Book 4: Chapter 22: I Stand with my friends

Book 4: Chapter 22: I Stand with my friends

The tension in the air made Heather uncomfortable as Breanne and Skullman gave each other icy glares.

I take it you know one another? Heather asked to try and get them speaking.

We were friends once, Skullman replied.

Oh, it was just friends? Breanne asked with a shake of her head.

You lied to me, he accused. Then ran off without saying a word.

I saved those poor people from the cruelty of the other players, Breanne remarked as she came down the stone steps from the tower. As I recall, you said you hoped they got away.

Not by attacking my friends, he replied. Why didnt you tell me what you were?

After what I saw people do to monster players? Breanne laughed. How could I trust you wouldnt turn me in?

Is this an undead and paladin love thing? Quinny asked.

Quiet, Breanne snapped as she walked up to the dark-haired man. His face twitched as his eyes watched her approach. He showed no emotion except contempt as she arrived to glare it right back at him. So, do you hate me?

For what you did, no. For running off without so much as a goodbye, yes.

I had no choice, she replied. If they had caught me and boasted about resetting me, would you have stopped them?

Heather watched as he took a deep breath remaining silent as Breanne waited for her reply.

Didnt you just tell say good on me for sticking by my friends? Heather asked when the silence went on too long.

Friends dont lie to each other, and keep secrets like being a monster player, Skullman replied.

Pssh, you never met any of my friends then, Quinny laughed.

Oh goodness, half of my friends were only friends in name, Heather added. Oddly, I find it easier to make friends here than I did in the real world.

Skullman looked down as Breanne kept her place, holding her head high.

I would have tried to make them see reason, Skullman said. I wouldnt have let them reset you if I could have stopped it.

Then why do you judge me for feeling the same way about those other players? Breanne asked.

I didn't love those other players, Skullman replied as his eyes returned to her. And I would not have hurt my friends.

They were trying to stop me, Breanne remarked. I don't know why you even kept them as friends. They are nothing like you.

They were all good players, Skullman pointed out. They worked well together and had fun.

Maybe, but they had a sadistic streak, Breanne countered. The its just a game excuse doesnt cut it in here. Those are real people who are trying to make real progress. You have no right to reset them just because you can.

We just talked about this, Heather said. You agreed it was bad.

I do agree its bad, Skullman said. But what can I do about it? Its what players do.

You can stand up and be a voice against it, Breanne argued.

Like you did, Skullman laughed. You were nearly thrown out of the town. It took me hours to talk the others down.

The hero players in the necromancer lands enjoyed the lairs and dungeons of the monster players. They leveled together and built enormous complexes.

And then they started attacking their neighbors and turning them into undead that didnt respawn.

We were attacked first, Breanne corrected. And I have no idea how or why they started doing that.

It doesnt matter, he replied and turned to look at Heather. It was lovely to meet you, but I need to go.

Oh, you're not going to kiss and then go upstairs to make up? Quinny teased.

He looked away and headed around the path, leaving them behind. Heather looked at Breanne as he walked off to see she was near to tears.

What was that? Heather asked. Did you have a relationship with him?

I did a few years ago, Breanne replied. But he didn't know I was a banshee, and when I found out how hero players treated monster players, I was afraid to tell him.

You hurt his friends?

Breanne folded her arms and walked to the side. There was a prison in the town. They were rounding up monster players for some tournament where players would battle them for sport. Of course, the monster players were well outside their layers, so they would reset if they died. I used my ability to pass through walls to sneak them out, but one of our mutual friends caught me. He wasn't so understanding and saw one more monster player to add to the tournament. He alerted some of the others, and I had to fight my way out. They knew who I was at that point, so it was too risky to try and find him. I ran and never looked back.

He seemed so nice, Heather said. I am pretty sure he was hitting on me.

I have no doubt, Breanne said as she looked off to where he vanished around the wall. He is quite the charmer.

Wait, was he just playing with me? Heather asked, suddenly annoyed. A moment ago, she felt special that he was attracted to her, but now she wondered if she was just next.

He was always a ladies man, but was faithful to his partner, Breanne sighed.

Why dont you talk to him? Quinny interjected. He obviously misses you.

Its better we go our own ways, Breanne said. Even if he wouldnt harm a monster player, he wouldnt stop another from doing it.

Ughh, sometimes I hate being here, Heather growled. Look at all the trouble this stupid system causes. No wonder the necromancers were trying to find a way to stop resetting.

Well, the letter said they were trying to make it so you could reset without losing your levels, Breanne said.

Isn't that the same thing? Heather asked. The more I learn about this, the more the necromancers sound like heroes, and the players in general sound like savages.

Oh, that isn't true. What about all those players who came to your rescue when that Moon woman kidnapped you?

Heather rolled her eyes and looked around the side of the tower where he had left. I want to talk to him.

Be my guest, Breanne said. But dont expect him to change his mind.

Heather sighed and ran down the path to find he had already cleared the graveyard, leaving three shattered skeletons in his wake. She dashed into the forest following the mossy trail into the darkness below the trees. Her pace slowed as she passed through the gloomy forest. Quinny had spent some points to add more mist in low areas and dense brush in others. She added a second open grave deep in the trees to ensure more zombies were wandering about. As Heather rounded a corner, she found four of them blackened and smoldering as if burned by fire.

Sheesh, he moves fast, she said and picked up her pace. A minute later, she finally spotted him, stalking down the path with his sword in hand.

Skullman, wait! she cried and ran after him. He turned to glance back at her before shaking his head and walking on. Will you just wait a minute, Heather yelled and ran the last few paces to catch up.

I am sorry, but I need to leave, he said as she fell in beside him.

Why? Because Breanne was afraid to tell you the truth? Heather asked.

You dont understand, he replied. I cared about her, but she isnt a hero player.

So what? Heather asked. I'm a hero player, and all my friends are monster players.

And if the people in the northern cities find out, you will be treated as an outcast.

Plenty of people know already, and I dont care what they think about it, Heather said. I have already helped my friends fight off dozens of them. All that matters to me is my friends are happy.

I felt the same until Breanne started killing them, Skullman retorted.

Did she have a choice? Heather asked. I don't know your friends, but it sounds like they were jerks, and you didn't want them to know how you felt.

Things are complicated in the north, he sighed.

Which makes no sense, Heather argued. This is a world built so we can achieve so much working together. Instead, we pride ourselves on preventing anybody from achieving anything.

He went to argue the point when a loud snapping noise was heard from the someplace to their left.

Do you have large animals in this forest? Skullman asked.

Giant bats, Heather replied as she squinted into the trees. There was another cracking noise followed by a thump someplace beyond their sight.

Something big is out there, Skullman said. Something from outside your friend's zones.

It cant be, Heather remarked. Frank said the wild monsters wont come into a players lair unless you lure them in.

Some monsters can, Skullman remarked. Regular spawns won't, but elite or legendary monsters will ignore player boundaries. They can rampage into a city if they want to.

Maybe we should go back to the graveyard, Heather suggested, wanting to be closer to her minions. Skullman ignored her, stepping off the path to peer into the darkness of the trees. Two red eyes appeared in the distance, quickly followed by dozens more.

Run back to your tower, Skullman insisted. Bolt your doors and raise any defenses you have.

What? Why? Heather asked as the eyes started to come closer.

What is that? Skullman asked. How many friends do you have?

A lot, Heather replied as Legeis stomped past, spouting a jet of flame before him to burn the horrid beasts.

These things are bad news, Legeis called out as he began to pummel the soldier zombie. We should fall back to the river. They don't like to cross water.

And how do we get them out of the graveyard then? Heather asked. What if this thing decided to stay here and keep eating the undead that spawn?

It will grow to enormous size, Skullman said before running in to hack a smaller one apart.

Heather, we need your minions! Quinny called as she staggered back, a deep gash in her side. I can't summon any more zombies for a little bit, and my forest animals are all dead.

We need to run, Legeis shouted as the second soldier bore down on him. He blasted it with fire, but it slammed into his armor, the two wrestling like titans.

Heather turned to look about and took stock of the situation. Half the goblins were dead, and many that still stood were wounded. Frank was wounded, and both his ghouls were gone. The skeletons were long gone, and only five of Quinny's zombies still stood. Umtha was still hurling spells from behind, and Breanne was wailing in support of Frank, but all in all, it was a losing fight. If this monster could keep spawning undead, then there were only three options. Run and give up the graveyard, stay and be overwhelmed, or

I guess you're going to hate me too, Heather said with a sigh.

Why would I hate you? Skullman asked.

Heather turned to face the battlefield and shouted at the top of her lungs.

Rise and serve!

Skeletons began to reform as dead zombies suddenly lurched and rose, a green light pouring from their eye sockets. Even some of the goblins moved, climbing back to dead feet and throwing themselves into the fray.

You are a necromancer! Skullman shouted in alarm as Heather reached out, and arms of bone burst from the ground grasping at the zombies in the back, slowing their onslaught.

Just like Breanne, I was afraid to tell you, Heather replied and ran to help Quinny. Even as Quinny was fighting, she cast mend the dead, then ran to Frank and placed one on him too. She bent over a dead goblin warrior and brought him back up as a temporary zombie, throwing him into the fight.

What are you doing? Skullman asked as she ran past him to Umtha.

Turning the tide, Heather said as she arrived beside the goblin. She looked down the path to see the open graves that spawned Quinnys zombies. Some of her spells required a graveyard to work, but they were too far from Franks. Quinnys open graves had four tombstones, so maybe it counted as a graveyard?

Terrothos, et licarum, lichoss! she shouted as she reached one arm toward the graves and the other toward her friends. Black tendrils of smoke poured out of the graves, racing to her outstretched hand before following her gesture and flowing toward the battle. They moved as if alive, branching out and touching Frank, Quinny, Breanne, and a dozen of her minions. All of them swelled in size with Frank growing bony spikes from his flesh as a purple light filled their eyes.

What did you do? Skullman asked in alarm as Heathers minions began to slaughter the shambling beasts.

From the grave, I give to thee, Heather said as Frank let out a blood-curdling howl. A single blow tore the soldier in half, tossing the upper portion aside with ease. Breanne let out another wail that blasted the monsters from their feet, hurling them back in a great wave to shatter on the trees. Quinny now stood over two meters tall and stomped on a putrid zombie as she cut another in two with enhanced strength.

Youre a powerful necromancer, Skullman added as he stood still, looking on in shock.

Howl from the grave is a first level spell. I augmented it with some talent points as I leveled to make it more effective, Heather said as she ran back to join her friends. Lets make sure we are in control, she said and fell into a spell. I command you to obey me! she shouted and pointed to a pack of the invading zombies. They paused in their tracks and twitched a moment before turning on their brethren as Heather smiled.

You serve me now, she said with glee as the pink zombies finally started to lose ground.

You lied to me? Skullman questioned.

Please, as if I can go around telling people the truth, Heather said in a cold voice. Look how you reacted when you found out about Breanne. Think of what people would do to me if they found out the truth.

But youre using plant spells? he said. You have to be a flower singer, how else could you? He paused as his mouth fell open. Youre a chosen!

And youre a jerk, Heather shouted as she sliced a zombie that was about to pounce on him. He turned to see the danger as more lurched in and rejoined the fighting.

If they ever find out you're a necromancer and a chosen, armies will march out here to claim your head, he shouted as they fought.

People already know and refuse to tell anybody because they want the bounty to themselves.

How have you lasted this long? he laughed as Heathers boosted minions continued to gain ground.

I have friends who I stand behind, Heather shouted back. And I dont ignore bad behavior.

Easy for you to say, Skullman replied. You have nothing to lose but your levels. I would be blacklisted, and unwelcome almost everywhere I went.

You would be welcome here, Heather replied.

As I said, almost everywhere, he replied as he stepped over the bodies as the enemies line began to falter.

We can talk about this after the battle, she said. Heather focused on healing, keeping the number of undead fighting for them as high as possible. A minute later, they were a dozen meters into the trees, fighting zombies coming in small packs. When possible, she healed goblins, but for the most part, she worked in support of her friends.

Frank was like a wrecking ball, tearing through the beasts with savage glee. Soldiers kept appearing but between him and Legeis, they didn't last long. Skullman called down pillars of light that burned the horrid things to ash, leaving them no bodies to take back. Quinny was able to summon more zombies and hurled a fresh pack at the beasts as they drove deeper into the forest. Finally, they saw the edge, where the trees came to an end, but a wall of flesh began.

Oh, that's just disgusting, Heather said as they broke through the forest into the plains beyond.

The monster was a tube of pink flesh five meters high and perhaps twenty long. Every three meters along its body was a massive spindly arm, like some horrid centipede from her nightmares. There were eyes in random places along the body, and smaller pods of flesh protruded in places, ending in mouths full of jagged teeth. Several of the pods were busily eating slain zombies that had been dragged back, reabsorbing the flesh. Even as she watched, large blisters grew on its body, reaching full size in twenty seconds before bursting with a sickening yellow splash, releasing another pink zombie.

Hit it with everything we have, Frank said as he led the charge, his body still surging with Heather's buff. Breanne struck it first, filling its hide with black darts quickly followed by Legeis's grenades.

Heather's undead swarmed in taking care of the little one that kept rupturing from the monsters hide. She loosed a rotting bolt, but the beast hardly noticed. However, Skullman's holy spells were causing serious harm.

The monster let out a wail of rage that nearly deafened her, causing her to cover her ears. She focused on healing, as the beast stomped her undead and tried to drag them to a mouth to be consumed. She dared a few swipes, rushing in to cut off the fleshy pods, but the beast grew new ones. A sweeping arm took her off her feet, tossing her back as the monster flailed in rage.

Ow, she groaned and sat up as Breanne wailed into the side of the horrible thing. It's body buckled and began to split, blood spraying out of tears that appeared in the hide. A mouth suddenly opened, and a long tongue lashed out, wrapping around her.

Breanne! Heather cried and tried to get to her feet as the Banshee was yanked toward the mouth held wide to consume her. A flash of light saw the tongue cut in half as Skullman slashed through it. He caught Breanne and carried her to safety, tearing the rubbery tongue off her waist.

You are rescued, he said with a smile.

Arent you afraid of what the others might think about you rescuing a monster player? she asked.

I am, but Heather is right, I can't keep ignoring their bad behavior.

You two can kiss and make up later, Quinny shouted as an arm nearly stomped her.

We're hardly hurting this thing, Heather shouted as she cut one of its arms off at the elbow.

I have an idea, Frank said. But its going to be messy.

Heather looked over as he ran at the body of the beast and activated his digging skill. He lunged at the side and began to tear with his claws as if tunneling.

Oh, gross! Heather cried as blood and flesh began to pour out behind him like snow out of a snowblower.

The monster wailed, twisting its grotesque form around to try and dislodge him, but he was already inside.

Keep hitting it, Skullman shouted as he and Breanne rejoined the fight. Dont give it a chance to heal.

Heather nodded as Legeis burned it with flames and was swatted out of the way for his troubles. His armor teetered back as he stumbled, coming down in a crash that rolled him out of the top. He scrambled to his feet and tossed a bomb by hand as he ran for the suit.

Heather pressed her undead to swarm over the thing, biting, tearing, and chopping as the horrid thing thrashed. It took another minute of savage battle, but finally, Frank burrowed out halfway down its length as the beast rolled to one side and twitched.

Did we kill it? Quinny asked as the undead continued to hack away.

I think so, Breanne replied. But its very odd that something like this would appear here.

Odd how? Heather asked as Skullman stepped up beside her.

These are very high level and meant as big challenges, he said. You usually only encounter them deep into the wilds beyond the player areas. The further out you go, the higher level the monsters become. There are some truly terrifying things lurking out there.

Then how did this get here? Heather asked.

There was only silence as the question went unanswered. How this creature came to be here was a mystery, one like so many before that suggested something more was going on. During the tumultuous fight, none of them noticed the two figures on a distant hill watching as the battle unfolded. The woman in white armor with golden trims and feathered white wings. The man wearing red armor with black trims and seated on a horse.

Your plan has failed, a woman said as she turned to look at the man on horseback. The beast was meant to eat her friends and make her easy to capture.

It hasn't failed. It did exactly what it was meant to do, he replied.

You were meant to capture her, the woman reminded.

Only if she was a necromancer, he countered. Now that we know, we can deal with this properly.

What about Skullman? she asked with a hint of a smile.

He has served his purpose; I hope he found meeting his dear Breanne to be heartwarming.

It was genius of you to use him to draw them out, the woman said. If he ever finds out you used him.

He won't, the man said as he turned his horse. Let's go; we have to find the others.

What about the trouble maker? the woman asked. She is working on a plan of her own.

The man laughed as his horse began to trot away. Moon is a fool, and our informant inside her network says she isnt near ready to mount an attack. We will throw this necromancer at Kevins feet before she even knows we stole her prize.

The woman laughed as she turned away, following the rider.

Farewell, Heather, we will be back soon.