I materialize back at the Wayfaring stone in Brookrun and immediately check my equipment load out. My gear hasn’t changed all that much, but what I did managed to change has increased my stats substantially. Not surprisingly, finding ninja gear was a bit of a long shot, being a rare class and all, but the one piece I did find fills me with confidence as it scrolls onto my HUD.

Hatori’s Scarf: +150 AGL +20% Crit Chance +10% Assassinate Chance

[Set Bonus (3 pieces): Activate Assassinate at target 30% health or less]

Although it’s only a single item, it’s level 95 and has stats that can replace at least two of my level 75 armor pieces easily. The set bonus makes me eager to try and find the entire Hatori set one day, but for now it fills me with enough confidence to take on whatever Braxus has to offer.

Aiko materializes next to me, wearing a full set of level 90 black mage gear. It’s still hard to get used to seeing her dressed more like her sister; sporting a spiked black crown and long witch’s robes, but her black lipstick and makeup complete the look, making her look like a goth queen.

I check the condition of Brookrun and see the wall has already fallen. “We need to hurry!”

We dash to the wall and I stop short when I see Braxus already there. All of my friends are on their knees and surrounded by a platoon of soldiers. I spot General Lyons with them along with Lord Xavier, who looks to have now been freed from his green garments. My brother is out front, kneeling before Braxus.

The mad king suddenly gives my brother a ringing backslap across the face. “Where is he? I know a damn imposter when I see one.”

It’s enough to make my blood boil, but I know I have to be smart about this. He’s even figured out he hadn’t killed the real me already. I look to Aiko. “What’s the most powerful AOE spell you have access to now?”

The elf’s eyes light up with her HUD. “Great Cataclysm. Does a unique damage with no defense, but has a 10 minute cooldown.”

“10 minutes? Hot damn. It must be good, then. Ready it up.”

“Wait,” she says, catching my arm. “I can’t cast it down there. I’ll hit all of our guys with it too.”

“Don’t worry about that,” I say as I buff myself. “I’ve got a plan. Just cast it when I say so.”

I throw on Shadow Wall and dash off before she even responds. My heart is going a mile a minute as I Sprint towards the platoon of high level soldiers surrounding my friends. I shout with a War Cry to draw their attention and then activate Cyclone Shadow, emerging from my stealth in a tornado of death. The world spins as I curve in an arc, pulling the platoon of solider with me and away from my friends. The soldiers along with Braxis and Lord Xavier cry out in shock and confusion as they tumble behind. My ability runs out and I land about fifty feet from where I started. The soldiers caught in my wake fall to the ground behind me all in a cluttered heap.

“Now Aiko!” I scream through the chat and the Elf made witch emerges from her own invisibility spell a short distance away, surrounded by a crackle of black lightning.

Aiko casts Great Cataclysm!

Lord Xavier takes 1500 Judgment Damage!

King Braxus takes 1500 Judgment Damage!

General Lyons takes 1500 Judgment Damage!

Royal Elite Guard takes 1500 Judgment Damage!

Royal Elite Guard takes 1500 Judgment Damage!

Royal Elite Guard takes 1500 Judgment Damage!

Royal Elite Mage takes 1500 Judgment Damage!

The spam on my HUD continues in a steady stream as every soldier in the platoon takes the same amount of unmitigated damage. At their level, it’s not enough to kill them outright, but it’s enough to take them all down to 50% or less.

“Hit them with an AOE CC and then regroup,” I say through the chat. Aiko follows my commands without hesitation and casts ICE Prison, encapsulating the enemy troops in layers of frost. It doesn’t last long however as the soldier begin to pop their own CC countermeasures, shedding the ice while the mages within their ranks begin to cast healing spells to restore their depleted health bars. But the setback is enough time for Aiko and I to fall back and regroup with our friends.

We reach them and the look of both shock and elation on their faces is a welcome sight.

“Where’d you guys come from?” my brother asks, but I have no time to reply. I rush to Gilly instead.

“Quick! Trade with me,” I say and open up a trade request with her.

She still looks stunned and dumbfounded by what just happened, but there’s no time for explanation. She seems to understand that and her eyes focus with resolve as she quickly nods and accepts the trade request. “Okay!”

Gilly accepts your trade request.

You trade a Celestial Crown to Gilly.

You trade a Celestial Robe to Gilly.

You trade a Celestial Leggings to Gilly.

You trade a Celestial Staff to Gilly.

“What’s all this?” she says, her green eyes aglow with her HUD.

“New gear compliments of King Braxus,” Aiko says, performing trade requests of her own with Val Helena and Maxis. “Put them on. Quick!”

My friends all don their new gear. Val Helena wields a new Flaming Battle Axe and Helm, looking like a newly born demon queen with a massive set of bull’s horns protruding from her head. Maxis smacks his new set of silver gauntlets together with a crackle of lightning. Blacktop brandishes a suit of thick black iron armor that makes him look like a tank and Lady Diana wears a new circlet on her head that I know gives her about 500 more health alone. We’re buffed to the max and now it’s time to put our might to the test against what Braxus has to bring against us.

I focus on where he is, still regrouping within the backlines of his platoon. This is it. Our chance to finally win!

“It all ends now!” I shout as I buff myself with Shadow Copy. “Charge!”

I release a War Cry, pulling the frontline towards me.

We jump into the platoon and I lash out in a fury. They’re all back to nearly full health but with our new gear we take a massive dent out of their frontline. Maxis is a whirlwind of lightning and fists as he performs his strikes with increased speed and extra damage. Aiko rotates between casting AOE CC’s and damage spells, adding to the chaos while Lady Diana, Val Helena and Blacktop frenzy in a fierce melee. Gilly keeps us buffed with Haste and heals as the mob of soldiers fight back and tear into our collective HP pools. Its chaos, but I get the sense that we’re winning.

Until it all suddenly stops.

“Freeze!”

The word echoes like thunder and hits us with the collective force of a tidal wave. My joints seize against my will and I become a living statue.

Braxus uses Powerword!

You fail to resist!

I check the timer on the debuff, but to my horror I realize there is no debuff. On my HUD there is but a single line:

You are under the effect of Powerword. (Braxus)

What the heck? This isn’t even a spell? It’s some kind of direct ability being maintained by Braxus himself!

I strain to glance about me and am horrified to see all of my friends in the same condition…all save for Gilly. She’s still mid-cast and I feel a flush of warmth as she tops my HP bar to full even in my frozen state. I check my HUD and see that all of us failed to resist except for her. But then that makes sense. As a high level healer with a full set of brand new level 90 Celestial gear, her Mind attribute must be off the charts.

The fact doesn’t go unnoticed by Braxus who cracks a smile at her. “Well, well. That’s quite impressive. But I don’t think you’ll be able to resist me twice.”

My heart lurches as Braxus points a gauntlet clad finger at her. I can’t move. Can’t do anything!

I try message her in desperation.

Me: Gilly! Just run! He can kill you with a word!

Gilly: No. I got this, Reece. Trust me.

Me: What? No!

“Wait!” Gilly says aloud and suddenly drops from our party. “I’ll give you what you want, Braxus.”

Her image suddenly shifts and blurs with a blinding flash of white light and when it subsides, I see Gilly standing there with her Celestial garments now replaced by the emerald slave clothes. “Take me as your slave. It’s what you wanted all along, isn’t it?”

Braxus grins. “Oh wow…now this is interesting.”

Gilly steps forward meekly, her head cast low. “Please, just let my friends live. I’ll be your slave. For however long you wish.”

She can’t be serious.

Me: Gilly! No!! Don’t do this! You can’t trust him.

But she doesn’t respond to my message.

Braxus looks at me and lets out a laugh. “Seems your plan ends here, my friend. Your own girl has no faith in you. And I don’t blame her. For all your hax ninja powers, you’re still nothing but a loser in end. Although I have to give you some credit for trying to copy my style. Using imposter was a nice try. But like everything. You balls it up. Big time.”

He steps forward to where Gilly is now on her knees. He reaches down and caresses her cheek, making my stomach sick. She flinches away from him, repulsed by his touch, but remains still otherwise. The action doesn’t go unnoticed by Braxus and he scowls as he looks down at her.

“And you,” he says speaking directly at Gilly now. “You think far too highly of yourself. Do you really think that you can offer me anything that I simply couldn’t take? By why would you assume I’d even want it?”

He let out a disgusting laugh and Gilly’s face flushes red.

“But don’t worry, little girl,” Braxus says touching her face again. “Your offer won’t be in vain. There is something you can give me that I would very much value.”

Her eyes go wide, as if she’s just made a huge mistake. She glances back at me in uncertainty before looking back at Braxus. His eyes then narrow with hate.

“What you can offer me, Gilly…is your life!”

The moment he says it a crystal spear shoots from his gloved hand.

Braxus uses Crystal Spear!

Gi11y takes 1200 damage.

The lance of crystal pierces her through the chest and exits the other side, covered in blood. I watch in horror as she belches a mouthful of the same and her green garments quickly turn dark as the massive wound on her back seeps her life’s essence. Her health trickles downward at less than ten percent, her eyes watering with tears of shock and pain.

Me: Gilly!

Braxus locks eyes with me again and grins. “You getting a good look at this, Reece? I must say, it’s so satisfying to finally complete this work. To finally take from you what you took from me. You might have slipped away and saved her last time. But this time…there will be no coming back for her.”

Braxus raises his hand again and places his palm directly in front of Gilly’s face.

My God! No!

My heart stops as Gilly looks back at me one last time. “Reec—!”

Her words cut short as the crystal spear shoots from Braxus’s palm and goes straight through her forehead. Her body twitches for a second and then abruptly goes limp before slowly dissolving into nanodust.

Braxus defeats Gi11y.

My stomach lurches as my entire being goes numb. I watch incomprehensibly as Gilly’s body continues to dissolve. I’m so beside myself with shock and horror that I can’t believe it’s even happening. No. Not happening. That it did happen.

That Braxus just killed her.

I strain against the unnatural control over my body as tears fill my eyes.

Gilly!!

Braxus cackles at me with a gloating satisfaction while inwardly I reel with hopelessness and rage. He took her from me…I still can’t believe it. My eyes focus on him and my loss turns to all I have left. Revenge and hate.

I’ll kill you!! I say inside my head. I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!

“Now that was worth it,” he says leering at me. “To see you suffer is more than any worldly pleasure can bring me. Enjoy the last few moments of your life knowing that you did that to her, Reece. Know that you were the cause of all of this.”

I scream on the inside, shaking with a fervor. I look at my timers, trying to find anything that can turn this tide, to find something to fight back and lay this bastard low. Kono Zemsu form. Anything! But there is still more than a day left on the timer. I consider my dwindling options and the tragedy strikes me again… Gilly…

She’s already dead.

She’s already dead!

All hope drains from me and my heart splits asunder…everything we’ve been through…it’s all for nothing…she gone…forever.

A blinding light sudden flashes next to me accompanied by a scream.

“You’re wrong, Braxus! This was all started by you!”

Gilly casts Holy III

Braxus takes 3000 holy damage!

A massive beam of white light pours from the sky and lands on Braxus like a shot from an aerial cannon. He screams as the hit takes him down to a sliver of his life instantly. Braxus’ control over us is broken as the Powerword message leaves my HUD.

I’m beside myself as I see Gilly standing next to me, clad in her high level Celestial gear again.

I wonder if I’m dreaming this. I just saw her die a true death. Didn’t I?

“Gilly? H-how?”

She smirks at me with a wink. “I told you to trust me. You think you’re the only one who has access to the Ruler class?”

I’m still in shock, but then the realization of what actually happened slowly unfolds in my mind. That shift and blur when Gilly was swapping into the green clothes was all misdirection. What she’d truly done was used the Ruler’s Imposter ability to clone herself and that bright light I saw was all too recognizable now. It was her teleporting her other self away, back to the waystone perhaps. Even her imposter name was cleverly disguised, using two one’s instead of two L’s to spell her name.

I look at Gilly with new eyes. She was never my helpless girlfriend who needed saving. She was saving all of us the entire time. How she’d thought of such a scheme and then flawlessly executed it in just a few seconds was more than I could even imagine.

Gilly truly was a Queen amongst men right now.

“Go Reece,” she nods towards what’s left of Braxus. “Go finish this. Once and for all.”

She doesn’t need to tell me twice.

Time slows as my adrenaline surges, my full Agility kicking in. My eyes meet Braxus, who’s still in a state of shock and incomprehension, his mind no doubt piecing together what had happened just like I did. But it’s too late for him now and the final checkmate is here.

I use Shadow Walk to cross the distance between us in an instant and Braxus’ eyes go wide with shock as I appear next to him. Lord Xavier and a few of the guards make a motion to intervene, but I quickly sheath my Zanbatō and then whip it back out again with a Quick Strike aimed at Lord Xavier’s neck.

You use Quick Strike!

Critical Hit!

Lord Xavier takes 1877 damage!

The gash across his throat drops him into the red below 15% and I animation cancel seamlessly into a follow up attack.

You use Assassinate!

You successfully Assassinate Lord Xavier

You defeat Lord Xavier!

The fatman’s head is taken clean off by my Assassinate skill and I quickly whip my blade downward to stop barely an inch away from Braxus’ throat. The whole thing happens in less than a second and Lord Xavier’s head and body hit the ground before the surrounding guards and soldiers even realize what happened. While it was a series of actions for me, with my now over 300 Agility, Haste and Animation cancelling, all they saw was me appear, blur for a moment and end with my blade at Braxus throat. But only then did they realize a few seconds later, when Lord Xavier’s body and head hit the ground that I had killed the mage before they could even see me move.

The display of raw skill and high level power is enough to make them all back away from me and some of them even lay down their weapons in surrender. Braxus is just as shell-shocked by the silent ferocity of my attack and the rapid loss of his second in command. He stares at Lord Xavier’s body with tears in his eyes, but it’s unlikely those are tears of sorrow for a fallen comrade. They’re tears for himself–the sick freak perhaps finally realizing the end is now here and he has to face what’s about to come next.

Vengeance. Retribution. And pure Hate.

But strangely, there is nothing but ice and steel in my heart as I look down at his writhing, crippled form. He’s back to being nothing to me now.

Braxus raises a hand feebly toward me in surrender. “H-hey man…we can talk… For real this time. I’m sorry. I underestimated you. All of you.” He makes a desperate look of remorse toward Gilly before looking back to me. “We can start over. L-look…you can use my help. I’m a strategist, remember? I can help you defeat that Goblin Queen. I promise! You’ll need me!”

He was probably right. I was no strategist after all. I think about it for all of half a second before summoning my pistol and aiming it directly at his forehead.

“The time for all that is over, Braxus. And we could probably use your help too. But that’s not a risk I’m prepared to take.” I choke up on the pistol and ready my shot. “As you once told me. You’re far too dangerous to leave alive.”

His body stiffens as I pull the trigger and the gun goes off with a bang.

You use Piercing shot!

Braxus takes 787 piercing damage!

His head whips back with the force of the hit as a red dot appears between his eyes. Braxus stares back blankly as his body slowly collapses to the side, his eyes transfixed in a permanent wide-eyed gawk of shock and disbelieve, as if, even in death he is unwilling to accept his final demise. But as his body hits the ground and finally begins to dissolve, the system lets me know that I’ve seen King Braxus for the very last time.

You have defeated Braxus!

A system wide message then appears.

=Braxus is defeated by Reece=

=The King is dead. Long live the King=