Perhaps there would be guild announcements after the Survive Week One event was finished. That would be more efficient at least.
The only other people at Victoria’s side, standing over everyone, were Peter and Harrison. Harrison had been busy and had become one of the better-known leaders, lending more credibility to our announcement. Not that we would need it after this.
Deciding there were enough players present, Peter and Harrison began hushing the crowd. In less than a minute the hum had reached a minimum.
Victoria called out with surprising clarity. It was clear she had probably done this before. “As you have probably heard, we were able to successfully track down where the goblins are coming from!”
As if she was a conductor of a massive orchestra, the mob roared.
She waited. A few moments later they gave her room to continue. “Two hours east of here is a goblin city, larger and better fortified than our own! Not only did we learn where their city is, but they saw us as we discovered it! We are not safe! There is no longer any doubt that their army is far bigger than anything we have faced!”
A defiant cackle resounded from the crowd.
She pressed on. “There are hundreds if not a thousand players in Willingham that have yet to participate in the city’s defense! They are seeking to be crafters and merchants or trying to get stronger before they help, but we need their help here! We need it now! Talk to your friends! Spread the word! We don’t know how far behind they are, but we know the enemy is coming! We must be ready!”
A thousand voices filled the afternoon air with their exuberance. The city gate opened, just like a fortress of old following the command of their queen.
I wanted to laugh. Her effect on people bewildered me.
That wasn’t the end of it, but the majority of people started to disperse as Victoria dismounted from the cart. After the crowd had thinned, about fifty players made their way to the front of the barricade.
So many familiar faces of professional athletes and gamers, but they were quickly overshadowed when I saw Cornelius up close for the first time. He was taller than Oliver and thicker than Chewme, and his leather armor seemed unable to hold his bulging mass of muscle. His hair was dark and cut nearly to the scalp. His neck was a pillar and his jaw chiseled granite. The other group leaders made way and formed in behind him.
I stepped to the side to let Peter and Victoria pass to greet him. With a nudge from Kline at my side, we joined Peter. Oliver, Harrison, and Wilson were also there.
“Well said, my lady,” Cornelius spoke first in a gravelly baritone. “If you wouldn’t mind filling in some details, I think we have some planning to do.”
“Your wisdom will be very much appreciated,” Victoria replied. Her tone was relieved.
His weathered eyes became slits as his grin widened.
***
“So you think Survive the Week means a five-day or seven-day week?” Kline asked as we sleepily trudged home from a late dinner at the tavern diner.
“I don’t even see how either could be possible. If the goblins are going to attack in force pretty soon, the two to four days doesn’t seem realistic. The walls here really aren’t much. We will either be overrun in a day, or defeat them in maybe two days tops. These high-level goblins are much better trained, but also have a tendency to run in a losing battle,” I replied while savoring the aftertaste of roasted chicken.
“Yeah. The more the better. With so many of them, I’ll make it to level 18. No, maybe even level 20!”
“Okay, something’s wrong.”
“What?”
“Kline, you’re talking like a gamer.”
“Ha! Who said I wasn’t a gamer?”
“If I remember right you didn’t even know what a group was a couple days ago.”
“Yeah well, you don’t need a group in a mystery game.”
“You? Oh. I can see that actually.”
“So I’m a gamer after all!”
“No. You’re a fighter that likes mystery video games. It’s different.”
“Whatever. Just remember to thank me after I solve your murder thanks to my mad detective skills.”
“I can’t thank you if I’m dead.”
“Some gamer you are. Didn’t you know you don’t really die if you die in a game?”
I whistled. “Nice recovery.”
“Thanks. I’m yummy, remember?”
“No. I purposely try to forget that.”
Rounding our stalker’s corner where we had overheard Victoria and Peter, we once again were the last to arrive. The plan was to sleep tonight and man the defense tomorrow. Whether Victoria would wish to sneak out again, I didn’t know. We hadn’t gotten any chance to speak with one another all day. Regardless, I was tired enough now that I would try and sleep. If she needed me she would have to wake me.
***
Sleep. I slept maybe three hours before I woke up and it was only midnight. My couch had welcomed me like a mother’s embrace. Wink had curled up with me like my own little bad-breathed teddy bear and only gotten down when I turned from my side. I think she was already getting bigger.
I lay there admiring the wooden beam that ran down the middle of the ceiling. There were other beams running deep through the floor into the dirt that braced this beam along its course. It was so simple, but the grain of the smooth, light wood was beautiful. If only facing hobgoblins was as simple as the design.
My fan base was only growing. Sixty-three million and counting.
Setting Wink to invisibility mode, I sat up and stretched. Checking my stats real quick, I saw that the little sleep that I had gotten had been enough.
Character Status
Player Name: Lucius
Leveclass="underline" 14
Health Points: 255
Endurance Points: 390
Combat Leveclass="underline" Unknown?
Strength: 30
Dexterity: 45
Endurance: 39
Strength +1, Dexterity +2, Endurance +2
My stats had increased across the board this time more than ever before. Was it all the running? No complaining here! If what Kline had said was true, then the harder I worked the more my stats would increase. That was worth experimenting with.
That was the first time I noticed my body was actually changing. My muscles were tighter and the little chub I had around my gut was almost gone entirely, revealing a six pack. I had probably lost a little weight.
Kline was sleeping with Lulu curled up between his feet. I don’t know if cute could ever be used to describe him, but this was as close as he would ever come.
It seemed Victoria wouldn’t have to wake me after all. Perhaps I should wake her?
On second thought, I couldn’t see sneaking into her room ending well. There were too many ways to die a painful death.
If Peter or Oliver caught me, then I would probably be tortured for a week.
Surprising Victoria would likely end in me getting beaten in a variety of ways as she defended her chastity. Or maybe she was a sleepwalker. During which time her hidden inner ninja assassin would be awakened. Anyone who dared to enter her room would find her bed empty and a knife in their back. The last thing they would hear was her reciting mathematical formulas from her studies. Yeah, it’s probably the last one.
I found myself outside taking slow deep breaths of the clean night air. The smell of it mixed with escaped kitchen fragrances, lingering trampled grass, and dew covered wood in a single breath. A breeze pushed gently against my long sleeves and chilled my cheeks.
Within a few minutes, I saw Victoria’s blue dot on my local map leave her room then approach the front door. As it shut behind her, I waited until it was secure before saying anything.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“We should head straight for the goblin city, sneak in, and kill their leader, all before getting a late night snack and returning before we get caught.”
“That’s pretty ambitious.”
“We’ve got nothing better to do. Unless you are still thinking of getting me drunk?”