯s time you gave us answers, concisely this time. No rambling. What is this ball? Are the Nevermore back? What are yo-..the Chaoswalkers planning exactly?¡± ¡°T-That ball¡­¡± Ko started, panting. ¡°That ball is the se-¡± ¡°Arghh! T-There''s more of them! Wind Guards, on m-¡± The sounds of fighting suddenly erupted behind Bodhi and Ursula as the Wind Guard was cut short. Cries and groans of pain sounded as swords clashed and the earth quaked once more. The haze obscured his view but Ko felt suddenly queasy. Someone was using Shade. He could feel the pulsing, ravaging energy from his place against the boulder. Bodhi and Ursula were alert in an instant, the latter charging towards the direction of the fighting. Bodhi was right behind, pausing only to place the ball in his inventory. With one last glance at Ko, the guildmaster disappeared into the haze. Ko found his feet once more, frantically looking at his clouded surroundings. Phantom Eye ceased the moment the fighting started, thank the Winds. Was it a Chaoswalker watching him then? Ko reopened his inventory to retrieve Dying Hope, a tall, bony white staff topped with a small opened mouth skull that glowed a pale dark purple, and swung it outward.
Army Of The Dead: Summon an army of various undead monsters to do your bidding! Manipulate them with other Blessings for various effects! (Cooldown Timer: 5m)
Ko groaned in frustration as the display winked out. The rest of his Blessing kit worked around his Ultimate, without it he was defenseless. Using the staff as a walking stick, his back still aching, Ko decided to head opposite of the fighting. His job was done. The seal was in the hands of The Tribunal now and no longer his problem. Sure, the Chaoswalkers would probably still hunt him but now they had no reason to. It would just be for revenge and revenge was a waste of time and Chaoswalkers didn¡¯t much like wasting time. Now he was free to do what he wanted, regardless of his chosen class. He would head for New Haven¡­! No, New Haven was too...social and those Red Elves were¡­..He shook his head of dirty thoughts. Now, Beddingfell could be the place to settle! He¡¯d always heard good things about the small city, although like most of Cordendosa, they supported slavery which he found repulsive. The idea of owning another being, even if it¡¯s a virtual one, made him want to throw up. Maybe he could loop around the plains and head back for Penat- Ko froze in his retreat, his neck hair raised once more. It was then that he realized the earth no longer shook and the plains were dead silent. That throbbing tingle of shade was stronger than ever. Turning his head slowly, he picked a spot just over the boulder and stared directly at it. Somehow, he knew he was staring directly at a Chaoswalker. He swung Dying Hope without thinking.
Army Of The Dead: Summon an army of various undead monsters to do your bidding! Manipulate them with other Blessings for various effects! (Cooldown Timer: 4m 27s)
¡°So, here lies the mole¡± A voice within the haze said, creepily. Mimicking the guildmaster. Ko recognized the voice regardless of the impression. ¡°Crap!¡± He exclaimed as a beam of desolate, dark purple shade energy shot from the haze towards him like a torrent from a fire hose. Managing to move his body to the ground, the beam still seared his shoulder as it soared past him. Clenching it through clenched teeth, Ko banged his foot against the ground in pain as pebbles from the boulder showered him. Feelings of real pain were customary with a virtual headset for games that allowed it. H.O was one of the few who did and were even ¡®nice¡¯ enough to dull the pain almost immediately. But not fast enough! ¡°F-fucking grounded realism!¡± Ko spat, his shoulder already becoming a dull ache. ¡°Tsk Tsk. Now you¡¯re blaming the devs for your punishment. How..like you, lard boy¡± Kuro said as he appeared from the haze. Clad in a dark robe which seemed to flow behind him like a river, the Chaoswalker seemed to be taking his time. A hood shielded a yellow face and a patient smile. His lidded eyes watched Ko in amusement. ¡°You¡¯re punishment for betrayal is long overdue, I¡¯m afraid¡± ¡°Kuro, m-my man..¡± Ko began, slowly scooting away on his bottom and constantly swinging his staff. How long was four minutes and twenty seven seconds, anyway?! ¡°C-can we maybe...chill? This is my last life you know and I haven¡¯t uhh e-experienced what all of Helm.Online has to offer¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I hear the third death is the most exciting¡± Kuro was past the boulder by now, his boots crushing grass and rock. Where was Bodhi and Ursula? Did Kuro take everyone out by himself?! Ko scooted faster. ¡°W-Well whoever gave you that uhhh..a-advice might have been spouting horsesh- Okay! Okay! Please don''t kill me! Let me talk to Nox-ahh!¡± Kuro had reached him now, using a boot on Ko¡¯s aching back to hold him place. Ko attempted to squirm free for about five seconds before giving up. For what it was, he had fun with H.O. After three deaths, Helm.Online banned you from the game forever. Lord knows why they added that garbage. While he wished for another class, Necromancer had its moments. Who wouldn¡¯t want to lead an army of the undead? He hadn¡¯t made any friends, to his regret. Not even with the Chaoswalkers. Most just tolerated his company because of his powerful class. He always had trouble forming interpersonal relationships beyond acquaintance. It seemed that transferred to the virtual world as well. Kuro seemed to have been waiting for his surrender because he finally broke the silence, that patient smile disappearing. ¡°Run¡± Was all he said before the weight of his boot disappeared. Ko paused in confusion for only a second before taking off. ¡°Faster, lard boy! Maybe I¡¯ll change my mind if I still see you in the next minute!¡± Ko moved faster, arms pumping and fat swinging, he had no idea why Kuro spared him but he didn¡¯t care. He was free¡­.He was finally free! The Scorched Plains of Cordendosa were silent save for his hysterical laughter. 1.1 - Swamp Eater Numerous tall, skinny trees topped with drooping, dark leaves shielded the bog of Darkwick Woods from the pale night sky. Light escaped through small gaps between narrow branches, casting very small pockets of light that barely managed to crack the darkness. The forest itself was a chorus of eeries cries, strange croaks, and incoherent hoots. Some calls went alarmingly silent as four players, two men and two women, traversed the natural waters and aquatic vegetation with the intent to be silent. They were anything but that however, as three of the four were engaged in conversation. The only quiet one, a lean, tall young man with dark, shoulder length hair tied in a ponytail and olive skin, held a small lantern. Its strong flame basked an orange hue around him and his companions. Kazim gripped the quest paper in one hand while his other moved the lantern here and there so he could take in his surroundings. He propped it against some trees as he fought the thick bog water with his quilted legs and ignored the rancid smell of decaying vegetation. The Murkian Gator was proving hard to find but he would not give up yet. He needed to prove himself and all he needed now was one clue to the whereabouts of.....One tree in particular caught his eye immediately and he stopped, leading to someone running into his back. ¡°Ow! Y-You big bear of a man! Why have we stopped?¡± Nyx said, backing away and rubbing her pink nose in frustration. The hand she used, her Valor hand, illuminated a pretty pink, oval face below a green, feathery wide brimmed cap. The tall womens pale blue gaze searched his face for an apology he wasn¡¯t going to give. ¡°First you drag us through mucky muck on some hunt in the middle of the night and now you bloody near break my nose?¡± ¡°Awww, is our little princess Stone Mage in need of a kiss on the nose¡± Gale began, hands clasped behind his neck and lips on the brink of a wry smile. His round face and bald head lied hidden under a green assassins cloak and hood with a triangular front that shadowed a lazy amber gaze. ¡°Maybe I should carry you. Keep you out of this water. Here, here. Come here...¡± Gale managed a hand around her slim waist before she nearly leaped out of her green half-cloak towards Kazim in disgust. Gale¡¯s smile turned into a full bellow of a laugh that racked his short, lean body. His sudden laugh earned one from Kazim as well. While nothing was particularly funny, the assassins deep, roaring laugh was so contagious that he couldn¡¯t help himself. Plus, the dignified Stone Mage made for easy teasing. She looked ready to throttle them both, her lone gloved hand raised as if to use a Blessing. ¡°Enough¡± Noir finally said. She sauntered past Gale and Nyx both, giving them quick looks as if to state she wanted no more foolishness. Gale¡¯s laughter ceased and he added a lopsided salute for good measure, the wry smile returning. Nyx composed herself, adjusting her white buttoned down, hat, and the short, dark bob cut beneath it. Lucky for Kazim, Nyx always seemed to forgive him easily. But, she would get back at Gale somehow. A conveniently placed foot for tripping was usually it. Last time Gale had teased her, it had been a wooden bucket of ice cold water in the morning. The guildmaster moved until she was at his side, examining what Kazim had seen on the tree. The cute young woman was short, coming only to his shoulder. With sharp brown eyes and skin that seemed to glow under the lanterns flame. A long, yellow bandana held dark braids that fell to her slender lower back. Hands clasped behind the back of a tight, green leather tunic below a green cloak, she studied the tree before glancing at the quest paper which held a detailed illustration of the Murkian Gator. Finally she turned to Kazim, her steady gaze somehow kicking everything else out of his mind. ¡°You think these are from the gator?¡± She asked pointing to the markings on the tree. Kazim had to rip his eyes away to return to the ravaged tree. It carried an assortment of thick, deep claw markings as if something way too big tried to climb it. The tree looked ready to split in half as a result. He cleared his throat. ¡°Um, yep. When there¡¯s little land or sea animals to feast on, the Murkian Gator likes to climb trees to hunt the birds. Its limbs are really strong and flexible, so it has no problem getting up but it fucks up the trees, as you can see¡± ¡°Where¡¯d you peep all that?¡± Gale said, as he joined Kazim and Noir, along with Nyx. ¡°I was with your ass all day and I don¡¯t remember you reading any dictionaries¡± ¡°Dictionaries are for...words...definitions¡± Nyx muttered with a shake of her head. ¡°Mistress Fury¡± Kazim simply said. The older beta tester turned local guild receptionist in Chas¡¯dan, knew more about the local Murkian beasts than any player he¡¯d ever met. Even Noir. Although, his guildmaster had spent most of her time in Olympia where she started out. ¡°Well, it''s good to see you¡¯ve done your homework¡± Noir praised with a small smile. Well I''m useless in battle so this is all I''ve got, he wanted to say but his guildmaster tended to frown at his verbal self depreciation. ¡°I believe we¡¯re close then. As we proceed, I¡¯d like to affirm our approach once we face the beast. It is very dark and we have but one lantern, so we must be careful.¡± She added. ¡°Lead the way, Kazim¡± They continued forward, Kazim finding more and more claw marks. Using them as a guide, he returned the quest paper to his inventory and as he seemed to do every five minutes, decided to check the back of his now free, glowing right hand¡­
[Valor] - 25 6,432 exp to next point
¡­.Is what rested on the back of it in glowing gold lettering. It dimmed a little as he returned his hand to his side with a sigh. Pathetic. The world of Helm held its own currency but Valor was the players rich, precious gold in the form of a leveling system. With it, you could buy Legendary weapons, items, and versatile Blessings from guild masters. It also gave you the authroity to use those items and Blessings as most, if not all, were behind a requirement wall. There were no stats in Helm. No attributes, no numbers to crunch, nothing. Players were naturally skilled and physically strong but a basic Fireball would sear him to death unless he stopped or avoided it. It''s why the five Blessings and items were vital. They turned the tide of battle and he had nothing but uncommon weapons and armor with no active abilties, and his ultimate. The one skill he automatically started with when he first joined a month ago.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. The cheapest Blessing he could buy from Master Fury was at least 300Valor and it wasn¡¯t even a Blessing a Wrath Knight could use. It took ages to level up with how much experience the stupid thing seemed to need! There was a pro. You gained Valor experience from doing almost anything. Just the other day, he reached level twenty-five just from relieving himself by a tree! Another pro was that there was a very, very slim chance to loot Blessings from beasts, but unless it was in a Dungeon where the chance was increased tenfold naturally, you needed lucks hand in marriage to find anything of worth outside. When Kazim finally did a week back, after managing to kill a Mammoth Owl with the guild, it dropped a Blessing...for another class. Blessings sold for good marks in the city but the incident still left a sour taste in his mouth. When would his luck begin? Adjusting his Stout Leather Armor from under his Basic Green Cloak, he thought of his skills and that familiar blue display came to meet him. The screen held four circular slots that were laid out horizontally. The leftmost four were empty while the very last one held an icon depicting a raging flame.
RAGE MODE: Enter a state of [RAGE], gaining invulnerability for 3 seconds and increased physical power!
Just great. Three! Three seconds! What the hell could he do in three seconds with no other skills to follow up with? Why couldn¡¯t he be a Warden or something? He heard they soaked up damage like a sponge and commanded the battlefield. One player he always heard about was a Warden named Elias who was a beta tester and hadn''t lost a single life to this day. That sounded incredible! He remembered character creation like it was yesterday, your appearance was based on your real world self, but a series of random questions having nothing to do with the game determined your role and class. After answering them, he was met with a screen saying ¡­
Congratulations adventurer! Your Role is...Warrior Your class is¡­.Wrath Knight
¡°Kaz¡­¡­.Kazim, are you listening?¡± Noir said, her voice pouring into his thoughts like honey. While in his thoughts, he had faintly heard his guildmates discussing something about the gator. ¡°No, not really. What¡¯s up?¡± He said, the display winking out. The amused smile she gave must¡¯ve been in surprise to his honest response. He liked to surprise Noir. She seemed to always know what he thought and where and which way his feet would go. She opened her mouth but Gale beat her to it. ¡°What element do you think that gators gonna be? I¡¯m shootin¡¯ for Marine, but these two think it''s Terra¡± Gale said with a look saying he couldn¡¯t believe the word had come from their mouths. ¡°How is it gonna be Terra? I mean, I don¡¯t know if you guys know this or not but gators swim...in water. We¡¯re knee high right now...in water¡± Gale allowed his statement to sit in the ensuing silence as if he blew their minds. ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was Terra, it''s just a possibility. I don¡¯t know if you know this but gators crawl on land as well¡± Noir rebuked, matter of factly. Their land versus water debate continued so Kazim approached Nyx who was busy in a display. ¡°What do you think, love?¡± He asked the Stone Mage. ¡°Blimey!¡± Nyx suddenly exclaimed, her accent in full swing. It took Kazim a moment to realize it was not in response to him but something she was seeing. She nibbled her gloved hand in thought. ¡°Regardless of the element, I have nothing to hurt it badly. Thunder beats Marine and Greenwind beats Terra but the only Blessing I can use for either situation is Zephyr which is Greenwind but it just increases an allies speed¡± Kazim frowned. He knew Nyx was a Blaze type Stone Mage, who used mostly Blaze Blessings to set things well... ablaze, but the thought of the Murkian Gator¡¯s element hadn¡¯t even crossed his mind until it was brought up. ¡°If it¡¯s Terra, we may be fine but if it''s Marine..and Marine beats Blaze¡­. what¡¯s that word you always use...Sketchy? This may get...sketchy¡± Nyx said as the display winked out. ¡°Nonsense, this isn¡¯t sketchy. We have Noir¡¯s Lightning. Easy peasy!¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not electrocute you all in this water by accident¡± Noir stated, joining them with Gale who wore a victorious smile. It seemed Noir had given up on their debate. Through her Rogue class, Edo, Noir had access to ninjutsu. A mechanic tailored only to her class that allowed her to conjure elements to enhance her weapons through various Blessing combinations. ¡°Oh...true.¡± Kazim mumbled. ¡°Just fight in your roles effectively and we should be fine.¡± Noir began, breaking the silence that had ensued. ¡°Kazim holds ¡®focus¡¯ while Gale and I bring it down. Nyx will provide support from the back, as us-¡± A thunderous roar cut his guildmaster short as a shower of leaves, brownish water, and debris flew their way from whatever force lied ahead in the darkness. Equipping his Shining Gauntlets, Kazim managed to smash a thick branch heading for them with a right jab. The splinters of what remained showered them instead. ¡°Eyes up, Swamp Eaters. He sounds hungry!¡± Gale said before disappearing into thin air, leaving a small cloud of smoke in his wake. The water caved in through some unseen force as the assassin prepared for an ambushing opportunity. The water shook slightly as something huge approached. Nyx raised a gloved hand, now enveloped in Blaze, magical dark, orange flame that seemed to conform to her hand. Noir equipped her twin Wakizashi, short curved bladed swords with lacquered wood hilts covered in gripping yellow fabric. Kazim quickly slid the lantern onto a tall branch nearby before readying himself. He had struggled against the owl but this time, Kazim was not going to let the Swamp Eaters bail him out. Skill-less and weak, it was time he kicked Helm.Online¡¯s ass for once. 1.2 - Killing Blow The shaking stopped and like a torpedo, a hulking mass of muddy brown scales, partially hidden inside the murky water, propelled itself towards them. Three small balls of dark orange flame nearly scorched Noir¡¯s braids as Nyx¡¯s Homing Flares swept past her and pelted the gator. The ensuing explosion of shadowed flame and smoke, harmless enough that it didn¡¯t reach the trees, hid whether the Blaze Blessing halted the beast at all. It didn¡¯t matter to Noir. She headed quickly for the darkness of the trees under a shower of dirty water. Nyx followed close behind. The Darkwick Woods were silent. Kazim stayed, just under the lantern which hung suspended on a thin branch above. A weak shove on the even thinner tree would easily have it fall but it granted a much needed source of light. Noir wondered if the well-formed man was a gift from god. Even with no skills and that abysmal Valor rank, he played as if he grew up with nothing but virtual reality. When she first traveled to the Murk to form a guild, she immediately found success with finding a Mage and another Rogue in the snappy Conservatory graduate Nyx and sometimes foolish but reliable Gale. But Chas¡¯dan was not known for its Warriors and yet, this is where Kazim first spawned a month prior. Ready for her to claim. ¡°Apologies¡± Nyx said softly at her side behind one of the thicker trees. ¡°Almost sent you ablaze there...along with the forest¡± Noir wouldn¡¯t lose sleep over it and even if Nyx managed to set the swamp aflame, rain would take it away the next day. It rains too much down here. She would be lying if she said she didn¡¯t miss Mytikas and its sparse rainfall. Seven feet tall and bulging with muscle, The Murkian Gator stomped its way into the lanterns vicinity on two legs. White underside held unnatural muscle. Strong arms boasted short thick claws that could rip anything in half. Its broad snout whirled through the air as it searched something with its nose. Its massive jaws finally settled, jet black eyes aimed directly at where Noir and Nyx hid. She shook her head absently as Kazim stood to face the gator who immediately whirled those eyes to him, puffing and snorting in a show of challenge. Homing Flare seemed to have little effect. It still surprised her everytime a beast could pinpoint where she hid, even when she knew why. All beasts in the game were programmed to seek out Rogues and Mages first. That''s where the damage was. It was the job of the Warriors to hold ¡®focus¡± or their attention, so everyone else could do their jobs. This was a little harder for her Wrath Knight who held no Blessings to warrant any sort of attention. ¡°Our answer to its element seems to be clear¡± She whispered. ¡°Marine¡± Nyx said with a frown. ¡°We should position ourselves¡± Noir whispered. ¡°I want you head a little further down so that you¡¯re behind him. No more fire. Just support us however you can. If you see Gale...Well...if you hear Gale, send him on the other side of the trees so we have the gator on all sides. ¡± The Stone Mage nodded before quietly scuttling away as Kazim engaged the gator in a flurry of swiping claws, spraying water, and brutal jabs. Kazim, chin tucked and eyes wide in alert, backed and moved with vigor as the gator pressed on. He miraculously dodged claws, swings of its heavy spiked tail, or snapping jaws. Fights ended fast in Helm.Online. One swipe of those claws and Kazim was dead. To balance this, there was something commonly referred to as the ¡®killing blow¡¯. Whenever any beast prepared to attack a player with a blow that could kill, the source of that attack would glow red for a brief second. It would go away so fast that any newbie player would freeze in confusion, their graves marked in the process. Noir beamed, watching Kazim in wonderment. For a newbie himself, he never seemed to miss that glow, and when he had the chance, he delivered a counter punch that had the gator reeling in anger. She could have headed back to Olympia, with all those Wardens, Hunters, and Paladins who would clamor at the chance to join her guild. That would¡¯ve been easy. But even with their high Valor ranks and legendary items, very few of them were as natural and as competent as Kazim. This was a game after all and all that power gave rise to foolish and reckless attitudes that she had no time for. That idiocracy just led to death in Helm. It also didn¡¯t hurt that he held the rarest Warrior class in Wrath Knight, a class with powerful potential. She knew a female Wrath Knight from her early Valor rank and that woman was a monster. It was too perfect. Now if only he could learn another skill¡­ ¡°You done admiring?¡± An invisible Gale said from somewhere behind her. She couldn¡¯t see him but she knew he wore that wry grin. Assassins were a scary bunch. A common ultimate found among them was From The Shadows, which granted them a long period of invisibility until they attacked. Gale was a friend but it still made her uncomfortable that a player with such a skill could watch her from the shadows and she wouldn¡¯t know it until they spoke or decided she needed a visit with a coffin. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°The other side! I told her to tell you to head for the other side of the trees¡± Noir said, looking at one direction. She hoped she was looking at the Assassin but when he spoke, it was from another direction entirely. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I heard¡­.Why don¡¯t we let him fight the thing alone? That way, he gets most of the experience...I mean, it looks like he¡¯s doing just fine without us..¡± ¡°Truly an original suggestion.¡± They had done that before with the owl and it had ended poorly because the wretched thing could fly. Nyx¡¯s Homing Flare came in handy that day. Noir turned back towards Kazim. Greenish wind danced around his body now. Where Rogues were the damage dealers, Mages were supports who controlled the enemy and the battlefield. Nyx leaned more towards the control side with only one support Blessing in Zephyr. Thanks to the skill, Kazims counters came more frequently as his tall body easily avoided swipes and tail whips at breakneck speed. It doesn¡¯t last long however, so he quickly returned to his careful approach as the gator increased its aggression. The gator seemed to not be moving any slower while Kazim showed a clear rise and fall of the body. A fault in the Warrior class. They weren¡¯t primary damage dealers and with no skills, Kazim had no punch to meet the gators bite. He could dance all he wanted but that wouldn¡¯t save him from exhaustion. ¡°Hmm, maybe not¡­.How is he gonna take that big boy down with no sword? This could take forever with those gauntlets¡± Gale suddenly said, echoing her thoughts. ¡°He could use that rage of his but if he doesn¡¯t finish the job, he¡¯ll be tired and useless after¡± ¡°Perhaps..¡± Noir murmured, tapping the blade of one of her Wakizashi on her chin in thought. At some point, she had decided to go with Gale¡¯s idea, against her better judgement. She wanted...needed him to rank up fast. ¡°...We¡¯ll jump in when it starts to get ugly¡± She was surprised the gator commanded no minions, as was common among beasts. Even the owl had some tiny versions of itself that had to be taken care of. As if on cue, a shrill scream from deep in the forest joined a chorus of erupting water as gators, half the size of The Murkian Gator, surrounded Kazim a little outside the lanterns light. Gale cursed. Kazim frantically looked from the minions to the gator and back. ¡°Who am I saving?¡± Gale asked. ¡°Nyx. I¡¯ll help him. Go!¡± Gale disappeared into the darkness, an invisible force that kicked murky water and disturbed greenery. Noir counted four minions as she appeared from behind the tree. All five, including the Murkian, almost immediately turned to her. Kazim shoved the distracted Murkian Gator toward the darkness. It wasn¡¯t a very strong shove and the gator even stayed on its feet, but it was enough to regain its ¡®focus¡¯. He¡¯s a natural. The minions however, wanted Edo blood. One of the skinny gators in particular couldn¡¯t wait and leaped towards her, narrow jaws parting in a ¡®killing blow¡¯.
Exploding Wound (Forward Slash ---> Any Kick): Send your foes to the grave in explosive style! Fail to kick them away, and you might get caught too!
The minion flew over her as she ducked, landing close in the water behind. She turned quickly on bent knees before she found her legs to deliver a deep forward slash on its underside with her right handed Wakizashi, Shock, just as it turned towards her. As the short gator squeaked in pain, she lifted a soaked tabi to spartan kick it into the darkness. The deep cut on its white belly sparked like a firecracker before the gator burst in a spray of illuminated glass. This was how death looked for beasts and players in H.O. No bodies or carcasses. Only virtual glass. She wiped her face of dirty water. Kazim continued to tango with the Murkian and to her surprise, one of the minions, who was trying to claw his back off. His Basic Green Cloak was shredded. Gale appeared then, unstealthed, attacking the Murkian Gator from the back with Zephyr around him and a single dagger in hand. The beast whirled on the assassin as Noir threw her left handed Wakizashi, Awe, at the minion clawing at Kazim. She had to get past the two other minions who awaited her next move.
Awe (Valor Req. 790) (Wakizashi): A short curved blade that allows the player to teleport to its location using its twin sister sword, Shock.
The blade sank into its scaly back. Noir shook Shock like a maraca and the world around her seemed to stretch and thin as if her entire reality were being torn apart from two ends. Her stomach churned but she readied herself for when reality would finally smoothen. It all happened in an instant and she was past the minions and behind the gator, hand clasped on the laquered wood of Awe. She swallowed bile before freeing her blade and shoving the minion away from her Wrath Knight. She used the same combo from before, delivering a forward slash into a spartan kick but this time she kicked the minion into one of the other two. As the two shattered in unison, the last minion leaped for her throat with its jaws. Silver gauntlets caught them mid air. Still holding its jaws open, Kazim slammed the poor minion into a nearby a tree which shook from the sudden force. It disappeared into the water ¡°Alright! Lets go help Gale, shall we?¡± Kazim said with a satisfied smile. But Noir didn¡¯t hear. She was staring at the tree which held the lantern. It was the one that Kazim had slammed the gator into. He must have saw her face because his expression changed quickly as she leaped to catch the lantern which plummeted towards the water. Her hand barely clipped the metal hoop as both her and the lantern met murky water. Strong hands pulled her up by the shoulders where she met utter darkness. She heard nothing but her coughing and Kazim¡¯s heavy breaths. ¡°Noir..¡± Kazim said, sounding alarmed. ¡°I didn¡¯t me-¡± ¡°Uhh guys!?¡± Gale frantically began from somewhere in the blackness. ¡°Bad news! Uh..I... I lost its ¡®focus¡¯ and I don¡¯t know where it went!¡± ¡°That means it''s coming for me..¡± Noir muttered, gently removing Kazim¡¯s hands from her shoulders. A beast tended to target the biggest threat among Rogues and Mages. Noir was that threat with the highest Valor. They needed light. She raised her voice. ¡°Nyx! If you can hear me, use your fire as a ligh-¡± Everything happened too fast. Kazim suddenly grunted in pain as he turned to fend off something behind him. Noir suspected the minion. She slashed blindly and managed to hit something before the minion shattered. The slightly illuminated glass particles gave a brief and tiny source of light. That was when she saw The Murkian Gator. It loomed over her and Kazim, jet black eyes sharp and nose silently puffing air. How had it sneaked up on them? The water? The particles lights were beginning to dissipate and she had no time to think as the vicious gator lifted thick dirty claws in a ¡®killing blow¡¯. Kazim shoved her away, hard. She managed to stay on two feet as she slammed against a nearby tree. This fool! ¡°W-what are yo-?!¡± The shadowy Darkwick Woods once again found an inkling of light, as the beasts ¡®killing blow¡¯ finally hit home and Kazim shattered. 1.3 - Login Successful
You have died! ...... Valor changed from 25 ------> 15 ...... 2 lives remaining! ¡°We all die but not all adventurers truly live¡± - Salvatore, The 3rd Adventurer King
......
Login Successful! ..... Welcome to Helm.Online
The world finished materializing around him and Kazim, bare fist raised, searched for something to punch. He found that something in a blank grey gravestone. ¡°Ow!¡± I¡¯m actually an idiot! Why had he slammed the gator into that tree? It could have been any other tree! Another thought occurred to him then. He could have used Rage Mode, as a source of light. The bright crimson aura that flowed from him would have helped. Even if only for three damn seconds! As he shook his hand, he pushed self pity aside for the moment as he tried to figure out where the hell he even was. The moment the gator killed him, he had ripped his headset off in frustration and logged off. It was an early, humid morning in The Murk. The sky was a painting of brilliant orange. More gravestones of various sizes and colors decorated the area, around and in between beautiful, perfectly clipped hedges and skinny trees top with a plentiful amount of healthy looking leaves. It was in total contrast to Darkwick Woods¡¯ mucky looking greenery. I know this place. Kazim¡¯s boots clapped white cobble as he scanned the Chas¡¯dan cemetery. Tall white stone pillars topped with statues of a sprouting plant, the sigil of Chas¡¯dan, marked entrances to towering gravestones which probably held some late king or queen. For such a place of grief, Kazim found it a thing of beauty. It was his first sight of Helm when he first spawned. With a wool shirt and tan trousers, he had wandered the maze-like graveyard for an hour or so before he finally found the road that led to Chas¡¯dan. He nearly tripped on a piece of stone that stuck out from the rest. As he looked down towards it, he realized he wore the same wool shirt and trousers from before! A thought occurred to him and he opened his inventory to discover everything was gone. Every..single..item! He passed a hand through his dark hair, ripping the hair tie out in frustration. So, this was death in Helm? Minus ten Valor and the loss of your entire inventory? ¡°Brutal fucking..!¡± Kazim wanted to rip his hair out then. Instead, he stuffed his hair tie in his inventory. The game had beaten him once again. If he had known the cost of death, he definitely would have been more careful. Master Fury didn¡¯t teach adventurers about death as a way of motivating them to focus more on surviving but Kazim would have at least liked a mention of this. Although, he could¡¯ve always just asked his friends. The thought of his friends returned him to the depths of self pity. He would be kicked out, no doubt. About time. There was no need to hold them back any longer. Noir had long made her ambitious to be the best guild in Helm clear. A guild to rival the talked about Wind Guards, the Earthdancers, Rising Hammer¡­. He sighed with relief as he found the dirt road, shrouded by a line of trees with leaves that nearly covered them whole. From an hour, to only minutes. There was something to finally be proud of. Before jogging down the stone steps that led to the road, he paused and looked back at a statue which marked the rose spotted entrance of the cemetery. The statue of Mother was at least six feet tall. It held a slender woman of white ceramic. Her long gown and curled hair cascaded and waved as if facing an unbearable wind. Her blank face, void of any sort of facial features, stared up at a smooth stone which floated above her small, cupped hands. He found himself walking to stand before her. A small display came to meet him, bearing the inscription which rested below the woman on a rectangular plinth.
Statue of Mother, the goddess of Helm (Chas¡¯dan Cemetery) Our beloved Mother, who forged the world with powers unmatched, who guided the winds and man against the chaos, who birthed champions to continue the fight as chaos reigned. May the winds ease her path.
How had he missed this juicy piece of lore before? There was a similar statue of Mother in Chas¡¯dan, but it was inside the castle gates and unless the mage king wanted audience, there was no getting past those burly Flourish Knights who guarded the gates with their Darwick spears and antler helms that they¡¯d be happy to ram anyone with. After deciding to join Helm, he had done a little research to get an understanding on the whole ¡®Nevermore¡¯ business that the Helm developers seemed to enjoy shoving in their advertising. Mother created Helm and its ¡®mirror¡¯ world, Never. Never got a mind of its own, literally, and started a cosmic dimensional war with Mother with the beings called Nevermore. She won but died in the process, not before ¡®birthing¡¯ the players of the game, who were the beta testers during the game¡¯s early stages almost five years ago. The ¡®champions¡¯. Too bad the Nevermore were gone now! Apparently a year before he joined, The Tribunal and its coalition of adventurers finally destroyed the Nevermore and classes like the Chaoswalker for good and they haven¡¯t been seen since. This transferred to the real world too in hundreds of angry posts and videos of those unfortunate players expressing their frustrations with dying and losing their characters forever to the ¡®good guys¡¯. Why were they getting stronger? To fight gators and raid dungeons forever? He could not have joined at a worst time. Kazim turned his eyes to the stone Mother cupped preciously. He had no idea what the thing was but it seemed familiar. Oval and smooth, it looked like the stone that Nyx always wore around her neck on a string. She always seemed to hide it in her shirt. What was it called again? Chasmum? Chacum? No, that wasn¡¯t right. Peddlers in the city always advertised their wide array of the¡­.whatever it was called. Especially towards the mage adventurers. Some Stone Mage business. With a light shrug, he kneeled before Mother, one knee with an arm across a leg before closing his eyes. A lot of NPC¡¯s and even players loved to pray and thank the ¡®Winds¡¯ for a bit luck or...something. Gale would always joke about how the developers were the ¡®Winds¡¯ and that they were always watching, ready to screw you over if you left their good will. Well he was done fighting them. If they wanted a champion, he would be that champion. He¡¯d play nice...for now. ¡°May the winds ease your path, Mother.¡± The cemetary was silent save for chirping birds. Nothing. With a sigh, he stood and turned to go. He didn¡¯t know what he expecte- ¡­..And may they ease yours, Wrath Knight. A yelp that could shatter glass escaped him as he nearly leaped from his boots. He whipped his head around in a frenzy only to find that he was still alone. What the hell? Was he losing his mind? The female voice sounded like it came from inside his head. He rushed to the statue, looking it up, down, and around. A wave of his hands across Mother¡¯s face produced no results. ¡°Hunting for gold there, champ?¡± A familiar voice suddenly said. For second time, Kazim leaped and turned to find his friends. Dirty, soaked, and tattered, they each held differing expressions. His mind raced. Gale, unhooded to display his bald head, held an anger in his sharp, amber gaze that Kazim had never seen before. Nyx, brimmed cap ajar and face pinker than bubblegum, looked ready to freeze him with her blue daggers for eyes before setting him on fire. Noir¡­ Kazim gulped as he forced himself to meet his guildmaster in the eyes. Her fair browns just seemed tired, but her nostrils flared as if she were fuming internally. ¡°Hey...Guys, I¡­I¡¯m sorry...I.¡± The words fell faster than he did to the gator. He raised a hand in surrender before letting it fall to the side. ¡°Just kick me out alre-¡± ¡°Bahahahaha!¡± Gale¡¯s lean body bent forward as his body shook with laughter. Huh..? ¡°Gale! Godammit! Can you play along for one second?! This was your idea!¡± Noir said. Her lips quivered as if holding back a laugh. She succumbed quickly and leaned on Gale to laugh along with him. ¡°My bad, my bad! I couldn¡¯t stop it! He looked like he was about to cry, haha!¡± Gale managed through contagious laughter. A smile found its way on the dignified Stone Mage as well but she still raised a gloved finger for scolding. ¡°I would invite you to be more careful this time around, Kazim¡­...We very much enjoy your company and It would be most unfortunate to see you lose all your lives to¡­.alligators¡± Nyx laughed, a hand covering her mouth.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°I hate you guys..¡± Kazim muttered, face in palm as he chuckled softly. A smile that reached his eyes hid underneath. I don¡¯t deserve you guys. ¡°Heh, so did you at least kill the stupid thing?¡± ¡°Noir did¡± Gale said, wiping tears from his eyes. ¡°After you got thirsted, she told us to back off and she used that lightning shit¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t electrocute yourself in that water?¡± Kazim asked the guildmaster. Noir wiggled a finger on her Valor hand that held a ring with a small, pale yellow gem he hadn¡¯t noticed before. ¡°Talisman of Lightning Resistance.¡± Kazim nodded. You could equip anything on your head, body, hands, legs, and feet, but there was also two slots for a talisman, items with special traits that usually came in the form of rings or necklaces. Nyx suddenly tossed him a small, brown sack that could probably carry loose change. It definitely wasn¡¯t change as he nearly dropped it in surprise at the sudden weight of it. It weighed at least five pounds! ¡°What the hell is this thing?¡± ¡°Your bloody items and Valor¡± Nyx said with a frown as if he was an idiot. So, you could get your items and Valor back too?! ¡°She had to drop a lot of her herbs and materials in order to carry it¡± Noir added, her laughter having ceased with Gale¡¯s. ¡°Either of us could have dropped items and carried it but Nyx insisted. You owe her one¡± Kazim nodded, placing the sack in his inventory. His Valor hand lit up briefly. ¡°Thanks, Nyx.¡± Noir walked towards the statue, a display appearing as she read the inscription. She seemed to be favoring one foot over the other. ¡°Hmph!¡± Nyx crossed her arms across her tattered blouse, watching him with a raised chin. He made a mental remainder to repay his debt soon before she used him for nefarious means, like getting back at Gale. As Nyx joined Noir at the statue, the assassin approached him with a display blocking his face. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe what the gator dropped, man¡± He said, eyes flying through his display. ¡°What? More Rare and ups I can¡¯t use¡­.No, let me guess¡­.More Commons I can use¡± This was always the case when they slayed a beast together. It was always stuff they could use or stuff he couldn¡¯t use because of his rank. He still held some of those items he couldn¡¯t use yet in his inventory. The rest, he sold to peddlers and vendors. H.O¡¯s currency, emeralds, kept him fed, kept his crap armor from falling apart, and kept a shared room with Gale at a local inn. All of his current stuff, the Shining Gauntlets, Stout Leather Armor, Basic Boots, and the Leather Leggings, were vendor bought. The city vendors also sold helms but all they did was obscure his vision. The Basic Green Cloak was a gift from Noir after becoming a Swamp Eater. ¡°Dude, its the opposite! Along with the materials,¡­.you know the claws and the scales all that crap we have to turn in,..it dropped two items, just two...and just for you. Merry Christmas!¡± A sword and scaled looking armor suddenly fell from his display. Miniature displays immediately caught his eye as both items glowed a faint blue. Rare?!
Mudslinger (Valor Req. 20) (Shortsword): A rusty looking shortsword
Swamp Scale Armor (Valor Req. 25): Scaled armor that grants the player increased movement speed when submerged in water!
¡°The ability for the armor is garbage¡± Kazim muttered, placing both items in his inventory. ¡°Well if The Murk ever floods over from all this rain, it¡¯ll come in handy¡± Gale said, as he retrieved his dagger from his inventory, tossing and twirling it around his Valor hand. It was a short bladed dagger with a slightly curved blade. A dark grey, leather grip with a crossguard made up the hilt as the entire weapon glowed a faint purple. Legendary. ¡°Be grateful you got something. I need a new dagger.¡± ¡°Already? What''s wrong with Shadowkeeper?¡±
Shadowkeeper (Valor Req. 400) (Knightly Dagger): A short, slightly curved blade that increases the duration of [From the Shadows].
That was the name of the smoky dagger. Gale seemed to go through daggers faster than Nyx did Blessings. They both never seemed to stick to one thing like Noir. It made sense in retrospect. They were both around the late four hundreds in Valor rank and while experienced, they were still growing and discovering what they each liked. Far past the suffering the he was going through but not yet at the stability that Noir had reached. ¡°Nothing really...the prolonged stealth is nice but I need some power you know? I want to rip things to shreds, not hit it and run.¡± Gale playfully swiped and slashed through the air before examining the blade with a look of dissatisfaction. Kazim shook his head as he checked his Valor. Just retrieving his items had brought it back to twenty-five. He opened his inventory before the Swamp Scale Armor replaced his wool shirt, Leather Leggings to his trousers, and Basic Boots to his...Basic Boots. The light armor really was scaled, like gatorskin. The mossy green chest piece was held by leather straps of the same color, on his shoulders and waist. Dirty gold buttons fastened the armor in place and his arms were bare, save for his right arm which held a small sort of scaled elbow pad. The single chest piece and bare arms was a welcome change. It was hot down in The Murk and his leather armor had always made him feel stuffy. The ability to move faster in water made sense now. The armor was light and with his arms free, he could swim with no problems. Mudslinger was met with less enamor. The blade indeed looked rusty. With a dirt speckled blade and a dirty brown hilt, it looked like it was forged in the depths of a swamp. If he was going to finally use a sword, this was not going to do. He had always preferred bigger swords in other games. Chas¡¯dan had nothing of the sort, save for peddlers or other adventurers who sold or traded awesome swords behind ridiculous prices. It was reason he had chosen to use the gauntlets in the first place. Easy to afford and he didn¡¯t mind a good fistfight. Maybe not with ripped alligators. ¡°You guys ready?¡± He nearly jumped at Noir¡¯s sudden voice from his side. She smiled as if reading his mind but it disappeared quickly as if she remembered something unpleasant. Odd. He returned Mudslinger to his inventory as Nyx opened her mouth. ¡°Yes, if you two are done ogling over your weaponry, I¡¯d like to be at the inn before it starts pouring¡± Kazim glanced up. Clouds were already beginning to form in the rapidly greying sky. Not waiting for an answer, Nyx sauntered back towards the dirt road. With a shrug, Gale followed close behind. He whistled an unfamiliar tune as he continued to twirl Shadowkeeper. Before Noir could follow, Kazim stopped her gently with a hand on her shoulder. He crouched in front of her, his back to her. ¡°Come on. I know you hurt your foot or something.¡± He said. Noir eyes widened. She attempted to stand normally in an instant before quickly shifting weight back onto one foot. In that moment, he hadn¡¯t seen single flash of pain in her eyes. A tough one, she was. ¡°It''s fine..Uh..It¡¯s fine, really..I..¡± She trailed off, watching him with an unreadable expression. He returned her gaze, straightening back up. His guildmaster was injured and in pain and as a reliable guild member, he simply wanted to help. That was all. Nothing more. She tapped a finger on her chin in thought, a hand on her small waist. ¡°Alright, but only because my foot hurts....¡± ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Noir ruefully looped her arms around Kazim¡¯s neck. But before she could get her legs around him, the fool jerked upright. She dangled off, nearly hitting the cobbled stone before finally finding herself as he locked his hands under her bottom to keep her up. Kazim almost cracking her skull irritated her enough that she suddenly remembered she was mad about something. Mad at him! ¡°I still haven¡¯t forgiven you for ¡®rescuing¡¯ me from the gator like I¡¯m some damsel in distress! I¡¯m max rank! ¡± ¡°My bad and..¡± He turned his neck slightly. A look of pure disbelief took on his handsome face. ¡°What¡¯re you..? Where¡¯d did this even come from? I saved your life!¡± ¡°So?! Did you hear what I just said?!¡± She snapped. ¡°You¡¯re guildmaster! I think it¡¯s safe to say, you¡¯re safety is a priority!¡± She opened her mouth to retort but he beat her to it. ¡°Our friends our waiting, we can debate later¡± Debate?! This was a serious issue! Gale had gotten the brilliant idea to pretend to be mad when she actually was mad all along. This moment alone was the perfect time to confront the issue. She refused to be like other guildmasters, damsels who sat behind their members to save their lives and precious legendaries. She hadn¡¯t formed a guild to raid dungeons and reap the rewards from the backline like so many others did. That was not who she wanted to be and Kazim would learn that whether he wanted to or not! Noir settled down however, as her Wrath Knight proceeded towards the dirt road down stone steps in a tense silence. They could talk later and the piggyback ride was for the best. During her solo dance with The Murkian Gator, she had twisted her ankle. It was nothing that Nyx¡¯s potions couldn¡¯t heal but the shot of pain that hit her everytime she put weight on the foot was too much. No matter how quickly H.O dulls the pain, it was not a pleasant feeling. The dirt road was just that, a road of bare dirt. It made the tall, dark leaved trees that lined each side of it even more gorgeous than it already was. Pockets of light rested up and down the road as birds chirped and pecked at wood from hidden places above. Nyx, arms crossed, watched their approach with questioning eyes. Noir did not look forward to the Stone Mage lighting her ear aflame with questions of her¡­.relationship with Kazim back at the inn. Gale was not as subtle, of course. Still twirling Shadowkeeper, he watched them as if his imaginary ship had finally sailed. That wry smile of his somehow even more wry. ¡°She hurt her foot¡± Kazim said with a dry smile. Gale nodded proudly, raising a thumb. Noir shook her head. Men. They proceeded towards sunlight marking a clearing of the trees in relative silence. Gale, Kazim, and Nyx began to discuss their plans for the day. Noir listened in silence, yearning for a bath. She probably smelled like a swamp and as mad as she was at Kazim, she still felt a little embarrassed being close. He smelled like the great outdoors. His new armor looked nice but the scales on it pricked her legs through her Tribal Rogue Pants, dark baggy leggings that gave her a lot of freedom in the movement department but little in the way of protection. Was she just being stubborn about his actions ? Maybe. But in her eyes, there was difference between teamwork and what he did. Even in the situation they were in, the last thing she wanted was for someone to sacrifice themselves for her. I¡¯d rather have died with him. Dirt turned to cobbled stone as they finally reached the clearing of trees and onto a low hill. The trees gave way to sprawling, flat farmland. Small animals and even some weak beasts roamed the land in random pockets among the various fields. But the land and its beasts proved inferior to what lied a short distance way. A massive dome barrier of white, Bright magic shielded a mossy log wall that was nearly twenty feet tall. It surrounded a small city of slated roofs with chimneys that trickled smoke. Hundreds of chimneys. A broad road ran through the middle, another east and another west. Each held dozens of wagons and pedestrians who trudged along with a sort of purpose. This carried on to the skies, where unrecognizable figures zoomed through the sky on Greenwind or chunks of earth made of Terra. In the far distance lay the palace, just a piece of it. A dark spire of intricate stonework. The sprouting tree sigil waved on a light green banner at its top. Noir wiped water from her neck as a raindrop met it. The city hidden in the The Murk awaited and so did a bath. 1.4 - Thwarter Of Chaos A chill passed through Kazim as he and his friends passed through the barrier of Bright magic almost seamlessly. It was apparently erected during the war a year ago by some adventurer to keep out the Nevermore. He wondered what was the point of even keeping the thing up with them gone. It may be used now to preserve the ¡®allure¡¯ of the city. Kazim wasn¡¯t afraid to admit that his first time seeing the city hidden in The Murk had his jaw hitting the floor. The roar of the city life became much clearer as those figures in the sky became recognizable. They were players, of course. Stone and High mages racing and playing on wisps of Greenwind or mounds of dark earth. He didn¡¯t really know what the difference was between the two mage classes but the way they dressed always stood out. Most Stone Mages looked like Nyx, brimmed caps and half cloaks with dark or white breeches. They always carried a glove or a wand. High Mages on the other hand, looked like typical mages found in every form of media. Wizard hats that looked way too big. Long, odd looking staffs and hooded capes. He had never seen a High Mage fight so the real difference maybe lied somewhere else. Various wagons rolled through the broad cobbled road among locals and adventurers. Hucksters and peddlers on item crowded wagons or on the smooth, grey stone sidewalk, shouted out prices for their ¡®exotic¡¯ and ¡®never before seen¡¯ loot that would surely be of use to any adventurer. Some even seemed to fight each other, shouting over each other in the same vicinity. A shake of the fist or a side eye showed how they felt in response. The locals were a completely different story. In robes and wool dress of various greens, the Chas''danians were known for their tranquility and composure, a calmness that was as clear as day among the frenzied merchants and adventuerers. They just went about their business without a care in the world. Some clopped around the fuss on spiked, wooden sandals that could get anyone through The Murk''s mud. Others found a way to talk over the crowd noise under wide, straw hats. These hats were a Chas''dan staple. They could keep your face dry under the constant barrage of rain. Kazim could use one of those bad boys. The burly Flourish Knights on guard at the log wall¡¯s entrance stood tall, with chests pumped through their finely crafted leather armor. One arm was behind their backs while the other held Darwick spears pointed to the sky. Their eyes looked forward through slits in their antler helms, steel helms topped with real bone structures of some deer or unknown creature. It was ridiculous looking but Kazim couldn¡¯t help but imagine how¡¯d react to getting charged by them. The knights didn''t move a muscle as the party passed by and onto Chas¡¯dan¡¯s wide main road. ¡°I kind of zoned out back there, what¡¯re you guys up to today?¡± Noir asked them. Usually when she asked that, she didn¡¯t have anything planned herself. ¡°I aim to heal that foot of yours and gather my materials¡­.again¡± Nyx answered, raising an eyebrow at Kazim. He smiled innocently. Even dirty and tattered looking, Nyx walked with a dignified strut as if she never looked better. ¡°I think I¡¯ll stay online lest you need me¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate the healing but feel free to log off. I have no plans for us today, to be completely honest¡± Noir said. Nyx nodded. ¡°Gale? What about you? Chasing another girl?¡± Gale chuckled, scratching his bald head. ¡°Well since you asked..There was this red elf at the inn who wanted to get together and¡­.Woo! The legs on that one!¡± ¡°Oh god, no nevermind. I don''t want to know!¡± The guildmaster gagged and heaved which had him and Gale howling. What really got Kazim was Nyx shaking her head at the sheer indecency of it all. With Noir still on his back, Kazim had been adjusting his grip on her as he maneuvered in and around the crowd of people as they talked. Gale and Nyx were never too far behind. A thickening of the crowd stopped him in his wake. He adjusted his grip on Noir again as he stood on his toes to see what was going on. It seemed some peddlers wanted to do more than shake fists. Flourish Knights, from out of nowhere, quickly entered the circle that had formed around the fighting men. After they broke it up, the circle quickly dispersed as fast as it had formed. They continued down the road as Noir suddenly squeezed his chest gently. She leaned towards his ear. ¡°We should..talk¡± She whispered almost reluctantly, her breath tickling his ear. Any other day, being this close to Noir would have had his blood pumping. But she was upset with him and he still didn¡¯t quite understand why, so he felt irritated. A talk with her would likely solve the issue but he needed to settle down for the moment or their ¡®talk¡¯ would devolve into another shouting match. For the short time he had known her, they rarely clashed but when they did, it was always over small things and it didn''t take much for shouting to ensue. He couldn¡¯t wrap his head around it. Gale would likely know. Gale always knew what to do when it came to girls. Another thing he couldn¡¯t wrap his head around was his anger. It felt irrational, unneeded at times. Whenever he felt any sort of aggravation, he yearned to enter Rage Mode. Even at the graveyard, he almost activated it for no reason at all. Right then, Rage Mode was this..this sweet nectar his body craved but his mind refused to succumb to. ¡°Later¡± Kazim finally said, shaking his internal disputes away. ¡°I need to talk to Master Fury and I think turning in the quest is a priority too, right?¡± Noir sighed but said nothing as they reached their destination. Chas¡¯dan square was as bustling as ever. From their place at the southern main road, other broad roads heading west, east, and north could be seen. Each of the four corners of the intersection held an inn and like the peddlers, they enjoyed the business of serving the adventurers. The players in question, laughed and discussed various topics together around the square and in front of the inns. Even in the early morning, lots of new and veteran players were out and about, ready to take on a quest or hang out in the city. Some were small guilds, with matching armbands and apparel color, or just full on face paint with almost identical attire. There were even some loners, reading books at small tables outside the inns, or sitting by the porcelain fountain at the squares center, with a face full of displays. The Easing Hand was the inn located between the north and east roads. A seemingly small looking, corner stone building with a wooden sign over the door. It held a simple, yet lovely painting of a mother easing her child into bed. Noir suddenly slipped off his back and without a word, limped across the road towards the already open door of the Easing Hand. ¡°Woah, why is she ice cold all of a sudden?¡± Gale asked, eyebrow raised. Kazim didn¡¯t hear. He watched as his guildmaster shouldered past some players blocking the inn before limping inside. Did I say the wrong thing? A finger suddenly appeared in front of him before his eyes refocused to reveal a frowning Nyx. She was tall enough that they were almost eye level. ¡°Now listen here, chap. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on and frankly, I don¡¯t care. Knowing you two, you¡¯re probably fighting over some gloves the Murkian Gator dropped! In any case, I would like it fixed! At least before we venture out again¡± ¡°Sure, Nyx.¡± Was all he said. It took two to make amends. ¡°I¡¯ll try¡± Nyx, hands on hips, tapped her foot as if forgetting something. Abruptly, she stopped and turned back to him. ¡°Three echinacea root and one chamomile¡± ¡°Three¡­..What?!¡± Was that even english? ¡°I¡¯ll need three echinacea roots and one chamomile to replace the materials I¡¯ll use to craft a potion that heals Noir. The roots can be found outside the city and the chamomile has very pretty white petals you won¡¯t miss¡­...Oh, don¡¯t look at me like that. You¡¯re debt could have been much worse¡­...Gale, you little wanker¡­.Good luck to you and your...pursuits. Try not to get kicked in the bollocks this time around, yes?¡± Before Kazim could even get a word in, Nyx was strutting across the road and into the Easing Hand. ¡°She¡¯s a piece of work, ain¡¯t she?¡± Gale muttered from his side, arms behind his neck. ¡°..and that was one time. One time!¡± Kazim only sighed with relief. It could have been much worse. Swamp Eater didn¡¯t have a lieutenant yet but if Noir were to decide today, there was no doubt who it would be. ¡°She didn¡¯t even give me the quest materials.¡± Gale jumped as if he been stung. ¡°Whoops, that one is on me. I almost forgot...¡± A display covered Gale¡¯s face before, for the second time today, a small brown sack flew into Kazim¡¯s hands.
Congratulations! You¡¯ve acquired¡­. Murkian Gator Claw (1) Murkian Gator Head (1) Murkian Gator Tail (1) Murkian Gator Scale (1)
¡°If I¡¯m not in the room, just drop my cut on my bed.¡± Gale held a closed fist towards him with a radiant toothy grin only he could have. ¡°I¡¯ll catch ya later,....alligator! Ha!¡± Kazim audibly groaned before he met his friend¡¯s fist with his own. ______________________________________________________________ Kazim took to the western road and it didn¡¯t take long for the pestering to begin. ¡°A lovely morning to you, sir adventurer! Care to take a look at my wares?!¡± ¡°Bless the winds! A Wrath Knight? In Chas¡¯dan of all places?! Why, I just happen to have just the sword for you!¡± ¡°Igor wish you good morning. Igor sell fine swords and armor. Igor like your armor but think he sell better. Igor sell cheap.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be honest here, warrior classes rule and the mages drool. You get me? So why don¡¯t we trade? Your emeralds, my loot. Low Valor. All cheap, all legendaries¡± That last person was another player, a rogue assassin who lifted a large chest to reveal several legendaries. Kazim eventually and reluctantly shrugged him off as well. The western road was a living hell. Since it harbored the local guildhouse, newbies like him were easy pickings for the peddlers and player traders. Some were honest businessman, while others just wanted to scam. Kazim reached a dead end in the form of a cul-de-sac where one building rested. The local guildhouse. Smooth stone steps with pedestals at its entrance railing, led up to a two-story square, cobbled stone building. He passed finely cut hedges shaped like the sprouting tree until he faced double doors bearing clouded windows and golden knobs. He entered to a different sort of buzz. Paneled with dark wood and lit up with an abundance of wall lanterns, the guildhouse common room was always moving. Round tables decorated the large, loud room where players sat and ate, argued with friends, or messed with inventories. One player was even doing what looked to be some irish dance on one table as players clapped a beat.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. A fairly large board rested on the room¡¯s side which was crowded with more mingling players. Tacked on parchment paper lined it in droves with detailed illustrations and information on various quests. With no Nevermore, the quest board was always stuffed with NPC submissions, to the point where quests papers were being tacked onto to other quest papers. They ranged from mundane pickups, material gathering, escorts, beast hunts, everything. On the other side rested a long counter which held a sort of diner for serving snacks and drinks. A player was there now, a High Mage with long, dirty blonde hair. She smiled nervously as she accepted emeralds from another of her class. More closer to where he entered lied reception, where adventurers first joined the guildhouse and thus, symbolically, joined The Tribunal. As a result, they swore to abide by its law. Kazim had long forgotten all the laws Mistress Fury had been required to read to him but he vividly remembered the ¡®no murder or rape¡¯. He still couldn¡¯t believe there were people out there who played this game to do those things. He set his sights on reception and locked eyes with a stout woman. Mistress Fury was the epitome of motherly. With greying dark hair, her even darker, tranquil eyes lit up as they met his. The skirt of the beta tester¡¯s finely sewn, green dress swirled as she walked to him. She took his hands into hers with a strong grip. Her olive skin mirrored his. ¡°?Nuestro peque?o guerrero! Our little warrior! Welcome back! I expect you bring only news of success?¡± She said with a rhythmic accent. Kazim made the decision then to not mention his death. Not to her at least. It would only lead to scolding and an insistence or further learning. Plus, a disappointed Mistress Fury would break his heart. ¡°?Por supuesto se?ora! Of course. Mistress! I have great friends, so the quest was easy¡± The Mistress clapped lightly. ¡°That¡¯s great, Kazim!¡± She placed a hand on her cheek. Her eyes stared past him as if she rediscovered some old memory. ¡°I knew the day those three friends of yours barged in here a month ago that you would finally find your path¡± Kazim nodded, smiling fondly. He remembered that day well. Gale had nearly busted the door down. The common room fell silent then. First in sudden fear, then in awe as Noir, a max rank, walked among them, eyes scanning for a particular class. They found that class¡­.they found him at a round table in the corner, chowing down on a pastry. Noir had slammed the table, startling him, to inquire about his class. After his answer, she demanded right then, that he join Swamp Eater. It all happened, just like that. After turning in the Murkian Gator remains, Mistress Fury gave him a whopping one thousand emeralds! It was a lot but having to split it four ways only left him with two fifty, which would be gone by the end of the week. Even when he tried to save, some crap always came up that emptied his pockets. He should learn to shoot dice like Gale. While he wallowed in brokedom, Gale always seemed to draw luck scamming patrons at the Easing Hand. He stuffed the ridged, green coins in his inventory before inquiring about Master Fury¡¯s whereabouts. Having played the game for nearly five years, you¡¯d think the old man would get tired of it all. But nope, not Master Fury. He was known to occasionally disappear for days to slay beasts. To his surprise, Mistress Fury gestured towards the back of the common room, where wide stairs led to the second floor. It seemed he was in his study. She even offered to escort him. Kazim followed her as she headed for the stairs. They passed mingling adventurers who enthusiastically greeted the Mistress but paid him no mind. Being the sole warrior made it hard for him to connect with anyone in the guildhouse. The room was filled with mostly High and Stone mages with the occasional Seer. Wrath Knight and Seer were a little alike, he realized. Both were the rarest classes possible in their respective roles. Before they got to the stairs. a dark, metal lantern suddenly appeared in Mistress Fury¡¯s hand from her inventory. She took in a large breath of air before she blew. It now held a small flame. What Blessing was that?! The old wood of the stairs creaked and moaned as they climbed, surrounded by a ring of orange. The common room disappeared as they turned a corner to mount another set of stairs. The upstairs hallway was dark and held many small rooms which Kazim remembered as mostly storage rooms for the many, many items the Master had collected over the years. He would sometimes share these items with struggling players to give them some help. Kazim ran a hand through his face. It may be finally time to admit that he was one of those players. They stopped at the end of a hall where a more polished, golden knobbed door rested. Mistress Fury knocked once. ¡°Dear, are you busy? Young Kazim has returned and wishes to speak with you!¡± There was some shuffling and the closing of a drawer before a deep, gruff voice yelled ¡°Come in, Come in¡±. She twisted the knob. Master Fury¡¯s large study may as well have been another storage room. Save for his large, maroon desk with a cushioned chair of the same color, legendaries decorated the room. On walls, swords and staffs hung like taxidermy mounts. This continued on the floor, where armatures held exotic mage hats and dazzling cloaks. Each item glowed that familiar purple as Kazim¡¯s eyes passed over them. A hearth lied at the rooms side where a small fire crackled. On the opposite side rested a large bookcase. It held a rainbow collection of books in various sizes. A large, gold chest rested near Fury¡¯s desk which shined under the light of an archway window that was behind the desk, Where you¡¯d expect a keyhole to be, the numbers ¡®999¡¯ rested in familiar gold lettering. Noir owned a similar looking chest and she never talked much about it. Only time she would mention it was when she wanted him to move it somewhere, as it was heavy. Fury himself was handsome, with a face lined with age like his wife. His dark hair held grey at the sides and was tied in a pony that didn¡¯t reach his back. He had stood when they entered, much taller than the books and stacks of parchment that covered his desk. His brawny body sported a simple wool shirt and trousers as if he just started the game. The only thing that spoke to his status was his shimmering dark green mage cloak. Brown eyes took in his wife lovingly, while they sharpened as they met Kazim¡¯s. ¡°Thank you, mi amora. You may leave us¡± He said. Mistress Fury squeezed Kazim¡¯s arm with a small smile before a closing door marked her exit. Silence fell upon the study as Master Fury returned to his seat. ¡°Sit, Kazim. Sit¡± He said, placing his feet up on the edge of his desk. ¡°I am, how you say, eager to hear of what brought you here today The mighty Wrath Knight, who vowed to conquer this ¡®unforgiving game¡¯, informed me the next time we met, he¡¯d be the strongest player in the world!¡± He laughed, mockingly. Kazim gulped as he took one of the small cushioned seats facing Fury¡¯s desk. ¡°Master...Listen..I can exp-¡± ¡°Explain what, joven guerrero? You coming to see me can only mean one thing, no?¡± He continued with a raised eyebrow, fingers intertwined. Kazim clenched the armrests of his chair. Noir could predict where he walked but Master Fury always read him like a book. ¡°Alright, fuck it! I died! Is that what yo-¡± ¡°?Palabras sucias! You and your dirty words! Pay up!¡± He boomed, pointing to a glass jar in the corner of his desk. Kazim tossed a emerald into it with a sigh. Some crap always came to empty his pockets. ¡°Damn swear jar¡­¡± Kazim muttered under his breath. Fury heard this, of course, so Kazim plopped another green coin into the already overflowing jar before he found his feet. ¡°Listen, Master. I meant what I said! I will be strongest! I just...I just need something! Anything to let me kick some a-...let me excel, until I learn some Blessings or something...I...I can¡¯t let my guild down again...¡± ¡°I understand. Sit down, warrior¡± Kazim did, letting out a breath he didn¡¯t know he held. ¡°You are frustrated. That is good. It means you¡¯re finally done with this, how you say, stubbornness.¡± ¡°The ¡®Winds¡¯ guide this world..¡± Master Fury continued, the ¡®Winds¡¯ being the developers of H.O. A lot of players, including Kazim, were on the border between just playing the game as a game, or full on roleplaying. Master Fury was the latter. ¡°...with the intention that we the inhabitants, will come to a point of harmony. Together. You get nowhere in this world alone. I am here today, as your local guildmaster, thanks to efforts of many who fought, laughed, and cried alongside me. It is time you stop thinking of you¡¯re alone and relied on those around you. If you¡¯re ready to do so, then muy bien, I will give you a powerful item¡­¡± Kazim leaned forward. He was ready. It wasn¡¯t in his psyche to ask for help but it couldn¡¯t hurt to do it every once in the while. The tide needed to be turned. ¡°I am ready, Master¡± Master Fury stood up straight in his seat before saluting, one arm across his heart. The back of his hand displayed his Valor. ¡®999¡¯. ¡°You¡¯re Valor, warrior¡± Holding the beta testers gaze, Kazim mimicked his movement until he saluted as well to display his Valor. He wasn¡¯t sure if this was some formal thing or just a way for Master Fury to find out his Valor and pick an item, accordingly. Knowing him, it was probably both. A display opened in front of Fury and with a sharp ¡®clang¡¯, a gleaming, silver sword fell from it and onto the desk. Kazim couldn¡¯t stop his mouth from falling open as he lifted the surprisingly heavy short sword from the desk by the intricate patterns of its silver hilt. A familiar and small, white oval stone rested in the center of a crossguard that curled at its ends. Its pointed blade held its own sort of glow like the barrier that shielded Chas¡¯dan. Behind that glow, he expected the purple hue of a legendary weapon but he instead saw...Orange? Epic! The excitement for his new toy ended there, however, when he got to the description.
"Thwarter Of Chaos" Silver Wind (Valor Req. 1) (Shortsword) [Bright]: A shining short sword forged with the sole purpose to thwart the chaos! As a result, this sword can ONLY attack Nevermore!
¡°Wha-?! I am grateful but...What am I going to do with this?! The Nevermore are gone!¡± Master Fury made a gesture suggesting he should try figuring that out. ¡°A sword is but a sword. If I¡¯d given you something useful, you¡¯d just return to stubborness.¡± Kazim sniffed at that. Fury sighed. ¡°Lean on your friends, Kazim¡± _______________________________________________________________ Cursing internally, Kazim descended the guildhouse stairs hurriedly. He now owned an Epic, at Valor twenty-five. It was the best looking sword he¡¯d ever seen¡­...and he couldn¡¯t even use it. Maybe it was for the best. He felt pathetic asking someone for help. Every game he¡¯d ever played, he played solo and had no problems becoming the strongest there was. Yet here he was, being given an Epic. Selling the sword was something that appeared in his head then but, it was a gift from Fury. The guilt that would gnaw him afterwards would be too much to bear. Kazim was so deep in his thoughts that he nearly ran into a High Mage as he returned to the common room. ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t see you there¡± He said, hastily. ¡°I-its fine¡± It was the young girl from earlier, who was serving players behind the counter. She was short, about the same height as Noir, with a wool brown dress hidden under a black hooded cape. Her brown wizards hat seemed too big for her small, heart shaped face which boasted a brilliant blue gaze and that dirty blond hair which fell just below her shoulders in waves. Up close, she looked about his age. Twenty one, maybe twenty two? Kazim glanced towards the counter. Another High Mage had taken her place. He guessed the diner worked on shifts and hers had ended. ¡°Well...Have a good day¡± He finally said as he went to go but halted when she opened her mouth. ¡°Uhh e-excuse me. I w-was wondering if you¡¯d h-help me with something¡± She said uncertainly. Her eyes seemed to look everywhere but him. Why was she so nervous? He looked behind himself just to make sure she was talking to him. The players around them paid them no mind, so this wasn¡¯t some prank. ¡°Help you with what?¡± She finally met his eyes, they widened as if surprised by his response. ¡°I-I have a quest t-to collect some darkwick wood o-outside the city. A-about fifty pieces...I b-bought an axe b-but I d-don¡¯t really have the s-strength for it and the scary beasts w-will surely a-attack me...¡± Oh. ¡°Just curious, am I the first person you¡¯ve asked for this?¡± She shook her head, that uncertainty returning to her flush face. ¡°N-no, I have asked many of the o-other mages b-but it seems they have...better things to do...I didn¡¯t mean to b-bother you, I¡¯ll j-just do it m-myself..!¡± She nearly dashed past him but he stopped her gently with a hand on her shoulder. In a odd sort of way, the girl reminded him of himself before meeting Swamp Eater. Of course, he¡¯d do anything himself before asking for help. But everyone was different. Master Fury¡¯s words echoed in his mind. The High Mage needed someone to lean on. ¡°I¡¯ll help you but you have to help me collect some things as well¡± The girls face lit up with what he hoped was a smile. It reached her eyes but it had a nervous twist to it. Was she just permanently nervous about everything? She was making him nervous! He wiped his hand of sweat before holding it out. ¡°I¡¯m Kazim¡± ¡°B-Berry!¡± She said, accepting it with two hands instead of one. ¡°I w-would be happy to help you too!¡± There. Now, he leaned on her as well. Old Master Fury would be proud. ________________________________________________________________ Fury watched the young Kazim exit and close the door to his study with an air of disappointment before pulling open a drawer at his side. It was empty save for an unsealed white envelope. The wax seal beared the image of two hands clasped, the sigil of The Tribunal. He retrieved the letter from inside it and read it another five times. It had been planted in his room overnight, somehow. He always kept the study locked but door locks never stopped The Tribunal. Letter in hand, he stood and walked to the hearth before he tossed the parchment in. The letter slowly curled to black, then to nothing. He watched but not really. His mind was elsewhere. He was originally going to give Kazim a proper item but the letter had changed everything. Kazim was upset with his ¡®gift¡¯ for now but soon, he¡¯d be thanking the old guildmaster. Fury would need to help more young adventures like him¡­.. ....For if the letter holds true, chaos had finally returned. The Nevermore were coming and with Silver Wind, that Wrath Knight would be ready. 1.5 - A Cold Storm
Congratulations! You¡¯ve acquired¡­. Darkwick Wood (32)
With a grunt of exertion, Kazim pulled the Woodcutter''s Axe from the thick trunk of a Darwick tree. He raised it as he gripped the axe¡¯s rough, wooden handle through his Basic Gloves before he brought it forward once more.
Congratulations! You¡¯ve acquired¡­. Darkwick Wood (33)
He allowed the axe to hang from the tree by its blade before he shook his aching arms and wiped his face with a hand. A mix of sweat and light rain that poured from the grey sky left it drenched. Just another day in The Murk. Several stumps and fallen trunks decorated his position in the Darkwick Woods. He had found the perfect spot, flat solid ground that was away from the swamps and held a plentiful amount of short trees. Although, fat drops of rain pelted him occasionally as they gathered size on large green leaves. The problem was alleviated once he had finally taken down several of the trees. He wondered if Berry was finding everything fine. It was his first time doing a quest of this sort so he had no idea how gathering wood worked. The High Mage hadn¡¯t known either. Having an axe was common sense but what to do after left them uncertain. Mistress Fury kept her lips sealed when they had asked, as usual. Unless it was beast, the stout woman rarely talked of the game¡¯s intricacies, likely to allow players to learn and experience it for themselves. Kazim figured it out the moment the axe¡¯s blade met a tree. After one gained an axe, a chop at a tree created one ¡®piece¡¯ of that wood, which took the form of wooden planks in the inventory. Ten chops was all a tree seemed to be able to take before it timbered down. He had found that he could collect the fallen trunks too, but they took about twenty slots in his fifty slot inventory. Silver Wind itself took up ten slots! Awoooooooo! A wolf howled in the distance. Kazim instinctively passed a hand over the Epic sword as he scanned the woods. It rested at his hip in his newly bought black, leather scabbard. Scabbards seemed to be rarely used and rightly so. Players could quickly open inventories and equip whatever they wanted in a blink, so most found them a waste of money if not solely used for looks. He wasn¡¯t one to waste money, but he found the gleaming weapon so beautiful that he couldn¡¯t resist. The sword was useless but Epic. In a city full of newbies and growing players, a sword like SIlver Wind garnered immediate looks. Players who happened to come too close when he exited the city with Berry, wore widened eyes and took second glances which was nothing short of satisfying. Scabbards had one drawback, however, and one he hadn¡¯t known until he met Gale. Items outside you¡¯re inventory could be stolen, which seemed obvious the more he thought about it. Anyone with a class that could use short swords, could swipe the sword right from his hip. Thankfully, only warrior classes could use short swords and he was the lone warrior in the city as far as he knew. Class restrictions wouldn¡¯t stop thieves, however. The woods were silent save for the pouring rain and with no players around to show off to, the only reason he truly had Silver Wind at his hip then, was in the hopes that he could witness just how useless it really was. ¡°K-Kazim!¡± He spotted Berry bounding towards him from between some trees. One hand held a cloth bundle to her chest while the other raised the wool of her soaked dress for easier running. Kazim averted his eyes from the smooth, white legs that showed. ¡°Awesome! You didn¡¯t find any trouble, did you?¡± She shook her head as she stopped in front of him, panting. ¡°N-no, not at all.¡± She said, her quiet voice nearly drowned out by the rain. She adjusted her hat. Even with its wide brim, the rain had found a way to her face. Strands of dirty blond hair stuck to it. ¡°The roots were easy to find. The chamomile, not so much¡± Kazim raised an eyebrow as he accepted the bundle of materials and stored it in his inventory. It was the first time he had heard her manage a full sentence without the nervous stammer. She must¡¯ve read his mind because her eyes began to look everywhere but him. She seemed to take in the fallen trunks and stumps before her brilliant blues stopped on the axe that still hung from the Darkwick tree. ¡°Y-you¡¯re not finding any trouble either, I hope?¡± Kazim shook his head as he retrieved the axe by its wooden handle. I should become a lumberjack! He explained what he had learned about gathering wood as she took a seat on a nearby stump. Being soaked from head to toe didn¡¯t seem to faze her. Kazim guessed anyone who stayed in The Murk long enough didn¡¯t. She smoothed the skirt of her dress with her Valor hand as she crossed her legs. Valor level thirty, huh? ¡°S-so, that¡¯s how it works..¡± Berry murmured after he finished explaining. He nodded as he gave the tree its final hit. The top half bearing the leaves shattered like glass as the bottom half, bearing the trunk, met the mud with a thud. ¡°I c-can try a few swings if you¡¯re feeling tired¡­¡± He was feeling tired and his arms ached but he most definitely would never admit that. ¡°I appreciate it but I got this. Plus, you can¡¯t wield an axe.¡± He walked over to another tree nearby before aiming his axe against it. Another heavy swing granted him ¡®piece¡¯ number forty. Ten more to go. ¡°T-that¡¯s actually not true¡± She said as she watched him. ¡°The wood axe is considered a tool like shears and shovels, not a weapon. They are just used for tasks such as this so, anyone could use it ¡­¡± He paused mid-swing, his eyes widening. ¡°F-forget I even said anything¡­. I-I¡¯d just tire easily after a few swings a-and you seem to be doing just fine! I-I¡¯ll let you finish....¡± Kazim nodded with an appreciative smile before he finished his swing. So, tools were separate from weapons and could be equipped by whoever. They likely didn¡¯t pack any sort of punch against beasts either if they were just made to do tasks. ¡°There¡¯s so much I don¡¯t know..¡± He said, more to himself. Fury was proving right by every minute. It was time he stopped being mindless and asked more questions. The sheepish High Mage was close in Valor but she already seemed know her stuff, more than he did at least. ¡°..Like what¡¯s up with High Mage and Stone Mages? What¡¯s the actual difference?¡± Berry¡¯s eyes lit up at the sudden question as she ceased picking at something on the hem of her dress. ¡°O-oh that has a simple answer. Stone Mages need a mineral called Chasm in order to use magic, and thus, their skills. H-high Mages don¡¯t need the stone but we must have the right surroundings in order to execute a skill¡± So that¡¯s why Nyx always wore that necklace! Although, it didn¡¯t explain why she always hid it. The same stone..the Chasm, must be what Mother held as well. Silver Wind has one too. ¡°What do you mean by the right...surroundings?¡± He finally asked. She nodded as if expecting the question, her eyes bright. It was the most energy he¡¯d ever seen from her. She must be one of those quiet, walking encyclopedia types who gravitated towards knowledge and enjoyed sharing it. ¡°It is just as I say. Take my Blessing, Gnarled Roots, for example..¡± She began as a smooth curved, wooden staff appeared in her hands. She crossed her legs on the stump and raised it as her display winked out. ¡°If I use Gnarled Roots in the middle of an ocean, it likely wouldn¡¯t activate. But in the middle of a forest..¡±
Gnarled Roots: Surprise your foe with menacing roots from underground! If there are no foes in sight, surround yourself with them instead, for a defensive shield!
Kazim nearly threw the axe in fright as several thick, jagged, and thorny roots erupted from the ground in a ring around her and the stump. They stood erect and almost as tall as him. Her way of explaining gave him an unnecessary scare but he finally understood the difference. ¡°So, you High Mages have it tough, huh? Where Stone Mages can equip whatever Blessings they want with that Chasm, you guys have to consider your locations..¡± He began as Berry lowered her staff gingerly. The roots shattered in response, the resulting debris turning to glass. ¡°...My friend, Nyx, is a Stone Mage. She favors Blaze skills but I think having Greenwind, because air is obviously everywhere, and a variety of different elements is what a High Mage should seek¡­.Right?¡± Berry nodded, eyes downcast. ¡°Y-yes, you¡¯re correct. But,..I-I¡¯ve been playing for about a month now and along with my ultimate, Gnarled Roots is the only Blessing I¡¯ve learned¡­I attended the Conservatory for time b-but¡­.It wasn¡¯t for me...¡± The Conservatory was an educational institution up north for mage class players. Nyx had apparently graduated from there. ¡°Ha! It could be worse!¡± Kazim boomed as he delivered swing number fifty and the tree came tumbling down. He crashed by a stump next to Berry¡¯s afterward, as he rubbed his slick arms. ¡°You could be a Wrath Knight, the rarest and apparently one of the most powerful warrior classes, and have one Blessing...that being your ult!¡± He expected to see pity in her eyes but instead she studied him under the rain with no expression. ¡°Why¡­.What made you join Helm.Online?¡± Kazim, taken aback by the question, studied her in return. She waved her hands in flustered innocence. ¡°I-I¡¯m j-just curious!¡± ¡°...To be the best, of course.¡± He said as he stood and drew Silver Wind by its silver hilt. The blade¡¯s white gleam refused to falter, even in the rain. ¡°It started with me getting sick of hearing of this damn game, but now¡­.it''s about the challenge. H.O presents one I¡¯ve never encountered, one that continues to discourage me at every turn, but I won¡¯t give in¡­.The moment this game gives me the edge I need, I¡¯m running with it, right to the top!¡± ¡°....S-so you want to become Adventurer King?¡± She asked, hesitantly. Kazim blinked. He had forgotten the Adventurer King, the leader of The Tribunal, was widely considered the best player in the game. He didn¡¯t even know who the current king was! Was it Salvatore? He faintly remembered seeing the quote by the player after he respawned. Truthfully, he didn¡¯t care. One didn¡¯t need to be a king to be the best in his eyes and he had no desire to babysit others. ¡°No, not exactly...I¡­..Enough about me. How about you? What made you join?¡± She jumped as if she¡¯d been poked, averting her eyes. The young lady seemed to enjoy learning about new things but that couldn¡¯t be the only thing that drew her to such a realistic game. With all the fidgeting and nervousness, he couldn¡¯t fathom why she was even here. ¡°W-well,...I have a f-friend named Alex wh-¡± Deep, threatening growls echoed through the clearing as three bulky direwolves with light, dark green coats slowly stalked them among the trees that still stood. Berry nearly fell on her face as she practically flew over to him. ¡°Took you guys long enough!¡± He told the wolves as he retrieved Mudslinger. Just in case. ¡°I need to your help with testing my new toy.¡± ¡°Y-you knew about t-them?!¡± Berry exclaimed from behind him. She had one hand on her staff which pointed towards the wolves, while the other frantically tried to remove wet hair plastered to her face. ¡°I heard them earlier, sorry¡± He turned to the High Mage with a look of half-regret, half-eagerness. ¡°I need to test this sword¡¯s ability¡­..We can handle this. Together.¡± The personable girl¡¯s face contorted in what could only be a frightened smile. Her staff shook as her eyes darted from each wolf and back. ¡°Berry!¡± That seemed to wake her up and she finally turned to him, reluctantly. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on getting mauled by some wolves and neither should you!¡± The wolves had surrounded them then, among the fallen trunks and stumps. He aimed Mudslinger¡¯s dirt speckled blade at one and Silver Wind at the other. Berry met his back in order to aim her staff at the last one she faced in his blind spot. Her body shook against his and he had no time to check if she really was ready. The wolf who held his Epic sword¡¯s gaze charged towards him. With an ardent smile and arms that ached, Kazim brought Silver Wind down in a flash of radiant light. _____________________________________________________________________ ¡°Will that be all the Lady Noir requires?¡± A gorgeous red elf waitress asked at the opened door of a small room. She paused in pulling a large, copper tub from it, her thin body bent in a wool dress and apron. Her sculpted face looked towards a brown skinned adventurer who leaned against a large, gold chest. She waited patiently for an answer, even as the lady adventurer seemed to only take in the rain that pelted the glass of a small window. Troubled and distracted, Noir lost the question in the jumbling sea of her mind as she ran a hand through her braids which rested over her shoulder in a ponytail. She turned to the red elf anyway and threw out whatever came to her mind first. ¡°Yes, yes. That¡¯ll be all, Rubarae. Thank you¡± It seemed to be the right answer because the red elf nodded with a small smile, her crimson locks bouncing around stiff, pointed ears. The sound of scraping wood resumed as she pulled the water filled tub from the room and closed the door gently. Oh, how it felt good to be clean again! She sniffed her hair to once again take in the herbal scent of the soap Rubarae had provided. That same pleasant smell wafted through the rest of the small room she shared with Nyx at the Easing Hand. It was a small room with bland green walls. Two small beds rested in the corners of the room, opposite of one another. The lone window, where she was, stood in between. Along with what usually should be a small nightstand but Noir had quickly gotten that moved to make space for her chest. Clothes and various other garments decorated the room, mostly on Nyx¡¯s side. Her bed unmade, Noir always wondered how someone as stately and well put as her Stone Mage neglected to simply make her bed. She swiftly slipped off the chest and twirled her ankle, gently. The injury from earlier was all but a distant memory. A candle and an empty, glass flask rested on the small nightstand whose new home was next to the door. Noir had watched Nyx crush roots and a pretty, white flower before mixing them in some water and holding them under a fire. The rancid, green liquid had tasted like dirt but the pain in her ankle had disappeared almost immediately. After that, she had Rubarae bring up a tub and enjoyed a quiet bath as she mulled over all of her problems. Most of them, at first, had to do with Kazim. She thought of what she would say when they talked before mulling over why she even had him join in the first place. Was it the right decision? Her impatience was what led to his recruiting in the first place. Every guild needed at least one warrior class to hold focus and he was a Wrath Knight, nonetheless! He was a talent, but maybe it would have been best to leave him be and allow him to grow stronger before joining the guild. At such a low Valor, he was already down a life and there was a high chance he¡¯d face worse than the Murkian Gator before even reaching one hundred. Warriors rarely lasted with their roles as primary beast aggravators. There were exceptions here and there, but most died three times before seeing five hundred. Noir¡¯s problems had expanded astronomically, when during her bath, a sealed envelope had quietly slipped under her door. It beared The Tribunal¡¯s seal. Shock in hand, she had leaped from the tub without a care in the world and flung the door open. The Tribunal never bothered her unless something was amiss, so whoever she met would give her answers. She had been surprised to not find a Wind Guard or Rising Hammer Warden, but instead the elf waitress Runabrae. ¡°A s-scary little boy wearing a wolf¡¯s pelt on his head, gave this to me and told me to deliver it to the Lady Noir¡¯s room¡­.quietly¡± She had said, her face redder than a beet. Noir had thanked her and nearly slammed the door upon realizing why the elf had blushed. Thank the winds the elf had been the only one in the hall as was usually the case before sunset. Her naked display would have been the talk of the city! She shook her head of the memory and walked to the nightstand. She pulled open one of two drawers and retrieved the letter. There was no need to read it another five times to know that chaos had returned. The sly dogs! Had them all fooled into thinking they were done for while working in the shadows with seals to who knows what. The only reason The Tribunal even knew was because of some...Necromancer betrayer?! No one ever flipped sides! The time for thinking was gone. She needed to act, fast. If chaos had returned, then she was a prime target.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Flipping over the letter, she read its back several more times. It contained instructions to reaching an underground hideout in the Darkwick Woods. If the boy who delivered the letter really was wearing a wolf pelt, then she knew exactly who she¡¯d end up meeting there. Letter and envelope went to her inventory as she returned to her chest and pulled it closer to her bed. She sat on the feather mattress before she opened it, raising her Valor hand near its keyhole which held the numbers ¡®999¡¯. Her hand flashed before the chest popped open and a familiar display covered her face. On the surface, the guildmaster¡¯s chest was just another fifty slot inventory for holding things but it was more than that. It was proof that one had reached the maximum rank in H.O. When she reached the level, the chest was the first thing that had appeared before her. It was invulnerable and immune to any Blessings. Some Chaoswalkers had Blessings that could do the unthinkable, steal from unfortunate player¡¯s inventories without them even knowing or slip in hefty items to over encumber them. But not to a guildmaster¡¯s chest. It was the best thing she owned. She essentially had one hundred inventory slots to store a variety of different items, a huge advantage over others. Unfortunately, the chest weighed a ton and it could not be moved by any other means as it was immune. Thankfully, she had come across a talisman that helped with this. A small, yellow gemmed ring that rested on her Valor hand along with the similar looking Talisman of Lighting Resistance.
Ring Of Favoritism (Valor Req. 500) (Ring): Mark an item, then teleport to it using this ring! If it fails, the item was destroyed!
Noir had marked a yellow cloth that was wrapped around one of the chests iron, side handles. That way, she could avoid the chests immunity while still being able to teleport to it. Scanning the chest inventory, she searched her various items, mostly talismans, in search of a particular one. Talismans held highly unique abilities so they were always her favorites to keep. She liked to carry around her extras in armor and weapons. The rest were sold for emeralds along with any Blessings she came across. One of her main goals was to save up in the hopes of getting a guildhouse built in Olympia. Not another local one, she had no interest in teaching newcomers, but one solely for Swamp Eater. House hunting can wait. For how long, she did not know. Her eyes stopped on a spindly looking grey necklace with a smooth, round amulet that seemed to be covered in cobwebs.
[Trap] Web Of Thievery (Valor Req. 700) (Necklace): Place in a enclosed, interior space to trap up to four people in a tangle of spider web!
She retrieved the necklace before she slammed its amulet into the green wall. It shattered as thick, white strands of spider¡¯s web shot out in all directions. It covered everything. From the walls, windows, and floor. Every corner and crevice was covered in silk that only she, would be able to see. That is, until it triggered. Noir closed her chest before returning it to its place. She didn¡¯t get caught in any of the web as she searched around the room, her eyes scanning for a particular spot. Any sort of trap talisman or Blessing had a ¡®weak point¡¯, which could be struck to destroy the trap or Blessing at any time. She needed to make sure if her intuition was wrong, she¡¯d have a way of saving the poor soul that happened upon her room. Her eyes glossed over a space above the window. She took a second look and smiled. A circle glowed red briefly before disappearing. Similar to the ¡®Killing Blow¡¯. She waited for it to do so once more before she opened her inventory and exited the room. A twist of the door¡¯s warm knob told her it was still unlocked. Good. It was time to make some other changes. A silly tunic wouldn¡¯t stop a beam of shade from searing a hole into her chest. _____________________________________________________________________ Kazim chugged down some ale voraciously before he took in the Easing Hand¡¯s common room. It was every bit as busy as the sounds coming from outside it and more. Players and NPC¡¯s mingled among a constant stream of female red elves in long aprons, trays of food and drink held high above their crimson hair. The lanky male elves, who shared their female counterparts sculpted faces and hair, polished off empty tables with rags or told jokes and stories to adventurers who listened. They were a very sociable race. The Easing Hand was not alone in fully employing the outgoing beings in their inns. The Easing Hand''s innkeeper, Master Freeks, watched in silence from behind a wide counter that held adventurers of its own on wooden stools. He was tall and plump, with hairy arms crossed across his chest. His large, hairless head held beady eyes that studied his workers, a calm frown shifting his bushy mustache. Kazim didn¡¯t know how a frown could be calm but the Chas¡¯danians were the masters of composure. Kazim returned his attention to his table near the inn¡¯s double doors, where two people he did not forsee liking one another, talked with each other across from him enthusiastically. ¡°Nasty boys and girls, they are. Always fighting each other like dogs instead of playing the game! I don¡¯t blame you one bit for withdrawing from The Conservatory. Not everyone can bear all the infighting that place thrives off¡± Nyx said, nose raised proudly. Fresh and free of muck, she sported her usual white blouse, feathered cap, dark breeches, and green half cloak. She raised a gloved finger as she continued. ¡°To be truthful, a better experience in H.O can found outside of that insufferable place¡± ¡°But¡­you...¡± Berry began, timidly. She placed her wizard hat on the table gingerly in between their cups of ale. While still as nervous about everything as ever, she never seemed to stammer with Nyx. ¡°...You beared it all. You graduated from there and now you¡¯re nearly five-hundred Valor! That¡¯s amazing, Nyx!...I can¡¯t possibly get stronger without The Conservatory¡­.I¡¯ll never find Alex as I am now¡± Alex was her best friend from the real world and was addicted to the game. A month ago, He had dared the High Mage to join the game and try to find him, probably knowing full well his timid friend would never even attempt. Yet here she was, playing the game in secret in order to find and surprise him. Kazim had always thought she seemed way out of her element in H.O. Her story definitely confirmed it. Although, she isn¡¯t bad. Kazim checked his right arm which was now completely bandaged, save for his Valor hand. She had saved him with those Gnarled Roots of hers when one of the wolve''s teeth met his arm. She had even bandaged it herself after they took out the rest of the wolves. He owed her one. He also owed Helm.Online an apology. Never again would he doubt the game. If the damn game said a sword only worked against the chaos, then it damn sure only worked against the chaos! The moment Silver Wind¡¯s blade would have met direwolf, it instead passed through the wolf as if it wasn¡¯t even there. He had been too slow to activate Rage Mode. His arm hadn¡¯t been too happy about that. Remembering caused him to remember the pain. He instinctively reached for his sword and was surprised to find Mudslingers rough hilt instead of Silver Wind¡¯s. He forgot he had banished the disgraceful Epic back to his inventory earlier in anger. What was he going to do with the damn thing? ¡°Of course you¡¯ll find him¡± Nyx said, placing her gloved hand on Berry¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The moment you doubt yourself, is the moment you lose your path towards him. Weak or strong, you won¡¯t find your way looking down on yourself all the time. You must hold your head high! As a mage should!¡± The High Mage nodded before doing just that in attempt to mimic how Nyx always looked down on people through her nose. It was an attempt that made her look less confident and more silly. It earned a rare giggle from the Stone Mage which in turn, earned an unheard of laugh from Berry. They were like two completely different people. While he found their conversation delightful, something Nyx spoke of earlier still bothered him. He stopped slouching from his wooden chair so he could lean on the table. ¡°While your budding friendship is cute and all...What you said earlier about Noir suspicions is still bothering me¡­..Also, you never thanked me for getting those materials.¡± Nyx frowned while Berry just inclined her head. The interruption was not welcomed. Kazim scratched the back of his neck, nonchalantly. ¡°As far as I am concerned, Berry here is the one who acquired the materials while you nearly died playing with swords!¡± Nyx snapped. Berry coughed, looking everywhere but at him. ¡°One death wasn¡¯t enough was it? Just a piece of work, you are!¡± Kazim audibly groaned, resting his head on the desk. He needed back up. ¡°Gale, help¡± ¡°Wooo! Read it and weep boys!¡± Gale exclaimed from the table to his immediate right. It was clustered with standing adventurers who sounded audible groans of their own as Gale held his arms out above a cup, some two six-sided die, and a lot of emeralds. He wore his usual dark, green assassins cloak. Its triangular fronted hood behind his neck to reveal his bald head which shined under the lantern light. ¡°Better yet, show me the money!¡± ¡°Gale!¡± Kazim called, turning his head so he could meet the assassin¡¯s eye. ¡°It¡¯s important.¡± ¡°Alright, Alright.¡± He said before he gathered his cup, die, and winnings. He shrugged off protests and more challenges as he sauntered over to their table. The crowd of players began to disperse. ¡°Next time gents, next time!.........Alright, listen here! The world better be ending or something! I was making extra bank off these idiots today thanks to the rain!¡± ¡°The suspicious individuals.¡± Was all Kazim said against the table as Gale took a seat next to him. ¡°Did you have fun scamming others out of their money?¡± Nyx asked Gale with crossed arms. ¡°It¡¯s not proper¡± ¡°It¡¯s not proper¡± Gale mimicked in a high pitch voice. Kazim lifted his head as Nyx furrowed her brows ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t know I needed the queen¡¯s approval! I don¡¯t tell you what to do so fuck off and don¡¯t tell me!¡± ¡°I was only...You...You insufferable little¡­.!¡± Nyx stood with fire in her eyes, her chair nearly falling over. Gale held his arms out with a challenging yet mocking smile, his assassin¡¯s cloak shaking with silent laughter. Berry looked from one to the other and back in sudden terror. Kazim watched it all with calmness. He needed the Stone Mage to focus. Angry Nyx was good. An angry Nyx was always focused and no one got her angrier, as easily, as Gale. ¡°The suspicious adventurers, Nyx.¡± Kazim said again. ¡°Tell me again.¡± The Stone Mage whirled on him. ¡°..And you! You and these bloody ad-¡± ¡°Lower your voice, your majesty. They¡¯re still over there¡± Gale murmured. All of them, except for a bewildered Berry quickly glanced at table closest to a small set of stairs. It held two men. Both young. The first, a short and lean assassin, toyed with something in his inventory. He sported a tan, collared lightweight vest and red cloak which shielded his hard face and short, raven-like hair. Various daggers and knives decorated the table as the man seemed to be sorting or cleaning his inventory of junk. Like his face, there was an air of hardness coming from. One could easily tell he took a lot of matters seriously, maybe too much so. His companion was the complete opposite, in demeanor that is. A jolly looking man with a similar hard face. The two must be brothers because the man held similar short, raven-like hair and lean stature. Although, he was much taller. He sported a similar lightweight vest and hooded cloak that he had unhooded. His jovial smile never left his face as he took in the chaos of the common room with a gleeful sort of twinkle in his dark gaze. A newbie. Nyx sighed as she regained her seat. ¡°I don¡¯t see what all the fuss is about. After her bath, Noir asked me speak with them without giving a reason other than that they were ¡®suspicious¡¯. I did and found them fine¡­..Brandon and Landon were their names. They¡¯re from Fauna and just arrived in the city a couple of days ago to level¡­.Just a veteran player and his noob brother playing the game together. End of story.¡± She turned to Berry who almost leaped from her chair in response. ¡°Apologies. I didn''t mean to scare you or show this side of me. The only way to face down these two..these two muscle brains!...Is by bringing my own heat¡± ¡°I-its fine, really¡± Berry squeaked, waving her hands. There¡¯s the stammer! ¡°I-I¡¯ve never interacted w-with a guild before s-so this has all been quite fascinating¡± Gale whirled on Berry as if seeing her for the first time which was probably the case. Someone like her could easily disappear in a shouting match. ¡°Wha-? Who¡¯s this wholesome bundle of cuteness?!¡± Kazim quickly explained. ¡°Is it just a natural occurrence for women just to flock to you or something?¡± Kazim shrugged as the bald assassin turned back to the newcomer. ¡°The name is Gale! Who might I have the pleasure of meeting?¡± ¡°B-Berry¡± The High Mage reluctantly shook the assassin¡¯s hand. ¡°The p-pleasure is mine¡± Kazim cleared his throat as he gathered his thoughts. ¡°Anyway...While you did find them fine, doesn¡¯t it seem¡­.out of nowhere? Like all of sudden, Noir just asks you to investigate two random adventurers?¡± ¡°She¡¯s always had an intuition for things...maybe she saw them do something suspicious. Maybe they¡¯re planning to hurt someone?¡± Nyx said, gloved hand on chin. ¡°Nah, you always take Noir¡¯s callous side too lightly.¡± Gale chimed in as he picked at something behind his ear. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t care about the safety of someone outside of Swamp Eater¡­. She probably saw them scouting out the chest!¡± Callous? Kazim didn¡¯t think callous and Noir could ever be in the same sentence. She had a strong personality, sure, but he¡¯d never call her callous. A red elf, Kazim thought he had heard Nyx call her Rubarae, appeared to refill their cups with ale and hand Gale a new cup who was all too happy to thank her and watch her behind as she walked away. Kazim himself had to force his eyes from following the assassin''s. He spoke once she was out of earshot. ¡°Why would someone want to steal that heavy ass chest? Also, correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but isn¡¯t she the only one who can open it?¡± ¡°That is correct¡± It was Swamp Eater¡¯s turn to nearly leap out of their chairs as Noir appeared at their table. Sneak up on us, will ya?! To his surprise, Berry appeared calm, taking in their reactions to the newcomer and nodding as if she decided that Noir was their guildmaster. ¡°Sick armor!¡± Gale boomed as Noir pulled a chair from a nearby, empty table and proceeded to take a seat next to Kazim. He ceased trying to meet her brown gaze and instead took in the new armor she wore. No longer did she wear the leather tunic, but a dark, light bodyguard chestplate of what seemed to be amethyst. The colors of it seemed to swirl and pulse. The patterns of the swirls and shading constantly changed as if the armor itself were alive and breathing. She still wore that yellow bandana and tribal looking pants but the armor was all he could see. It was beautiful looking but awe and a little bit of jealousy, quickly turned to questions. Why the sudden change? Did her tunic break? ¡°Oh you just have to rub in your max rankedness every so often, yes?¡± Nyx teased with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, I-¡± Whatever their guildmaster was going to say was cut short, as her eyes locked onto Berry. The High Mage didn¡¯t jump, but her eyes did widen. ¡°Who..is she?¡± Noir finally asked, eyeing the three of them. Kazim opened his mouth to explain but Gale beat him too it. The assassin added his own intimate dramatics, of course, that led to Kazim kicking from under the table. ¡°Ow! Sorry for trying to spice up your boring ass encounter!¡± Gale said as he rubbed his shin. Kazim just gave him a look. The one thing he didn¡¯t need with Noir was a misunderstanding. Even with the obvious dramatics, Noir raised an eyebrow his way. Her mouth opened to say something but closed as Berry suddenly stood. ¡°I t-think I should get going¡± She said as she smoothed out the bottom of her dress and donned her hat. Afterward her eyes landed on Kazim. ¡°I really do appreciate your help today. I think I¡¯ll turn in the quest and swing by here later to deliver your half of the emeralds¡± Kazim waved that off. ¡°Nonsense. Your quest. Your money. Plus, thanks to you, I went up a Valor and kept my arm intact¡­.I won¡¯t forget that, Berry. I owe you one.¡± ¡°N-no, no. You helped...You deserve...you don¡¯t owe me any¡­¡± Berry sighed and turned to Nyx. ¡°Why do I get the feeling nothing I¡¯ll say will change his mind?¡± Nyx tapped her temple. ¡°Muscle brains¡­.They find a stance on something and stick with it, no matter what¡± Insult aside, Nyx was right. Kazim would not change his mind. He owed Berry an arm and something told him she¡¯d need whatever emeralds she earned more than him if she was going to venture out in search of her friend. After bidding farewell, even hugging Nyx and introducing herself to Noir, the High Mage scampered out and their table fell to silence until Gale finally opened his mouth. ¡°Soooo, what¡¯s up with these players? You got some dirt on them or something?¡± He asked Noir. ¡°Speaking of which,....where did they go?¡± Nyx suddenly said. Almost in unison, they turned towards the table below the stairs. It was empty, save for a male red elf who began to wipe down the table and chairs with a white cloth. Something soft and small suddenly wrapped around his hands. He nearly yelped when he realized it was Noir¡¯s hand! ¡°We can discuss those two later. For now, me and Kazim need to discuss something upstairs¡­.alone¡± She finally said. A calm expression on her face as if she didn¡¯t just drop a bomb on the table. Arms crossed, Nyx raised an eyebrow as a small smile found a way on her face. No, it''s not what you think! ¡°Bold one aren¡¯t you?¡± Gale said with a sly smile. Oh god. Noir narrowed her eyes. ¡°I-I mean...yes, we¡¯ll be down here¡­..waiting¡­¡± In a lower voice, he added. ¡°...Take all the time you need..¡± _____________________________________________________________________ Kazim cautiously followed Noir upstairs. Thankfully, she had let go of his hand once they met the creaking stairs. The entire thing had left him confused. He had been mentally preparing himself all day for a shouting match, but then she goes and does that! Just what the hell were they about to do?! As much as Gale seemed to boast about Kazim and egg him on whenever he could, he was never good with girls. What happened in a game, stayed in a game. Not to mention none of it was real in the end. Knowing all this always gave him a natural boost of confidence in virtual reality that was rarely seen from him in the real world. Just like then. For some reason, Kazim¡¯s eyes seemed to take in Noir and he opened his stupid mouth before he could stop himself. She usually had her braids down her back but he definitely liked the over the shoulder a lot better. ¡°I...I like what you did with your hair¡± Noir stopped and turned to him, her eyes narrowed. Kazim almost sank into the wood of the stairs in sheer regret and embarrassment before she suddenly smiled. ¡°Thanks! I like your new armor.¡± She said as they continued up, turning slightly to flick one of the scales ¡°Really aggressive looking...got that Wrath Knight look going on, you know?¡± ¡°I guess. I don¡¯t even know what the ¡®Wrath Knight look¡¯ is¡± Noir chucked. ¡°Me neither. But, it¡¯s...nice¡± She said with a smile that reached her eyes. ¡°Thanks¡± Kazim said as he failed to meet her brown gaze. He never had trouble before but that her smile just then was too much. They crossed the empty and stale hallway until they reached its end, where Noir¡¯s room was. His and Gale¡¯s room was right across from it behind an identical looking, rough wooden door. ¡°Hey¡­.¡± He suddenly said. Noir paused in reaching for her door and turned to him, her brown gaze studying him in the dimness of the hallway ¡°I still don¡¯t quite get what made you upset with me, but whatever it was, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m also sorry for reacting in anger. It was unnecessary.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know why I was mad¡­.?¡± She asked. Kazim noted the ¡®was¡¯ as he shook his head. It seemed she was over it too. Odd. ¡°.....Don¡¯t ever throw your life away again! You only have three! I¡¯m max rank, for god''s sake! Why throw those away for me when you¡¯ve barely experienced the game?¡± Ahh, I see. ¡°You¡¯re right. It won¡¯t happen again¡± To his surprise, she raised an eyebrow as if she didn¡¯t expect the response. ¡°Oh my. We got through that way nicer than I thought we would¡± ¡°Heh, go figure¡± He said as he let out a breath he didn¡¯t know he was holding. Glad that¡¯s over. Noir, however, still reached for the door. ¡°I just need to check something before we head back downstairs.¡± She said as she turned the smooth, bronze knob. Kazim shrugged. He guessed he¡¯d just join her in the room as she checked for whatever. It was too late now to stop Gale and Nyx from misunderstanding. Might as well go with it too the end. But as his guildmaster opened the door, Kazim wanted to once again sink into the floor. Instead Mudslinger was in his hand before he could even blink. The entire room was a monstrous nightmare. It was covered in web, to the point where nothing resembling a modest room could even be seen. It blanketed the room in thick, white strands that found every nook and cranny the interior space possessed. The spider nightmare brought alive wasn¡¯t why he raised Mudslinger, however. At the center of the room, bundled in a thick oval of web that hung suspended from the ceiling, rested two familiar men. Their arms and torso were covered in the web but Kazim eyes froze on their hard faces. ¡°W-What is the meaning of this?!¡± The Faunian player who was toying with his daggers exclaimed. ¡°I-I¡¯ll have you reported to the authorities if you don¡¯t release us at once!¡± The man¡¯s once jovial looking brother, looked absolutely terrified. ¡°W-woah, woah! Are we going to die?! Ma¡¯am are you going to k-kill us?! I-I¡¯m not ready to die!¡± Kazim lowered his sword in absolute horror. That horror increased tremendously when turned back to his guildmaster. She watched the two men squirm and fight in their web bundles in a coldness he had never seen. Gale¡¯s words echoed in his mind then. Callous. Was this the same woman? Kazim found his voice, a strained version of it at least. ¡°Noir?... What...What is this?!¡± ¡°Chaos has returned¡± She said, dispassionately. Her eyes met his. Any warmth the brown beauties once held, was left back in the hallway. All that was left was a cold storm, ready to strike. ¡°Will you be ready for it, Kazim?¡±