Chapter 77 - 77

The trip is short and uneventful, mostly spent attacking random Demon patrols to test out the strength of the bears. They can use not only [Rend] and the passive [Thorns of Retribution], but they can also use the instant cast area heal [Spirit Circle]. The only thing it seems they can't do is use the longer cast of Healing Factor, which makes up the vast majority of Kone's healing potential.

Spirit Circle is a decent sized area, but the healing output is fairly sad, no better than Char's healing totem was at that level. But with three of them active it adds up to enough to deal with everything they come across, with Kone mostly watching the fight and cheering on her protectors.

Kone does gain a level she was close to achieving by the time they make it to the Karmazin City exit, so the time spent wasn't purely for entertainment.

The city is in an uproar when they arrive, market stalls have been destroyed and there are shouts of fighting in the streets as multiple Guilds fight it out in public.

[Guard Zone Inactive. Guild War In Progress] comes the notification.

"Stay close to me. I'm twenty levels higher than most of the transfers here, so they'll see by name tag in Black, as much higher level. Or at least purple for ten levels above. That should help keep you safe."

"Where are we going?" Kone asks, confused by Cain's sense of purpose in this chaos.

"To find my friends, Lickity and Cixelcid. Hopefully they're alright, but Lickity is a tailor and likely to be in that crowded market when the fighting broke out." Cain tells her, jogging that way with everyone else following them.

The crowd parts at the dangerous looking group, the black armored demons and large figure of Cain, running mostly unimpeded through the market with Kone huddled in the middle. There is heavy fighting near where Lickity usually sets up her stall, so Cain turns the group that way, throwing combatants out of the way until they can see a group of five backed up against the wall that separates the noise of the market from the nearby houses.

It's Cixelcid and Lickity, with two others Cain only vaguely recognizes and Red Beard, the Guild Master, only none of them have Guild tags anymore. Instead they've got a red X where the Guild name usually shows, the mark of a deserter, someone who broke their Guild Contract in the last 24 hours.

"Form up, Kone in the middle." Cain calls out and brings forth his Greater Golems in their Wrath Bringer Forms. The pale winged demons stand well above the crowd, with Flaming swords and large shields. Their presence causes the attackers to retreat a ways, reconsidering their targets.

Kone has called forth her Bears to join Vala and the Wrath Bringers on the front line, creating a circle of protection around the rest of the group.

"Cid, what in the world is going on?" Cain calls, instructing his summons only to attack those who attack the group.

"Hostile takeover of the Guild. They got the fifty percent support to oust Red Beard, and demanded new contracts requiring that the Guild crafters turn all items they create over to the Guild bank so the combat members can pick through them for what they want, free of charge. Red Beard was kicked, and we all quit, so they flagged us deserters and declared war. Which brought declarations from our allies, and their allies, and then everyone who wanted one of our crafters in their Guild." Cixelcid tried to explain the city wide destruction.

"Should we go rescue the others?" Kone asks.

"They've all found protectors. Well, the ones that aren't dead. There's one group still in trouble though, the Guild they wanted to go to is also mostly life skills." Red Beard explains.

Cain calls out the horde of Lamia and gestures for Red Beard to get moving. "Let's go rescue your friends. The faster we can settle this down the better. How long will the declaration of war last?"

"Because it's on deserters, just until our flags wear off. 21 more hours." Lickity pants, not used to running long distances. Cain has a Lamia pick her up, which makes Cixelcid laugh at her plight, but the tailor looks relieved.

"Where's Stubbs? Or is he not with you in this?" Cain asks.

"He should be with the group we're heading to. He's still visible in my friends list, so he's not dead." Red Beard confirms.

This group is in even more trouble than the first group was, and the attackers fly into a rage when they see Red Beard.

"Get the traitor! We'll make him pay for every copper he let those selfish bums horde." Someone shouts as they turn to attack the group. The someone turns out to be a Paladin Tank named Sera0h. Cain isn't sure how you pronounce that, but the guys abilities are the real deal. He's level 64 and has multiple high level skills at his disposal.

He goes straight for the Healer, using a blink step to appear in front of Kone, slashing hard at her neck, missing when Cain knocks her to the ground with a shoulder check. One of the Vala twins steps back to engage him, driving him back towards the outer lines of the group with a flurry of attacks.

"What was that? I almost lost my head!" Kone calls out, distressed.

"We've got you. Just focus on healing. Blink Step has a ten minute cool down time and we'll be right beside you." Cixelcid assures her.

Sera0h has his back turned, dealing with the Vala twins, so Cain fires a Multi Shot volley into his back. The arrows punch clear through his armor, then him inside, to dent the front plate. His life bar tanks in an instant and goes Grey, the opposing tank is dead.

This is enough to break the will of the others, who immediately flee, leaving behind the injured, as well as two fallen members other than the Paladin.

"Did we get here in time?" Red Beard asks.

"As close a could be hoped. We lost five of the Guild in the attack though." Stubbs says stepping forward, his name tag also showing the Red X of a deserter.

The Paladin Cain dropped was the leader of the rebellion, and as word spread of his demise the fighting died down, stopping completely within a few hours, while Cain and his companions waited in silence on the front lawn of the Golden Hammer Guild House in case they were attacked again.

Eventually they decided that no more enemies were coming that night that might try to burn the house down, so they retired inside to explain the day's events in better detail.