Adam Drake - Blackout

The centaur-samurai was closing in fast, screaming filtered obscenities all the while. It just made Mudhoof more angry but eventually he seemed to come to his senses.

“Okay,” Mudhoof said. “I’m going.”

I let Mudhoof enter through the gate first just to be sure, then stepped through myself.

We all looked out at the screaming, charging centaur, his eyes wild. Then, a second before he would have reached us, the gate closed. Blissful silence followed.

After a moment Thorm and I burst into laughter. Mudhoof still fumed and Feign looked concerned.

“What was that all about?” Thorm said once he settled down.

“I dunno, but that guy was begging for a re-roll,” Mudhoof said. “Why suicide into us? He must have known we could have taken him out.”

“Delaying tactic,” said Feign. “Miss Valesh was correct. He wanted to stop us, or at the very least, slow us.”

“Yeah, but to what end?” I said, but suspected the truth. Had the red ninja’s friends finally found me? And how?

Before anyone could suggest an answer, the black void which surrounded the staging platform flickered, then slowly brightened to reveal a new setting.

We stood at the top end of a valley, looking down. Beautiful forest stretched out in all directions. Closest to us was a small lake with a series of waterfalls. Near the middle of the valley was a large town with many multi-storied buildings. But at the far end was something strange.

All eyes were drawn to it.

“What is that?” Thorm said.

The object resembled a tower, but it wasn’t. Craggy, black and huge, it was like an evil finger pointing accusingly at the blue sky above.

“Demon Spine,” said Feign. He looked more concerned now than when the centaur was attacking.

“That’s ancient lore, right? Like, even before the great cleansing,” I said. Yes, I paid attention to my quest lore through the years. Most of the time it actually paid off.

“Even older than that,” Feign said. “This was used by the vast demon horde to pierce the veil between their void realm and our own. And from what I understand there is only one being powerful enough to create them.”

“The Demon King,” said Mudhoof. He shrugged at our surprised reactions. “What? I just looked it up on a wiki. It’s all there.”

“Okay,” I said. “So, this can’t be good for us, right? Demon magic is the most powerful in existence.” I looked at Feign. “Even more than ice or fire or stone.”

Feign nodded. He did not look happy at all. “If we are facing demon magic, even of a lesser order, this quest will be quite difficult.”

A loud silky voice interrupted us, emanating from every direction. “Is your player group ready for this quest zone?” It was the game checking to see if it could start.

“I don’t think we’ll ever be ready for this,” Thorm said, shaking his head. “Not sure even with all our gear this can be done now.” He shrugged. “But what the heck. At least we got to be first on a Legendary Quest. We’ll get top billing on all the message boards and news-feeds.”

“Well, we’re here and we’re doing this, one way or another,” I said, knowing full well I’d still get to keep my deposit money. Although I hadn’t mentioned it to the others yet, I’d surprise them by splitting it with them if we got wiped out.

I looked up at the sky and said, “We’re ready!”

The silky voice responded. “Prepare to start quest zone.”

Each of us brought out our main weapons. Anything could happen now.

Then the silky voice said, “Quest zone start delayed.”

“What?!” I said and looked to the others in confusion.

“What’s the deal?” Mudhoof said.

Feign frowned. “I suspect things are about to get considerably more complicated.”

Before I could ask him why, the silky voice said, “Challenge group has entered the quest zone.”

More shock from us. I looked to Feign who seemed to have an idea of what was up.

Feign said, “Another group can enter the same Legendary Quest zone as long as it hasn’t officially started.”

“Who the hell is challenging us?” Mudhoof said.

“That nut-job of a centaur,” Thorm said. “He was delaying us so he could get his group in position.”

“Yeah,” said Mudhoof. “But you need four people to form a group and play. Must’ve had them nearby. Lucky bastard.”

What are the odds that a four-man group of high enough level players would be right at the very spot a Legendary Quest was activated? Again, I did not believe in coincidences. It was that red ninja. His friends had somehow tracked me here.

But how?

“Okay, this changes nothing,” I said.

“How’s that?” said Mudhoof. “We now gotta complete a Legendary Quest with another group trying to do the exact same thing. That changes a lot.”

I shook my head. “Only makes things more challenging. But the goal is still the same. Follow the quest to its end and get the item. If those knuckleheads get in our way, we’ll deal with them.”

The others nodded but didn’t look pumped up by my lame speech.

“Quest Zone started,” said the voice.

The staging platform beneath our feet faded away and left us standing in tall grass.

Thorm looked about. “Where do you think they are? The other group?”

“Far from here,” said Feign. “Designed that way to prevent a party wipe at the start. But their quest line will most certainly overlap ours. We will meet them soon.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” said Mudhoof, and patted his huge ax against his palm.

A little trail led down throw the trees and into the valley. I was the first to walk to it and said, “Let’s go get that Legendary Item!”

The trail snaked its way through the thick forest, gradually leading downward to the valley floor. There was no sign of the other group, nor of any ambush. Feign suggested that the starting area of the quest zone was relatively safe, but to be ready for anything.

We reached the bottom, and the forest gave way to the edge of the lake we saw from above. Vast and calm with barely a ripple to be seen. A waterfall on the other side rumbled over a high cliff.

“No demons here,” said Mudhoof. He actually sounded disappointed. He looked to me. “Which reminds me. Where is your rat?”

I’d forgotten about Phlixx. “I’ll get him out.”

“Not that annoying rodent, again,” Thorm said with a grimace.

“He has his uses,” I said with a chuckle and selected the companion icon.

Phlixx burst into existence and leapt through the air, shouting, “I’m back my love! Did you miss me?”

“Yes, Phlixx,” I said. “I always miss you when you’re away.” I meant it, too.

The ferret looked to the other members who were all regarding him with uncertainty. “A quest? We’re on a quest?” He spun in a circle and sighed heavily. “What fun we shall have!”

Feign scoffed and avoided eye contact with the little being.

“Phlixx, I’m going to put you on snoop mode, again. Like last time. Watch to see if there is anything we’ve missed and let me know, okay?”

“Missed?” Phlixx said. “You mean like this?” He reached over and plucked something from my trouser’s pant leg.

Alarmed, I looked closer at the object he held.

It was a dart. A tracking dart.

I barely contained my anger. “That’s how he did it!”

“How who did what?” Asked Mudhoof.

“The other group. They were trying to follow me back at Fenway and must have fired that thing at me.” When I thought more about it I realized it probably was when I jumped for the sky-barge. The ninja shot me with the tracker which led centaur-samurai and his cronies here.