“You say the sweetest things to a girl,” Fluffball chuckled and groomed her ears.
“Alright boys,” Alburet said, “across the open ground like yesterday. We’ll kill everything not engaged in combat on the way. Tiny, I’ll be doing my best to keep Demonic Retribution on you all the time.” He broke into a jog, followed by the others.
The group ended up killing almost a dozen Scavengers before they made it to the goblin fort. They headed through the gate, hugging the wall to the front left corner. Tiny was grinning broadly as they pulled the first goblin, a Shieldbearer. When Alburet cast Sap Strength which made it drop the shield Tiny roared with laughter and hacked into it more viciously. Bob shook his head, sighing at how easily Tiny was amused, but otherwise had been really quiet since they’d left the keep.
They paused after the first kill and Alburet asked Fluffball about her latest talent. “What did you pick up at ten, Fluff?”
“Unshackled Rage, makes me immune to root or slow effects. I haven't met anything that roots or slows a player yet, but the other option was two-handed mastery and I’m hoping for a dual wield option still, so I left that one alone for now,” Fluff replied as Tiny roared at another goblin, taunting it to them. “He really likes to yell, doesn’t he?”
“Well he won’t be spinning poetry, unlike someone else who might,” Bob said with a sly grin.
Alburet rolled his eyes, “I thought you were biding your time for something. Also, it wasn’t poetry. It was Shakespeare, who was one of the better known playwrights of my world.” He stepped forward and reapplied Retribution to Tiny as he spoke.
Fluffball hacked into the latest goblin alongside Tiny, “Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and many more.”
Bob shrugged, “You two-souled speak of things I know nothing about. All I know is you bolted when the master started a speech the other day.”
“Enough, Bob,” Alburet said softly and without force. “She didn’t want to hear it was all and I can’t blame her for that. That specific scene is a very moving bit where love is confessed. I never should have started to quote it to a woman I do not know. That was a mistake on my part, not hers. Hell, if the roles had been reversed I probably would have done the same.”
The rest of the fight was done without banter but once the goblin died and Fluffball had looted it she seemed hesitant. “It was a little shocking is all. I mean, I do love Shakespeare’s plays, but that scene from an unknown guy was a bit unnerving. I do think you’re a nice guy and I love the fact you can quote the plays. Just maybe not that one right now.”
Alburet bowed to her, “As the lady does request, so shall it be.”
Fluffball beamed at him before giving a curtsy in return, “M’lord is very kind, to acquiesce to my request.”
“I am kind of curious though as to what you do when not killing goblins here in Alpha World,” Alburet said as the goblin fell over dead. He looted and checked the pop-up that occurred with a smile before refreshing Tiny's buffs for the next pull.
Constantly allowing your destroyer to follow his heart has raised his happiness.
Tiny’s Happiness has reached Content.
Your minion receives a 25% boost to stats and health.
“You mean in real life?” Fluffball asked a little uncertainly. “What about you?”
“Nothing much really for the most part now. I don’t have to worry about food, paying a mortgage or anything like that. I used to work for a county sheriff office before the incident that forced me to leave the force. When I was last not in game, I had a full medical team checking my vitals.” Alburet said, skirting the truth while saying as much as he could truthfully. He had been unable to keep the undertone of bitterness from his voice though as he spoke of not being on the force any more.
“Oh,” Fluffball said, her eyes a little wide as she took in the information and leapt to attack the latest goblin. “So you’re disabled then? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to dig up past wounds.”
“It’s okay. I’m trying my best to move past the incident.” He said, not correcting her then tried to deflect her even further afield. “What ‘bout you?”
“Oh, um, I do freelance artwork. Mostly digital but I also draw, paint and do freelance photography as well.” Fluffball turned a slightly deeper shade of red then the normal shade she had when attacking a foe.
“So you’re a creative mind, very nice. What has been the piece you’ve enjoyed creating the most?”
Fluffball’s next swing went well wide as he asked the question, before she coughed and launched herself back into the fight. She didn’t reply as she fought and Alburet wondered what the problem might be. When the goblin died Fluffball took her time looting the corpse as if trying to delay the inevitable.
Seeing her hesitation, Alburet gave her a way out, “I’m sorry, Fluff. I don’t know why the question is difficult for you but I withdraw it. For all I know it might give away who you are which is something I’m sure you’re working to avoid, considering the previous stalker.”
Fluffball glanced at him then away, the blush showing through the thin down fur that covered her. “No it’s not that it’s just…,” she bite her lip. “My most well received piece was a bit of fantasy art. It depicted a blonde elf woman riding the back of a unicorn with a horde of orcs chasing after her. She had on a pair of broken manacles but nothing else. The unicorn’s mane fig leafed her, so nothing actually showed.”
“Wow, giving the impression then that the elf maiden was a virgin as she was riding a unicorn. Possibly fleeing slavery and rape at the hands or the orcs.” Alburet said, nodding before buffing Tiny again for the next pull. “I would think that could be a cover for a fantasy novel or even a fantasy romance novel.”
Fluffball smiled, seeming a little relieved, “It was probably my best work to date.”
Alburet made a mental note that she hadn’t called it her favorite piece, but let it go for now. “So that’s your living then?”
Fluffball shook her head, “It’s a hobby that gives me some extra cash. I’d rather not go any further down this road for now.” She leapt at the goblin Tiny had just brought to them, eagerly slashing into it.
Alburet waited until that goblin died and was looted before he changed the topic to less chancy areas. As they continued to kill mobs they traded information about favorite foods, music groups and more, seeing what they had in common as they killed goblin after goblin. An hour Alburet noticed he had a new message.
Message from Marysue:
Gerald and myself are going to see about getting a group for another run through the goblin fort. We found that it was a little tougher when the Shieldbearers were able to keep their shields, so Gerald thought we should see if you would want to come along.
Alburet stopped Tiny from pulling the next mob while he replied to the message. He let Fluffball know about Marysue’s message and got her ready agreement to another dungeon run. He informed Marysue that he was currently in a group with Fluffball inside the fort killing mobs, but if they wanted to take both of them they would go.
Message from Gerald:
We’ll be there with another person in a few minutes. Be ready to drop group and accept my invite when we get there. Which corner are you farming?
Alburet sent off a quick reply before turning to the Fluffball and his minions. “They’ll be here shortly. Gerald asks we drop group so we can join his when he gets here. Bob, you know the drill from yesterday. Tiny, we will be meeting up with friends in a moment and heading into the fort. You are coming with, but you must not taunt the mobs unless I ask you to specifically. If you do otherwise, it will cause problems for me with the party leader.”
Tiny seemed a bit sulky, but nodded, “As you wish, master.”