Great. We made friends with real-life fucking pirates.
I wasn't crazy about the idea of trusting, well, anyone other than our faction members own here. Korbin on the other hand, was getting back in touch with his charismatic side, stopping any squad with at least one level 9 member. Most of the groups we chatted with resided in regions halfway across the tutorial from us. One in particular I recognized almost instantly by their leader, a warrior holding two katanas dressed in an all white robe that crossed and knotted in places that appeared ripped and tattered.
"Aerin, what a pleasant surprise to run into you here!" Korbin exclaimed gleefully with his hands wide in excitement. Aerin nodded, pulling down the white cloth covering his mouth to reveal a pleasant smile.
"Korbin, it's been far too long my friend. I was beginning to wonder if someone else was posing as you, given how official your messages have been as of late. How are things?" Aerin asked, patting Korbin on the back. Behind him stood 4 other warriors all in similar white robes, though they clearly valued armor more than Aerin having plating on their chest shoulders and legs. One of them resembled Lonni in height, though he was far slimmer, closer resembling my physical build. He held two insanely long, thin swords in either hand, with a layer of plate armor revealing through rips in his cloth robes at his hips. He wore thick metallic boots, a pair that befit a knight more than a more dexterous fighter.
"Business as usual, though I've had to venture the comfort of home to get my hands dirty as of late. How about you, is everything moving on schedule?" Korbin asked, raising an eyebrow. Aerins body language flinched, indicating a tinge of nerves at the question.
"The schedule was…overestimated. But, we're making strides, and bringing anyone willing and capable we encounter along with us." Aerin replied, furrowing his brow proudly as he spoke.
"I'm sorry to hear that. If there's anything you need, I will send another message bird out to you. Do not hesitate to request whatever you feel necessary, within reason of course." Korbin said, earning a weary smile back from Aerin.
"So, this is the legendary leader of Elysium you've been talking about." A woman in all white robes and cowl said, strolling up from behind Aerin.
"Nina, mind your tongue." Aerin snarled at the woman through clenched teeth.
"Relax, brother. I hold no ill-will to our far away allies. I simply wish to formally introduce myself." The woman replied, removing her face covering and extending her open hand to Korbin.
"Name's Nina, Aerins younger and more talented sister." The woman said through a cheeky grin. Korbin smiled in response, glancing up at Aerin before accepting her handshake.
"Korbin, it's a pleasure to meet you, Nina." Korbin said. Nina's two double sided daggers dangling at hips as she bowed in response.
"I'd like to formally thank you for all the support you've given us. I know it must be challenging given your own troubles." Nina replied through a toothy grin.
"I'm happy to help. We're in this together, after all." Korbin said, wearing a nefarious smile of his own. Nina turned back to her brother, who glared angrily at her. She stood there a second longer, shooting him a deviant look of triumph before stepping back behind him.
"As much as I'd love to introduce you to my entire bloodline, we're both short on time here. Are we in agreement to assist one another if we find ourselves in such a circumstance?" Aerin asked, sounding much more frustrated than before.
"Of course Aerin, of course. I think it should also go without saying we mutually agree to seek and destroy Brigid at any given opportunity as well, right?" Korbin replied casually.
"Uh, I mean sure b-"
"Perfect! With any luck, we'll be seeing you guys soon." Korbin said, patting Aerin on his shoulder as he passed by.
*TICK*
"10 minutes remaining until the 1st Quarterly Event commences." The same effeminate voice system information always talks through echoed through the endless chasm of containment areas connected by glowing light bridges.
"Hey, that's the wind guy from the tournament isn't it? Why are you two so buddy-buddy?" I asked Korbin after sliding past Aerin and his crew. Instead, Cassi answered from behind me.
"They're one of the many factions we've kept in contact with in an attempt to unify our planet a little quicker." Cassi explained.
"And among the strongest, though they've fallen on some…hardships as of late. Regardless, we have work to do before our times up. I don't like only having 4 out of the countless factions under contract." Korbin said, quickening his strides down the endlessly spiraling light bridge. As I used Identify on the cluttered bodies shuffling up and down the bridge, I couldn't help but take note of how incredibly under-leveled the majority of these people were. Outside of Brigid's very small squad of 3 and Aerin's team, there really wasn't anyone above level 10 other than myself.
That being said, I'm no stranger to how misleading a level can be to someone's overall danger. The many giant clans we'd lay siege upon the last week and a half being nearly level 14 on average paid homage to the importance of quality of level in my mind, given I had very little issues dispatching their resistances. Sure, their stats might have been better than mine. That didn't mean they knew how to fight, or have that many skills for that matter.
Even then, I hadn't spotted any Giants along our downward path into the endless abyss. The next group we bumped into were nearly polar opposites to Aerins, wearing glistening jagged dark blue armor covering them from head to toe. Each of them held massive bows in their chainmail and metal plated gauntlets. More than that, they all were all rather impressively leveled.
[Human (Level 9)]
[Human (Level 8)]
[Human (Level 9)]
[Human (Level 10)]
"Excuse me? May I have a word?" The highest leveled of the blue knights with longbows asked, placing his large chain mail glove on Korbin's shoulder. Somehow, Korbin was about to blow right by these guys scanning over the rest of the crowd of possible alliances.
"Of course, that's why we're all here. Name's Korbin, leader of Elysium." Korbin extended his hand, stepping back a foot from the towering figure, who accepted his handshake.
"Ashton, leader of the Guardians Consortium. It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Korbin." The towering Blue Knight boomed through his thunderously deep voice slightly muffled by his metal helmet that covered his entire head.
"I see by you and your soldiers considerably high levels you're no stranger to battle. Are you aware of what part of our new Earth your faction's located in?" Korbin asked, speaking rather hurriedly while gesturing toward Ashton's squad.
"Outside of having selected our starting Pylon on the southern hemisphere, not really. We elected to travel on horseback rather than settle after the third Pylon defense, having suffered too many losses to rationally stay." Ashton said through his metal helm, covering his entire face.
"I see, and I take it you're now traveling mercenaries of some sort?" Korbin asked, crossing his arms and rubbing his chin.
"We do not fight for Tutorial Points. Nor for the experience that comes with it. We simply defend those we deem in need and deserving, slaying any beast or man who prey on the weak." Ashton sharply corrected.
"How noble." I mumbled to myself. One of the knightly-dressed archers' heads snapped up toward me.
"Is there a problem, little guy?" The blue armored archer said, strutting toward me angrily.
"There wasn't, until your dumbass decided to say some shit like that. I figured you knightly-types would be honorable, not ornery." I shot back, trying to meet the short tempered knight halfway. Korbin and Cassi both grabbed my arms from either side.
"Chill the fuck out." Korbin angrily whispered, moving in front of me staring sternly into my eyes. Sighing, I took a step back with my hands up in concession, not truly caring for their antagonistic words enough in place we can't even fight about it.
"Noah, mind your damn tongue!" Ashton bellowed from behind Korbin amidst the sounds of metals clacking into each other. Peering around Korbin as he turned back, 'Noah' was being restrained by his fellow archers behind Ashton.
"My deepest apologies for my brother's antics, he's apparently lost his luster for manners. Something he will be training tirelessly in refining without objection, starting now." Ashton growled looking back at Noah over his shoulder. Noah's angry thrashing subsided, eventually having his arms freed and casually walking away the opposite direction.
"It's no bother, though I'm afraid we have little time for pleasantries as it is." Korbin said. Ashton's head slightly lifted up, staring above Korbin for a second.
"What you see here is an Infernal Contract. I am the chosen of Beloris, God of Chaos a-"
"No. We refuse." Ashton cut off, waving his hand and starting to walk past Korbin. Korbin placed his palm firmly on Ashton's armored chest, stopping him in his tracks.
"And why would you refuse before hearing my proposal?" Korbin asked, staring intently up at Ashton's helmet.
"We don't do deals with devils. Especially you." Ashton said, pointing his armored finger at me.
"If this is the Chosen of Hells second most atrocity to humankind, I can assume you're Perunius' little mutt?" Ashton snarled. It took every fiber of restraint I could muster not to unsheathe my twinblade.
"Ah, you even have his sword. A spitting fucking image aren't you?" Ashton continued, gesturing at my weapon.
"Not Perunious' blades. And even if it were, it's none of your business, tin head." I shot back, my rage slowly encumbering my self control.
"I can't believe you're only barely level 10, considering all your sadistic masters done to get his filthy hands on-"
"One more word and I'll see to it your little band of 'heroes' are eradicated from the face of the earth before you ever see the end of the Tutorial." Korbin said, pushing Ashton back. Ashton continued staring my way for a beat, eventually swiping Korbin's hand from his chest and bumping past us. His fellow overly armored archers followed suit, that Noah fuck trying his best to throw a shoulder check. One I pretended to not see coming, dodging away in time to watch him stumble under the weight of his whiffed shoulder slam.
"You sure that armor's not too heavy for you there, sport?" I said, watching Noah stumble forward. Noah gathered his balance, and started walking back to me before being snagged by his fellow archers again. I couldn't help but burst into laughter seeing the 'tough guy' struggle to get free.
"Keep chuckling it up. We'll be seeing you, I'll be sure of it." Noah yelled as his comrades dragged him away.
"Hopefully! Good luck!" I yelled in a sarcastically positive tone as I turned back and joined my group.
"Tom, what the fuck man?" Derrick said, earning a shocked look from all of us. Not so much that someone is mad I started a fight, but the fact Derrick's who called me out first.
"Who are they to decide who deserves to be saved? And looking down on me for being the Chosen of an Aboriginal?! Fuck those guys, they're self righteous bullshit of a faction is free experience as far as I'm concerned." I shot back, still boiling over how pompous those guys were. To play god when they aren't even as strong as me, let alone a real god is beyond bullshit. At least be honest you're opinionated, rather than fall for your own facade of representing 'good'. Then again, maybe Korbin wasn't doing much different from the people of Savants Elysium.
I also made it crystal clear I wasn't going to play along with that shit outside of those walls.
"Tom, again, what the fuck? We're here for temporary alliances, not to unite like minded factions." Cassi said.
"No, we were never going to work for them regardless. It doesn't matter, let's keep moving while we have time." Korbin interjected, turning heels and walking further down the walkways without waiting for an answer. Everyone looked at one another confused at his lack of urgency to correct me, including myself. Especially considering there was zero contention until I said a word. We shuffled after Korbin, though we didn't get far before hearing our time was more than up for any more alliances to be formed.
*TICK*
"1 minute remaining until the 1st Quarterly Event commences." The same effeminate voice said.
"Okay, we don't have much time so I'm going to make this short. We have no idea how long we'll be here, so don't blow through your potions. If you need to rest, speak up, regardless if I refuse the first or second time around. Don't hesitate, and keep your heads on straight. None of this is personal, even if we're forced to fight those we know. That includes our allies." Korbin said as we huddled in a circle along the walkway.
"You mean the giants?" I asked, not seeing reason to dance around the elephant in the room. Their refusal to merge with Elysium meant they qualified as their own faction, one we have the chance of being forced to fight during this event. Korbin nodded as he replied.
"Yes. Meaning more than likely Barry and Phoebe will be among their elected fighters, in turn our foes. Luckily you didn't pop in here with Steve, meaning Becky won't be a fac-"
*TICK*
"30 Seconds remaining until the 1st Quarterly Event commences."
The ambient chatter and shuffling of thousands of people at every layer of the vertical spiral walkway quickly escalated to nearly deafening as groups frantically discussed their tactics. Scanning around our squad however, one would only see confidence, determination, and in my case excitement. Finally, I had another shot to prove myself on a multiversal scale, having no doubt in my mind the gods at least associated with humans on earth will be watching. A grin formed over my face feeling the familiar reverberations echoing throughout the endless chasm.
*TICK*
The loud conversations quickly became a cacophony of screaming arguments as groups admonished one another's volume. A few attempted to get violent, though their attacks would be halted by some invisible force before getting anywhere near their target.
*TICK*
I wonder if Perunious will actually send me some sort of a message here. It's odd I haven't received any word from him since Steve and I signed that contract. And why the hell did those archers hate him so much?
*TICK*
…fuck it. There's no reason to hold my breath. I haven't needed him yet anyhow.
*beep*