Surviving the Game: The Rat Assassin

The Siege

It was the morning that they were gathering for the 500 man Siege, each of the Raid Parties stepping up and running 10 Raids a day. They had all made it to level 50, some of them even pushing level 55 with her. She had prepared potions, bandages, meals, everything she could think of to make them ready for the battle to come when they launched this Siege.

“Well ladies and gentlemen, what a week.” Liora said stretching as they laughed. “Last week I looked out at this group, and was sad to see what a motley crew we were. This morning, I look out and see warriors determined to do what they must to raise hell wherever we go!” she said as they cheered. “As promised, you each must now make the choice for yourself, as we are indeed marching to war. We have prepared what we can, equipped you with the best we have, taught you the best we could in the time alotted. But with a Siege of this side, we cannot guarantee what is going to happen. We cannot plan anything more than if all else fails, stay with your squad. If you can find your teams, even better. Raid Parties are preferred, but no plan survives contact with the enemy. Adapt, if you are the last of your team that is alive, join another team and survive any way you can using what you have on and around you.” She told them as they faced the grim reality that if they went they very well could die. “Warriors, let’s move out.”

Liora was the first to teleport to the Siege meeting point, one by one the others of her team arriving around her until all 540 men and women that had been training together arrived into one massive party. As soon as she confirmed they were all there she looked at them.

“Take no risk that isn’t absolutely necessary, but if death takes you, make sure death has paid the price for calling you home.” She said as they all nodded recognizing that it was wishing them luck in what they were about to face as she touched the pillar that launched them into a clear siege. Outside the City Walls were thousands of monsters clearly from the 8th Kingdom that had every intention of attacking the city.

“Enemies approaching from 2 sides.” Patrick said as she nodded.

“Parties 1 and 2 to the north wall, 3 and 5 to the west wall. 4, stay in reserve for the moment.” Liora ordered as the Raid Party leaders stayed with her in the center watching what each Party was doing and how they were fairing. Within minutes the monsters were running at the walls. “Range, 200 yards.” She shouted as all of the ranged DPS launched spells and arrows that could travel that far. The fireballs exploding spectacularly as meteor strikes, dozens of mages, wizards and sorceresses able to cast them while others cast freezing spells that slowed other major sections down. “Tanks and Melee DPS to the walls, Ranged stay below and keep casting spells. Range 170.” Liora updated as the adjusted trajectories to keep the front lines under bombardment as they kept closing in.

“Party Four, 3 teams. One to each tower!” Porcia ordered as she saw that the monsters were trying to flank the main bombardment that was working far better than they imagined once the closed into 100 yards and the Hunters bows could reach with enough power to kill.

“Ranged to the wall!” Liora ordered knowing they would need the advantage of seeing their target within 60 yards, and they had just closed to 70. For another half an hour they used every spell and ranged ability known to them, all of them going through Mana at a rate that left an effect no matter how many potions they had to restore it. The exhaustion began to set in, the effect on the main forces palpable. “Ranged spell casters, fall back into the lower deck and rest for a moment. Melee units, guard the wall!” she called as the Rogues, Hunters, Paladins and Warriors all prepared to engage the enemy that was now carrying ladders to the base of the wall.

The hunters and rangers kept using their bows right up to the point that they were pointing straight down Ranged, fall back for a moment. Rogues, deploy the gas. Everyone, masks on.” Liora ordered as 30 rogues lit gas bombs and dropped them to the bottom of the wall. These ones were 5 times the size of the normal ones, the cloud thick as each of the Rogues lit 5 of them and dropped them over. The effect was instant as the smoke filled the air up to 20 feet high and the wind pushed it naturally across the field of battle as the monsters began falling dead. Once it had spread to 40 yards away from the wall, Liora dropped a torch into it, the gas igniting in an instant inferno as it exploded outward. Anyone in the gas itself found the air ripped from their lungs as it flashed with the burning gas. It had indeed killed over 100 when it flashed that way, their lungs exploding in the sudden explosive vacuum. That however was the last of them as the healers climbed up the wall, knowing that it was finally time for the warriors and Paladins to do their job as the Rogues would assist how they could as the next wave of monsters stormed them.

They however only had a few hundred troops left to storm the castle, the Hunters and Rangers picking them off again as the spell casters came back up to the wall somewhat recovered from the Mana strain with full pools to draw from as they began focusing their power into shared spells that were far more powerful than they could cast alone. The effect was two fold, as the area of effect for the meteor strike torched a 50 square foot area in an inferno almost as bad as the gas bombs they had lit on fire. It was also far less strain on the mages that gathered together to cast it, as three of them could combine their power to increase its effectiveness by 10 times.

The monsters however were determined to overwhelm them, especially once the spell casters were exhausted again as the Rouges began throwing poisoned stars and knives into the rest of the swarm, as they began climbing the ladders that had locked into position. The Paladins and Warriors loved it when they ran right smack into a shield wall before the rest of the teams slashed them to pieces with their specialized weapons that they had made for this in particular. For 40 more minutes they battled on the wall, the physical exertion of the best melee classes impressive as they forced the monsters back at every turn until only a few dozen fled from the attack.

It has lasted 90 minutes overall, the entire group exhausted from the effort when the Dungeon finished and issued their completion rewards as it sent them back to the entrance with their own loot for each person.

Liora opened her chest and was surprised to find a new set of daggers as well as a dragon pendant and new mask that made her shadow control even better. Now she could disappear in a flash of shadows instead of having to use blink to make everyone turn away. The mask however triggered a quest, especially when it was combined with the Amulet that enhanced her damage when attacking from the shadows. The first step seemed easy, as it told her to go to a specific location as everyone cheered before she called them to order.

“All squads, check in.” she ordered as they began assembling to see who was missing if anyone. It took 10 minutes before the report was completed.

“Ma’am, all squads reporting present and accounted for.” Porcia said as a cheer went through them as the description in the guild book was already showing what it would take to beat it for another team like this.

“Tonight, we will party with all that we have, for all of us entered and all of us remain!” she said to a cheer as the other Guilds in the city noticed where they were at. “For me however, I need a nice hot bath after that. Relax today, party tonight!” she exclaimed before they all used their Teleport crystals and went to their guild hall.

Liora did take a warm bath just like she said she was going to, as soon as she finished however she dressed back on her armor and went to the location on her map for the quest. As she got to the altar, she noticed it was for Mask, God of Shadows and Mischief. She knelt before it offering a small prayer before she completed the quest that had brought her here.

“Brave you must be to come here thinking you can control my shadows. Who do you think you are to trespass on my domain?” the Man asked as he stepped out of the Shadow of the altar itself his power palpable as she stayed kneeling.

“I am but your humble servant, a Rat Dragon that survived the Race but a few months ago. I am one who deals death and destruction, so often unseen that my enemies never have the chance to see their death. If you would permit my intrusion my lord, I shall be your humble servant.” Liora said keeping on character as she heard him laugh.

“We shall see if you have the strength to be my servant.” He said as he grabbed a shadow that started thrashing like a trapped snake. “Should she survived, help her.” He said before throwing it at her.

Before Liora could even think of dodging the black snake had taken a definite solid form before it wiggled into her body, the venom in its fangs coursing through her system as she took an anti venom she had developed on her own. Even with it however she felt herself collapse their on the ground as the shadows lengthened at the Altar of Mask. Just before the sun set the sat upright in one swift motion, the venom having run its course as she used the teleport crystals again and got ready for dinner as it seemed the entire city was celebrating their victory.

“The game advanced to what it is calling level 2, 6 new Dungeons appeared on the map automatically, however the beginner dungeons are gone.” Porcia informed her as she saw the snake on her arm. “Is that a tattoo?”

Liora looked at it and shook her head in surprise. “I am not entirely sure what it is, but that was one hell of a trip.” She said remembering the way the venom has effected her body.

“Well hopefully it is something that benefits is this level like it did last. Oh, there are also reports of dozens of new quests in the villages outside the city. I have a feeling we are going to be up to our eyeballs in work for the foreseeable future.” Ivy said as Porcia agreed.

“Have the squads and teams continue training if they wish to, at least 2 dungeons and 5 quests per day as a team.