Rest never comes. As dusk transforms into a dark but moonlit night, the camp is buzzing with activity. NPC’s given menial tasks work on harvesting clutches of the long prairie grass, long and straight sticks between five and six feet long, and dumping them inside one of the bigger tents. With these ingredients, Felix, Rubble and I toil away for the better part of three hours. Using rope, we create the ourselves a second, albeit smaller and much more useless, army.

When thirty of the straw dummies are finished, we emerge from our tent and drive their stakes into the ground sporadically around the bonfire and the outer perimeter of our camp. Two rows are placed in battle formation just outside our camp, between us and Starlight. As I push my last one into the dirt, Rin approaches me. She’s been our watch-woman all the while, and by the way her eyes glimmer in the moonlight I almost wonder if she’s been crying.

“Hey, greenie,” She says with a smile. There is a bit of somberness in her tone of voice, but not enough to convince me she really was in tears just a while ago. “You ready to do this?”

I take a big gulp of air, my heart kicking up the pace as I realize just how close we are to attacking. “As ready as I can be. What about yourself?”

Rin weaves her fingers in front of her and nods. “I’m ready to end this. Ready to move on to more important matters: the Shield.”

I’m shocked. “I thought you didn’t really believe me.”

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. I’d rather trust your judgement and be wrong than be a skeptic and be wrong. When we get this guild started, I’ll help you prioritize training spies and get them doing their thing quickly as possible, and when we find out who is behind the mutiny I will help you convince your captain the threat is real. It’s just a matter of time.”

Her sudden wholehearted determination and her certainty that we are going to find something, is puzzling to me. It’s just seems like such a change of mind for her, but I’m grateful for it. But before we get that far, there’s something I have to do. People far and wide are depending on me in this one final act, and by Rothgar’s holy flame I’m going to pull it off. I take one final look at my equipment and stats to make sure I’ve spent every point I can.

Aiden Rockwell

LV. 21 Warrior

HP: 450/450

STRENGTH: 15 (18)

FORTITUDE: 20 (25)

DEXTERITY: 44 (51)

WISDOM: 20

INTELLIGENCE:18

SWAY: 35

(LV. 20) Iron Sallet: +12 ARM

(LV. 20) Iron Cuirass: +20 ARM +3 STR +3 FORT

(LV. 20) Guardian’s Kecks: +16 ARM, +2 FORT

(LV. 20) Iron Sabatons: +10 ARM

(LV. 10) The Rose Sabre (A Class Backsword Sabre)

+20 Damage

Special Feature: Substitutes STR for DEX and doubles class speed.

Magic Action: Extends to 10 feet in length for one attack. 60 second recast.

(LV. 20) Iron Hoplon: +10 ARM, +2 DEX

(LV. 15) Warding Pendant: +10 MR

(LV. 15) Thief’s Ring: +5 DEX

There’s no time like now to get started. Everyone knows the plan and their roles in it. From behind a tent, I crouch low and begin my departure from camp and into the tall grass, low enough that it covers my entire body. My new armor is a bit more bulky than the last set, but with the added speed boost the Rose Sabre gives me, I find myself reaching the forest’s edge quickly.

Stepping over fallen logs and squeezing through patches of brambles, I enter the dark woods until I’m sure I can’t be seen from the plains. I turn south, passing between groaning oaks and elms with the calls of owls reaching my ears. The atmosphere is oppressive and smothering. I can barely see, but I find my way by occasionally peeking out over the plains as I draw closer and closer to Starlight. I smirk to myself. Starlight taken in starlight.

When I feel I’m as close as I can get to the village and it’s just about a straight shot out from the woods, I drop on my belly and slowly emerge into the grass once more. From my low position, It’s hard for me to see the guards and lookouts atop the palisade walls, but every now and then I catch glimpses and discern that these people patrol too methodically to be players. Their routes and occasional pauses to look around are too scripted, and I quickly work out the pattern. Sensing a brief moment of opportunity, I push from the ground and dash as quickly and low to the ground as possible. Feet pounding against the dirt, the clattering of my armor sounds loud to me, but no one turns my way until their usual patrol pattern resets. I drop to my stomach again, having crossed more than half the distance, and wait for my next chance.

The time comes and I begin to move, not as quickly as before on account of how close I am and the noise my armor makes, but I make it to my target: the closest guardhouse. I rub my hands together menacingly as I prepare to do terrible things to this iron banded gate that looms over me. But first, I glance behind me, out at our camp in the distance. As planned, the only figures I can see is the motionless silhouettes of our dummies. All of the NPCs and my friends have successfully pulled out of camp, retreating back into the grass and are busy getting themselves into position.

With quick motions of my fingers, I materialize a jar of black pitch from my inventory and pop that bad boy open. The smell of it makes me wince, but there’s no stopping me. Using a spoon from camp, I begin smearing the pitch all around the base of the gate, it’s thick globs sticking to the wood nicely. The jar is empty before I know it, and I drop it at my feet. There’s no point in waiting. A single strike of steel against flint sends sparks spraying onto the black tar and the flame takes.

Before the fire gets too big to be noticed, but enough that I know it’s going to keep going, I turn away and leave the gate. Sticking as close as possible to the outer wall and creeping slowly, I make it nearly half way around Starlight before I hear the first screams.

“Fire! Fire! Fire!” Someone yells. A bell begins to ring, disturbing the peace of the quiet night. It’s a matter of moments before Starlight is awake in full-force, their entire focus shifting to the gatehouse that is now burning.

“Prepare for battle! Put those flames out! They're trying to burn their way in!”

Time is of the essence. It won’t be long before they realize that the formation of dummy troops we placed outside of our camp isn’t moving and the light of the growing fire will stretch out over the grass and uncover our trick. Picking up the pace, I reach the gate on the other side of Starlight and produce the best, and only, gift Rubble has ever given me: a shiny and new grappling hook.

I give it a few swings in a clockwise motion then release it and watch it fling up above my head. It clunks against the wall and bounces before tumbling back towards me. I lurch to the side, barely avoiding it, and hope that no one saw me. On the second throw, however, the clawed hook finds purchase between two wooden points atop the palisade.

I test my weight on the rope before fully committing to the climb and propping the bottom of my boots on the wall. Halfway up, everything seems fine other than the shouts and screams from inside the wall. Peering over the wall and into Starlight, I can see the tavern below has caught on fire, too. That is a building I definitely did not want to lose, but there’s nothing I can do about it now but hope that the dozen men that are frantically gathering water from the well will put it out before too much damage is done.

Wrapping my arms around the big wooden spike of the wall, I grunt as I pull myself up and throw my legs onto the scaffolding on the other side. The wooden platforms circle the entire village, and with only hand rails to hide behind I have to hurry before I’m spotted. I find the ladder in the yellow glow of burning buildings, and throw my feet onto the first rung and slide my way down to the ground. Behind the homes made of timbers cut from the forest, I sneak my way to the gate, then lift the locking bar up and off the gate door with my shoulder by extending my legs. With a groan, the gate to Starlight opens wide.

I jump in place and wave my arms wildly until, out in the plains, torch after torch comes alight with fires that pierce the darkness. Our small army starts running towards me, Rin and the others leading the charge, and I smile. Turning back around to face Starlight, the River Raiders are still running around the center of the town. Only a few moments pass before someone realizes that I’ve just opened our way into the village. In the light of the fire, I see Alloy’s pale, long face turn and face me. At first, he looks confused, then grimaces, and finally smiles impishly when he must realize it’s me standing in front of him.

The necromancer points and shouts, and everyone’s attention shifts away from the fires and to me. I draw my sword, point it at him, and the battle begins with a roar. I rush, with NPC warriors just behind me. We collide with the first players and NPCs to respond. Metal clangs off metal, grunts and battle cries fill the air as revenge stretches its deadly claws on River Raiders all around me. Our numbers outweigh them three to one, and we cut them down almost right off the bat, but across the way I can see Alloy is shrouded in a magical green glow that makes the air waver and hum.

Alloy casts Summoning Bones!

Alloy’s wand is made from an Ogre femur!

Two Ogre Skeletons have been summoned!

Just when I was thinking that we were going to get this over with right quick, the earth upturns right in front of me. Huge skeleton hands burst from the ground and claw their way up out of the dirt. Their skulls break through the surface, broad and shaped like gorillas’, followed by thick collar bones, ribs, until their whole shape is standing in the orange glow of the fires. They tower over the average human by at least three feet, shake the dirt from their bodies and beat their rusted iron spears against their shields. One step forward turns to two, and their big boney arms reel back spears.

You use Unrelenting Strikes! Damage and class speed increased by 25% for 10 seconds!

I hit the dirt and roll, avoiding the razor edged spears with room to spare thanks to my heightened speed and their big, clumsy bodies. As I rise to my feet and turn to face my enemies, the world seems a little bit slower than it was just a moment ago. The shuffling feet of the skeletons can’t keep up with me as I step around behind them and tear their backs apart, my sword jarring against their ribcages and cracking their bones. But my advantage doesn’t last long enough for me to finish them off myself. One of them spins, whipping it’s spear out in a long-reaching slash I didn’t see coming. The wooden shaft collides with my head, sending heat rippling through the side of my face.

I jaunt back and focus on staying ahead of their movements, tanking them by my movement capabilities alone as bolts of magical light and arrows slam into their backs. When the first one crumbles to dust before me, I take a moment to take in my surroundings and try to spot where the heck Alloy has gone to. He was only thirty yards away, just a few moments ago, but no matter where I look I can’t seem to spot that curly blonde head of hair anywhere.

Alloy casts Medium! You take 71 damage! 324/450 HP remaining!

A sonic blast of the wails of the dead ripple around me as the sound wave pounds into my back, slamming me down into the dirt with a groan. My ears are ringing like crazy, and for a moment I feel dazed or slightly paralyzed by a feeling of dread and check my status effects.

You have been deafened (LV. 1/4). Reaction time slowed. -10% Class Speed

You have been demoralized (LV. 1/4). Vigor reduced. -10% Damage

The Ogre Skeleton hits you for 53 damage! 271/450 HP remaining.

A curse escapes me as I race to my feet again. That spell Alloy hit me with will completely negate the bonuses the Rose Sword gives me if he keeps hitting me with it, and being almost half-dead so early in the fight is not a good sign. Seeing my folly in helping the others take care of the Ogres, I have to find Alloy and put an end to this as quickly as I can. I’m a damage-dealing dex-warrior now, not a tank. Avoiding the jab of a spear, I catch Rin’s hellhound, now aptly named Cerberus, dash through the smoke and wall of colliding forces and chomp on the big skeleton’s leg. The Ogre’s jaw drops, unleashing a ghostly wail, then shifts its weight around to focus on Cerberus. Rin winks at me from a distance. And judging by how those who are still alive are carry themselves, the overwhelming number of people wearing brown and green armor, and of the throngs of soldiers now dispersing through Starlight, we’re winning this fight.

For a brief second, I see something small and yellow in the alleyway between two wooden buildings. The curly blonde locks disappear around the corner, and a grin stretches across my face. I run for it with all I got, eager to end this feud in a final 1v1 match.

It isn’t until I round the corner that Alloy realizes I’m right on top of him. He jolts backwards in a gasp of shop, waves his wand with a flourish of pale green light, and calls forth another wall of sharp bone spikes between us to try to keep me back. But I snicker, and show him the ace up my sleeve.

You use the Rose Sabre’s special ability, Extend!

You use Bleeding Slashes! All attacks grant a bleeding effect equal to your STR for 10 seconds.

Like a growing vine, the blade of my backsabre sword lashes out over the barrier of bone spikes and hits Alloy across the chest. He winces, reeling back in horror and looking paler than ever as his health begins to diminish before his eyes.

“What the hell kind of sword is that?” Alloy yells. A laugh of revenge escapes me, one that must make me look like a villainous BBEG. Alloy’s face hardens at my outburst, and by the look of concentration on his face, I know he’s focusing on my character and pulling up my stats and equipment. His eyes grow big and I can only assume he’s seen just how powerful the Rose Sabre is. He growls, dismisses his HUD and washes the alleyway in more necrotic light as he prepares another spell. At best, it’s a feeble attack, at worse, it’s another pair of Ogre skeletons, so there’s no time to waste! With wild swings, I begin smashing away at the pokey bones between us. Its HP pool and the damage it dishes out in retaliation to my hits has increased, but I keep going at until my HUD takes my attention.

Alloy casts Life Pull on you and transfers 76 HP to himself!

With a grunt of annoyance, I realize that I haven’t even studied Alloy’s total HP size, nor what level he’s at. I’ve been too eager to give him a wallop and thrown caution to the wind. Luckily, it’s not too late for me to turn that around. I quickly glance upward and examine Alloy’s stats.

Alloy II of the River Raiders

Level 18 Necromancer

HP: 127/351

STRENGTH: 16

FORTITUDE: 28 (43)

DEXTERITY: 19

INTELLIGENCE: 50 (59)

WISDOM: 18 (23)

SWAY: 30 (38)

(LV. 15) Dark Adept’s Robes: +10 ARM, +4 MR

(LV. 15) Life-Weave Gloves: +5 MR, +2 SWAY

(LV. 15) Dark Adept’s Slops: +8 ARM, +5 MR

(LV. 15) Pendant of Entropy: +5 WIS, +5 INT

(LV. 15) Ring of Rickard the Stalwart (A Class Enchanted Ring)

+ 15 FORT

Special Feature: Increases the attribute multiplication factor for class armor by 0.1 .

(LV. 15) Ogre Wand: +15 DAM, +4 INT, +6 SWAY

Damn! That’s a lot of HP for a mage! His max is only about 100 under me at 3 levels lower, so that enchanted ring’s fortitude bonus is no laughing matter. I have to act fast and finish this as quickly as possible. With renewed vigor, I slash away at the barrier between us until it crumbles into harmless white dust that billows into the air as I rush through it.

With a clear path, I activate my favorite abilities and know without a doubt that this jerk is going down.

You use Imbue Weapon! Sway added to damage for 20 seconds!

As a beam of sunlight covers my sword with a glowing molten surface, my Plunging Strike ability fills my legs with unnatural strength and energy. I bound forward at least ten feet, crossing the distance between us in the blink of an eye. As my sword reaches the edge of his hit-box, a crushing blast knocks me out of the air like a swatted fly. I crash onto my back, brought to a dead stop, and groan in despair as I check my logs.

Alloy casts Medium! You take 66 damage! 104/450 HP remaining!

You have been deafened (LV. 2/4). Reaction time slowed. -20% Class Speed

You have been demoralized (LV. 2/4). Vigor reduced. -20% Damage

With the will of my mind, I type out a single message in my party chat and hope against hope the others are paying enough attention to see it.

Aiden Rockwell: I NEED SOME BACKUP!

As I lay on the ground, looking up at the few stars I can see above the inferno of this village, I can’t help but wonder if I’m about to die. If I’m about to lose all the progress I’ve made and fail everyone. I’m so afraid, I’m practically paralyzed. I know the spell has a a demoralizing effect, but what I’m feeling is beyond that. This is real. It’s the same fear, uselessness, and bitterness I’ve battled with for years. And if I don’t master it now, it’s all over. But when it’s all I’ve ever known and been so engrained in me for years, I don’t know how to find the inner strength to overcome it, to convince my own mind that change and healing is right at the edge of my grasp and all I have to do is fight a little bit harder for it.

Alloy is sneering down at me. The green light of a spell washes over his pale face and yellow eyes, giving him a truly evil look. He says, “You could have made this easy on yourself.”

Alloy casts Life Pull on you and transfers 61 HP to himself!

Forty-three hit points left… Comparing that to his growing 153, I know it’s only going to take one more spell before all of this is over with. Back at level one, there’s no way I’ll be able to level up fast enough, form a guild, and find out who’s behind the mutiny before it’s already begun.

Motion behind Alloy catches my attention. Two rangers, arrows knocked in the bows in their hands, walk up to Alloy at a peaceful pace. Dirt on their unfamiliar faces, I know they are River Raiders too. At the necromancer’s side, they exchange brief greetings, then their gazes settle to me laying on the ground. One of them asks, “What are we doing with him?”

Alloy shrugs. “Oh, Aiden. What are we doing with you… It didn’t have to be this way, you know. You could have just joined us and not had to work so hard just to lose it all. You could have started off playing this game in earnest, not struggling to survive. You could have helped us finish the Five Roses Keep, joined up, and realized how much fun you could have with us. I blame Felix and Rin for your stubbornness. They planted seeds of doubt and skepticism in your mind and pitted you against us. But, that’s how things go in Libertas. Grudges and wars are all too common. Goodbye again, Aiden. You gave a valiant effort sieging Starlight. It’s a shame you’re wasting your tactical mind against us. Kill him.”

Alloy turns his back to me, and begins to walk out of the dark alleyway. The rangers nod to one another and pull back their arrows, bowstrings creaking as they take aim. Self doubt cripples me. Facing off with Alloy is one thing, but adding two more Raiders to the mix makes it seem impossible. My mind begins to leap forward in time, to thoughts of starting over by myself. About the conversation I had with Felix last night. They don’t want to keep up with this struggle. Maybe I am wrong about the mutiny, maybe I’m not, but one thing is certain: there’s no way to know until I get there. I wouldn’t have ever made it this far if it wasn’t for my friends, and regardless if they believe me or not, I owe it to them to see this through till the end. It’s not just the Shield that’s on the line right now. By extension, their lives are in my hands, too. I have to move. I have to do something.

I watch the rangers’ dirty fingers. Intently, focusing my entire mind on them. They twitch, pull back to release their arrows. Slamming the Rose Sabre against the ground, I will it to extend. The tip races outward, burying its point into the wooden building next to me, and the force of the sword growing an extra six feet shoves me backwards. Bowstrings snap, arrows whistle, then thud into the dirt where I just lay.

Wrenching the ten foot blade free from the wood, it’s just as light and easy to handle as it was before, and still glowing in the divine light of my Imbue Weapon and Plunging Strike ability. I feint a swing at the rangers forcing them to reel back a step, then spin and roll around them on my ankles. They aren’t my target and I only have seconds left before the abilities expire.

You use Unrelenting Strikes! Damage and class speed increased by 25% for 10 seconds!

You use Bloodbath!

The muscles in my thighs and calves tighten like loaded springs, then release. Since I didn’t hit Alloy, and using the Rose Sabre to push myself away from the building didn’t count as a hit, the power behind Plunging Strikes is still mine to use. I soar with my extended sword above my head, roaring, and bring it down.

You hit Alloy for 176 damage!

You defeated Alloy and gain 18,000 experience points!

Soaked in the blood of your enemy, you feel renewed strength! Alloy’s max HP of 351 has been transferred to you! 394/450 HP remaining!

Elation washes through me. I want to relax, but this conquest has only just started. Something hard bites into the back of my shoulder. I wince and spin around to face the rangers with a curse on my lips, ready to take them on. As I race to close the distance between us, the alleyway behind them begins to glow yellow and orange. Racing around the corner, comes the best damn dog from hell I’ve ever known. Cerberus howls, sending visible shivers through the trapped River Raiders. The jingling of chainmail armor pulls my attention away. A handful of soldiers, our soldiers, come to take a place by my side with their weapons raised.

The rangers glance at one another, then toss their bows to the ground.

Suddenly, our soldiers relax, sheathing their swords with the hiss of metal against metal. They raise their fists above their heads and cheer.

The remaining members of the River Raiders (5) have chosen to surrender!

Congratulations! Your party has conquered Starlight!

Congratulations! You are now eligible to maintain the settlement!

As part of the conquering party, you are now eligible to be a part of party leader Felix’s newly founded guild, “The Starlight Roses”. Do you accept the role of Co-Leader? [Yes/No]

Smiling, I focus on yes and a whole new interface appears on in front of my eyes. I eagerly dive in and begin analyzing everything I can about this settlement.

Guild Management - The Starlight Roses

Announcements

Donation Box

Member List

Return to Guild Hall (Unavailable)

Roles

Settings

Settlement - Starlight

Wares:

Gold: 13,721

Food: 6,794

Lumber: 9,881

Stone: 5,546

Metal: 2,958

Oil: 357

Buildings:

Armorer (LV. 4)

Status: Idle

Barracks (LV. 3)

Status: Idle

Blacksmith (LV. 9)

Status: Idle

Chapel (LV. 6)

Status: Idle

General Store (LV. 2)

Status: Idle

Library (LV. 1)

Status: Idle

Tavern (LV. 8)

Status: Damaged

Town Hall (LV. 10)

Status: Idle

Walls (LV. 5)

Status: Damaged

Residential Homes (LV. 3)

13/13 Unoccupied

Status: Damaged

Troops:

Footsoldiers (LV. 15): 7

Rangers (LV. 15): 12

Wizards (LV. 15): 3

Summoners (LV. 15): 1

Trade Routes:

None

Settlement Management:

Assign Troops

Construction

Crafting

Gathering

Trade

Rename (N/A)

Even from between these buildings in the alleyway, I can still make out Rubble and Rin shouting in victory. It pulls my attention away from my screens, and I decide it’s best that I find the others before going too much deeper. Sighing, I turn away from the surrendering River Raiders and start to walk towards the center of our new settlement.