A Slow Death

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The moment Meliadol vanished through the portal, Geedee turned around to face Gryffyn. "What was that about?" He asked, not bothering to hide his incredulous expression.

"What was what about?" Gryffyn deadpanned, despite knowing the root of the Knight's question.

"You know what I mean. Why did you invite him to the guild? We don't extend offers to just anybody!"

"We're not even a main guild." Gryffyn pointed out, a fact which even Geedee had to reluctantly concede.

It was a common enough thing in large MMOs. Successful guilds often grew too big, and would splinter off to form two separate, yet inextricably entwined, entities. One would house the elites and serious players, focusing on raids, PvP, or other in game activities that would bring fame and recognition to their name. The other served as a recruiting ground for promising newbloods and a safe haven for the more casual of members.

This allowed each to focus on different areas of the game while pooling resources for projects that concerned all players. The main guild would get a constant trickle of materials and prospective members funneled in from their counterpart, while the branch would receive protection and help from the more experienced players in the main guild.

"Still," Geedee didn't want to drop the subject, "I doubt he'll be going to <Fidelity> anytime soon. So why beg a noob, who got us killed by the way, to join <Fidelis>? We're not that desperate, and we have a name to maintain, even if we're just a branch guild."

By mutual acceptance, the three began to slowly walk down the mountain trail toward the plains. They weren't really looking for the Ghost. There wasn't any way that she'd stay in the area. Her attack, while successful, wasn't something she could repeat against experienced players. The three of them were simply going through the motions as they chatted.

Gryffyn didn't bother to refute the Knight's proclamation, because, from a certain mindset, Geedee's viewpoint wasn't wrong. Branch guilds were always on the lookout for good, preferably unguilded, players. To invite a total noob, especially one that wasn't even in double digit levels, would have been a major oddity at best for one of the more exclusive and elite guilds of the server. On the other end, it could be seen as a major lowering of standards, directly affecting the hard earned prestige of the main guild. People would laugh when they saw the guild tag above Meliadol's head.

<Fidelity> wouldn't be happy about that.

But still, to Gryffyn's point of view, as a branch guild co-leader, it was his job to look for talent. If this noob could truly solo in Styxx, then he was already a step above most, and it would be a worthwhile gamble to take him in. It would be preferable than having a rival guild "discover" him and take him in. There was quite a bit of bad blood between the higher end guilds. Resources were limited, and fighting was common.

This was the way branch guilds operated. Bring in the promising players, and hopefully raise and guide them into becoming valuable, contributing, members of the main guild. All while sheltering them from opposing guilds that would love to either poach or impede them.

It was the basis of recruitment. Both of his companions should have understood this.

But there was another reason for his interest in Meliadol…

"Did you know who he was seen in the company of?" He said offhandedly.

Both of them shook their heads.

"The GM of <Pandora Epidemic>."

Gryffyn could see the surprise in their faces at his proclamation. Long ago, back when Gryffyn started playing, <Pandora Epidemic> was a major player in the power between guilds. They jostled shoulders with the likes of <Fidelity>, <War Brigade>, and <Paradigm of Requiem>. But even in that, they were a unique oddity in how they accomplished this.

Guilds are, by their very nature, integral entities in the world of MMOs. Gatherings of like-minded individuals work together and against each other to accomplish various goals in game. <Fidelity> for example, was known for being largely PvE based, preferring to kill internet dragons than each other, unless pushed to it. <War Brigade> by contrast had a reputation for PvP focused gameplay. They loved contesting world bosses, because they got a chance to murder other guilds.

So what kind of players did <Pandora Epidemic> attract?

From all accounts and purposes, from what little Gryffyn was able to find out about the guild, <Pandora Epidemic> was a gathering of the odds and ends. The rejects. Players who didn't fit nicely into the mold. They seemed, at first glance, to be nothing more than a small guild of casuals. A dirty word for someone like Gryffyn, who spent a lot of personal time in-game managing a guild.

How could such a group have a role far beyond their numbers?

Well, they appealed to the most basic desire and understanding of any online community. They were just that good. From the various forum posts and discussions Gryffyn had read, the only thing that seemed to be consistent was people's estimation of the general skill of members from <Pandora Epidemic> possessed.

And with this power, they did whatever they pleased.

While most of the big guilds had obvious goals, <Pandora Epidemic>'s goal seemed to be not having a one. Whatever took their interest, they did. And they did well. The old forums were awash with their antics. From ganking in nothing but swimsuits and tuxedos, to trying to break dance tank end-game content, the stories were almost legends among the old-guard of Nevergarden's elite. The very fact that the GM of <Fidelity> appealed to Gryffyn to investigate such a small matter such as 'whos that lowbie with the GM" was proof enough of their lasting impact.

When you shine that bright, people can't look away.

"Feh, that guild is dead. Nothing but rumors. I've seen a few of their members around. Didn't look so special to me." Geedee seemed unconvinced.

Gryffyn agreed, but he was just doing what the GM of his parent guild wanted. He was too new of a player in comparison to have an accurate assessment as to whether or not the curiosity was warranted. Gryffyn had planned on reaching out to the noob, to invite him to <Fidelis>, but it was merely unfortunate coincidence that he had actually ran into him under such circumstances.

"…that man is no guild leader…"

Gryffyn almost didn't hear Sinsara's words, "Excuse me?"

"Bast is a piece of shit. I hate him." The strength in Sinsara's words combined with a sudden flare in the Weaponmaster's eyes that had both Gryffyn and Geedee reeling in surprise.

Now that he thought about it, Gryffyn realized that he didn't really know the Weaponmaster that well. Sinsara had transferred over from <Fidelity> to help out the branch guild, and his quiet demeanor meant that Gryffyn hadn't really pushed him on his background before joining <Fidelis> and <Fidelity>.

"How do you know Bast?" Gryffyn chose his words carefully, glancing at the Weaponmaster out of the corner of his eye while his mind churned with possibilities.

Sinsara had been an invaluable help in managing the guild. The quiet Weaponmaster had a way with noobs, guiding them with a sure hand and patience that Gryffyn simply didn't have. But right now, all Gryffyn could consider was the possibility that maybe the unassuming Weaponmaster was a spy.

Spies weren't as big of a danger in Nevergarden as they were in other MMOs, mostly due to things such as alts and burner accounts not being a thing. Any prospective spy had to be willing to put their name on the line for the foreseeable future. That being said, it only made the rare occurrence of a spy all the more devastating, because if they were going to reveal themselves and possibly ruin their reputation, they were going to do so in a big way.

It was a real consideration for a man in the position of co-guild leader of a well-known branch guild.

"I used to be a member." Sinsara admitted quietly.

Gryffyn almost stumbled, so surprised was he by the Weaponmaster's words. From what little time he had spent with the man, nothing had indicated the Weaponmaster was exemplary in any manner pertaining to ingame skill. Sinsara was just a solid player who had been playing for a while, that was all. The events today, with the three of them losing to a single player, did little to change Gryffyn's opinion.

How could such a man be a member of a once legendary guild renown for having overwhelmingly strong players?

"I wasn't really a core member." Sinsara clarified, as if reading Gryffyn's disbelief on his face, "They invited me because I was real life friends with an actual member. They used to call me the guild pet or mascot." Sinsara's face reddened at the admission.

Gryffyn understood such actions. Fudging guild rules to allow friends into the guild would help foster a greater sense of loyalty, though one had to be careful to not introduce cliques as a result. It was a delicate balancing act for a guild leader, knowing when to enforce the rules and when to ignore them.

"Still," Sinsara continued, looking up at the darkened Styxx sky, "I had a lot of fun in the guild…They were like family."

For a moment, even though he didn't have any personal connections to the incident, Gryffyn's heart went out to the Weaponmaster. He understood Sinsara's feelings intimately, because he too felt the same way about <Fidelis> and <Fidelity>. The countless hours spent on voice chat, bullshitting long into the night about whatever caught their attention. Untold battles fought with their ingame lives on the line. The laughter, the trials, the successes, all of it, even the setbacks, had cemented these people, many whom he had never met in real life, as his close friends. Even as a branch guild leader, who had to take a detached leadership role, he could not deny the affect such relationships had on what supposed to be 'just a game'.

Long after the game faded away, these memories would remain firmly, and fondly, in his heart and thoughts.

Nevergarden was more than just a game for him at this point.

"So," Gryffyn filled the silence in with a small cough before continuing, "What happened to the guild then?"

"I don't know." Sinsara admitted, "Bast and the original guild leader used to fight all the time. Just seemed like the dynamic of their relationship. But one day, Bast called us all together to tell us that he was the new guild leader, that the other one wasn't coming back, and that we were free to leave if we wanted, because the guild itself was 'being retired'."

"So you blame Bast for it declining to what it is now." Gryffyn said it as a statement of fact, something which Sinsara didn't even bother to deny.

"He didn't even try to save it, man. Some of us tried to hang on, to keep the guild we loved, but slowly we just bled away. The entire time Bast just stood there and watched, never lifting a finger to stop a damn thing. It was like we had lost the heart of the guild. So I left and eventually was recruited into <Fidelity>."

Gryffyn nodded, it all made sense, and his sympathy for the Weaponmaster deepened. To watch something you love die a slow death wasn't a pleasant experience. Back when he first started playing, he had experienced something similar. He had joined a small guild, full of vibrant personalities, and for a time he was content with the equilibrium. He didn't seek more because he was content with what was available.

But small guilds faced difficulties of their own, and as people slowly left to seek greener pastures, bigger guilds capable of giving them new experiences, Gryffyn had witnessed the slow decay of his beloved guild. It was with a heavy heart that he decried the guild dead and left…

And the rest went very similar to Sinsara's experiences.

The Weaponmaster, deep in thought, kept his eyes fixed to the ground as they wandered around the plains. Gryffyn felt he should say something to comfort the man.

"Look–"

"Well, well, well, how dumb can you three be?" A familiar voice interrupted the discussion.

On a nearby boulder, initially blotted out by a flash of crimson lightning, a figure towered over the three. As their eyes adjusted, their fears and hopes were realized. Heoh, gently spinning one of her daggers on the chain by her hip, grinned back. Her hips were tilted sharply, and every facet of her stature suggested a level of calmness only achievable by absolute confidence.

At the sight of her smirk, Gryffyn's anger flared. The thief dared to stick around? "I'd say the stupid one is you!" he countered, his staff coming out and beginning to glow, "We looked all over for you, but we didn't think you'd actually stay in the zone!"

Heoh laughed, "Oh, I could tell you three were looking oh so hard for little ol' me. So hard that I could sneak up on you like this."

Gryffyn's ears burned. They never thought she'd stick around, so they were just going through the motions as they got caught up in chatting about the noobie and <Pandora Epidemic>. Usually not many players came to Styxx proper. Most of them fought and grinded in the City of Lost Hope. Who would have thought they'd actually encounter her out here?

In retrospect, it was a potentially deadly mistake.

"Get ready." he stated to his two companions.

They didn't need the warning. Already Geedee had taken up a defensive position to defend Gryffyn, and Sinsara had summoned a full gamut of spectral weapons. This time, things would be different.

"My my my," Heoh leaned forward, her grin getting wider as the three visibly braced for an attack, "The three of you are so brave when it's just all of you against lil' ol' me." Her face changed abruptly, growing hard, "Perhaps you should learn how far the distance between us actually is. Our last fight should have made it obvious!"

"Stuff it, thief!" Geedee roared, "There's nobody here to low-shield you this time!"

As if to punctuate his words, the Knight sent out a wave of light from his sword, like a crescent knife slicing through the air. A Knight's ranged attacks weren't anything special, and besides a minor pittance of damage and a small knock-back, Crusader's Strike wouldn't do much. Geedee was pretty much doing the in game equivalent of giving Heoh the finger.

Gryffyn began to prepare a spell under his breath. Yet in the pits of his heart, he knew her words to be true. If there wasn't three of them there, they individually had no chance against her. But numbers were a type of skill, he believed. There was something to be said about playing with others.

With cold eyes, Heoh shifted slightly, the attack somehow missing her. It barely looked as if she moved. Another strike of red lightning raced across the night sky, setting the silhouette of Heoh aflame, and this time the Ghost sneered, taking a step closer to the edge of the boulder.

"So brave." Her eyes never leaving the Knight, she whipped the spinning dagger around, catching it with her free hand, "But do I have a surprise for the three of you…" she said before sheathing her dagger and placing her fingers to her lips.

Heoh's whistle sounded loudly across the plains. For a moment, Gryffyn had no clue what the Ghost was on about, but as figures began to appear on the cliffs surrounding them, his stomach sank and the spell he had been preparing to sneak attack the Ghost with faded away to nothingness.

Both Geedee and Sinsara seemed to realize the situation at the same time, and the three drew closer together, trying to cover every angle but unable to do so. They were surrounded by at least five other players, all sporting the guild tag of <D.K>.

They had fallen into an ambush. This time, they were the ones outnumbered.

Gryffyn knew there'd be no escape.

Heoh spared them no more words as she and the rest of <D.K> descended upon the trio like a pack of hungry wolves.

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