——————————————————————
There you are.
I raised my fist, signaling for the others to hold up.
"I got eyes." I said over my shoulder, ducking behind a tree to avoid being spotted. Rain water fell from the trees massive leaves, dumping down the back of my coat. Though it wasn't like my boots weren't already squelching with every step. The sidewinding storm clouds overhead had been raging across the forest since we teleported in.
"Finally. Anything worth sharing?" Matt asked, clutching his crossbow like it was trying to escape. Propping my own compound bow against the tree trunk, I pulled my binoculars out from my storage space and centered on the admittedly large settlement sitting atop a massive pond. Tall grass and elderly folks in long cloaks wandered the oddly serene little sanctuary, one apparently this storm overhead decided to leave well enough alone.
"Well, they're definitely comfy." I chuckled, focusing in on the strange orange lights circling a few of their turrets.
"What, they built a log cabin? I'd love to get out of this shit." Kenny asked through a scrunched face as a strong gust tilted rain. pelting his face.
"Little worse. Four tall ass golden walls, a fair share of defense turrets, and it looks like they even got to stay dry, too." I replied before stowing my binoculars.
"Sounds oddly prepared considering we got here an hour ago." Matt said, scratching his head and rattling his spiked gloves.
"This isn't going to be another set-up objective, is it?" Kenny asked, nervously.
"Nope, no three-faction alliance this time by the looks of it." I replied, recalling the utter hellscape that the last mana-training group-objective was. Getting completely siphoned of all energy was already a horrifyingly novel experience. Now…watching Cindy's mangled, pale faced corpse clambering to her feet before punching on me before being teleported out? The look in her eye after we returned to the waiting room, like she'd seen something even more heinous than what this Labyrinth's slammed our skulls into.
That one got to me.
"Hey, maybe it's another 'living city' thing? That was pretty fun." Matt added with a feeble chuckle.
"You didn't get eaten by a building." Kenny shot back sharply.
*BOOM*
Chest-rumbling thunder crackled, a bright flash of lightning igniting the cloudy sky blue in concert. All three of us dropped down into the muddy soil with our weapons ready. After a few seconds to recognize our collective cowardice, I scoffed and kicked up to my feet.
"What are we doing? And what was that fucking pity party you two had going on right now?!" I questioned, both rogues scrambling back upright, red-faced.
"Come on man, we're just making light of a shitty situ-"
"Normally, SURE! We should totally make light of a bad time, because what else can you do? But do I seriously need to remind you of the hardship you're crying over got us to 6th fucking place?" I passionately interrupted.
"Yeah? That shit sucked." Matt dryly replied.
"How many people did we see during that little Pre-Quarterlies socializing time? And how many of them do you think went through absolute bullshit, just to find themselves rotting in the bottom 80,000's?!" I pressed on, wondering if I'm the only one keeping track of how much competition we've been up against.
"You want us to be grateful for dying in a variety of incredibly painful ways?" Kenny angrily questioned.
"Fuck no. How about being thankful for the opportunity to make sure it wasn't all a complete fucking waste?!" I countered, confused at how badly these two wanted to grovel at a time like this. Except, a flicker sparked in Matt's eye as the question hung over the raging winds.
"You know what…FUCK it?! We found out just how fucked up this system can be, what the hells two randoms going to throw our way we haven't already been stabbed, smashed, or eaten by?!" Matt added, his posture straightening as he spoke.
"Nothing! All we got to do is shoot a few walls just in case, and personally?! I think we got this! I mean, a three on two?! Not to mention we bought a shit ton of firepower." Kenny said excitedly. My hand glided over my shoulder, feeling the dozen explosive fire arrows in my quiver, grinning in anticipation.
"We've gotten this far by coming up just short so many times and STILL manage the top 10? What the hell will an actual WIN do for us?" Matt continued with wide-eyed enthusiastism.
"Let's find out. Today. No more top 5 finishes just to be betrayed and eliminated, ripped to shreds by ungodly beasts, or lost in a moving maze. We may not have Cindy or Jake any more, but I know damn well they're watching right now hoping we can bring home a reason for our suffering. I say we bring a damn good one with us." I exclaimed, seeing a fire in my friends' eyes I hadn't since these Quarterlies had first started.
"Now, first things first, let's get the hell out of the rain." I said, feeling as though my squad was sufficiently inspired enough to follow as I sprinted toward the peaceful, green sanctuary our targets resided. Branches, vines, and massive low hanging leaves snagged and slapped off of me as I dashed through the thickest foliage, hoping to delay getting spotted as long as possible. Matt and Kenny's heavy footfalls clapped off the wet soil behind me, indicating I was correct in my assessment of their morale, thankfully. No way in hell I'm running up to this place by myself.
"Woah woah, hold up!" I yelled, my voice echoing over a deafening silence. My foot lifted from the grass, the soft brushing of rubber on grass giving a subtle squeak. I looked up, taking in the warm sun slowly warming my skin, the cool breeze drying my sopping wet robes.
"This place is beautif-"
"SHH!" I hissed, raising my hand to Matt's face.
"…night which fears the light…" a low, choir-like lyric hummed along the breeze. Ducking low, I slowly started making my way toward one of the massive lakes the mini-settlement was placed upon. The two massive golden doors at the front of the small-settlement suddenly opened, releasing a dozen hooded old men clutching stacks of parchment paper. They dispersed across the lakes, wandering slowly with their heads low.
"What the fuck are they doing?" Matt whispered, lowering his bow.
"…flames, cleanse my boooones…" their low, harmonious song continued to crescendo as we slowly inched our way around one of the lakes neighboring the settlement walls. One of them turned on their heels, their robe flowing open just a little, revealing a subtle orange glow. Deeming them nothing more than suspect for now, I scanned the settlement walls and noticed there were far fewer turrets along the side walls on the sprint over, which indicated to me their backside might have been neglected even further.
"…and they, who defyyyy…"
Sweat beaded off my forehead as I dipped my hand into the lake, hoping to cool myself as the beating sun had apparently dried my rain-soaked clothes fully. The settlement remained silent, the walls empty of any patrols. Their turrets remain completely dormant. It's like they're not even concerned with being attacked.
"Holy fuck, this place is a sauna." Matt whispered. I waved him off, annoyed at his willingness to make noise while within 200 feet of our targets.
"Those guys are getting pretty close." Kenny added quietly, earning my attention. A group of 14 of them shuffled alongside us, their footsteps completely silent. Their long robes covered their feet, making it look as though they were floating across the tall grass.
"…oohh-men's war-ho-orming woord!" They passionately sang in perfect harmony.
"Fuck, that's getting so annoying." Matt grumbled in a half whisper. I was about to tell him to shut his fat mouth again, when I realized it felt like my feet were on fucking fire. I rolled forward, smacking down at my boots assuming I'd somehow sprung some trap.
"Sh, SHH, what the fuck are y-AHH!" Kenny yelled, crumbled beside me clutching his feet. Looking down however, neither of us appeared to have even been touched, let alone burned. That's when an agonizing burning sensation rapidly blossomed across my back. I kicked off the ground and rolled into the lake, the previously cool water feeling more like a spa that was left on for too long. My head emerged atop the water, watching as Matt and Kenny rolled across the grass.
"Ah-AHH, f-FUCK!" Kenny cried, leaping from toe to toe.
"Heathens fear the night!" The hooded choirmen sang, as over 20 of them had gathered around the lakeside. A massive wave of palpably thick heat blasted in my face, like a titan of a demon had just belched after eating spicy food. My head wrapped around toward the settlement, sighing in relief at finding it remained completely still.
"Darkness binds with cooold!" The choirmen continued, their collective voices growing exponentially louder. Suddenly, the lake water began to bubble around me as I felt my skin burning under a subtle sizzle.
"AHH-AHH FUCK, FUCK!" I cried out, sprinting out of the water with high steps. Matt was already halfway through diving into the water himself, while Kenny sprinted toward the choir.
"STOP SINGING YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!" He cried out, before plunging his blades into one of the hooded singers necks. Suddenly, all of their eyes lit up a bright orange in unison. Yet, none of them moved a muscle.
"The night which fears the light!" The choir sang on, as Kenny continued violently slicing through their numbers. Then, as if a second sun emerged, the world became a blur of bright orange light.
"AHHHHHHHH, AAAAHHHHHH!!!" Kenny's voice echoed over my own internal screams, my blood bubbling as if boiling within my veins. Shakily rubbing my eyes, I was able to blink away the blindness enough to see Kenny's burnt remains crumble into dust onto the grass. Said grass, in fact, had streaks of orange light that crossed and curved everywhere around the lakeside.
*whistle*
*BANG*
The earth trembled against my chest as I still struggled to find comfortable footing, another far more intense heat wave blasting against my back. Turning toward the lake, Matt's hand hit my shoulder, then bounced to the grass.
"MY ARM! FUCK, CARSON GIVE ME MY ARM!" Matt screamed as he frantically stepped toward the shore. A cloud of steam wafted off the rippling water, evaporating completely within seconds. I felt as my slowly melting skin began to merge with my boots, desperately trying to rip the bottoms free with every step toward the backside of the settlement.
"CARSON, PLE-"
*whistle*
*BANG*
Matt's cries were violently interrupted, as a fiery missile shot out from the settlement wall, his body disappearing in a puff of flames.
"Its flames that cleanse my booones!!" The choir continued singing on from behind me. Walls of think flames fired out from the orange streaks across the ground, setting my entire left side on fire. I rolled across the grass, stopping each frantic spin before thrusting myself into another wall of fire. I looked over at the golden settlement walls, barely making out 6 cannons shifting around the corner from the entrance, flames spiraling around the barrels.
"And they, who defy!" The choir sang on, the walls of flame extinguishing all at once. I ripped my robes off, finally patting out the last of the flames. It took two steps before realizing my entire body had gone numb on that side. Shakily, I snagged an explosive arrow from my quiver and raised my charred bow.
"WE WILL NOT FALL! TODAY, W-"
"Omens warming woooord!" The choir cried out over my proclamation. The world became heat, constant, bone charring flames filling my vision that quickly melted away.
"AHHHH, AAAHH-HAAAAAA!! AAH-"
*whistle*
——————————————————————
Ouuu, hot DAMN that was brutal. Points for enthusiasm, though.
I thought to myself, the man's blood-curdling screams cut mid-breath, replaced by the ding of my notifications feed.
{Attackers Eliminated}
+26,650 Quarterly Points - Final Blow contestant's last life.
"Effective is the word you were looking for." Galenthelos said, in an unnervingly calm tone for watching someone explode in a ball of flames from my internal defensive monitor.
"…ry time I reached the door, it was like, euphoric y'know? Like my entire spirit was being dipped in eternal warmth." Tom continued rambling, my eyes half-closed realizing he was still rehashing his 'RATification'. Admittedly, I thought it would be harder to juggle being Tom's temporary therapist while blowing up our competition. Turns out, it's actually pretty entertaining.
"Oh yeah…well why do you think that helped you? What do you think was the reason you sought warmth, over freedom in those moments?" I asked trying to piece together his fucked up recollections. Tom paused, looking down at the ground.
"I didn't get to choose. It's just what I was given."
"And did you escape because of what you were given, or what you learned?" I quickly replied. Whether the context was a bad break up or being sentenced to a possible eternity of being eaten by waves of incredibly coordinated rats, I know a cope when I see one.
"…so, chasing that warmth…was why I stayed longer?" Tom asked, not even looking at me. His shoulders began to curve in, his back arching forward.
"…but, but losing all that blood, Korbin…you get, you get so col-"
*SMACK*
I slapped my spiraling friend, his eyes wide with anger for just a split second before focusing. I was already taking in a deep breath, waving my hands for him to follow suit. He did, his posture straightening as he exhaled.
"…thanks." Tom said, whipping the blood from his lip.
"For the record, I have no problem doing this. But I'll agree to tell no one about this little situation of yours, if you agree to never thank me for hitting you ever again, you fucking weirdo." I replied. I'm cool with a sprinkle of masochistism to season the spirits' conviction every once in a while. But this? This is too far, even for me.
"That's fair, yeah. You got a deal." Tom said, extending his hand.
"I thought you'd learn by now not to make d-…" I paused, feeling the beginnings of a scheme formulating.
"Make what?" Tom asked with a single eyebrow raised.
"Nothing, that was a Cassi thing. I get you idiots mixed up sometimes, stop trying to change the subject." I shot back, dismissively. Tom rolled his eyes, but shrugged in concession.
"If you say the colony acted on instinct, and appeared to recognize you only after learning their ways, can you truly believe it was the rats that were resetting your loops? Or something greater, with its own motives for your experiences?" I asked, hoping I'm not giving away the elephant in the settlement only Tom couldn't see.
"…I mean, warmth felt synonymous with the colony. It felt…pure." Tom said, scratching his lower back.
"But they needed to chase the warmth, meaning they could not be the one holding it over your head, right? Why would they waste the warmth in that door, if the colony demanded it so?" I pressed on, leaning into the fallacies easily missed in memory ridden with traumatic dynamics. At least, from what I've seen, I don't really know I'm no psychologist.
"I…yeah, that doesn't really make sense, does it?" Tom asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Not the first time that's happened so far during your story time, glad you could join the class." I replied with a grin.
"I mean, we're only on day 264. We haven't even gotten to the confusing parts." Tom casually said. My smile immediately faded at hearing something so fittingly stupid.
"Tom, you told me you ate me."
"…yeah, yeah that's fair." He replied with a sigh.
*ding*
{Objective Update}
New Attackers have arrived. You have 5 minutes to fortify your defenses!
"Huh? I didn't even hear our last opponents?" Tom asked, his brow furrowed glaring up at the sky.
"Must have lost to the turrets. Kind of my thing, remember? Let's not get side tracked, tell me more about the forest." I quickly replied.
"Oh, yeah okay. See after a while those cords began wrapping themselves around my legs and carrying around your corpse behind me wherever I went. Smelled terrible, but you made some pretty good points along the way." Tom said plainly. Rather than wasting the air picking that weird ass detail apart, my face dropped as I glared into his eyes, waiting.
"…wait, that doesn't…" Tom mumbled, once more receding into his own mind.
Okay, now or never.
I quickly skimmed through the available upgrades, my hand still resting atop our pylon crystal. Seeing only one worth-while, I purchased a dozen more mana cannons, two dozen more Infernal Choirmen, and a few traps here and there. Feeling I managed my spending frugally, I smiled confirming the only upgrade I wanted. Immediately, the janky folding chair I sat upon rose under me, its metallic structure expanding into the same comfortable rolling chair I had for my office.
"Did…do you really just-…?" Tom asked, looking down at one of the best purchases I've made in years.
"Oh I'm sorry, my back feels a little sore from carrying the team. Figured some lower lumbar support was the least I could ask for, my bad." I shot back, while actively scrolling the pylon marketplace for a foot rest. For some reason, Tom smiled ear to ear.
"…what the fuck are you grinning at, ugly? Come on, trauma dump time, chop-chop!" I asked, after an awkward few seconds of silence.
"Nothing, just forgot how hilarious I find you getting upset." Tom replied, his smile quickly turning devious.
"You really think annoying me right now is a good idea?" I asked, scrolling through the cannon views in my internal display. Tom's eyes narrowed, his eyes drifting away in thought for a few seconds. Then, his face lit up before finally speaking up.
"…I mean, has it ever been?" He countered, with the most logical thing he's said all day.
*ding*
{Objective Update}
Attackers have been released. Defend the pylon with your life.
Alright, showtime.