THE RED HAND'S HUNT I

Hammerrun, Sigurd Kingdom

“Are you an idiot!?” growls a man draped in a dark cloak to his equally dressed comrade as he paces in the dark alley. “There is no escape from Jeeves! The fucker can show up anywhere, anytime he wants to! Not to mention splitting himself up! And you honestly think you can trick ‘im!? It’s no wonder Magnum was pissed! Jeezus!”

“There has to be a way! Maybe if I use a sleeping potion or something before hand-”

“Enough!” The first man interrupted. “The reason why Jeeves exists in the first place is because of idiots like you!” he said, shoving the man against the wall.

“Cut me some fucking slack, bro! I’m tired of watching porn every day!” the other man complained as he rubbed his shoulder.

“Then you better wise up and stick to the data!” the first man growled as he shoved his comrade again.

“I know already!”

“You better know. Now, come on. If we’re lucky we can catch one of the early risers.”

The two men skulked through the narrow alleys of Hammerrun with the shadows of early dawn for cover. Crimson irises glowed beneath their hoods and a bloody ‘P’ was cut into their necks. The members of Paradise were on the prowl for unsuspecting priestesses.

Despite the talk in Hammerrun about priestesses having their chastity taken, it was only rumors at best. The women themselves showed no signs of being hurt or mistreated in anyway, and the only things the “victims” had in common were that their rings were taken and that they couldn’t remember what happened the day before.

From an outsider's perspective, most thought that the priestesses simply succumbed to lust while in a drunken stupor. After all, it wasn’t uncommon for Nor women to have a drink in a pub. The Sigurd kingdom was in fact one of the few kingdoms in Chaos online where men and women were relatively equal, so there were very few social barriers regarding sex. Whether it was the forge or the battlefield, the ratio of men to women was fairly close to 1:1.

Thus the Sigurd kingdom, a place where women aren’t given any sympathy, became a prime location for Paradise. If they were careful, the only consequences of their actions would be the damage to the priestess reputation.

“Oh, found one already?” the large cloaked man muttered after seeing a white robed figure from afar. He quickly turned to his comrade. “Get your Hypnosis ready. Any sign that she’s about to make a break for it, I’ll be relying on you.”

“Right.” The smaller man nodded in response.

Even in the dim alleyways the robed figure could easily be distinguished as a woman from her curves and the way she walked. Unfortunately, she was walking away from the pair of men that stalked her footsteps and seemed completely unaware of the danger.

Just as the woman was about to walk out into one of the busier streets, a strong hand came down on her shoulder. She turned around with a looked of shock that sent glee in the men’s heart. Yet in the very next moment the expressions of both sides were reversed. Under the hood of the priestess a bright red mark glowed ominously over her left eye.

“Fuc-“ the large man was unable to finish his sentence as an iron fist crashed into his abdomen, clearly denting the armor under his cloak while the force of the blow smashed him into the wall.

“Red Hand!?” the small man cried in surprise as he drew a dagger.

“Expecting easier prey?” Rosemary grinned as she rushed for the second man, leaving her first victim to stumble to the ground.

A dagger flashed out for her throat, but in one fluid motion she weaved to the side and removed her robe. The image of a priestess was instantly shattered by sturdy leather armor. Her arms were covered up to the shoulder by two hard-silver gauntlets that had open palms and clawed fingers. Every time her hands moved, blood colored ribbons flapped in the wind.

In combination with Orthodox Boxing she used Rush and Heavy Blow to land a counter hook to the body. Under normal circumstances, a Priestess would in no way, shape or form be able to fight bare-handed. But this was Chaos Online, where deception was common sense.

The rogue-mage folded in half as the air was forced out of his lungs. Rosemary not only had a high ranked Hand-to-Hand combat skill, but she also had the racial trait of the Nor, Born Warrior, which could make the skin as tough as stone. But Rosemary had taken this trait to the next level every day, and now her skin could pass as secondary armor.

“Where is your base?” Rosemary asked as she stood over the man she just knocked down.

“I’m not telling you a damn thing!” the small man kicked off the ground and rolled back just as two silhouettes entered the alley.

The sound of ringing metal came from behind her. The large man had regained his composure and drew his sword.

“I see you called your friends.” Rosemary sneered.

“You made the mistake of coming here alone, and now you’ll suffer for it. If the Red Hand shows up without her ring, then we’ll practically be stress free.” the man smiled lasciviously.

“Who said I came alone?” Rosemary replied with a smirk.

As soon as the words left her mouth a dagger appeared over both of the silhouettes at the end of the alley. In the next instant, the daggers had found the hearts of their victims and neither one had to time to utter a cry before they were dead. In their place stood a pair of twins with short black hair and pitch black cloaks. The only way a stranger could tell them apart would be the numbers ‘1’ and ‘2’ painted on their faces.

Seeing the tables turned in an instant, the big man quivered in rage. “I’ll take you with me!” he cried. His sword arced for Rosemary’s head at a blinding speed followed by trails of lightning.

Rosemary didn’t move a muscle and just stood there looking at the man as if he was an idiot. Just as the sword looked like it would cleave her in two, it stopped. Blue sparks scattered in every direction as the Arc Cutter collided with a glowing dome.

“What is this!?” the man roared in confusion and anger.

Not even bothering to answer, Rosemary stepped in and landed two more blows in the same spot as before. Causing the man’s armor to lose considerable durability and press in on his organs. Though his health hadn’t been completely depleted, the pain was too much to even stand, let alone swing his sword.

This was the essence of Chaos Online’s combat. It was often quick and ruthless with the victor being decided at any given moment. Gone were the days of watching a health bar or waiting for the opponent to run out of mana. In a world were fatal blows were as easy as stabbing someone in neck, such time consuming fights were dangerous.

“Pay up. I told you she wouldn’t kill him.”

“Not fair! Look, he could keel over at any minute!”

Rosemary turned to the sisters behind her. The smaller man from earlier had already been captured and was cowering between them.

“Not everyone can be a bloodthirsty assassin like you, EagleOne.” she said to the woman with a ‘1’ painted on her cheek who had spoken first.

“That’s what I told her.” EagleTwo replied turning to her sister. “Now pay up!” she commanded with a hand out. EagleOne reluctantly forked over a small pouch of coins.

Rosemary sighed. She was already accustomed to seeing coin being exchanged between the twins. Especially when they weren’t losing somewhere else. “Did they drop anything?” she asked.

“Those two mages back there dropped some pretty neat gear. Might sell for some coin later.” EagleTwo nodded.

Rosemary nodded. If there were anything she could use herself, the sisters would have given it to her. They were co-workers after all. “Well since we captured them alive, we might as well give them to the paladins. Who wants to go fetch the paladins?”

The twins looked at each other with warily before simultaneously shooting out a hand. EagleOne had her fist balled up while her sister’s hand was flat. As usual, any dispute was instantly settled with rock-paper-scissors.

“Figures!” EagleOne rolled her eyes.

“Two wins in a row? Today’s gonna be a good day.” EagleTwo laughed as her sister disappeared from the alley.

With the battle won and the cavalry soon to come, she crouched down next to the agonized warrior as he labored for every breath. Having his armor caved in put an unbelievable pressure on his organs, yet he refuse to unequip his gear. As a Chaotic player, the chances of dropping gear was very high, especially for unequipped loot.

“Kind sir, you seem to be in pain. Do you require healing?” she asked sweetly.

“Argh, y-you bitch!” the man cursed.

Rosemary didn’t even flinch from his blunt refusal and calmly continued. “You know what I don’t get it? There’s a nice brothel down the street that’s been there for as long as I can remember, yet you insist on kidnapping my sisters. Sonsoft provided such a perfect outlet for you yet you and your ilk continue to spit on their good will.” She said.

The man only glared in response. He’d heard plenty of stories about her provoking words, and he knew full well that any response he made could undoubtedly lead to the downfall of more of his guildmates. It was best to just keep silent.

“Fine, stay silent. This little operation of yours will be brought down soon enough.” Rosemary’s eyes narrowed as she scowled at the man. “Just because you only target NPCs doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences. Even in Chaos Online there are places for people like you.”

Just then, EagleOne returned with five paladins behind her. Each of them were scantily armored since the Nor didn’t need armor at lower levels. So unless someone was told, they wouldn’t believe it if they were told they were paladins of the Church of Braumas.

The leader of the five stepped forward. “You called, Red Hand?” he saluted.

Rosemary nodded. “I did indeed. These men are Chaotic Travelers who belong to the group that troubles our sisters. I trust you know where to put them?”

“Of course, your holiness!”

The paladins surrounded the men and bound their hands with chains of light; a paladin exclusive ability to arrest Chaotic players. Then with the fugitives in custody the group set out for the paladin temple where the Travelers were to be tried and sentenced.

Crime in Chaos Online was usually punished with jail time, and the amount of time usually depended on the severity of the offense. But for Chaotic players, that was another story. The determined jail time was added onto the time that they spent as chaotic. Meaning if a player was chaotic for the last six months, then six months in jail was the minimum sentence they would receive. Even if a Good player was caught, if their souls were scryed and it was found that they were once chaotic, then the total amount of time they ever spent as a chaotic player would be the minimum sentence.

Of course, if that were all, many players would rather die than go to jail. The fact the Paradise members were apprehended with little resistance was because they knew they could afford bail. Only the most unforgivable crimes like high treason weren’t offered bail. So after the mandatory two weeks it would take to reset their alignment, they would be free men.

“Why do you even bother? You know they’ll be out soon right?” EagleTwo asked.

“Even if they go free, my duty is to bring them to justice.” Rosemary replied solemnly.

“Wow…really?”

“Forget it sis, you know how she gets when she’s in hero-mode.” EagleOne chuckled.

“Now that you mention it…where did she get it from?” EagleTwo smiled mischievously.

“You know she got it from that boyfriend of hers.”

“Don’t you mean ex?” EagleTwo tilted her head in feigned confusion.

“I don’t think so. She talks about him like he’s not. It’s really confusing...” EagleOne had a hand on her chin as if pondering some profound truth.

’Why did I even open my mouth?’ Rosemary sighed inwardly. The twins had been her co-workers for a while now, they were close. So it was obvious that knew about Brandon. After talking about him so passionately, the sisters wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to tease her.

“Are you done? Can I go now?” she said with her voice thick with irritation. But the sisters didn’t relent as they locked arms with her on each side.

“Aww, she’s blushing!” EagleOne said.

“Come on, Rosemary. Tell us another story about your high school sweetheart.” EagleTwo teased.

“I’m not telling either of you anything if you’re gonna be jerks about it!” Rosemary snapped.

“So feisty! There’s the fiery nun we know and love!” EagleOne laughed, but EagleTwo cut her off.

“Okay, okay. Enough. Let’s not leave her with a bad impression. She won’t be with us for much longer.” She smiled then looked back at Rosemary. “Where are you going now?”

Rosemary sighed helplessly. Even though the sisters could be annoying, they knew when to stop. “I need to go back to the paladin temple. The sooner I can get the commander on my side the better.” She said.

“Then we’ll walk you there.” EagleTwo replied happily.

After the brawl in the alley, the trio quickly stepped out into the main street. Even without a robe, Rosemary was easily recognized by the citizens. So while they greeted the people and chatted amongst themselves, the morning light peaked over the city walls. By time they reached the temple, the sun could be clearly seen.

“So when exactly are you leaving? For good, I mean.” EagleTwo asked Rosemary as they stood in front of tall stone building.

“That depends on what happens next. If the High Priest doesn’t make a move then I’ll just force his hand. Either way, I plan on advancing to High Priestess before I leave. I won’t walk away from this quest empty handed.” Rosemary replied confidently. She’d waited so long for the High Priestess advancement quest, and she had made too many sacrifices to just walk away. But she couldn’t wait too much longer because time was no longer on her side. A fact that had been become abundantly clear recently.

*FLASHBACK*

202

Patient: Brandon Welding

Injury: Paralysis

Lead Nurse: Curtis Julius

Lead Physician: Dr. Alexander Dixson

Rose stood motionless in front of the door, staring blankly at the name on it. She’d been here several times in the past few months, but every time she arrived at the door, the scene from nearly two years ago would come rushing back. Along with all the emotions and pain.

At first, they wouldn’t even let her on the floor because she’d been removed from the visitors list. In a hospital treating recognized athletes, not having such a privilege pretty much got her turned away at the door. After so long, she wasn’t even surprised that she wasn’t recognized by any of the receptionists. To them, she may as well have been some groupie trying to sneak into a patient’s room.

The obstacle was cleared with a phone call to her inside man. She was immediately given the admission to see the man she loved, only to find out that she wasn’t as ready as she thought she was, resulting in plenty of wasted opportunities.

She once came when Curtis was feeding Brandon his daily meal. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, but just the sound of his voice was enough to shock her heart into overdrive with it nearly bursting out of her chest with every beat. In that instance, she’d been frozen to the spot with fear. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d still be pushed away, and the image of his face, jaw locked and eyes filled with determination, still filled her with dread to this day.

On subsequent visits she’d try to muster up her courage by remembering the last part of that fateful day. She let the sound of Brandon’s agonizing cries fill her with courage and confidence. She thought that maybe, like her, he also feared a second time.

It was with that resolution that on her last visit she had knocked. Yet, the one who had opened the door was a nurse she didn’t recognize and she immediately retreated. It was then that the grim truth of Chaos Online came to light, calling her back to the game for work. As researcher from a rival company, she couldn’t ignore the opportunity to capitalize on Sonsoft’s negligence.

However, now that Jeeves was up and running, players could no longer be targeted, which gave her another chance to stand before this door.

Rose raised trembling hand to knock on the door. All was quiet inside, which could only mean Brandon was still in-game. As the door opened, she came face to face with a man that was the spitting image of his son. If not for the strands of gray hair and crow’s feet, they’d be identical. Still, the resemblance nearly made Rose jump out of her skin.

“It’s been awhile, Rose. How’ve you been?” Mr. Welding smiled faintly as he walked out, closing the door behind him. His eyes were red, and from the subtle shadows under his eyes, Rose could clearly see that the gymnast was certainly weary.

“I’ve been doing okay, I guess. The job’s pretty fun. How...are things with you and Mrs. Welding?” she asked hesitantly. After Brandon’s accident, she hadn’t been the only one that was distraught.

Mr. Welding hung his head and sighed woefully, eyes brimming with fresh tears. “She’s

a lot tougher than I am, I can tell you that. She insists we just keep moving forward. Like our son didn’t have his future dashed into pieces.” he said, with his voice fading into a whisper. When he raised his head a tear was rolling down his face. “ When they put that machine on him, you know what she said? She said, “If he’s happy, then let him be. We’ve already taken his happiness once.”” he sobbed.

“That’s not…” Rose started, but she couldn’t find the words to comfort him.

“Not what? Not true? I’d have to disagree with you on that one.” He fell silent, then he turned to the door and traced his fingers over his son’s name. “Now every time I look at him, I can’t help but regret those four years we took from him. All the time and effort he put into it only to wind up here…” he sobbed quietly, covering his face with his hand as he hunched over the door.

On impulse, Rose gently pulled the sobbing man into a hug. To see a man who she’d rarely seen without a smile, hunched over and weeping for his son, she couldn’t help but lend him her shoulder. It was a few moments before Mr. Welding regained control.

“I’m sorry. You’ve got your own sob story, but here I am, crying all over you. I’m just a big softie.” he chuckled softly and wiped his eyes.

“Like father, like son.” she replied softly.

Mr. Welding straightened his back and composed himself, then looked down at her with a gentle look. “You know, he told us a week before that he wanted to marry you. But you’ve been family to us long before then. So if you need anything, other than convincing my stubborn son, then you let us know.” he said, then he made his way down the hall.

Rose turned back to the door and took a deep breath before walking inside.

“Well look who finally decided to show up!” Curtis turned from the TV. His thick bronze arms folded against his chest with wide grin on his face.

Rose glared fiercely. “You could have told me you took leave.” she said.

“Hey! Is that how you treat your number one spy!?” he protested. Rose just shook her head and walked over to Brandon’s bed.

The Dark Chariot reflected the sunlight, and Brandon’s chest rose and fell rhythmically. Upon seeing the serene scene, she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “I’d thought he’d be a bit thinner than before…since it’s been so long.” she said softly and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Well, his appetite has increased a lot since he started playing so he’s not all skin a bones.” Curtis chuckled as he watched her.

“Good.” Rosemary whispered, then she reached out for Brandon’s hand, tracing the visible bones with her fingertips. The hand looked so fragile, but it was still warm with life. If she focused, she could faintly feel his heartbeat.

Curtis just watched quietly for a moment before he spoke again in a hush tone. “Do you want me to call for him?”

The one question was like a bolt of lightning, stunning her on the spot and overcharging her heart. Of course she wanted to talk to him. She wanted to face Brandon once more and tell him she was still here. Yet, every fiber of her being told her that a reunion right here, right now, would be completely one sided. Even if she could only chalk it up to being a woman’s intuition, she was certain of this feeling. But the desire had still caused her to hesitate.

Finally, Rose shook her head. “No. If I talk to him here, he’ll just use his disability as an excuse to push me away again. If I’m going to see him, then it needs to be in-game.”

“That’s…not going to be as effective as you think it is. At least not anymore.” A knowing grin appeared on Curtis’ face.

“What the hell are you talking about?” she asked as she turned to glare at the nurse. She had a feeling that she wasn’t going to like what he was going to say.

Curtis brought a hand to his face to force the smile from it. “You’ll find out later, after you take a look at what’s on this.” He reached into the pocket of his uniform and pulled out a transparent, glass-like card. It was a bladedrive, which was capable of storing large amounts of data. “I had a feeling you would come around sooner or later, so I always have it handy. And since the weekly update on Brandon’s condition was yesterday, you have a while to take a look.”

He rolled his chair over to the bed tray and placed the bladedrive on it while giving Rose a meaningful look. “The real question is…what are you going to do if you meet him in-game and he still turns you down?”

A heavy silence fell on the room. Rose, deep in thought, just sat with Brandon’s hand in hers.

When she spoke again, her voice was shaking. “Right before his first SuperBowl, I was in a car accident. I couldn’t always make it to the games since I was still in school, but that was a game I couldn’t miss, you know? I wanted to get to the stadium early so I could at least see him before the game to let him know that I came. I was less than five minutes away when I ran a red light…”

Her voice cracked, and she had to stop to clear her throat. Then with misty eyes, she looked deeper into the past. “When I woke up, he was at my bedside holding my hand with less than a hour before the game started. But before I even had a chance to freak out he started crying with a stupid grin on his face.

A part of the windshield had cut into my chest so it was painful to even breathe. But I was nearly screaming at him to get his ass to the field because not only had he shown up in his gear, two of his teammates were standing at the door ready to drag him out if need be.

Then he went on about how much he loved me and that he didn’t know what he’d do if…ugh! It’s too sappy to even repeat it. The whole scene was like it was scripted.” Rose closed her eyes and laughed, but tears were already streaming down her face. “But after almost ten minutes of begging and pleading him to go back to the stadium, do you know he said to me?” She said as she turned to look at the Curtis.

“What he say?”

“He said ‘It’s just a game’ with a looked that said my life was all that mattered to him. Despite everything he’d done and endured to get to that moment, he says that?” Roses face contorted in confusion before sighing heavily. “I don’t know what he’ll say when I see him, so I don’t know what I’ll do if it goes badly. But I will bring him back to reality using his own words and look him in the eye the same way he looked at me. Only then can I say that I tried my best.”

“Well, I hope it all goes well. Just watch those highlights, and you’ll have a rough idea about what you’re getting into.” With a nod Curtis rolled back to his spot in front of the TV, giving Rose a few moments with Brandon.

@

Afterwards, Rose immediately went home, popped some popcorn and curled up on the couch for a gameplay marathon. Curtis had dropped some cryptic hints all throughout her visit, so she used her stock pile of vacation time to sit and watch. To say she was anxious was an understatement.

’Just what the hell is he talking about?’ she thought while pushing the play button on her BlacRay player.

It was then she watched Thadius’ journey from the beginning, starting with the very prayer that granted her a permanent buff. The scene of Thadius on knees in prayer completely dashed any doubts she had. In less than two minutes, her love for him was broken down, melted, and forged

anew. Her plan to meet him in game was officially set in stone in that moment.

Yet, what immediately followed concerned her.

“I’m pretty sure he’s not a pedophile…” Rose muttered to herself when Thadius gently ‘educated’ Christina on the dangers of tempting grown men. Seeing that girl in Thadius’ arms made her eyes narrow, but she didn’t feel any hint of a threat in the girl, so she put her to the back of her mind.

Once she laid eyes on Corban and the quest he gave Thadius, her jaw dropped. “What kind of luck is that!?” she screamed at her TV. Watching Thadius getting a unique class quest at level one had literally made her pale with envy as a gamer. But once the training montage started, she was questioning the swordmaster’s sanity.

“Had any other player stumbled onto Corban, it would take them at least three years to complete the quest between work and a social life. The class better be worth it…” Rose grumbled for her sweetheart. The training looked simple, but she knew full well that it took everything he had every day.

In truth, she also thought it was a bit lonely. But not long after, a tiny goddess entered the picture. “Aww, little Yuna!” Rose smiled at the young goddess in her leafy dress.

No longer alone on the mountain, the training montage changed to an adventure comedy. It even had surprise Cookin’ Time episodes. Then the first twist derailed the happy period when Yuna was stripped of her godly power and cast out. “I knew that bitch Thena was up to no good! There’s always something wrong with the Goddess of Beauty!” she screamed at the sight of Yuna lying face down in the raging blizzard.

Fortunately, the calm returned with Yuna becoming a disciple and martial sister to Thadius. Even if the circumstances were terrible, the result could have been much worse.

Rose thought that up until she saw herself standing at Thadius’ door. “What the hell!? T-that’s not me…that’s not me! What are you doing!?” she screamed and jumped up off the couch, spilling her umpteenth bowl of popcorn on the floor.

When the imposter revealed herself, Rose’s jaw almost dropped to the floor. “Tegaia!? Wha-you!? You know what…I’m not even mad. I’m not even supposed to be watching this. Plus, he clearly thought it was me, right? I-I should be happy right?” she said with a quivering voice, desperately trying to convince herself. Her grip on her controller spoke volumes of her true feelings.

’Oh, we are definitely going to talk about this, Goddess!’

She returned to her spot on the couch, only to finally discover her snack on the floor. “If this is only a fourth of the footage, I’ll need something stronger than popcorn anyway!” Thus Rose resumed her marathon with a large spoon and a tub of butter pecan ice cream.

She witnessed the potential ridiculousness that was the Sword Scholar unique class, the final duel against Corban under moonlight, and the return of Christina, whom she finally recognized as a hinderance after her second ‘talk’ with Thadius.

’I won’t even have to deal with her when the time comes. A history like ours isn’t so easily overcome.’

As the video progressed into its later stages, Rose finally relaxed. After all, there had been no more surprises after Christina. Not to mention the fact that Thadius was a monogamous man. Unfortunately, her lax attitude only lasted until he stepped into the Coliseum. The appearance of the gladiator known as Serene was a bolt out of the blue.

The way Thadius talked and looked at her was different to how he looked at Christina. It was subtle to any stranger, but to Rose, there was a very big difference. On top of that, she also happened to be the Silver Champion and prompted Thadius to even cook for her personally.

Suddenly every alarm in Rose’s mind blared. She’d been too complacent. Her opponents were just NPCs, and she had prior history with Thadius, so she felt that she would always have the advantage. But the fact of the matter remained that Thadius wasn’t expecting her any time soon. And knowing him, he would eventually settle down in this world he made for himself. For him, happily-ever-after isn’t a phrase, it’s was a way of life.

True, he had only flirted with the woman a bit. But how long would he wait before beginning to actively pursued a woman? She thought Brandon was already very attractive, but to an NPC in Chaos Online, how could they possibly resist the full power of his devilish grin?

Without further delay, she logged back into the game.

@

*FLASHBACK END*

“Well if you’re still around after the expansion hits, play with us okay?” EagleTwo said as she gave Rosemary a hug.

“Aren’t we going out for drinks later?” EagleOne with a somewhat confused face.

“This and that are two different things…read the atmosphere!” EagleTwo retorted.

While the twins bantered playfully, Rosemary equipped her signature sleeveless robe, now tailored to perfection, from her inventory and walked into the temple. The white cloth immediately began to glow vibrantly just before dimming as she walked indoors. Not even half a minute passed before she was singled out.

“Ah!”

A young man approached her with dark brown hair like a lion’s mane falling to his shoulders. He wore the simple cuirass embroidered with scarlet, signifying his higher rank.

“Your holiness? What brings you here? Had you sent word, we would have prepared an escort.” His expression was both respectful and concerned

“No need, Brog. I’m quite capable of defending myself. Where is the commander? I must speak with him.”

The young man frowned. “I’m not entirely sure myself. I haven’t seen him all morning. All duties fall to me in his absence, so I can only send others to look for him in my stead.”

”Gone?” Rosemary’s eyebrow raised in surprise.

“Yes ma’am.” Brog nodded.

Rosemary had come to see the commander quite a few times in the past few months in-game, and it was known that they had been very friendly lately, much to the surprise of the High Priest. For the commander to be absent at their most frequent meeting time was peculiar. Especially since this was the most busy period of the Paladin Temple.

Rosemary contemplated for a moment before flashing a bewitching smile. “Then I’ll wait. I suspect he’ll turn up before long.”

“I-It is as you say.” Brog said as he diverted his gaze with a flushed face before quickly going back to his work.

Rosemary wandered the halls while she waited. As a High Priestess candidate, she at least had to keep tabs on the goings on in the paladin temple. Even if she didn’t plan on being around for much longer. While making her rounds, she ran into a familiar face talking to one of the servant girls that maintained the temple.

“It’s alright, Brother CrushingFist. There’s plenty more where this came from. I...just thought you might be hungry after your training. You work so hard after all.” The young woman smiled.

“Well, I won’t say no to a warm meal. Thank you, Chelsea.” CrushingFist smiled warmly in return, taking the cloth covered bowl she offered him. Chelsea gave him a longing look before she hurried off down the hall.

CrushingFist sighed as he looked down at the pitiful offering. He hadn’t remained idle after he started playing Chaos Online with Rose. In fact, having full functionality of his injured shoulder made him extremely happy even if it wasn’t real. And after she showed him how he could depend on his boxing prowess in-game, he quickly began training to regain the feeling he had in his glory days. It didn’t take long. In only a week after he started playing, he was able to unlock the Monk hybrid class of a Fighter and Priest. The same opportunity had been offered to Rosemary, but she held off in hopes of unlocking a super hybrid class after becoming High Priestess.

Just as she was about to walk away, a ray of sunshine caught her robe and flashed its radiance all around. CrushingFist looked up with a smile and strode down the hall to greet her. His shirtless body was drenched in sweat and his dark hair was tossed about. With such a display of muscle after his morning exercise, many of the servant girls had gone out of their way to catch him before he could go to his room. Unlike them, Rosemary had long since been desensitized to such sights.

“I thought the paladin temple served breakfast earlier.” She said pointedly.

CrushingFist’s smile cramped. “Well, yeah. But someone usually saves me a bit since I always come back late.”

“I see…”

“I mean, it’s not like I have anything going on with-“

“I didn’t ask, and it’s not my business even if you did.” Rosemary said, cutting CrushingFist of from his frantic explanation. She knew the look a man had when he found a woman attractive. If CrushingFist’s little meeting in the hall bothered her in any way, it was that it increased her anxiety about meeting Brandon.

“I do have a question though.” She said with thoughtful look.

Thankful and somewhat disappointed that she didn't care about him talking to other women, CrushingFist nodded.“Shoot.”

“You do know she’s an NPC right? She’s a fictional character. How can you be sure she really likes you if her behavior towards you can be affected by stats, by code?” she asked, looking him deep in his eyes.

CrushingFist blew out a breath and ruffled his hair nervously. He didn’t like when she scrutinized his every move like that, especially after she gained the Perception skill. But what bothered him the most was that she didn’t even look phased by his half naked appearance. It was a subtle hit to his confidence since he hadn’t truly given up his pursuit of her.

“Well…the only thing I can compare it to is music-I guess.” He smiled wrily.

“Music?”

“I mean, you see all these people as machines, right? Or maybe just the nuts and bolts to a larger well-oiled machine. Music can be said to just be notes and words on a page too.” CrushingFist shook his head. “I’m not big on the specifics but I’m pretty sure when they finally brought all this to life, it became something entirely different. This place-and the people in it, are like one big song. After the first note was played, it became a place with heart and soul. I mean, shit, had you told me that a bunch of geeks behind a keyboard made all I this I’d be hard pressed to believe you.”

When CrushingFist finished he looked at Rose only to find that her expression had gone sour.

“What?” he asked.

“You do know that I went to school to become one of those ‘geeks behind a keyboard’ right?” She questioned menacingly.

“Now you know that’s not what I-“

While the two of them were talking, a paladin ran into the temple shouting in fear. His voice echoed all down the hall.

“Brog! Where’s Brog! Find him quickly!” the man shouted.

Rosemary and CrushingFist exchanged a look before darting to the entry hall. When they entered, a paladin was on his knees drenched in sweat and breathing heavily.

Not long after, Brog came running with an urgent look. “Samson? What happened? Speak quickly.”

“I found him! I found the commander!” Samson said, finally raising to his feet.

“Then why didn’t he come with you?” Rosemary stepped forward. When she did, the man’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

“T-the Red Hand!?” he shouted in surprise.

“Speak man! What about the commander!?” Brog roared.

But the man hesitated, casting nervous glances at Rosemary.

’So it’s finally happened…’ Rosemary nodded.

“Take us to his body.” She said assertedly.

“Body!?” Brog looked at her eyes-wide.

“The commander is dead, isn’t he Samson?” Rosemary asked as her eyes darted across his body as if reading something.

“It is as you say.” Samson replied,shrinking away from her gaze.

Brog stepped up to him, positively seething with fury. “Where!?”

“Two streets past the smithy, in the alley.”

“I want two units to come with me! We need to find out exactly what happened!” Brog commanded. But before anyone could move, Rosemary spoke.

“That won’t be necessary. The killer is right here.” She said confidently. At her word, all eyes turned to Samson, who instantly paled five shades.

“I-She’s lying!” he bellowed.

“When you washed off his blood, you missed a spot, just there.” She pointed to his neck. Samson’s hand flew to his neck. When he removed his hand he smiled.

“There’s no blood!” he smiled, but his joy was short lived.

“Of course there isn’t, I was lying. The real proof is the bloody dagger hidden in the hilt of your sword.” Rosemary said.

Samson’s face was white as a sheet as he was surrounded by the paladins. Then Brog forcefully drew the suspected sword and twisted the hilt, which revealed a blade dyed scarlet with fresh blood.

“See? Guilty. Take him away. A fool that can't even properly wash a murder weapon doesn't deserve freedom.” With a wave of Rosemary’s hand, Samson was seized. Then she turned to Brog. “Commander, you should quickly collect the remains of your predecessor. You wouldn’t want the whole city gossiping about who did it would you?”

Brog stood in a daze while looking at the stained blade in his hands, but he shook himself out of his stupor at the sound of Rosemary’s voice. “I understand. It will be done, your holiness.”

Rosemary gently pat the new commander’s shoulder. “Do not grieve for long, Brog. You’ll be needed now more than ever. The filth that plagues the city is making even more mistakes. They undoubtedly felt Tegaia’s blade at their necks. Have faith.”

Brog straightened his back while a fierce light manifested within his eyes, then saluted. “Without the Red Hand, we would still be fumbling in the dark.”

“Without Tegaia, we would all be fumbling in the dark.”

+2 Faith

’It was always this easy?’ Rosemary sighed inwardly as she looked at her faith gain. She had learned much about being devout from watching Thadius' footage. Her faith was high, but not nearly as high as his.

“Come on, CrushingFist. We have work to do.” She called over her shoulder as she headed towards the door. The sunlight immediately set her robe ablaze as the corner of her mouth rose. “Time to weed out the troublemakers.”

---

Grand Coliseum, Todos, Todos Kingdom

A lioness stormed through the gate of the coliseum with a deafening roar of applause resounding behind her. Blood that was not her own decorated her mythril armor, showcasing another victory in her current seven-day winning streak. Hazel eyes with a prominent green hue,glared through her helmet, and a pair of jet-black rabbit-like ears twitched irritably through the custom grooves.

Sarene had been immediately reinstated as the Silver Champion in the absence of Thadius. She waited patiently for his return so that their agreed upon rematch could take place, but as the days passed, so did her patience begin to run out. She’d had enough waiting, now was the time for answers, and she knew exactly where to go to get them. Though the very thought of asking that man for anything set her teeth on edge.

She snatched off her helmet and cast it aside as she walked deeper into the coliseum. She knew her way around the gladiatorial compound, and swiftly made her way through the maze of caged men that whooped and hollered at her passing. In moments she was standing in front a door made of pure gold. A site rarely seen throughout the kingdom, let alone a colosseum.

The inmates announced her arrival long before she reached out her hand to knock, they were nearly foaming at the mouth as they desperately reached their arms through the bars in hopes of touching her.

“Only one person could get them to make such a ruckus. Come in, Sarene.” a voice called from beyond the door. Sarene balled her fists when the voice reached her ears, and her lips formed into an uncontrollable snarl as she walked through the door.

It was a room very similar to her own, just as sparsely decorated and dimly lit, only and little bigger and drowning in the smell of sweat of multiple individuals. Yet, she knew it just as well as her own. A fact that she’d wished she could forget.

A blindfolded man sat with his legs folded on the bed. He showed no shame as he sat naked, as if he was proud to display the vast array of scars that cover his body from head to toe. He was a little slim for his size, which gave the impression of a fast and agile warrior. The facade was revealed whenever he moved, putting his obsessively toned muscles on display. The hidden strength of the Gold Champion was often the last surprise his opponents received.

“Ah, what a rare treat, to have the Silver Champion grace us with her presence.” he smiled with his arms spread wide. “I was concerned when I heard you were defeated. But it seems all is well. Can I offer you a drink?” he asked.

“I’m not here for pleasantries. I need information. I know you have connections outside the coliseum.” Sarene glowered from the door. She dared not move, lest her murderous urge put her life in jeopardy.

The man sighed. “Straight to business I see. Well, I can’t say I blame you. What do you want to know?”

“I’m looking for a man named Thadius. He was the one who defeated me. I need to know whether he’s dead or alive.”

“Ah...found another one have you? I’d tread carefully if I were you. Remember what happened last ti-”

“You are in no position to question my motives or speak on what I do in my personal life! Don’t think for a single second that I’ve forgotten what you’ve done!” she screamed, coming to threateningly stand over the Gold Champion.

The man put up his hands. “No need for hostilities...I’m merely concerned. If I hear anything I’ll let you know. But -if I may- why are you looking for him?” he asked.

It was a moment before Sarene could calm herself enough to speak. “He owes me a rematch…” she replied stoically, still glaring down at the man.

“And when will I get my rematch? It’s been awhile since you’ve challenged me.” he pouted.

Sarene had to clench her jaw to keep herself from snapping. “That depends. Will you fight me without the blindfold?” she asked through her teeth.

“It wouldn’t be any fun if I did.” he smiled wryly.

“Because you know that the moment I beat you at your full strength is the moment I leave this place!” she spat. The smile disappeared of the Gold Champion's face, and he fell silent. For a few moments there was only silence, then Sarene turned for the door, glad that she had struck a nerve.

“Why don’t you stay awhile? It’ll be just like old times.” he called after her.

At the door, Sarene closed her eyes and took a deep breath, refusing to give him the satisfaction from his obvious taunt. “I no longer need your protection…” she said.

“Oh, well. Maybe next time.” he smiled.

Sarene tightened her grip on the doorframe as he smiled. She couldn’t leave now, not with him having the final word. So with narrowed eyes, she turned to him and said, “You’re right. I have found another one. You’re not stupid Vaughn, you felt his pressure that day just like the rest of us…” Sarene narrowed her eyes as Vaughn’s cheek twitched, but he held his expression. “And If I beat him,” she continued. “then I’ll leave anyway. Because unlike you, he actually finished the Iron Dragon’s training…”

Vaughn jumped up from the bed with every muscle tense in frustration, but Sarene was already out the room and waltzing down the hall before he could utter a word.

The Gold Champion sat back down, fuming over having his own suspicions being confirmed by another.

’It won’t happen twice!’ he thought as he looked to the ceiling.

“Find out everything you can about this 'Thadius'.” he said. Above him there was a shuffling sound, so he knew his orders were being carried out.

With the word given, he returned to his meditation. Or at least he tried to. Sarene had been extremely successful in getting under his skin.

’No one steals from me, Thadius! No one!