The guildmaster of the Coyotes was named Valentin. Once upon a time, almost a year ago, he and Zikei were inseparable. They would roam the locations together, fight, laugh at their failures, and dream of creating a guild where everyone felt needed.
But all of that was in the past, and now Zikei was facing a man he barely recognized.
The air between them was heavy with unspoken words. Valentin sat in his chair, his head tilted slightly, and his lips slowly stretched into a smile.
—So you've suddenly decided to show up here…
He said, and there was something venomous in his voice.
—And you dare to say 'it's been a long time'?
Zikei remained silent. With each word of Valentin's, he felt the familiar shadow of the past transforming into something foreign, almost hostile.
—Don't pretend.
Valentin suddenly laughed. The laughter was strange, not malicious, but rather false, as if he didn't believe in his own role. It sounded like an attempt to play a villain, but it broke into uncertain chuckles.
—Ha-ha... it's funny, isn't it? I've been waiting for you to show up. All this time.
His eyes flashed with a manic light, and for the first time in a long time, Zikei felt a sense of unease.
—What's happened to you, Valentin?
—To me? I've simply stopped being naive. I've stopped believing that friendship is more valuable than power.
Zikei lowered his gaze, as if making an internal decision.
—We're giving in, and we're willing to share everything we know about the "Unique Offer." But... we have conditions.
The words hung in the air like a threat.
Valentin, who had been lounging in a chair, stood up abruptly. His silver-trimmed cloak swung as if in a gust of wind, even though there was no draft in the room. His red eyes flashed.
—Conditions? You came here, to the Coyote's lair, to set the rules?
He slammed his palm on the table, causing a crack to appear in the wood.
—Have you lost your minds, you bitches?!
I involuntarily took a step back, feeling the fury radiating from Valentin, thick and dense, almost tangible. Zikei, however, stood calmly, his gaze unwavering, although sweat trickled down his temple.
—We don't dictate the rules, we offer a deal. And you know, Valentin, that you can't do without us.
For a moment, a shadow of doubt crossed the guildmaster's eyes, but only for a moment.
He walked slowly around the table, his footsteps heavy and echoing, like the beating of a heart.
Then he was suddenly right in front of me, leaning down so that his breath touched my ear, and he whispered:
—And what are your conditions?
His whisper was almost gentle, but it held a threat. I froze, feeling a shiver run down my spine. Up close, Valentin didn't seem human, but rather something else, with his eyes glowing with an unnatural brilliance and his skin reflecting light like metal.
Time itself seemed to hold its breath, observing this conversation.
Valentin was standing too close to me, and it was hard to avoid his gaze, which seemed to burn through me, testing my resolve.
But I didn't back down. Instead, I raised my head and met his red eyes directly, without a hint of fear.
—In three weeks... We're challenging you to an official duel.
I spoke clearly, each word like a blow. My voice trembled, not from fear but from inner tension.
—And it won't just be a fight." He's connected to the "Unique Offer".
For a second, everything in the room seemed to fall silent: the hum of the ventilation system, the footsteps outside the door, even his breathing. Valentin narrowed his eyes, and his lips curved into a slow smile.
—An official duel… Have you decided to challenge the Coyotes? Bold. Insane… but bold.
Before he could say another word, Zikey raised his hand and gently covered my mouth, as if he wanted to protect me from saying anything else.
He stepped forward, looking directly into Valentin's eyes.
—We're going to have a competition, not just a duel, but a test.
—What kind of test?
Zikei slowly lowered his hand and said:
—The Hunt for the Unique Monster.
His words were heavy with weight, as if he had just put more than just his reputation on the line.
The grin disappeared from Valentin's face. His gaze became sharper, colder.
—A Unique... Monster? Are you saying you know where one is?
His voice was different now, not mocking, but wary, almost afraid.
—You're lying. If you had information about a unique, you wouldn't be here bowing.
Zikei chuckled.
—We didn't come to bow. We came to invite you.
Zikei narrowed his eyes, flashing green eyes from under a black youkai mask. His voice sounded unexpectedly firm, even defiant:
—In three weeks, take your five, Valentin. I'll take these three. Together we will go to the unique storyline boss, the Swamp Boar Nemorrino!
There was silence in the room. The air seemed to have become denser, and even the system buzz of interfaces disappeared for a second.
The mercenaries standing next to Valentin looked at each other, and some of them let out a barely perceptible breath, while others whistled softly. Zikei's words seemed insane.
The unique monster Nemorino. Legends circulated among the players, saying that its lair was sunk in a sticky swamp, where the earth itself was alive and hated the aliens. No one came back from there whole.
—You… — Valentin stepped forward, narrowed his eyes and chuckled quietly, though there was tension in his voice. —You do realize that your party will be one person less, Zikei? What are you planning?
His words cut through the air like a knife.
Zikei didn't respond immediately, but he slowly lowered his hand to the table, leaned forward slightly, and said in a low, strangely excited voice:
—I just want you to see who's really playing here. It's simple, Valentin.
He spoke calmly, almost wearily, but there was something in his voice that made everyone around him shiver.
—If you win, you'll get everything you've been striving for. Fame, power, and a reputation that even the administrators will envy.
He paused for a moment to let the words sink in, and then added with icy clarity:
—But if you lose, you'll completely delete the Coyotes guild. No refunds. And you'll leave the game yourself. No workaround accounts, no restarts. Just... disappear.
His gaze became particularly sharp.
—And Disava and I will disappear from the wanted list. We will no longer be on the list. You will have your peace if you can defeat us.
At first, there was silence, and no one dared to breathe.
But then Valentin clenched his fists, and his face showed anger mixed with pride. His eyes flashed.
—And if you lose in three weeks, then you will all join our guild. Without exception. You'll be part of the Coyotes.
The mercenaries behind him exchanged glances. Some chuckled nervously, others exhaled: the stakes were insanely high.
He only smiled slowly, briefly, almost with contempt, as if he had already seen all this in a dream.
—Done!