Chapter 156

156 Siege of the city

Rattle...

The sudden appearance of the bony hand caused the players to jump back in alarm. The hand was thin and skeletal, its bones jutting out at unnatural angles, and as it began to emerge from the soil, the players could see the unmistakable form of a skeleton emerging.

It was as if the earth itself was giving birth to the creature, and as the skeleton stood up, it reached out with its bony arms, its empty eye sockets fixated on the players surrounding it. They could see its rib cage expanding and contracting with each movement, and the sound of its clattering bones filled the air.

The players had faced countless challenges and monsters in their adventures, but they had never encountered anything like this. It was as if the skeleton was not just a monster, but an embodiment of death itself.

One of the players tried to run, but the skeleton lunged at him with incredible speed. Its bony fingers raked the air, seeking to grasp its prey, and its jaw hung open, revealing a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth.

Crack...

“Shit...”

As the elf was consumed by the skeleton, his companions were left stunned and horrified. The dwarf, holding his shield tightly, cursed under his breath, his eyes darting between the menacing figure and his allies. The other players were huddled together, their weapons at the ready, as they tried to make sense of what was happening.

The skeleton was a grotesque creature, its bones worn and yellowed with age, its eye sockets dark and empty. Yet, despite its appearance, the skeleton was imbued with an unnatural strength and ferocity, lashing out at the players with savage abandon.

.....

The dwarf stepped forward, his shield held out in front of him as he braced himself for the skeleton’s attack. The other players followed suit, forming a defensive line as they prepared to defend themselves from the undead monster.

The monster itself wasn’t powerful, but the players were wary just in case. Even though the skeleton had no skills or spells, they wanted to be sure that it was killed as fast as possible and they could retreat and take cover behind the city’s walls.

Rattle...

But just when they thought things couldn’t get any worse, another skeletal figure emerged from the earth, joining its companion in a menacing stand-off against the players. The second skeleton was larger, with a more fearsome appearance, its bony hand outstretched as if beckoning them to come closer.

The players could see the yellowed teeth gleaming in the monster’s open mouth, a silent threat of the impending danger they were in. But despite the fear, they stood their ground, weapons at the ready, determined to take down these skeletal terrors.

It was clear to everyone present that these creatures were not to be underestimated. The players knew they had to act fast, before any more skeletons could rise from the ground and join the fight.

Swish...

The sudden appearance of the arrow caught the group off guard, but as it slammed into the first skeleton, destroying it completely, a glimmer of hope sparkled in their eyes.

“I didn’t receive any EXP, but they can be killed!”

As they watched in awe, the sound of a triumphant shout echoed across the battlefield, originating from the city’s walls. It was a beacon of hope, a reminder that they were not alone in this fight. The group let out a collective sigh of relief, the tension draining from their bodies as they realized that they were not facing an unbeatable foe.

The group charged towards the remaining skeleton, weapons drawn and adrenaline pumping through their veins. They moved with the precision and coordination of a well-oiled machine.

The skeleton, caught off guard by the sudden attack, struggled to defend itself as the group closed in, weapons flashing in the sunlight. They surrounded the monster, hacking and slashing at its bony frame, the sound of metal meeting bone ringing out across the plain fields.

And then, in an instant, it was over. The skeleton’s head lay shattered on the ground, defeated by the combined might of the group. But the group was not content to simply bask in their victory. They quickly retreated back to the safety of the city, their minds racing with the thought of making it out alive.

As the group stepped through the city gates, they were greeted by a chorus of cheers and applause from the gathered players. They looked around, taking in the joyous celebration and the beaming faces of the virtual crowd, and couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and embarrassment wash over them.

The crowd of players and NPCs had just settled down from the celebration when a loud, booming voice filled the air, announcing an unexpected event. Everyone’s eyes immediately snapped to their screens, reading the lines of text that appeared before them with rapt attention.

[ ? ? ? ? ?... ]

[ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?! ]

[ ? ? – ?! ]

As they read, their expressions changed from shock to amazement to excitement. The siege of the city had been completed, and the highest contributor was none other than Rose, the archer, who shot the first skeleton.

[ ? ? ? ?... ]

But their excitement was far from over, as they read on and learned that rewards had been granted to the highest contributor. The players’ eyes widened in disbelief, their minds racing with the possibilities of what their newfound wealth could bring.

And just as they were starting to bask in their victory, a new message appeared, announcing that the second wave of the siege was about to commence. The crowd went silent, the reality of the situation settling in. They had just been granted a moment of respite, a chance to catch their breath, but now it was back to the grind.

[ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?... ]

***

Leo and Fenrir emerged from the thick forest, the wolf’s paws pounding the dirt path as they moved forward, towards the setting sun that lingered on the horizon. The sun cast a golden glow over the landscape, casting long shadows and illuminating their way forward.

As they moved, Leo’s eyes never left the system window that hovered in front of him. His mask obscured his face, but behind it, his purple eyes glimmered with a brilliant light.

Leo was buried deep in his thoughts as he sifted through the countless messages and requests he had received from the players of Fragmental. As one of the most prominent figures in the game, he was no stranger to the outpouring of requests, but lately, his inbox had been flooded with spam, trivial matters, and the like. It was a never-ending task, but he was determined to sift through each message, offering his assistance where they pay was good.

However, half of the messages he received were concerning his recent performance in the game. Since he had decimated the entire Vikings guild by himself, his lightning-fast reflexes and deadly spells leaving no room for survivors, the players were in awe of his abilities, and many of them sought his guidance and support.

There were also numerous inquiries about his loyalties, as players were wondering if he was supporting the Cross guild. Leo simply ignored these questions, as he was not one to involve himself in the politics of the game.

Leo’s relationship with the Cross guild was a complex one, built upon a foundation of mutual benefit and friendship. While they could have referred to each other as partners or allies, Leo refused to label himself as a supporter, since it wouldn’t grant him any wealth.

Leo was a seasoned professional, well-accustomed to the rigors of his job. Despite the seemingly endless columns of text and the deluge of spam that he was tasked with sorting through, he remained focused and determined, reading every line with unwavering attention. His eyes never once strayed from the page, not even for a moment, as he plowed through letters that were thousands of words long.

In his past life, Leo had faced far worse conditions, and so he didn’t even flinch as he was jostled about in his seat. Fenrir was running at full speed, its paws pounding against the uneven terrain, causing Leo to be thrown about in his seat.

It was during one such moment of turbulence that Leo was suddenly reminded of a particularly trying day from his past. On that day, he had been tasked with sorting through a massive amount of information about a player, all while grappling with the news of his parents’ sudden death. Despite the overwhelming grief that he felt, Leo had been forced to push it aside and focus on his work.

With a grimace, Leo deftly manipulated his hand, closing the system window with a flick of his wrist. He then reached out, patting his companion, the great wolf Fenrir, on the shoulder. The beast obediently slowed to a stop, and Leo gazed out at the city that was now visible on the horizon.

“Thank you... Rest for a while”

Leo spoke allowing the wolf to jump into his beast tattoo and even if the pet wanted to get ‘the special meal’ he could see the seriousness etched in Leo’s eyes and decided to momentarily forget about it, obediently disappeared into a shower of light particles, merging with the beast tattoo on Leo’s solar plexus.

“Let’s go beat some spooky, scary skeletons!”

Leo declared, cracking his knuckles...