Hunting party

August 26^th, 2075, 20:42:

Lord looked around to make sure the coast was clear, then knocked on the door. After receiving no response for several seconds he knocked again, louder this time.

“Fuck off!” yelled a man from the other side of the door.

“Come on man let me in,” Lord said trying to keep his voice down. “I just want to talk.”

He heard the man slowly approach the door. “Lord?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

“… Did Slayer send you?”

“He doesn’t even know I’m here.”

There was another long silence, which was broken by the sound of the door latch unlocking. The door swung open, revealing a disheveled looking Needreve holding a long dagger in one hand. He stuck his head out into the hallway and looked down both directions then waved him in. Once Lord was inside, Needreve closed the door, locking it behind him. “You want something to drink?” Needreve asked stumbling into his kitchen.

The Lieutenant rooms were nice. They had a large comfortable living room, and a full kitchen equipped with magical tools that mimicked real world appliances, and two large bedrooms.

“Of course,” Lord said taking a seat on the Livingroom’s padded couch. Needreve pulled two bottles out of the icebox and handed one to Lord before taking a seat in a recliner. “Thanks. How are you feeling?”

“Oh, you know, fucking great. Demoted and trapped with nothing to do but wait for orders from a twink fuck-wad coward.”

Lord nodded along. “It wasn’t fair what he did to you.”

Needreve’s head tilted in surprise. “Yeah, you’re right. It wasn’t.”

“He didn’t even let us vote on it.”

“I KNEW IT!!!”

“We never would have voted you out if he had.”

“He’s had it out for me from the start.” Needreve stood up suddenly and kicked the coffee table across the room. “That little shit stain, bitch. He’s always been dismissive of my talents. Ignored me the entire time I was working my way up the guild. Acting as though I haven’t always been better than most of his Lieutenants. I could beat all of them!” He took a big swig of his drink, draining most of the bottle.”

“I know.”

“Of course you know! You’re the one that fucking brought me up when the time for promotions came about. He would have been happy to just promote someone else who doesn’t give half the shits I do.”

“I still don’t understand how he ignored you for so long.”

“It’s fucking bull shit! And he’s using the shit situation we’re in to do whatever he wants like a god damned tyrant.”

“You don’t even know the half of it…”

Needreve’s head snapped towards Lord. “What do you mean?”

Lord looked around the room as though he was nervous someone might be listening in on them. He waved Needreve over and lowered his voice. “Slayer is planning on converting the guild into a standard guild.”

“What?!?”

“It gets worse. We had a meeting with one of the game Admins. They told us that the line about keeping your HPs above zero is because when your HP hits zero you get logged out of the game. It’s supposed to be a bit like a battle royal but they don’t want to tell anyone else because if word got out that dying just meant you get logged out people might start to commit suicide to get out and they want to have the normies stay in the game for differing perspectives or something like that.”

“What the fuck!”

“Not only that, but since they know we would be looked at as the game’s villains for doing what we do, they offered us a substantial raise, and rare weapons as compensation.”

“And he turned it down?”

Lord nodded.

“That selfish little cuck.”

“I know, I know… That’s why I’m here actually,” he said hesitantly.

Needreve smiled and drained what little remained in his bottle. “You’re planning on doing something about it?” he guessed excitedly.

Lord nodded again, and Needreve chuckled.

“I’m in, what’s the plan.”

“We’ll get to that. Fist you should know I’ve already talked to Black Sword and Hardra, they’re in, and I’m going to talk to Artimeter after this.”

“Let me guess, not even going to try for Slayer’s two fucking dogs you?”

Lord sighed. “No, but I have a plan for them.”

“We gonna take them out in their sleep?”

“No. That would vilify us to the rest of the guild. Which is also why we can’t just stage a coup. If we tried, he would weaponize the guild against us. They would not even question it with how they idolize him. I think he’s planning on lying to them and saying the admin said that death here means death IRL.”

“So, what’s the plan then?”

“The three of them are going on a hunting trip tomorrow morning. The four, maybe five, of us are going to follow them. It’s going to be difficult to talk to them down, but I believe there is one simple key that will allow at least Shady, and Dom to accept reason.”

“What might that be?”

Lord let out a heavy sigh. “Slayer, must die.”

Needreve’s eyebrows shot up as a grin spread across his face. “You want to kick Slayer out of the game? The man who trained you? The man who took you under his wing as his protégé and taught you the ins and outs of Cauldron? That PK Slayer?”

Lord nodded. “He only did it because of my father. In game, he’s a Guild Master and an amazing fighter, but that doesn’t change who he is. He isn’t like us,” he lightly nudged Needreve’s shoulder. “You and I, we are the real leaders in this group. Honestly we’ve been following the orders of the impoverished for too long. We should be leading because out there we know what it is like to actually lead people. They just know how to pretend.”

Needreve’s grin widened as Lord spoke.

“They’ve talked down to us in here when in reality what are they? Skinny, uneducated, nothings whose entire purpose of life is to work for us. So we can make society a better place. So to answer your question, yes, I mean that Slayer. He needs to be gone, and out of here for good. Once he is the other two will be easier to convince.”

“And if they decide they don’t to get uppity?”

“Then they will be removed as well. Shady is the biggest threat. Slayer can’t take on more than one of us at a time, and Dom… well so long as we can see Dom he isn’t much of a threat.”

“We’ll still be seen as traitors you know.”

“We will leave in secret, say that Slayer, and whoever happens to perish with him died during their expedition in a tragic accident. We’ll make a show out of it. Have a funeral and everything.”

“And afterwards?”

“I will be promoted to Guild Master, I already have Black Sword, Hardra, and Jix’s votes so with your vote plus my own that gives me a majority. Once I am Guild Master I will promote you and Jix to General and we will resume operations as they should be.”

“You’ve already talked to your timid little servant?”

“No, but he will follow my lead as he always has.”

Needreve chuckled, his grin stretching from ear to ear. “I only have one condition then.”

“And that is?”

“I get to be the one to end him.”

Lord took his first sip of his drink. “If we have the opportunity to choose, then you shall have it. If it comes to blows though I make no promises. Even when outnumbered he will be a dangerous opponent.”

“Good enough.” Needreve held up his empty bottle. “Let us seal the deal with a drink, Guild Master Lord.”

Lord clinked his bottle to Needreve’s, and they both drank, Needreve coming away with a look of disgust upon realizing his lack of refreshments.

“One more thing before I go. I have a surprise for you.” He held out two small glass containers that looked like ink vials, with a dull yellow-brown liquid in them. “One to be used on Shady, one to use on Slayer.”

Needreve snatched the vials and held them up to the light. “Paralysis poison? My Lord you do spoil me.”

Lord set his mostly full bottle on the floor by the couch and stood. “I’ve got to get going, one more person to talk to.”

“Good luck with the bitch.”

August 26, 2075, 21:36

“You want me to help you arrest Slayer?” Artimeter said in disbelief, her arms folded across her chest. They stood on top of one of the outer guard towers where Artimeter had taken a shift on the watch.

“Artimeter you must understand,” Lord pleaded with her. “I don’t want to do this, but we have to. He’s going to lie to everyone about what the Admin said.”

“Why would he do that? For all I know you’re lying, and this is your attempt at a power grab.”

Lord took a half step back in shock. “You think that I would lie about this? You think that I would put all of us at risk of death to arrest Slayer, my mentor, the man who helped me ascend through the ranks of the guild, for power? I don’t even want to be the Guild Master, I’m happy where I am as General. But what Slayer did was selfish. He didn’t even bring his decision to a vote. The monetary compensation they offered us was substantial, more than enough for a lot of the people in this guild’s families to live very comfortably. But he didn’t even take them into consideration. Sure we are going to be viewed as the bad guys for knocking people back into the real world, but it’s not like we’ll become murderers.”

Artimeter strummed her fingers against her arm. “Why are you planning on attacking them on their hunt then instead of calling a meeting.”

“I’m worried that he’ll claim the same thing you did and have us arrested for treason… I think he demoted Needreve because he knew that he would be the first person to question his decision.”

Artimeter shook her head. “That was because Needreve shot another PKer in the back during their raid, then abandoned them when it came time to collect loot.”

“If that was the case why did he not bring it up at our emergency meeting.”

“I think he just had a lot on his mind. We all did.”

“Maybe but can we really be sure?”

“Considering that as a leader he is yet to disappoint me I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.” Lord opened his mouth, prepared to continue but Artimeter raised her hand to stop him. “The more you talk, the more you convince me you’re full of it.”

Lord’s posture stiffened. “Artimeter, we cannot do this without you.”

“Such a shame,” she scooped up her shield and placed it on her back. “Because you’re not doing it with me. Now if you’ll excuse me.” She walked passed him, bumping him with her shoulder as she passed.

His eye twitched at the impact. “Your father is a maintenance worker for Steel Reserve Industries.”

Artimeter froze with her hand on the door handle.

“Huntington branch if I’m correct,” he turned to face her, a grin slowly spreading across his face. “You know it’s a funny thing, SRI is a subsidiary company to Helping Hand Robotics, my father’s company.”

He could see Artimeter’s grip tighten on the handle.

“You know, I know most of us don’t talk much about our personal lives, but it’s always amused me how you’ve always danced around telling Jix about what your family does for a living. Makes sense, wouldn’t want him knowing how poor you really are, or have him spill the beans that I hold your families livelihood in the palm of my hand.”

Artimeter took a deep breath and released the doorhandle before placing her hand on the hilt of her sword in a slow deliberate manner.

“Now now don’t be hasty,” Lord said, not even bothering to reach for his own weapon. “I just want to make our situation crystal clear. What does your father work? Seventy? Eighty-hours a week to provide for you and your seven siblings? Well, do your part, and he will receive a nice promotion. Less hours, more pay, maybe even a housing improvement. I know your current quarters must be awfully cramped. Make even a single move against me, and I’ll have him kicked out on his ass so fast his head will spin.”

“Fuck you. We’re getting paid just for being here now.”

Lord laughed. “Do you truly believe that your pay is going to be substantial enough to feed a family of ten? Well, nine now that you’re trapped in here.”

She glared at him, her eyes burning with hate, her knuckles turning white on the hilt of her sword for a long tense moment before she let out a deep shaky breath and slowly released her grip on her sword.

“I know this must have been a hard decision for you,” he stepped forward and reached to put a reassuring hand on her shoulder which she slapped away. “… But you’ve made the right decision.”

“Anything else?” she said through gritted teeth.

He rubbed his chin and hummed to himself, reviling in the growing anger he could see on her face the longer he made her wait. “Nothing I can think of. Be prepared to move tomorrow by eight-thirty, and don’t breathe a word about this to anyone.”

She let out a grunt that almost sounded like a growl, and pulled the door open, slamming it open so hard the frame shook.

August 27, 2075, 08:45

“This is a bunch of bull shit,” Shady said as they hiked up the steep incline towards the tunnel entrance.

“It’s gotta be done, Shady,” said Dom in his usual chipper tone.

“I don’t see why you’re complaining,” said Slayer from the front. “I’m the one carrying all the extra gear.”

“That’s because this was your stupid idea. I’m just being dragged along because you two can’t be trusted to defend yourselves without me.”

“The items we’re going after are necessary for us to make healing potions,” said Dom.

“So it’s necessary for weaklings.”

Slayer chuckled. “So then why are you carrying health potions right now?”

“Because someone,” he said staring directly at the back of Slayer’s head. “Decided they needed to mother me and force me to put them in my inventory.”

Dom shook his head. “You’d think with the perpetual threat of death being a thing he wouldn’t have had to force you.”

“Why? Slayer’s got so much extra shit if we actually encounter anything unexpected he’ll probably have it incapacitated before I can get out my axes.”

“Most likely,” Slayer said patting his belt on which hung his shortsword and a plethora of different vials and flasks filled with liquids of all different colors and viscosities.

Shady rolled his eyes. “Compensating much?”

Dom could not hold back a laugh.

Slayer rolled his eyes. “Oh shut up.”

“Nah, you’d miss the sound of my voice.”

It took them five more minutes to reach the cave entrance, and another ten-seconds for the three of them to obliterate the mob of creatures that guarded the entrance.

“Alright,” Slayer said slipping the grenade he had drawn back into a pouch on his belt. “That should be just about all the creatures in here so long as we don’t go too deep. Why don’t you two go down the left path, I’ll go right to the cliff then loop back around to you guys. If I don’t find you guys we’ll meet back here in 20-minutes.”

Shady nodded. “Good enough for me. More creatures left.”

“Before you go,” Dom said swiping open his menu. He tapped away until an item trade offer screen popped up in Slayer’s vision. To Slayer’s surprise, Dom was offering him Kings Bane, one of his two main daggers.

“Dom you need this.”

“Nah, I’ll be with the big guy. And what is that shortsword? Uncommon? You really need to upgrade man. Take it, you may need the extra damage.”

Slayer hesitated a moment longer before pressing the accept button. “Normally the damage doesn’t really matter since people take lethal damage.”

“Well now we’re fighting monsters. The numbers matter. Be careful.”

“Yea, you too.”

Shady flipped his axe in the air. “I’m always careful.”

Dom shook his head and laughed. “I’ll be careful enough for the both of us.”

The few creatures Slayer ran into while collecting his share of the materials were easily dispatched with the help of Dom’s dagger. The thought of replacing his trusted shortsword pained him, but he could no longer deny the truth of the matter, Dom’s dagger dealt three-times the shortswords damage per slash.

He checked the upper left corner of his HUD as he made his way through the caves. As expected, neither Shady nor Dom had taken any damage as he stepped through an archway onto a cliff overlooking a valley.

The sound of a rushing river echoing all the way up to him on the thin, barren ledge he stepped out onto. The only things of note was the tall stone way-marker at the cliff’s edge which read “Dead end”, and the green moss growing at the foot of the marker.

Slayer knelt and began cutting away the moss, pausing for a moment to look over the edge down the sheer drop to the fast-flowing river. A small shiver ran up his spine. Normally he would not have worried about the drop, he had even jumped off this cliff a few times for fun in the past. However, the knowledge that if he missed the water the fall damage would most certainly kill him was enough to make him lean back away from the edge.

Once he was done collecting the moss he placed a hand on the way-marker and pushed himself to his feet, his heart leaping into his throat for a moment as the marker move slightly under his weight. He pulled his hand, holding his breath as he saw the marker lean towards the edge, then rock back into place.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he was about to wipe the dirt off his hands on his trousers when he saw a blip of movement in the top left of his vision. His eyes darted up to that corner of his HUD and he felt his heart drop with sudden dread.

Dom’s HP was still at full, but Shady’s had dropped 10%, and a yellow box with the letters “PAR” flashed next to his name. Slayer nearly bashed his head on the archway as dashed back into the cave.

There are no spawnable monsters in this area that can cause paralysis, Slayer thought in a panic. We’re under attack.