As I exited the dark cave, I shut my eye's to protect them until they had adjusted to the light. During that moment of darkness I could smell the rain from several hours ago. My eye's adjusted to a Faerykin hovering about 3ft off the ground, near the river bank. Make that two faerykin, as I noticed the one coming over to meet his friend. The first one adorned a Silveritemail chestpiece matched with other brown and greenish dyed leather armor, plated with Cryspar. He had cropped sandy-blonde hair covering his petit pointed ears. The green and brown wings on his back were rough, and moth-like. From this distance I could not see any other of his features clearly. Following the initial Faery, was another of smaller stature who seemed a little transparent. From this long distance, it was like he had some kind of skin colored energy aura in place of it. The semi transparent Faery was covered in matching green and yellow leather armor and wore his brown hair short. He carried a knotted staff. His shiny green dragonfly-like wings had a yellow glittered effect. Judging by the gear the two were covered in, I assumed they were higher level and very successful adventurers. I summoned my AI to ask it a question.

[Greetings.] Lila acknowledged.

"Hey. So, we're probably about to PvP with a Higher level party. I just thought I'd ask for some cliff notes." I requested somewhat anxiously.

[True PvP is limited to Level Tiers and location's. The Level Tiers are as follows:]

Tier: 01-levels 01-10.

Tier: 02-levels 11-20.

Tier: 03-levels 21-30.

[True PvP can only be fought in Red Level combat zones. Entering these location's will temporarily remove same-tier PVP protection. Examples of these location's are:]

Dungeons

Mountains

Forests

Deserts

[Duels are 1v1, and available at Tier 2... 2v2. They are regulated PVP battles. Because Duels are "challenge and accept" style battle's, they can be issued anywhere except safe zones, like town's. A player commonly wins a Duel by lowering their opponents HP to 10% or forcing submission. I have no data on Tier 3 duels at this time.] She informed.

"How long does it take for protection to disengage, in the forest?" I asked.

[Approximately 15 seconds.] She replied.

"Well shit. Thanks Lila, You're very appreciated. Please stand by." I smiled at the AI sitting on my shoulder.

[I will not be able to materialize during combat, but I can still communicate with your AVA. Good luck.] She wished, as she disappeared.

Before walking over to the Faerykin, I summoned a cluster of health potion's. I then separated them by cutting the string holding the vials together. I put them back in my inventory for individual spawning. I then brought out my rough burlap tunic, and ripped the tore two pieces from the back, and replaced my damaged cuirass. I then said this, to my party:

"I'm going to assume He knows our numbers give us a chance in the forest. Chances are he'll request a duel. Watch for an opportunity, then hit 'em hard 'n fast."

-----

I walked into the clearing near the river bank, just before the tree line of the northern forest. My partymates followed, staying alert and ready for an overwhelming fight. To further our disadvantage, My armor was torn in several places, from fighting the Concentrated Slime Bear. I tried to use Appraise on the Faery and got an Error message on my AVA.

I then scanned him, then his friend, for their general information:

Stephin Roth. Level 10. Sniper.

Keith Palazzo. Level 8. W Mage.

Why did those names sound familiar? My instincts told me combat was inevitable.

"Look Keith ...Its the failure, and he's only Level 3!" Stephin snickered, then let out a choppy, annoying laugh.

God damn it. I knew that awful, cartoonish laugh. I let out a burdened sigh.

"What are you two doing here, ...did you follow me here for this petty ...what ever this is?!" I asked.

"This Lobby was unoccupied when we joined, so technically you followed us. We didn't know you would be here, but you are in our way." Keith answered in irritation.

"I'm glad he's here, it must be fate for me to show this asshole his place!" Stephin sneered.

The Sniper class then spawned his PAC, and pressed the screen feverishly.

You have been challenged! ACCEPT or DECLINE?

Challenger: Name: Stephin Roth Level 10

Race: Faerykin(Pixietype) Class: Sniper. HP:220/220 ST:250/250 MP:220/220. Armor base: 20 Damage base:24

"Your challenging me to a Duel?! I feigned surprise.

"Wow, that escalated quickly!" Cried Ned.

"I take it they know each other?" Surmised Casey.

"D'ese clowns were talkin' shit, this morning. Fuck 'em" Randy proclaimed.

"Like I care what a bunch of misfit, low level, losers think." Stephin remarked.

I summoned my 1h axe and sharpened heater shield. Then I spawned my throwing knives, and fastened the sheath to my arm.

Keith whispered to Stephin and I noticed a faint glimmer activate around him, just for a moment. Steph drew his impressive bow.

Fuck it.

"Seriously, its hard to believe dueling a Level 3 would even satisfy you? Well never mind, you seem like a kid that kick's puppies so ..fuck it." I griped as I pressed ACCEPT. A counter started on my AVA:

3.

2.

1.

Fight!

----------------------------

Immediately I charged the Sniper trying to close the distance, if I had any chance in this fight... I had to keep close. Running was slightly easier without the heavy chestpiece, but ultimately not worth the trade off. I had barely started in his direction before he had slid an arrow across his bow's limb, nocked it, then took aim. Focusing on his eye's and trying to predict his aim, I began veering left and right in a tight serpentine fashion, making my legs harder to hit. I would need all the mobility I could muster, and taking an arrow to the knee would end any chance for me to win. He fired the arrow, a moment after I activated my Guard skill. It zipped through the air at high velocity, and cracked against my buffed shield. The vibration from the shield numbed my left hand, had it been in my right, gloveless hand, I would have dropped it for sure. I was close enough to notice his smirking face change to a worried scowl. I heaved a throwing knife at his head, before ducking the arrow that zipped through the space my head had just been. Too fucking close. He dodged the knife, but it tore through the corner of his wing. He wailed in agony.

[Skill analysis complete!]

Advanced skill: Fast shot. Requirement: Bow or Thrown weapon. Description: Increases velocity of projectile attack. Buffs reload speed for bows. (2min)

New Skill Learned!

You have learned (Novice) Skill: Quick shot (Combat/active)

You can learn 1 more Combat skill(s), then older skills must be erased to learn new skills.

I skimmed the advanced skill information in a moment, then pushed the information from my mind to focus on the fight. It was too late as an arrow grazed my left shoulder, ripping scales away and squirting blood, as it passed. I gritted my "teeth", and spit frothed on my "lips". I used the adrenaline to charge faster, and I was almost able to grab him when seemed to leap up and back several yards away. He remained hovering a few feet off the ground. He rubbed another arrow on the limb of his bow, I was close enough now to notice a green hue envelop the arrow head. Poison. The black accents on the bow, must be Altinac, the toxic alloy on the blacksmith's guide. He didn't have time to apply it to the one that grazed me, so I was safe.. for now. He fired this arrow just as fast, but this one I barely had to dodge. Hovering in the air must be effecting his aim, I thought. I threw another knife desperately, only to miss far to the left. Even while missing, my knives were keeping him off balance and unaware. I was so close... I only hoped Keith didn't notice-

"He's leading you to the forest!" Keith called out.

SHIT. He had noticed. Fuck my plan, Fuck my life.

The Sniper was caught off guard by this development and took a moment to survey the battlefield. Indeed my charges and knives were all designed to herd my enemy to the ever so close forest, like a Shepard leads a stray sheep. Using the distraction to my advantage, I leapt forward. I heaved the heavy Iron 1h axe down on the Faery's head, but to only catch his wing again as he jerked his tiny bodyweight slightly to the side. I raised the 1h axe again without giving him time to catch his breath. He matched my movement with his bow to counter, only for me to bash his ungaurded body with the blunt of my shield. Having my axe raised sacrificed a little of the attacks strength, but it was enough to stun the Faery. I cleaved my 1h axe across the Snipers chest, nearly expecting him to be chopped in half by the force. This was a virtual game. The slash across his chest began to bleed, but I felt an unnatural resistance as the axe tore through his skin. The fight would continue as long as he had HP. Regaining his senses, the Faery burst into the air. Ready to counter this, I concentrated hard as the scale and membrane wings erupted from the holes I had torn in the shirt earlier. When inspecting my avatar in the lobby after his tutorial, Randy and I didn't know what to make of the strange scaled flaps on my back. They certainly didn't appear to be wings, but more like gills back then. Then at the last moment of the fight with the Slime Bear, I knew what they were. With no time to spare, I shot up after my opponent. I grabbed my enemy, and unfortunately sank back to the ground.

"WHA- No! The flight skill is specifically a Faery Racial Skill. This is impossible!" Keith exclaimed.

"When the hell did he grow wings!" Casey shouted to no one in particular.

"Wow, so cool!" Ned gawked in awe.

"Free Willy!" Randy voiced his unsurprising reaction to my large frame lifting to the air.

Stephin couldn't manage to react, as all he could do was struggle against the firm grip I had on his torso. The moment my feet reached the ground, I began sprinting our tangled struggling avatars toward the forest. The remaining members of both parties followed, aware that the situation would be erupting into True PvP in about 15 seconds. I had warned my party ahead to watch for an opportunity, I only hoped we had caught these two off guard. Crossing into the forest for the first time, I was startled at the warning across my AVA:

Entering Red Level Combat Zone! (15s) until safeties are removed.

While I was distracted for less than a second, I failed to notice Steph produce a small dagger, and plant it in my only reachable appendage, my left arm. My grip released enough for him to struggle free. I used my shield to smash the Faery into a tree, only for him to repel off it and hit the ground. At this time, the parties had entered the forest. Casey and Ned blocked Keith from rushing to his friend, and Randy nocked an arrow waiting for an opportunity to aid his little brother. Keith prepared his Major Heal spell, for 5 seconds from now when the DUAL conditions would be replaced by PvP rules. I threw my last knife and stuck one of Stephs wings to the ground. Both of us were bleeding and losing HP, but I estimated Steph still had about half of his HP left. I was at 66/180 HP and my stamina was running on fumes. I barely charged my Firebreath before releasing it on my grounded foe. He let out a cry of pain, and struggled against the consuming fire. Push. I had to keep going. As the flames wore off, so did the PvP protection, and both Randy and Keith released their skill's. Keith's heal took place in a second, while Randy's (Novice) Quickshot took a second longer to strike the Faery's neck. The Arrow was repelled from the enemies throat, as game mechanic's prevailed over the expectations of reality. The damage was not insignificant, as Steph let out a muted cry spilling blood from his mouth. Randy then offered me his best Minor Heal, as I spawned one of my poor quality potions and downed it quickly. The bitter taste was enough to gag, but I forced it down. I doubt I was healed as much as Steph, but I was prevented from taking another potion for 30 seconds.

As I was catching a second wind, I noticed something green moving in my periphery. My eye's instinctively darted to the movement for a second, but saw nothing. I heard the allies and enemy behind me begin to clash as their own timer's ran out. I returned my focus to Steph after that moment, to find his hand outstretched as electricity began to surge at his fingertip's. He activated his skill Basic Sparks, and I couldn't raise my shield in time. I took the full burst of electricity to my exposed chest. The digital oxygen escaped my avatars lungs, as my eye's rolled back in my head. Stunned... I fell to the ground.

[Skill analysis complete!]

Novice skill. Basic Sparks. Requirement: Methuselah magic affinity. Description: Harness the element of the planet, to produce electricity.

New Skill Learned!

You have learned (Novice) Skill: Basic sparks (Magic/active)

You can learn 3 more Magic skill(s), then older skills must be erased to learn new skills.

I was barely able to push away the information, as I reeled in pain. The surge of electricity went through my entire body, My rough tunic even burned at the point of contact. I sucked at the air with a dry mouth, struggling to breath. The burning and piercing pain in my entire body was excruciating. I looked to see Stephin tear the knife from both the ground and his wing, then rise to his feet. He stood over me, Rage filling his dirt clad face. He extended his hand and began to charge another spell, I was just beginning to catch my breath but was unable to defend myself. I Braced myself for another surge of pain, when suddenly Steph's back was pierced by three arrows. I turned my eye's to Randy, only to noticed my party had stopped fighting Keith. All of them, including the Faery, had been surrounded by Little green men.