60 58***Mind Chest
Previously
"...and to be honest I don't like the Demon Lor.... Hey!!! You guys!!! You can't just leave me hanging like this!!!" Myria shouted to our retreating figures as her lengthy spiel ended abruptly. Getting no reaction, she conceded defeat.
"Well, could you at least tell me what this is for?!" She cried out, and I stopped and turned around to give her a stone serious look.
"We're taking the Floating Silver Swamps!"
3 in-game days later
Phenn
*canter* *canter* *canter* *canter* *canter*
*children's laughter*
I look up the road I've been riding on and see three children, NPCs probably, and looking no older than 10, playing in the way. They were running up and down on the banking at the edge of a woods, barefoot, without a care or purpose in the world, their clothes, limbs and hair caked with dirt.
'Looks like I've reached my destination.' I thought to myself, as there wouldn't be any playing children far outside of a city.
THE CAPTAL CITY CORPUS. AREA67
A notification soon came in, confirming my initial assumptions, and my relatively even mood sunk a few millimeters despite myself.
One of the kids - a girl with short messy brown hair - started screaming and running away from another - a boy, with black hair - who had his hand outstretched and fisted. And probably had what the girl was running away from.
She ran on, screaming at the top of her lungs... and collided into my horse, landing on her behind.
"*oof!* Oh, sorry sir." she got up, apologized and continued running without pause.
A small smile made its way on my face before I caught myself and schooled my expression.
*Ping*
"I hope I haven't kept you too long now." I started as my Detect picked up a presence.
"The elder is not pleased." A woman's voice stated, and a figure dropped from a tree within the woods to my left.
She advanced forward and revealed herself. A dark elf stood before me with blonde, long, hair with red streaks in a ponytail. She had a Cloth Mask over her mouth and was garbed in a Travel Robe that hid the rest of her gear from sight.
Hazel eyes looked at me with contempt, waiting for my response.
"And neither am I. I assume that makes too of us then." I replied, taking the hood of my own Travel Robe off of my head.
"*tsk*" She clicked her tongue at me and walked to me.
Upon reaching me, she widened her stance into a more proud one, and held out her hand to take the reins from me.
She then proceeded to glare at me with enough hate to crush an elephant, to which I respond by ignoring effortlessly.
"She's at the usual spot." She reported to me with a heavy douse of venom. I didn't reply.
Instead, I handed her the reins, and she snatched them and made her way to the nearest stables, while I made my way to the other side of the city.
The city, much like most of the other settlements in the game, were brimming with the energy the anniversary brought with it. The streets were lined with countless types of stalls selling food, toys, weapons, items, and festive explosives Every inch available was fully decorated with ribbons, streamers and coloured cloths. Cannons were primed and ready with coloured dusts, and confetti!
But the most spectacular sight was the see of colours that the was created from the heads of the players! This isn't even in the top 1000 busiest places in the game and the traffic was so dense I could barely find walking space!
However, my mind was on none of that, but was instead focused on mental preparation for what's to come in a few minutes.
A few minutes later
THE CRYSTAL TEA HOUSE
'Finally made it.' I thought to myself after a long time walking. I walked up to the glorified crystal greenhouse that is now the one place I'd not want to be right now.
I let myself inside, stepped onto the mosaic stone walkway available, and weaved my way to the back areas. The Crystal Tea House is a large greenhouse garden with over 20 gardens with low-trimmed grass and a vast assortment of plants and flowers, sectioned of by a network of paths. There, adventurers and NPCs alike sit at center tables or benches to enjoy the 157 flavours of tea and other types of drinks that they serve here.
The partition I'm heading for now is for Spector Class Battle Masters (<a/n - think of it like gold pass, or elite pass>).
I reached a Shrub Gate at the end of the path and opened it to a gazebo and the one face I dread seeing on any day sitting under it with a cup of tea.
"Good day Edeth." I greeted, giving her a short bow before advancing to the only other chair in the vicinity, the one in front of her.
"You're late." She said through her teeth in a strained voice. Emerald eyes that almost look like they're glowing look at me with anger and impatience thoroughly seasoned in them.
I take pause at her hostility for a bit, just for show, then proceeded to sit down.
"As I recall, you said I should meet you at my earliest convenience." I replied, started us off. I picked up the menu, looked it over a bit, and chose a Buckle Root Tea (<a/n – Buckle Root: root of the Buckle Stem Bush. When brewed, it makes a tea close to peppermint, ginger, and raspberry in flavour. Also, the root and plant are yellow, but the tea is blue>) and an Almond Cookie.
"I don't recall there being a date we agreed to." I continued, keeping my eyes on hers. The intensity of her stare almost made me click my tongue, but I held it in and stayed neutral.
Seconds later a waiter came to the table and placed my order before me, then took is leave just as fast as he got here.
Edeth looked at my choice and scoffed a little.
"Still trying to tame that beast stone I see." She said to me in vain contempt, to which I just took up my cup and took a sip.
"*Sigh* Enough with your games Phenn. I know you could have gotten here in seconds if need be, so why did you make me sit here and wait for you for three days." She said more than asked, continuing the conversation.
I paused for a bit and looked at her before answering that.
"As you should have known by now, my Portal is currently under crystal reconstruction. That wouldn't have been done for the next few days, so I came by horse instead."
"You mean that fake information that you fed my spies?" She rebutted.
"... You had spies watching me?" I asked in a shocked, but composed tone.
"Like I'd actually believe that you didn't know." She shot back at me. And indeed I did know. I'm just keeping up appearances here after all.
So instead of acknowledging that claim, I instead came with a rebuttal of my own.
"I don't know why you would feel it necessary to post spies on me, ..." I started, pausing to take another sip of my tea, then continuing, "... however, as you should know, I have nothing to hide."
Her jaw clenched a bit, but other than that, nothing should just how angry she was at me by know. That didn't stop me from seeing it however.
"*sigh* Phenn." She started in a soft voice. "I'm trying to be civil here, but you're being difficult." Her sweet notes made their way across the divide between us.
"If our past is the reason why you're behaving like this, then you need to stop, we can talk about that at another time." With that she reached her silky, milk-white hand to mine and held it on it gently.
"But for now, could you stop bringing our relationship into this?" Her melodious voice made its way across the divide and into my brain, soft, sweet and nostalgic...
... but there it found a wall.
"I don't see what you could mean." I replied, my tone unwavering. I stared unfeelingly at her now confused features and firmly removed her hand from mine.
"I have no intension of bringing the ashes of a dead love with me while I do business." I said as-a-matter-of-factly to her, causing her to flinch a bit in surprise.
"I don't see where my actions may have miscommunicated that," I continued, adding coal to the fire, "but maybe you should consider taking your own advise and stop making such assumptions."
This time I got a hand clench from her, and I to a bite of my cookie and washed it down with a sip of tea to give her a window to rebut before continuing.
"So, might I ask what was so urgent that you had to go through my assistant?" I asked smoothly, with no malicious intent behind my words.
Edeth took a second to compose herself and proceeded to the meat of the matter.
"I'm asking about the 'occurrence' that should happen at Havern Grove in Area97." She started, causing me to pause.
'Why would she...' I thought, and soon some Deduction essence ran through my head.
A second later, I had a chain of responses at the ready.
"Yes, what about it?" I replied, taking another bite of my cookie.
"As it turns out, I'll be in need of your assistance." She answered, taking a sip of her tea.
"... You came to me for assistance. I assume you have substantial benefits for my efforts." I said after a bit.
"Of course. I can give you 500,000 gold to all the soldiers you give me, as well as give you're guild 50% of the loot." She started, paused to take another sip of her tea, and continued to what I really wanted to hear.
"And I'll give you personally, the rights to the Ancient Debris Mines of Area78." She finished, as expected.
I sat silent for a moment, as if in thought, then continued.
"Hmm... 50 emeralds to each as well, and I want the Corus River." I bargained.
At that my Detect went off, and in a flash a Diamond Crusted Dagger was at my throat!
"You bastard!" The first woman said in seething rage, killing intent radiating off of her every breath.
"That's enough Nightwing." Edeth stopped her before she started infusing essence. "Now get back before you hurt yourself."
At this, Nightwing felt a chill down her spine, as no matter how hard she pressed on the blade, it didn't move an inch!
"*sip* Not being able to tell your own enemy's strength is the first sign of weakness." I said, barely deterred.
She immediately released her blade and retreated to her mistress' side. I felt a twinge at this. Something was off.
"*sigh* Very well. You have a deal." Edeth begrudgingly agreed. Everything was going according to calculations. "So long as you stay away from my part of the woods."
"No need to worry about your area yet." I replied, getting up and finishing my tea and cookie, "If that is all, then I best be going."
She looked at me for a bit then got up too. I felt that twinge again, only stronger this time, but I couldn't tell what.
"Yes, that is all. I hope we can keep good relations." she said, bringing an end to this game.
"As do I." I replied, holding out my hand to shake hers. She took the offer and with a firm handshake, a notification went off.
Player -Parker- And Player -Gomora- Have Entered A Contract Under The Banner Of Their Guilds -The Church Of Axis- And -The Mystic Jungle Guild-
Now that the formalities were taken care of, I left as quickly as appearances would allow, and made a bee-line for the door of the tea house.
"Sir. Your cookies." A butler said to me the instant I made contact with the door and I then realized why I had such a bad feeling.
Edeth
"So it was true Madam Gomora!" Nightwing started in ecstasy, "So he is going after our base after all!"
"No Nightwing." I answered a smile on my face. "He's still going to try and take over the Floating Silver Swamps."
"But Ma'am. You said that he'd go after those two areas if he was after our base." She restated, confused at her elder's conclusion.
"I know what I said." I started "But do you think he would have made his plan so obvious."
At this I sat back down and poured myself another cup of tea.
"While yes, those are essential for taking down our Guild, this isn't the only way he could have gotten them.
"I know Phenn. He'll arrange the board so that everything he does seems to lead him to a coincidental victory. Each piece he lays would have led us from even thinking that we were in the clear."
I stopped and took a sip of my tea. The familiar sensation of Sparkling Jasmine flooded my senses.
"Him being so straight forward about it means that he still hasn't given up on Area109." I concluded, finishing my tea and getting up to leave.
"Oh Madam! You are so crafty and wise! You must have successfully pulled the wool over his eyes!" She started up, making my ears ring in annoyance. I bit back my rising anger and focused back on the task at hand.
"That would be nice, but like I said, I know Phenn. He would have realized by know that his plan had backfired and know has at least 20 countermeasures at his fingertips. We cannot tary."
I went into my Inventory, took out my Travel Robes, and set off to the other entrance to this section. There is much to prepeare.
"Come Nightwing. It's time we get ready for the Battle Orchestra."
