A few minutes later seb, a knight in dragonesque armour and a girl in leather adventurers clothes walked into the clearing.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSbd9UBbxo
“Tim you made it!” Exclaimed seb. He quickly made introductions of the other two. The knight with the massive and unnecessary red plume on his helmet was Charles. The girl was Marie.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhdRqCkayF
“nice to meet y’all,” I nodded. “Still, why’s everyone so glum? Who’s funeral is it or what?”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAX9rYxvseT
“Have a little decorum,” Seb cautioned. “One of our party was captured on the way here and is currently being held for ransome.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsp6aG8Mak2
“That sure wasn’t smart,” I scoffed.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWz1ouEK0PR
Charles gritted his teeth. “So, this is the ‘strongest friend’ you mentioned? Doesn’t look to strong to me.” Charles strode over to me. Hands held loosely at his side ready to draw a blade.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyuveqXZVI
“Then you’d better get your eyes checked, blondie,” I said as I drew myself up to my full height. Only to find I was about an inch shorter than Charles. If you counted his hair.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAoYYPdfUik
“Better put that fruit knife away before you hurt yourself, kid,” grinned Charles mirthlessly.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6AAWA0UA8
“Sure, let me put it back where it belongs,” I said with a shrug as I retracted the blade. Then I moved in a blur, whipping the blade out and sending it right at Charles’ chest.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7v2drdaOZU
Charles, however, anticipated the move, as I expected. And knocked my blade aside with a gauntlet causing my blade to hit his shoulder plate.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVMlHRvzFw
“A real honorable fellow,” said Charles, his voice laden with malice. “Drawing a blade on an unarmed fellow.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3y0snmHx2
“I see a sword and a hidden dagger at your waist,” I said as I rubbed my bruised wrist. “Unless they’re as fake as your hair color.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROZ66G9Xx9
“I’m all natural!” yelled Charles as he swung a double handed blow at my chest. Which I responded to with a straight out punch between the eyes.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wQ4LQwxZy
I fell to the ground winded, as did Charles cradling his head which was probably ringing like a church bell inside.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzT6WGPMfAy
“The hell is wrong with you?” Marie berated us, flexing her hands threateningly. “Is a castle of murderous bandits not enough that you gotta try and kill your friends too?”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ajnWxaiRs
“He’s no friend of mine,” I gasped.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhOsno7GeL
“Likewise,” spat Charles.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡliBWKpI8Wj
“Well you’d better get acquainted right quick,” said marie as she slammed a fist into an open palm. “Cause you’re gonna have each other’s backs out there tonight.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgrbeNiRKI
“And so, the battle to determing Sebastien’s strongest friend was settled,” said Sebastien in a phony narrator’s voice. “With Marie as a clear vict-“ only to be cut off by a kick to the stomach which bent him double.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKwnjcf2VF
“I’m serious,” said Marie. “Tenshi’s waiting for us, and right now we’re her best chance for seeing a couple more dawns in BRYZ. Have you forgotten she’s an AI? If we die we just lose connection and wake up in our real bodies, but Tenshi doesn’t have that luxury. I don’t know the BRYZ rules regarding rogue AI, but if her account gets deleted, she doesn’t have a body to go back to. Have either of you thought about that?”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG44IpKhQVl
“Oh…sorry. That never occurred to me,” said Seb. Looking completely cowed.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobXH0MKbzX
“Honestly, you guys,” started marie. Just to stop when I caught a glimpse of movement in one of the bushes and jumped up and dashed into the bush. “Just where do you think you’re going?” she yelled after me.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0F4RvuPgx6
I grabbed the fleeing spy by his shoulder and put my extended blade by his neck, waiting till he’d finished screaming to talk. “No funny moves. This blade’s pretty sharp.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEFRNYW3r4
I dragged the youth back to the clearing and dumped him to the ground. “I noticed this little bugger spying on us from the trees,” I said as I retracted my blade. “What should I do with him?”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02MKDURgzq
“Somehow, I don’t feel he’s much of a threat,” said Seb as he assessed the boy of about twelve. I had to agree with him. The buy was dressed in mud stained jeans and a white t-shirt. “Still, weren’t you a bit rough with him?”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7qmv3rp39
“I got bad vibes from him,” I said. “He reminded me of my younger brothers.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7XIFQAETP
“that gave you bad vibes?” exclaimed Seb.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSacSkGUkfP
“No, I totally get that,” nodded Marie. “Siblings are a pain.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqDKdo4ZUf
“Right?” I agreed as I stepped aside to let Marie approach the boy. Who was laying on the ground quivering.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11sblofmaj
Marie knelt on the ground next to the boy. “Still, he doesn’t seem like a bad kid.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswU4xpyubH
Helping him up she brushed some loose leaves and mulch from his clothes. “You ok?” she asked. Her tone surprisingly warm and gentle. “What’re you doing out here in the forest alone?”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTi1b7l9Br
“Looking for my sister,” the youth muttered sullenly. Giving me a stink eye which I chose not to justify with a response.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWw23hsmExd
“You’re in a bad neighborhood,” Sighed Marie, putting a hand on her hip. “There’s a bunch of nasty bandits around here, kidnapping anyone they come across…” she trailed off as if something had occurred to her. Kneeling down she looked the boy right in the eyes. “Do you know where your sister is now?”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuGKZGOUmy
The boy nodded slightly and lifted a finger. Pointing right in the direction of the forbidding fortress I’d noticed earlier.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRiQ81lR0xj
“Just what I was afraid of,” sighed marie as she clapped a hand onto each of the boy’s shoulders. “What’s your name?”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQgv0tS8I6
“Walter,” replied the boy. “Walter Hartman. My sister’s name is Riley.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbT62UVOsE
“Gotcha,” nodded Marie. Locking eyes with walter again. “Okay Walter, listen. A good friend of ours was also taken by those bandits. If you tell us what she looks like we’ll try to rescue her while we’re in there.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIyxYGB6nf
“Hunh?!?!?” Me and Charles both objected.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nIP7fZK5N
“Look, our job’s gonna be hard enough grabbing tenshi and somehow IDing that bandit chief, but now you want us to find some random girl too?” Charles complained. “That’s not very realistic. Besides, she could have logged out for all we know. We can’t rescue her unless she’s online.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStv3Wu2J6Y
“I hate to say it, but I’m with Blondie,” I agreed. Seriously? This day just gets better and better.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVBHc31evJ
“I can see my sis is still online by checking my friends menu,” Walter defended. “Besides, I’ll be coming with you.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0KYuhtszc
“Now that I REALLY object to,” I sighed as I strode forwards. “Look at the kid, he doesn’t even reach my shoulder. Plus, he’s not packing a single weapon. Strolling into a place like that with a liability like him is gonna put all our lives on the line.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFxPqQUAAJ
“Hey, come on,” chided me as she stood up. “We’re supposed to be heroes, right? Isn’t this exactly the kind of thing we do?”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0seTCklHC3
“Speak for yourself,” I muttered. “I’m an assassin. I just deal in death, not self-righteous nonsense like “heroics”.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0qjpjNiIx
“And we’re supposed to let you watch our backs?” Charles muttered. “I’d take the kid over you any day.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKcKPrFJb3
“Just wait till the bullets start flying,” I predicted. “The only good that little runt’ll do you is as a meat shield.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpDSHWWbGu
“SHUT UP!”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOtqOXvkr0
Everyone’s heads turned in surprise at the sudden outburst from Walter. Who was standing with his legs planted firmly and a large magnum in his right hand. On his face was a determined expression that made me double check my impression of this kid.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMTuwSJW47
“I never asked for any of your help in the first place!” he continued. “I’m getting my sis back, whether you like it or not. If you’re gonna tag along, that’s up to you.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7bsyL45RR
Walter tapped his inventory and a light exo-suit frame shimmered into being around his body. Centered around a mechanical chestplate adorned with a hude spherical gemstone in the center. He stomped away angrily, a similar gemstone in the back plate of the armor shimmering as he moved.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbpG6cEKsi
Seb stood up suddenly, a look on his face that I had come to associate with him having an idea. Whether good or bad remained to be seen. “Hey, hang up a sec kid!” he yelled as he ran after Walter.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPKDyn3yTq
“What do you want?” he asked sulkily as he turned to face seb.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMSnJr0MqJ
“Your class!” seb exclaimed. “Are you an Inertist?”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymfIssctKA
“Yeah, I think so,” Walter replied, obviously confused. “What about it?”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3XHAaah7n
“Have you spent any of your skill points yet?” Continued seb.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68vlEnupiG
“No, I was waiting for my sis to help me…” Walter’s voice trailed off dejectedly.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCUvaeNLlU
“I’ve got it!” Seb exclaimed, clapping Walter on the shoulders continuously.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAKvnmmdjq
“What’ve you got?” he asked, eyeing Seb. “Aside from bad breath.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hYkDlE2ZZ
Ignoring Walter Seb swung around to face us. “How many skill points do you each have that you haven’t used yet?” he asked.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDMJ6aOQfs
“Only one, the one I just got from your guys’s fighting,” Charles Responded.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbqebHJ8fT
“Same here,” replied Marie as she checked her menu.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppSHyfyk0o
“I only used one skill point so far, so I have two left,” I said. “Why?”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6MEd1QsZH
“I think I know how to save Tenshi!” Sebastien exclaimed.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuNVAROriC
“Who’s “We”?” walter asked. A wary look on his face.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2JmxJzhH0
“All of us, you included,” Seb laughed. Wrapping an arm around Walter’s neck and leading him back to the group. “You’re gonna be a key point in our plan.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8y8KNzDTxc
“So, what’s the plan?” Marie asked.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoavP9RQXCV
“Well, it’s only the start of a plan,” Seb confessed. “I figured out how we get into the castle in the place.” He frowned. “The issue is: we don’t know where Tenshi is right now, and how to get to her.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvnz4XtaGO
“Did any of the released captives mention where they were held?” asked Marie.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaXgxiMbE3
“Well, they all said they were teleported into a cell in some building, and they left the same way,” Charles said. “Further, while inside the cell they couldn’t use any abilities, skills, or even most of their menu functions.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8dy191ELx
“So to sum up, she might not even be in the castle,” I summarized. “We could risk our lives breaking in there only to find out she’s at a secondary location miles away.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWRMDL58Ro
Seb sighed as he stared at the drab castle in the distance. “Tenshi… where are you?” he muttered.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjxIR059uz
Chapter Nineteen343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilj62EShEN
As I watched Seb he seemed to have a conversation with himself. I quickly lost interest and started pulling out and arranging weapons. Charles watched in what seemed to be a mixture of horror and fascination. By the time I pulled out the fifteenth and last weapon his jaw seemed unable to decide if it wanted to stay on his face or drop off it.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtfJyGj4j4
After a few minutes Seb turned and walked back to us. I quickly put away my weapons and stood up.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHPkavcxto
“What happened?” Charles asked as he eyed Seb curiously. “You just started talking to yourself all of a sudden.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRp0r59EUaE
“I’ll tell you about it later,” Sebastien returned as he grinned. “Listen guys, form up around me. Here’s the plan.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpWh9lB9xn
“So, what’s the plan?” asked Charles.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrTwmg7SEs
“A pincer movement!” exclaimed Seb. I nodded. Divide and conquer didn’t just mean dividing the enemy forces. Sometimes you had to divide your own forces to make the enemy fight on multiple fronts. Forcing them onto more than one defensive line. “Charles, you and Walter will lead a frontal assault on the gate while Tim, Marie and I sneak around the back and rescue Tenshi!”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFzfnWlD0D
Seb drew a rough square in the dirt and tossed a few pinecones, sticks, and stones into or around the square to mark positions.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXncWnAScFE
“Ok, this is the gate here,” said Seb as he placed a leaf on one of the lines. “no clue how thick it is, but unless it’s paper thin no chance of us breaking it down as we are.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1Dn0URbe6
“Ok, but then how,” started Charles.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PQ4h4k78D
“Shh I’m still explaining,” said Seb. “I saw a guard at two of the three wall corners visible to us, so it’s safe to assume there’s one on each of the other two.” Seb put an acorn on each of the square’s corners. “Ideally, Tim and Walter’s frontal assault should distract the gaurds for a moment, and a moment should be all Marie and I need.” Sebastien placed a few green pinecones to mark our position.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWuss16tin
“What about me?” I asked. “I thought I was part of your sneak and rescue team?”
“After you get Marie and I to the back wall, you’ll circle back and help Charles and Walter,” explained Seb. “Walter and Charles are both defensive, so they should buy for time holding the gateway. On the other hand Tim, you can use your stealth to attack them from behind when they least expect it.”343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57s2Qry5ux
“Just warning you, I’m not too into stealth,” I explained. “I like to take guys on hand to hand with my sword fighting skills." I pulled my swordstaff from my back and swung it in a pattern to emphasis my point.
"Then you'll die," said Seb flatly. "There could be over forty to fifty players inside there, you want to use everything at your disposal to stay alive."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRbQ10hek1
"Fine." I grumbled as I put my weapon back into its clips on my back.
"OK, so while Tim sneaks back to the main fight, Marie and I scale the walls at the southeast and northeast corners respectively." continued Seb while he pulled spools of rope with grapnels attached from his backpack. "I picked these up in town once I heard we were storming the castle." He explained. "If we wrap some cloth over the prongs, we should reduce the sound we make significantly."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIr2lM8MF4
"Okay, I'm following you.: Marie nodded in agreement.
"No, you'll be taking the opposite corner." Seb corrected. "After we dispatch the guards, we'll meet up and find out where Tenshi's being kept. Tim, it's on you to make sure we don't get spotted. Stab anyone you think sees us."
"With pleasure," I promised with a grin.
"Okay, but you still haven't explained how we're breaching the gate, or how you're somehow sneaking to the back wall." Charles stated.
"That's where your extra skill points come in! Seb explained. "I know just the skills we need to get inside."
"Actually I already spent all my skill points, sorry." I said with a straight face. Knowing full well that I had some to spend. "Kidding," I said as Seb glared daggers at me. "What did you want me to learn?"343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg588ifjLdj
"You'll need a skill called CLOAK OF THE NIGHT." Seb told me. "It works similar to my SNEAK skill, but it also cloaks you somewhat. The cloaking power is stronger the slower you move, but the main benefit of it is that it allows you to share the power with anyone as long as you maintain contact with them."
"Okay, I see where this is going," I nodded. While wondering to myself what would happen if the coding for it was screwed up and I turned everything invisible.
"And what about breaching the gates?" asked Charles.
"Charles, you'll need to learn a skill called ENDURE." continued Seb. "It'll absorb all damage you take from one damaging effect, prevent you from falling to 0 health, then add any damage you took to your next attack, provided you hit." he explained.
"Sounds good to me," said Charles as he opened his menu. "Still not sure how it's gonna work, though."
"Marie, I don't especially need any of your skills, so pick a good one you think will help in the coming fight. Same for your second skill, Tim." said Seb as he turned to face us.
"Got it," Marie replied.
"How's GUTSPILLER sound?" I asked, remembering the skill I'd seen earlier.
"It's very "you", Tim." Sebastien replied, sounding a bit tired. I had no idea why.
"What about me?" asked Walter. "Should I start spending my skill points?"
"Actually it's key that you don't spend any points until you get inside the fort." Sebastien told him. "I'll give you some suggestions, but this mission relies on an almost-glitch power your class grants while you're in the middle-ground between your two class paths."
"I don't really get it, but if it'll help rescue Riley, I'll do whatever you say!" Walter replied enthusiastically. Slamming a fist against his chest.
"There's one last thing I want to go over." Seb continued. His face going serious. "These are real people we're up against, not monsters. That changes the rules somewhat."
"They still die the same," I shrugged. My assassinations and kills flashing across my mind.
"yes and no." cautioned Seb. "Firstly, anticipate that every player is as good, if not better than you. We're a small team with a spur-of-the-moment plan. They're an organized group that may have been practicing coordinated defense since a little after BRYZ started. Unlike monsters which focus on simple reactions, these players will plan, adapt, sacrifice themselves for others, and in general act very much like yourself."
"Point taken." Charles nodded. "Anything else we should know?"
"Well, firstly, they almost certainly have healers and we do not." Admitted Seb. "That puts us at a major disadvantage, so be careful to avoid getting hit, and use your healing potions conservatively. But that's not the main difference here."
"What is the main difference, then?" asked Marie.
"Killing a player." Sebastien replied. "When a monster kills a player they die, and unless revived in a short space of time, it's game over." He explained slowly. "However, player-vs.-player combat was an expected but not encouraged feature. When a player "kills" another player they are knocked unconscious instead, falling to 0 health, but remaining in a non-death state until revived or combat ends."
"Hey, that's kind of good, then," Walter piped up. "I don't think any of us have reviving skills, but at least we won't die, right?"
"Actually that's the second part." Seb continued. "If an unconscious player is damaged by any effect, then they are killed as if a monster had dealt the final blow."
There was a minute or two of silence. My first kill I'd kept the blade in. Moving it around a bit to increase damage. My battle with Veradany's men and him I'd killed them all. They'd been in a party so when they were dead they stayed dead once they were all killed I suppose. Some game mechanics worked like that but I couldn't know for sure.
"And as I mentioned you are completely defenseless while unconscious. Unless another player can rescue you, you're as good as dead." said Seb. Then he continued. "However, that means we all have a choice to make; when combat starts, do we kill the players or let them sit unconscious?"
I considered that. If we left them unconscious we would just have to face the enemy over and over again unless we could kill the healers. being merciful in this case was a tactical disadvantage. One I decided I would not allow. In this case it was kill or be killed.
Then Charles spoke.
"You already said it, Sebastien." He rose and drew his sword, planting it in the ground. "These are real people, not monsters. I'll show them the same kind of mercy I'd hope for from them. After all, according to any captured players, the bandits haven't killed any players themselves."
"Unfortunately for you, not killing them doesn't mean they won't kill you when the chips are down." I muttered. Keeping my decision to kill or be killed to myself.
"Alright, that's all I have to say," Seb smiled grimly. "Let's go over it one more time, then take our positions!" he held his hand out in front of him palm down. "Let's do this. For Tenshi and Riley!"
"For Tenshi and Riley!" we all echoed as we put our hands on his.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKu2gKW3tS
