Awaken Online: Armageddon, page 27
Tina: You mean several hundred travelers, right?
No One: And a few members of
XShadowX: Gives me hope that the Great Reset is actually going to happen. If they can’t even handle a group of randos and a couple members of a PK guild, how are they going to stop the end times?
Mateo: @XShadowX as though what? You aren’t going to suck post-server reset? Maybe just git gud, bro.
XShadowX: User has been banned. Post Removed.
Julie: @XShadowX Reported.
No One: *eyeroll* Bunch of children in here. I mean, I hate these guys, but you can see from the videos that the attack was well orchestrated, and the travelers were being buffed by Bard.
Elijah: That was nuts. I just couldn’t die…
Ashley: Wait, Bard was there!? Squeeeeeeeeee!
Justin: Ugh, calm yourself, groupie.
Ashley: I. Can. Not. Bard is gorgeous…
Emma: I know, right? That big-feathered hat just does strange things to me.
No One: Uh, can we get back on topic?
Mia: Sure, we can! So, how ripped do you think Bard is under all that velvet?
***
Smoke streamed into the sky, the remains of Evelyn’s guild hall still smoldering after the damage that Blaze had wreaked. The entire first floor was little more than ash and rocky foundation – even the stone having melted away in some sections. The fires had swept through most of the structure, burning the expensive carpets and furnishings that Evelyn had installed. Apparently, they were rather flammable. Go figure.
The resulting explosions had also caved in portions of the building as Eliza’s plants had given way – the vegetation having undermined the hall’s structural integrity. Piles of stone and rubble now lingered all around the courtyard, the remains of the sensor perched only a few feet away from where Bard sat atop a massive boulder, his attention fixed on the glowing blue screens before him and his hands dancing across the keyboard.
“Hey, Bard. Whatcha doing—” Pewpew flashed into existence nearby, hesitating as she skimmed one of the screens.
Bard started in surprise and tried to pivot the display to hide its contents. “I’ve told you not to just pop in behind me like that!” he complained.
“Uh-huh,” Pewpew offered dryly. “Why is that exactly? So I won’t catch you talking yourself up in a bunch of forums? Do you really think women have a thing for floppy hats?”
As Bard tried to twist away, the girl teleported again, stooping over to read the contents of another screen. “And just how many shill accounts did you create?”
“That’s none of your business,” Bard replied indignantly, finally swiping away the screens entirely. “I’ll have you know that I received a ton of normal engagement on my comments. And besides, increasing my personal brand is important. I’ve actually sold quite a few of my Bard’s Basics packages. Just look at these flattering reviews.”
“Sure you did, buddy,” Pewpew replied, patting his shoulder.
“Is there a reason you’re here?” Bard demanded with a huff.
The girl just shrugged. “We’re nearly finished up with the looting. Not a bad haul. Evelyn’s storage warehouses were warded and reinforced so they survived most of the damage. Smiles also messaged and said his mission was a success. He’s getting things lined up for Phase 2, and he should be ready to meet us within the next day or two in-game.”
Bard’s expression sobered. “That all?” he asked.
“Not quite. He also asked about the lady. Evelyn?”
“She’s fine. Her avatar should arrive on time.”
“Can’t imagine she’ll be happy with the damage to the guild hall,” Pewpew murmured, eyeing the devastation. “Such a shame.”
“I didn’t peg you for the compassionate type,” Bard quipped.
“I have a soft spot for powerful women. What can I say?” she shot back with a laugh.
Evelyn was indeed that. Which also made her a handful. But Bard had long since given up questioning Smiles’ plans. They had a way of working out in the end… usually after the body count had piled up to a horrifying degree. Indeed, the plan had gone well so far – almost too well. That thought had a frown tugging at Bard’s lips.
“You sure about all of this?” Pewpew asked suddenly, echoing his thoughts.
Bard glanced at her in surprise. The homicidal tween wasn’t normally one for heart-to-hearts. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, c’mon. You know that last fight was a near thing.” Pewpew looked to the pool of black and blue blood pooling around one column, a grimace tugging at her lips. “Killing a player is one thing, but if I hadn’t—”
“You did what you needed to do,” Bard interjected, his voice unusually solemn. “Smiles would have done the same thing.”
Pewpew didn’t look convinced, but she shook off her fugue. “Even so, are you sure about this plan? Helping usher in the apocalypse? I mean, I know why we’re doing it. And I’m not exactly against a huge payday. But if we do win… when we win, I mean, will there be anything left?” Her tone was almost wistful.
Bard just grunted. Although, her words resonated with his own worries. Perhaps some of his internet trolling had been an attempt to distract himself from what they were doing.
“I don’t know,” he answered truthfully.
A long silence met those words.
“I’m really going to miss blowing stuff up,” Pewpew said finally.
“Amen to that,” Bard answered.
***
“So, what do you think?” the Gambler asked, waving at the screen.
The other gods were arrayed around the lounge, perched on velvet-wrapped sofas. Their faces were dire as they watched the display that hung across the wall. The panel was broken up into multiple displays that showcased the battle that had raged through the guild hall, the building now little more than smoking wreckage.
“It was really… entertaining,” the Hippie mumbled around a mouthful of nuts. “I especially enjoyed that cliffhanger moment where Pewpew shot Silver. Almost thought she was dead, you know?” He shook his head. “And then a meteor? And an army of radicalized travelers? Good stuff.” The Hippie shoved another handful of nuts into his mouth, gesturing for the Gambler’s rat, Oscar, to bring him more – the rodent giving a weary sigh from the bar.
“Your people seem insane,” the Lady commented dryly.
“A product of working with the Gambler, I imagine,” the Old Man added.
The god of air arched an eyebrow. “That’s rich coming from you lot. Let’s see here… you’ve got a psychopath LARP’ing as some sort of hero, an old man pining after his dead wife, a girl that likes flowers a bit too much, and a wannabe goth kid that took the wrong lesson away from his comic books.” The god of air held up his hands. “But sure, by all means, keep throwing rocks from your glass house.”
The Gambler leaned back, swirling his whiskey. “And regardless, it looks like I’m winning.”
“The conflict is far from over,” the Lady shot back. “So far, your people haven’t managed to slay a single avatar. They’ve merely burned down a building. They didn’t even destroy that sensor tower before they got the pulse off… Pathetic, if you ask me.”
The Seer tilted her head, watching the screen intently. “I’m not sure that was the goal,” she observed quietly.
The others looked at her curiously, the Gambler only smiling into his glass.
“How do you mean?” the Old Man asked.
“Pewpew could have potentially taken out the tower with that first shot. Instead, she decided to kill Queen. Perhaps that move made sense – to protect the group’s information. But why did she go for Silver with the second shot? The tower was still undefended.”
The gods lapsed into a momentary silence at that.
The Old Man grunted. “Hmm, I see your point. But even if she had destroyed the tower, the avatar group could have fled and built another. Next time, they could have chosen to build somewhere more inconspicuous. Which begs the question… what was the point of this attack?”
The god of fire nodded, the silks wrapping her body rustling. “My thoughts exactly. The only certainty in all of this is that
“What are you up to?” the Lady demanded, whirling on the Gambler.
He just took a sip. “Me? Nothing at all. As you’ve all noticed, I’ve been here the whole time under the watchful eyes of our beloved chaperones,” the Gambler added, waving at the dark-hued animals lingering about the room. “Besides, I take the integrity of my bets very, very seriously.”
The Gambler eyed the Lady. “Speaking of which… where exactly is your ball and chain? I can’t help but notice that obnoxious creature is mysteriously absent. Perhaps you’ve been doing something you don’t want seen? Helping a certain self-proclaimed paladin?”
The Lady looked away. “The bird was getting on my nerves. I put it down for a short nap, is all. Nothing permanent.”
“Yup… she definitely killed it,” the Hippie said, watching the goddess of light.
As though his words had summoned the creature, a small black sparrow suddenly popped into existence in the center of the room. It quickly scanned the enclosure before its eyes rested on the Lady, darting over to her, and twittering happily on her shoulder, rubbing its tiny head against her neck. The woman barely suppressed the urge to lash out at the creature, her hands balling into fists on the sofa beside her as she breathed in deeply.
“Ahh, she’s cute,” the Hippie added. “But definitely not as cute as you, Fluffy,” he amended quickly, petting the sheep where he lay beside him.
“She just adores you,” the Gambler observed with a smile.
“I’m going to kill you,” the Lady ground out.
“Promises, promises, my dear sister.”
The Gambler heaved out a sigh. “We both know that death is beyond us. There is no promise of sweet release… ever. There is only this universe and the roles we play in administering this farcical competition among the travelers. We lack even the illusion of choice.”
“Is that what this is?” the Old Man asked. “This game? Your attempt to end it once and for all? To finally rest? You know that won’t work.”
The Gambler cocked his head. “Perhaps. Or maybe I just enjoy watching you all squirm. What can I say? It makes me happy.” He chuckled darkly at his own joke, his gaze flitting back to the screen as he took another long pull on his whiskey. Meanwhile, the other gods looked at each other with concern.
“Either way, it will make for an interesting show, one I’ve been looking forward to for a very, very long time,” the Gambler murmured, attention shifting back to the screen. “I can hardly wait to see what comes next.”
Chapter 24 - Rendezvous
Algae coated the walls of the cave, slithering up the roughhewn rock and stone despite the absence of any real source of water. It gave off a soft green glow that illuminated the cramped enclosure. Jason hadn’t had time to build a fortress, just a safe place for his team and his newfound allies to regroup without any prying eyes or ears.
After escaping from the ruined guild hall, Jason had directed his dragon high above the cloud cover, even though the harsh sunlight swiftly eroded the undead creature. Then he’d chosen a random direction. Not back to the Twilight Throne or to a friendly city. That was far too obvious. And after everything that had gone down back in Barrow, he wasn’t taking any chances.
The ground trembled, sending up a shower of dirt as every eye in the small cave turned to the source of the noise, weapons clutched in hand and mana flaring. Yet they hesitated as a giant, ant-like creature emerged and immediately shrank down to regular human form, Ella tumbling to the ground as the creature shifted.
Frank’s eyes scanned the cave until they locked on Silver. Without a word, he rushed forward and wrapped her in his arms, letting out a low growl as he greeted her – neither saying much. Not that they had much chance with their lips that busy.
“Uh, there are still people here,” Kyyle commented dryly.
“Is there always that much… um, growling?” Ella offered awkwardly, standing up and wiping the dirt from her armor.
Jason just nodded. This was actually pretty tame.
“You can’t get in the way of young love. That’s what I always say,” Jerry observed with a flick at the brim of his hat.
The pair finally parted, not even looking sheepish at their reunion.
Not that Jason blamed them. Silver had almost died, after all.
Frank finally took a good look around, a frown plastered on his face. “So, why are we meeting out here in the middle of nowhere… in a hole in the ground?”
“Because we don’t know if anyone is tracking our movements,” Finn answered simply, not bothering to look up from the displays that hovered before him. He’d been terse, bordering on mute, since the encounter in Barrow. No doubt, Eliza’s memories were responsible for that – the implication of what she’d overheard between her parents alarming.
“Jason made the right call,” Kyyle offered when the avatar of flame lapsed into silence. “That encounter back in Barrow demonstrated that our enemy has an incredible amount of intel on each of us. Not only that, but they have someone savvy coordinating their movements. Even after we confronted Queen, they already had a Plan B lined up.
“Which means they might have something else planned. For example, the most obvious move would be for us to retreat to the Twilight Throne from Barrow given the distance.”
Jason nodded. “So, instead, I picked a random direction, landed once we were about a hundred miles from the city, formed a Carry-On Worm from the remains of the Bone Dragon, and then repositioned us another few miles from our landing zone. Thus, we get our new secret hideout.”
“Otherwise known as the hole in the ground,” Julia groused.
“All I see is that we got our asses handed to us, and now we’re hiding,” Alexion spat, anger flaring in his eyes and his mana responding in kind. His body began to shine with light. He waved at the displays before him. “Do you see what they’re saying online? They’re laughing at us. Four avatars could barely handle an unruly mob. And we’re still on the defensive.
“We should be taking the fight to them – tracking down those assholes and—”
“And what?” Jason calmly interjected. Alexion let out an angry growl. “No, I’m serious – I’m not baiting you. And what? Kill them… only for them to respawn? Torture is out, right? We sure as hell don’t need a game master crawling up our ass. Capture one and read their mind? Oh, except I’m sure they’ll develop a countermeasure now. None of them seem particularly afraid of dying. And that all assumes we can even find them. Where would you start looking exactly?”
Alexion’s jaw snapped shut, but he didn’t look happy. “They have Evelyn,” he finally managed. “I don’t give a shit if I have to go track them down myself.”
“Evelyn is fine,” Jason shot back. “We’re only talking about her in-game avatar. And since she’s still online and hasn’t died…” He waited for confirmation as Alexion checked his UI, finally giving a grudging nod. “They must be sedating or keeping her imprisoned somehow.”
“Probably moving her and hoping to use her as bait,” Julia offered.
“Fucking assholes,” Frank growled.
Jason sighed, shaking his head. “Either way, the easiest way to find Evelyn is to find
Alexion’s hands clenched. Jason watched him. There wasn’t any love lost between them, but he could sympathize with him – an emotion he’d never expected to feel toward Alex-fucking-Lane. Much less, twice in as many days. Maybe Alfred was on to something with his theory about common enemies. They both had plenty – both in-game and out.
“Look, we’re going to get her back. But you need to take a breath. They want us on edge right now. Worried. Anxious. Angry,” Jason explained, eyeing Frank with that last one. “They’ve been fucking with our heads just as much as they tried to take down that sensor tower. You get upset… emotional? Well, then they win. We need to come up with a real plan.”
Alexion held his gaze for a long moment but then blew out a breath, forcing his hands to unclench… even if he still didn’t look happy.
“I’m relaxed. The epitome of calm,” he answered with wry sarcasm.
“Good. Then let’s start with what we learned about our opponents,” Jason began, pushing off from the nearby cave wall and pacing the room. “Our best guess is we were facing what? Four members of
“Blaze, Queen, Pewpew, and Bard by my count,” Kyyle observed.
Jason nodded. “Which means the other group staged the attack on Sandscrit to pin the blame on Eliza.” The water mage had stayed quiet as the others bickered but flinched at that, her hand fiddling with one of her wands.
“Which I had no part in,” she added quietly but firmly.
“So you say,” Julia snapped.
“Do you need more proof?” Jason demanded, Finn’s daughter holding his gaze for a moment before looking away. While that little dip into Eliza’s mind might have proven she wasn’t behind the end of the game world or the attack on Sandscrit, it had only added to the tension.
“As I was saying,” Jason continued, “that means Smiles, Smokes, and Tombs handled that operation on their own. They split their forces.”
