Heralds- The Proving Grounds, page 6
Jen wasn’t sure why her room had become the meeting location or the cafeteria, but it did mean she didn’t have to mess with her hair or get dressed. “Sure.”
The login queue didn’t take as long as Jen had feared… but it had certainly been a thing. Just her position in line on a little menu panel floating in the black nothingness.
It had probably not taken as long as it seemed, but that nothingness… they might want to figure out something else for waiting.
The world coalesced around her, and she found herself standing in the map room right where she had been.
Hank and the monk, Kail, were standing over the table. They glanced up when she appeared.
The little bearded man gave her a nod. “We have a problem.”
“The lynch mob? I heard. Sam should be along shortly.”
“Excellent. The others seem to have disappeared as well.”
“Well, ya know, pizza time.”
Hank chuckled. “Work in software for awhile… I’m afraid you’ll see pizza in a different light.”
Sam appeared beside Jen a moment later with no sort of visual flair at all. One second she wasn’t there, the next she was.
She gave Jen a nod before stepping over to the table. “So… couple questions.”
“Eh?” Hank straightened from leaning over the table. “Shoot.”
“Can I be the Kingslayer?”
“Uhh… hmm.” He tilted his head. “You know, I’m not sure. I would assume that would be frowned upon, but realistically the player who kills him gets the title, and you are a player… Tell you what, I’ll ask about it.”
“Awesome. Failing that, can we get some other bad ass title for helping?”
Kail shook his head. “You’ve been gifted godlike powers the likes of which other players will never see, let alone experience… and you want a reward on top of that?”
“Well I only get those for a bit…” She shrugged. “And I would want the title after. To let people know.”
“Consider…” Kail raised a finger, “people you oppose in this time. You’d be wise to consider hiding your presence. You may be immortal now, but that won’t be true next week. Make enemies now and you won’t lose them with the special status.”
Hank nodded. “He has a point, and it’s largely the same conclusion we came to. Also why my instructions were to be cautious.”
Sam sighed and crossed her arms. “Fine.”
Jen glanced down at the table. “So how are we to handle this situation with Ironblood?”
“Ideally? We need to lead these people away.” Hank pointed at a group of dots surrounding a location noted as “Morblina” on the map. “He was spotted there, and there have been no new reports so people assume nothing has changed. For all I know, he is still there.”
Sam tapped a finger against her chin. “Which means he’s super dead and the event is over before it really begins.”
“Unfortunately.”
Kail stared down at the table. “I have looked over what powers we can access. There is an option for changing ones appearance, but it’s locked.” He glanced up at Hank. “But you could do it. Look like him, make sure you are seen. And then we,” he pointed at Jen, Sam, and himself, “will head to this Morblina place and relay that Ironblood has been seen elsewhere. Accounts should rise to confirm our story, if you’re overt enough.”
Sam blinked. “I got about half of that.”
Jen rolled her eyes. “Send Hank to dance around dressed as Ironblood. We tell people we saw him where we know Hank is. They ask around, get the same story. Bada-bing, bada-boom.”
“Cool.”
Hank scratched at his beard. “I’m not really supposed to take part…”
Sam shrugged. “Monk guy says we can’t do it. Gotta be you.”
“Eh…”
Jen nodded. “Given what we have to work with, I can’t think of another way to fix this problem. We can say he’s elsewhere, but why would they believe us? A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, and all that.”
Hank sighed. “Oh, very well.” His finger swiped at an invisible panel off to his left. Tobin Ironblood appeared in his place a moment later, all long dark hair and furs.
Sam narrowed her eyes at him. “Oh, that is creepy.” She held up one finger pointing at him, her thumb held high as she closed one eye. “Some day…” She jerked her hand backward, pointing the finger to the sky. “Boom.”
Jen reached over and gently lowered Sam’s arm. “Later. For now, we have a job to do.”
6
Jen and Sam stared at the mass of people outside the dilapidated church from the shade of a row of nearby trees. It looked like it had been nice once. All kinds of stained glass and a broken down little wall surrounding it. If there weren’t a hundred people out there, it was pretty close. A few more appeared every few minutes as they waited.
Most seemed to be broken into groups, with stragglers ending up standing on their own between larger groups.
Jen scoffed. “Trust is running high out here.”
Sam shrugged. “I wouldn’t trust anyone to not knife me in the back right now.” She turned her eyes to the side. “Well, I trust you not to.”
“Because you know it wouldn’t matter if I did?”
“No, because you’re kinda spineless.”
“Thanks… I think?”
“You’re welcome.” k`1`2
Kail gave a nod as he returned to the secluded copse of trees. “They are on all sides. If our counterparts are within, they can’t leave on foot without a confrontation.”
Sam tilted her head. “Right… but if they are like us, why not just teleport out?”
A good question. Jen tapped a finger against her chin. “Maybe this is their island. They come here when they teleport?”
“Maybe… but then they could use their map to leave.”
Kail shrugged. “Best to not let their home base be known as such, regardless.”
Jen nodded. “So, what’s the play? I doubt we can fight them all.”
Sam sighed. “I’m still level one… there is no justice.”
The monk glanced back out at the crowd. “Master Hank said to wait, for now.”
“Okay, that sounds goofy as hell. ‘Master Hank.’ Yeah, no, not saying that.”
“He is our superior.”
“The sheer amount that I don’t care is difficult to put into words.”
Jen held up a hand in front of Sam’s mouth. “Okay, so, he’s off making a scene dressed as Ironblood. Did he mention to anyone else how long he expects it to take? Because I missed that part.”
The monk shrugged.
“Super.”
The people outside the church were quietly speaking among themselves for the most part. Though loud cries and objects being thrown at the church were not exactly uncommon.
Sam tilted her head. “I mean, they’re low level… and they can’t kill us. We could totally just start swinging.”
The monk shook his head. “Our immortality would be revealed. We are agents of this event, empowered to see it through. If we betray that trust and are revealed to the people it will all be a wasted effort.”
Jen nodded. “Not to mention all the people mad they weren’t chosen. We’re supposed to lay low.”
Sam shook her head. “I hate waiting. I could be out knifing things. Leveling. Leveling you scrubs too. Coattail riders.”
The monk chuckled. “Plenty of time for that.”
Jen leaned out and shaded her eyes. She couldn’t see into the church… from what she could tell, no one really could. All the windows seemed to be stained glass, opaque, and impervious to the things people threw at them… and, fortunately, the weapons they carried.
“Are we… sure they’re in there?”
The monk narrowed his eyes at the church. “Master Hank believes they are. One assumes he would know, and be capable of checking.”
Sam shook her head. “Master Hank. Ugh.”
Jen ignored her. “So, did these people see them go in, or…?”
“The rumor I heard as I secured the perimeter was that someone climbed the wall trying to find out what was in there and spotted them.”
Sam raised her eyebrows. “Secured the perimeter? Are we black ops, now?”
Jen glanced up at the roof. It was open to the sky. “So… why haven’t they gone in?”
Kail ignored Sam as he addressed Jen. “It’s blocked off. One can see in, but not cross through.”
“Aww.” Sam sounded legitimately annoyed. “Invisible walls are the worst. Lazy developers are lazy.”
“And it’s angled such that one can not stay up there for more than a moment.”
Jen swept her eyes across the crowd. “But no one is trying.”
“They say that the last two who made it up there claimed to have seen him, and then promptly fell to their deaths.”
Sam blinked a few times. “That would make me not want to do it.”
Jen nodded. “Hmm. Probably useful information.”
Daggers spun around Sam’s hands. “And yet we wait. All information is useless while we just… wait.”
Jen shrugged. “Weren’t you going to get swords?”
“A sword. I’m a rogue, so I can’t dual wield full size weapons, I need a light offhand. But if I just use one long sword and swing it with both hands I’ll get a damage bonus of half my strength score, rounded down.”
“Really? Neat. What’s your strength?”
“Ten.”
“That… seems underwhelming.”
Sam shrugged. “Five more than I would do otherwise. One big hit that is easier to land and larger damage numbers that damage resistance can’t soak up.”
“There is that.”
“Hell, a damage resistance of five is pretty top end, and the bonus alone covers that.”
That did lend some credence to Jen pondering two handed weapons… after all, she wasn’t tanking for anyone. Their “group” didn’t include a healer, outside of what little Jen could heal herself. “That bonus work for two handers?”
“Negative. They have higher base damage to go along with their glacial swing speed. But I don’t care because I can’t use two handers. Rogue.”
“Well I can.” Jen shaded her eyes as she swept them over the crowd again. It had gained a few more faces.
Angry faces.
The most common cry was the one she had expected to hear as soon as they arrived. People didn’t like the mortality angle. They didn’t want to be locked out for dying, didn’t like looking over their shoulders, or had already lost a friend or loved one to the lockout.
All points she could certainly see and sympathize with.
Unfortunately she was on the other side.
Bright orange text appeared before Jen’s eyes.
Eastern Fetland.
She blinked at it a few times before glancing aside at the others. “Uh, you see that?”
Kail nodded. “Seems we have our location.”
Sam spun her daggers. “About damn time.”
Jen stared at Sam. “Weapons down. We need to talk to them.”
“Can I stab upstarts?”
Jen rolled her eyes and looked at Kail for help, but he only shrugged.
“You can stab anyone that attacks first.”
Sam nodded. “Avoid going red. Gotcha. Smart.”
“That’s probably a good idea from here on out, you know. A red name will just invite trouble.”
“Always has. Kind of the point.” Sam sheathed her daggers and hopped over the underbrush.
Jen and Kail had to run a few steps to catch up. She glanced aside at the monk. “Hang back and wait a minute. If they don’t believe us you can show up as a secondary source. Might help.”
He bowed his head. “A sensible plan.” He vanished back into the underbrush.
Jen tapped Sam on the shoulder. “Let me do the talking.”
Sam glanced back with narrowed eyes. “Why?”
“These people are already nervous about being mortal. I doubt punctuating your sentences with dagger tricks will put them at ease.”
Sam shrugged. “Fine. Still planning to stab upstarts.”
“You do that.” Jen waved her hands over her head as she approached.
Some eyes turned to her. Others ignored her. Many more apparently had no idea she was present, their full attention on the building.
An icon appeared in Jen’s buff list when she got close to the building. This was a PVP safe zone, apparently. Sam couldn’t kill anyone anyway. A tiny island in the sea of hostility.
“Hey, everyone! Nobody’s there! Tobin Ironblood is in Eastern Fetland. Or he was a few minutes ago.”
That got more of a response. Most of the small groups talked among themselves. Some gestured at the building, others pointed at her.
“Bullshit.” An older looking warrior with prominent scars stood near the doors to the church. “He’s in here. Daron saw him.”
Jen shrugged. “How long ago? Because Hank just saw him in Eastern Fetland.”
Sam nodded. “We’re wasting time here. We should be moving. Guy isn’t going to kill himself.”
It was clear from their gestures that several people were checking their maps.
“That’s on the other side of the continent!” A young woman shook her head. “How did he get there?”
“He didn’t.” The old soldier shook his head. “He’s still in there.”
Sam’s hands were resting near her daggers.
Jen tilted her head at the old man. “Where is this Daron fellow? Did you see him?”
The old man scowled. “Daron is gone. Fell off the roof.”
“I’m sorry.” Jen bowed her head. “But I can’t vouch for his word. Hank is a friend, and he told me to head that way. I thought we’d drop by and let everyone know before we left, but frankly… we’re wasting time here.”
Sam rolled her eyes. “By all means, if you want to stay, stay. The glory will be ours.” She turned to Jen. “Why are we bothering? They’d rather hold up protest signs than help.”
Reverse psychology. Huh. Jen wouldn’t have given Sam credit for even knowing about the concept. Then again, she was a straight A student. Maybe she just wanted people to think she was dumb. “We don’t know what he’s capable of. We could use the help.”
“I don’t need the help.” She whipped out her daggers and spun them before replacing them in their sheathes. “We’re burning daylight.”
Kail burst from the underbrush on the far side of the church. He crossed the open ground at a dead run. “Tobin Ironblood is in Eastern Fetland! We’re going to lose him again! Move!” He ran on by, never so much as glancing at Jen or Sam as he disappeared into the tree line behind them.
Huh. Nice.
Jen hooked a thumb the way he had gone. “That guy gets it.”
Sam shook her head. “Fuck ‘em. Gone.” She ran off after Kail.
More than a few of the people waiting took off after them. Groups were splintered. Several more glanced back and forth among those left before moving away as well.
It made sense. The only ones that had seen him were dead. Those left were working on here-say, even if they trusted the voices that had told them.
The vast majority only had the word of those friends of the deceased, second hand information. Now they had newer information, which had been confirmed by a seemingly impartial third party.
Those gathered about the church wandered away until only a handful were left.
The old man was among them. He stared up at the church.
Well, if nothing else the job had been done. The handful of people left wouldn’t be able to stop Ironblood from leaving, not if he was anything like the Heralds. And the Heralds didn’t act alone, so there was no reason to assume he would. Hank had even told them he had some backing.
She frowned as she turned. “Well, good luck to you. I’m heading out. I’m not sure what help I can be, but it will be more than I am here.” She started away with measured steps before breaking into a jog.
She turned after she crossed into the trees, moving off to the left until she found a place to hide where she could see the church.
The final holdouts talked among themselves. The opinions clearly didn’t line up. People continued to leave, the last few shaking their heads and clearly against leaving, but with no support here what choice did they have?
The last man standing was the old warrior. He stared up at the crumbling stone structure.
“How did you get away?” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Daron. We’ll get him, I promise. And then you’ll be back.” He took a few steps before pausing to glance back at the structure. He sighed and turned his back on it one final time before running off the way the others had gone.
Jen frowned. She’d mislead them.
She’d lied.
It had been her job, what she was tasked with for the sake of the event and the game itself. And yet…
That old man had just wanted his friend back. Someone lost trying to set the world to right, someone who didn’t care for the madness that had come with the early access event.
She didn’t really care for it either. The saving grace for her was the selection as a Herald marking her immortal and essentially immune.
No one else had that.
What would she do in their place?
She would be hunting Tobin… or simply sitting the event out. As good as dead.
“Nice.” Sam leaned in close. “Got ‘em all, and didn’t even have to knife anybody. Which, honestly, made this less fun. I wanted to knife somebody.”
“This wasn’t about fighting.” Kail’s voice was a bit more stern than usual. Jen hadn’t noticed him approach. “Attacking them would have only reinforced their beliefs. We needed to strike at those beliefs. We did precisely that, and we did well.” He nodded. “Even you, assassin.”
“Of course I did.” Sam smiled. “But I’m impressed with Jen. I didn’t know you had it in you.”
She shrugged.
“It was good. You do any retail work? Talked them right into leaving.”
Jen shook her head.
Kail raised an eyebrow at Jen, but he turned his eyes to the church. “If only we could truly end things now. Spare people more of this anger and uncertainty.”
