Surviving the Game: The Rat Assassin

Show of Strength

All three nights the other Coalition Leaders joined Liora in her booth, as 4 of the six Masters ultimately prevailed in their challenges, meaning two of them had been replaced. Amazingly the Paladin Master was one of them, as he had shown each of them why he was better, even at their own skills as he was mastering all three forms for the Paladin and was becoming quite the beast at it. Just as Liora was one of if not the strongest Rogue in the game. She was Master the pickpocket, the thief and the assassin subsets of the rogue class all at once. All three nights they were amazed at the ferocity of the combatants who would than share a glass of ale with the men they had just fought. They realized they might be fighting tooth and nail for these positions, but it showed not just the Guild but the entire Game that the Masters of this guild were the best of the best.

“So your Council is made up of a Class Master and Profession Masters? One for each Profession and Class?” Larissa asked her.

“As well as 10 Guild Masters that are elected from the Ranks of the Guild itself, Selected by popular vote each year. The only position that won’t change hands unless I die is mine as Grand Master of the Shadow Rulers.” She told them as they all nodded, impressed she was able to convince them all of that.

“Why you though? What makes you so special to lead all these people?” Patrick asked as they had just learned that their membership numbers had now reached 2,000.

Liora smiled as she looked at him. “Patrick, how much has been invested into your guild? My contribution to my guild alone so far, is 12,000 Gold, not including the 20 percent tax paid on top of that. That is my contribution on top of that tax that pays to feed my Guild as well as repair their equipment, provide upgrades and materials for them to learn. Not to mention the sleeping quarters, class trainers, profession trainers and every possible piece of equipment they need to process what they gather. That is why they follow me, not because I Rule with an Iron fist and demand they respect me. Because I use my strength to show them how they can improve themselves without asking anything of them in return for the favor.” She said as he looked stunned that she slapped his complaints down with one statement of what she had done for her guild.

“So the tax you charge is used to feed the members, repair their equipment and even provide them with upgrades?” Larissa asked as Porcia approached.

“And more. In fact I think our daily expenses just hit 120 gold pieces to pay for everything. Our tax roughly collecting 150 gold. So yes it costs to be in our Guild, but it is one that pays for itself instantly. Mind you, that is for the entire Guild of 2,000 members. That translates to about 8 silver per person, per day.” She said as they looked at each other.

“Your people make over a Gold and 50 copper per day?” Patrick asked.

“That is the average, I think the lowest contribution was taxes from 50 silver. But still, that was just their profits. She used quite a bit reinvesting in her profession as she sold what she made to improve herself.” Porcia said as Ivy entered as the Apothecarium Master. She had even beaten out Liora by a few points at the last evaluation.

“Are you still complaining about the day you only got 10 silver from me?” Ivy asked putting her hands on her hips making everyone laugh. “I will have you know it was 3 times that much today.”

“It is Okay Ivy, I think the Coalition is getting the picture. Yes we collect a high percentage of what our people make as a tax, it however is necessary in order to provide what we do for the rest of the Guild. Come, dinner will be starting shortly.” She said as someone entered the Arena in a show.

“Liora, I challenge you to a showdown!” the Rouge yelled from the center of the Arena.

“Why do you think you would pose a challenge to me?” she asked seeing as he had just reached level 26. It was a good amount of strength, but the level 30 skills would put him to shame quickly.

“Too afraid fake Rat Dragon? Afraid the true Rogue Master will show you up? It is simple, you beat me and I will never challenge you again. If I beat you, you step aside and I take over the Shadow Rulers. Or is your rule of the strong lead just talk?” he tainted her as she smiled and looked at him.

“Oh I do not fear you, oh pathetic one.” She said appearing behind him as he swung around leading with a dagger that she f****d under using an acrobatic skills to dodge several straight attacks that had speed and cunning behind them.

“Excellent Ninja Thief form, but did you think that was the perfect counter to the Rat Assassin? Sorry to burst your bubble senor, but you will have to do far better than that.” She taunted as she used a shadow step as he swung through where her head had been moments before. “Too slow ninja boy.” She said as she came in and gave him a nice solid uppercut under the chin as she materialized in and out faster than he could even see. Each time she came in, she punched or kicked him hard enough to send him stumbling around as she kept beating him.

His daggers would sing through the air, catching nothing but most and vapor as she showed this man the difference between their skills, why she considered herself Queen of the Shadows. ”STAND AND FIGHT YOU COWARD!” he yelled as her laughter filled the arena. He didn’t expect her to appear in front of her as a shadow becoming solid and landing a force hit combo that ended in him being thrown 30 feet across the arena when she wrapped her legs around his head and used the maneuver to throw him backwards.

This time she calmly walked up to him plainly visible, using her daggers to deflect the throwing stars he was using, her throws surrounding him as she threw on back for each one she deflected. He however didn’t notice until she was 3 feet away, her return throw landing with a thud as it cut the crotch of his leg armor and the points of the others digging in around him as he tried to scramble back as she easily deflected his last one as she pulled out one of her throwing knives.

“Looks like you are finally out of things to throw at me, you still sure you want me to stand and fight ?Or will you admit that you are far out of your class as you have no chance of defeating me in any kind of Rogue fight.” She asked as he slowly looked around at how closely she had surrounded him with the stars, any one of them enough to have been lethal had that been her intent.

He nodded as he looked at the one between his legs as she kept flipping a throwing knife in her hand, and he saw the hilts of atleast a dozen more of them. “I concede that you are the better Rogue, and have earned the title Queen of Shadows.” He said as she helped him stand up so he could turn and see just how close a couple of them had come as he felt the slight cuts in his shoulders and neck.

“Now why don’t you join us Jeremiah, there is no need for you to feel like an outcast. Especially with 51 kills in the Race, you are a Rat Dragon.” She said as he nodded and looked at them.

“Even though I embarrassed myself just now?” he asked making them all laugh.

“Embarrassed hell, it was as good a showing as anyone could have hoped for against her. She is absolutely crazy in the Dungeons, her level of weapon mastery more than most of us could hope to match. She even taught the warriors a thing or two about blades.” Porcia said as she looked at them all. “She is Guild Master for a reason.”

Jeremiah laughed as he looked at her. “There are 50 in my guild who would request to join with me as well. Will they be welcome regardless of class?” he asked as she nodded.

“Of course, we will welcome anyone who wishes to join us. Either as a Guild of your own into the Coalition, or as a merger with a seat at the Grand Master table to lead even more people.” She said welcoming them to come have dinner before they made the decision.

“So if the Coalition decided to do a merger into one large Guild, you would give each of us leaders a seat as Grand Masters of the alliance?” Larissa asked.

“That my Guild would have to vote on, as well as each of yours. We do not force anyone to follow us, and that is to big of a decision for our leadership. I however like it, as it would give us a permanent leadership team that wouldn’t change no matter who is Class or Profession Master.” Liora said as Porcia and Ivy both agreed.

“I believe if we did it as a merger, we could even make them permanent teams inside of the Guild, like different chapters under one banner. All of us able to access the others Guild Chambers, but your Hall acting as the barracks for your team with ours able to come and crash on the couch as it were. You would however have to increase your tax rates to match ours.” Porcia said as Larissa nodded.

“We are already making that change. That way we can enhance our own guilds faster than we are, but I like the idea of a merger. Even if we keep our current facilities as barracks for the entire Guild, it gives us security as we work together.” Gretchen said nodding in agreement along with Patrick after what he had witnessed.