Ultimatum: The Proving Grounds Read online

  “Hmm.” Toby nodded. “Still, I look forward to it.”

  “It’s not great. It sounds good on paper, but in practice it’s unreliable and you shouldn’t be getting hit anyway. It boils down to the barbarian, and monks I think, avoiding the first hit when they get unwanted attention. If the tank doesn’t get it back quick enough, they’ll take damage anyway.”

  “Sounds like being a tank is stressful.”

  “Like you wouldn’t believe. There’s a reason most people don’t do it.”

  “I thought we just liked to see big numbers.”

  “A convenient excuse. Most people don’t handle stress well. The tank has to let it wash off them like water to a duck. They have to ignore it and keep their head. Watch for changes. Make adjustments. Know when to press in, know when to fall back. And we always seem to be called on to save DPS that just can’t get the concept of aggro through their heads.”

  “Well I understand aggro. Have for years. But it does seem a bit… different in your game.”

  Paul shrugged. “A bit looser, perhaps. A monster that gets back stabbed isn’t necessarily going to stay on the tank who hasn’t been hurting him, just slinging insults and the occasional jab. A thinking mind would go after whoever hurt them, and probably begin to consider fleeing. That’s what we tried to set up.”

  “I see. So that’s why the bandit snuck up last night and dropped one of us, rather than just run in and start fighting. It has some code in its brain that tries to make it mimic a person.”

  “As well as we can, anyway. And that’s a good example. He did get us a party member down with that trick.”

  “Hmm.” Toby rubbed at his chin.

  “So,” Claire stepped up in front of them. “What are we going after? Probably sending Tim. He drives like a maniac, so he should make good time.”

  “Well that’s good to know.”

  “Meatball sub?”

  “Ugh.” He shook his head. “I don’t know how you people eat like this. Is there a salad?”

  “Salad?”

  Jesse appeared behind her. “Did he say salad?”

  “He did.”

  “Is he a rabbit?”

  “Sounds like it.”

  Paul shook his head. “Please stop belittling the poor man. Honestly, you could stand to improve your diets.”

  Jesse gasped. “Treachery! And from so high up. My word.”

  He shook his head. “Just for that, I want a salad too. Preferably with some sort of grilled meat over it.”

  Toby pointed at Paul. “What he said.”

  Claire rolled her eyes. “I guess that’s better.”

  They took shifts watching over the other characters while Tim took off to fetch food. Anyone who wanted to could take their gear off and head out for a bit, but no one was allowed to log out. They wanted to keep the room full and looking dangerous to anyone who might decide to attack.

  Toby sat contemplating his future skills when his phone vibrated in his pocket. It took some effort to free it with the gloves on, and he probably looked ridiculous both in game and out, but he got it. Holding up the phone made the headset swap to camera mode at the center.

  Mitchel had finally gotten back to him.

  Mitchel: taragon

  Uhh…?

  Toby: Is that klingon? Are you insulting me?

  Mitchel: my name, moron

  Oh. Cool. He lowered his phone so his screen would appear normally and entered the menu. Taragon was a level fourteen ranger. Of course he was. Everyone was. Bows for everyone. He added him to his friends list, which sent an invite to do the same. Mitchel accepted.

  Text popped up from Taragon in the corner of Toby’s vision. “Hey man, what’s up?”

  “Lunch break. Bad morning.”

  “Level twelve isn’t so bad.”

  “Should be fifteen by now.”

  “What’s up with this event nonsense? Is that really you?”

  “Unfortunately… I’ve got some help, though. Working with devs to stay alive and git gud.”

  “Those poor people. You’ll never be good.”

  “Why must you wound me so? Jerk.”

  “Call ‘em like I see ‘em, man.”

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  “So, how can I help?”

  Toby had to ponder that one for a moment. Their guild was nearly full, and he doubted Mitchel could be worked into one of the groups. He was distant and his time to be around was unreliable, though it seemed like he had found plenty.

  “Feel like starting a guild?”

  “Uh, no? Why?”

  “Ours is almost full. We could use another.”

  “I see.” There was a long pause. “Won’t that make me a target? What do I get out of this?”

  Hmm. A good question. If they wanted people to help them, they might need to offer some incentive. Miller was offering a unique title and an end to the event’s harsh rules in exchange for killing Toby, and the metrics on the wall showed people were trying to collect.

  “I’ll ask about something. In the meantime do it because I have been, and always shall be, your friend.”

  “Oh fuck off with the saccharine shit, man. Fine. I’ll do it. Whatever.”

  “Awesome. Something that goes with Kingsmen.”

  “Dear god, is your ego that inflated?”

  “Riding around the clouds on it. I can show you the wooooorld.”

  “Fucking hell. Okay, off to be productive now. Can’t have you catching up.”

  “How dare you speak that way to your king.”

  “Elvis is the king. You’re a poser. Go eat your lunch, poser.”

  “It’s not here yet.”

  There was no response.

  He turned aside to see Paul moving around again. “Hey, boss man. Had a thought.”

  “Oh?”

  Toby let the lack of an insulting quip sink in. It was nice. Almost heartwarming. “Yeah. Miller has these incentives set up for beating us and killing me, right? Hell, not even sure if those are real or he plans to deliver, but regardless that’s only one possible outcome. We might win. We’re trying to win. But the people backing him are expecting to be rewarded, and the people backing us are just being contrary. So…”

  He nodded. “Some incentives of our own. Not a bad idea. A title would be simple enough. Maybe some other things.”

  Toby nodded. “Except we can do better. Give the title to everyone that helps us, not just one person. They won’t be fighting each other to get it, they’ll take our side sure in their reward. All they have to do is help us win. Get them to work together.”

  Paul nodded a few times. “I like it. I’ll see to it.”

  The afternoon was more productive, but not by much. The lack of mud helped. They made it to fifteen, and the button for entering a Rage appeared where Toby could activate it… but he still had no intention of doing so. Soulbreaker was no ordinary weapon. It would probably drop his friends in a handful of hits. Some of them in one. It wasn’t worth the risk, even if his class had been designed around it. The sword made up for not using it.

  Hopefully

  It would have to.

  Claire hadn’t been kidding about standing on the square floor cushion thing. It was making all the difference. He got tired, sure, but he wasn’t really sore. Surprising, given his tendency to roll around in an office chair at work… and at home.

  A few dozen more fights and the day racked up two more levels.

  They broke for dinner. Someone different did the run this time. Toby ended up with a cheeseburger. Eating three times a day with these people was going to kill him faster than Miller intended.

  One of the alternates from group two nearly knocked the door off of the break room. “Hey, got something. Looks big.”

  Paul lifted his chin. “Oh?”

  The man nodded. “An event. We’re scouting it out now. Bill and Carol spotted it. Plenty for two groups.”

  Paul glanced around the room. Most everyone was finishing up anyway
. “No time like the present, people. Meet up in ten.”

  Toby was grumbling about horses when they arrived half an hour later. They had needed to walk from the church. City. Camp. Whatever it was now. The church was still in the middle and that was where his chair was.

  Amos shrugged. “If you see any horses let me know. I can tame them.”

  Bill scoffed. “You put points in that, really? This early?”

  “Time saver, man.”

  Paul nodded to them. “Alright, what do we have?”

  “Undead outbreak.” Carol pointed down the hill that fell away behind her. There were shambling shapes at the bottom. They seemed to be spilling out of a graveyard.

  A pop up screen named the event as the “The Cursed Valley: Rank 1.” It was listed as being a level twenty event, where they were level seventeen. He hit accept anyway.

  That’s what groups were for, right?

  “Yick.” Jesse stood next to Toby in her human form again. “Glad I’m not melee.”

  Toby drew his sword. “I’m not going to touch them, Soulbreaker is.”

  She glanced aside at him with narrowed eyes. “That is such a goofy name.”

  “I didn’t pick it.”

  “You could rename it, if you wanted.”

  “Hmm…” He pondered it a moment. “Nah, I like it.”

  She shook her head. “Plan, boss?”

  Paul shaded his eyes as he looked down into the valley. “Fewer than the goblins, or the bandits even, but certainly stronger. We’ll get to the bottom of the hill and try to face pull a few.”

  Claire tilted her head. “Face pull?”

  Toby held up a hand. “Oh, I know that one. It’s walking up just close enough to get them to aggro, then moving away again to drag out as few as possible.”

  Paul nodded. “A bit old school, but it works. Hit a mob at range and it sends out a ping to call for help from other allies when it registers damage. Get its attention without harming it and it doesn’t do that.”

  Amos shrugged. “We’re usually a bit more reckless in this game.”

  “Don’t have that luxury. Once, long ago, dying in a game meant severe penalties. We learned to avoid it. I am glad to see our wisdom put to use.”

  They set up behind one of the ruined buildings while group two set up behind another. The four alternates grouped up to kill a few stragglers. Helping to clear the event would help them whether they were part of the main groups or not. And then they would rotate in if they were low, or be off to scout again.

  Tim rolled his shoulders and stepped out around the building. “I’ll get them.”

  “No good.” Paul shook his head. “They need to follow you back. If you shadow step they’ll lose sight of you.”

  Toby shielded his eyes from a burst of green light and smoke.

  Jesse’s voice came from the wolf’s mouth once more. “Run speed bonus. I got this.” The wolf padded out past Tim.

  “Don’t get too far ahead, now.” Paul readied his weapons

  “Yeah, yeah.” The wolf wandered out toward the graveyard’s broken fence. “Here zombie zombie zombie.”

  A few turned to look at her.

  “Good zombie. Nice zombie. You hungry?”

  She backed up, which cause her to move much more slowly than walking forward. Two zombies lumbered after her with slack jaws.

  Claire shivered beside Toby. “Don’t… don’t listen to anything they say.”

  Toby raised an eyebrow. “They talk?”

  She nodded. “A few people figured it would up the creepy factor. They were right.”

  Jesse was getting close now, the two zombies closing in. “All yours, boss man.” A burst of green light and smoke saw her standing in human form again.

  Paul rapped his sword against his shield. “Alright then.” He charged out and bashed both with one swipe of his shield. “Make this quick, people.”

  They set into the zombies. Swinging down was simple. The zombies lacked the coordination to get back up swiftly, and they weren’t about to give them time to figure it out.

  Amos peppered them with arrows while Tim used downward stabs worthy of a Hitchcock film. Claire “healed” them, which caused their skin to burn more than Jesse setting them on fire.

  They were certainly a lot more sturdy than the goblins or bandits had been. Toby struck at them, breaking off pieces… but they continued to moan and wail as they fought to stand up.

  “Why?”

  Toby paused mid swing when he heard the raspy whispering voice.

  “It hurts.”

  He swung again. Shutting them up was his new goal.

  “I want to go home.” The voice was almost crying.

  God damn.

  When the pair finally stopped moving a few moments later he looked aside to Claire. She nodded at him.

  “Do they all talk?”

  “Mostly zombies. Skeletons don’t have tongues.”

  “I think I’d prefer to fight those.”

  She nodded.

  Jesse returned with three more zombies.

  He sighed. This was going to be a long night.

  It was almost an hour later when the place finally thinned out. The other group had been doing their part from the opposite side of the graveyard, and the alternates group had been picking off lone or paired zombies here and there.

  There had been more healing this time. Claire was only occasionally able to swing her hammer or cast offensively. She was spending most of her time at a safe distance just throwing heals. Jesse and Paul had chipped in as well.

  It was worth it though. At least from a progression standpoint. They had gained two more levels and some gear here. They were at level nineteen now. Toby had continued his new leveling scheme as far as stat points. He’d spent two skill points to upgrade shock wave’s range and power, and had left the others for now. None of the things on offer seemed appealing beside what he already had. Most of the newest skills on offer were ways to augment the rage state. Unfortunately, none of them made it safe to use around friendlies.

  He was now capable of dropping the weakest zombies on his own with the abilities triggered by his three hit combo. It was easier if he hit them with the shock wave ranged strike first to soften them up.

  The problem was that they didn’t care if you hit them. They just kept coming. No flinching, no bleeding, and missing limbs only seemed to be an inconvenience, not a reason to stop.

  He still didn’t like it when they talked. Most sounded sad. Afraid. They needed to get back to work, or they were starving. Or cold. One was looking for its kid. Fucked up stuff for dead people to be saying. He shook his head.

  Paul glanced about and nodded. “We’re making good progress. Nearly clear.”

  He was right. Only a few straggler zombies were left at the dead center of the graveyard.

  Dead center, ha.

  The party of alternates was moving in as they spoke. They could probably handle the last few, and they were behind on experience. Still only level eighteen.

  As the last zombie fell a piercing wail split the night.

  13

  The sound echoed away as the ground shook. The earth beneath their feet cracked. Green light escaped from the gaps to paint the terrain in sickly hues.

  Laughter sounded from all sides. It bounced about the fallen buildings of the graveyard.

  Toby hefted his sword. “Can’t say I care for that.”

  Amos was shaking his head. “The hell is this? Never seen anything like it.”

  White rocks began rising from the ground, shoving dirt and grass aside. They climbed higher, proving to be round on top. Skeletal hands clawed their way out and shoved the dirt aside as the creatures lifted their heads up. The hideous grins of bare skeletons faced them as empty eye sockets fixed on the party.

  There were more. Lots more. Countless skeletons burst from the ground and stood up on shaky feet.

  They were everywhere. On all sides and as far as Toby could see.

&
nbsp; Laughter preceded them as they charged.

  Toby split one in two with the shock wave attack and took out another two with a swing.

  Amos was dropping them with two arrows each, though one would occasionally sail through the open ribs. Fortunately that just meant it hit the skeleton behind the one he was aiming at.

  Jesse set them ablaze, and more than one keeled over before reaching them from the damage of the flames alone.

  Claire smashed some with her hammer, and “cured” others of their existence.

  Paul broke more than a few just with his shield.

  But there were more behind. Always more.

  The ground kept on spewing out skeletons to replace those that fell.

  Tim appeared in front of the group as they stared. “Can’t keep this up. We need to move.” He pointed to the building they had been hiding behind. “We’ll get inside and hold the door, limit the angles of approach.”

  Paul shook his head a few times swiftly before nodding. “Right.”

  They turned and moved as a group with Toby in the lead taking out all he could with wide swings while Jesse and Amos took on stragglers. The vast majority of skeletons were behind, so Paul was keeping any that approached at bay. It took a few moments to reach the stone ruin even though it had only been a few yards away. It still had sturdy walls on all four sides. Only the door allowed access without climbing in through the fallen roof.

  Laughter followed them, echoing from countless dry voices.

  Paul was the last to cross into the room. No sooner had he lifted his shield than it was battered with old rusty weapons.

  Claire threw a heal on him and shook her head. “This is bad.”

  Jesse shrugged. “They’re weak, no big.”

  “How much mana do you have left?”

  “Uhh… about thirty percent.”

  “Can you burn all of them with that?”

  Jesse shook her head.

  Tim was standing on the top of the ruined wall. “They’re coming from somewhere. We need to deal with that.”