Throughout Olympolis City, markets bustled and commerce commenced as everyone scrambled to obtain fancy dress and fine accoutrements. THe populace, both player and NPC were abuzz with wild rumor about the mysterious party, being held in the Grand Court Hall, the most prestigious and expensive property in the game. Smack dead center in the town square, it was the largest and sturdiest structure a player could get, with the walls and floor having the Indestructible quality on all eight floors. The gargoyles on the roof could be animated by the guildmaster and equipped with nearly any weapon, and had an ever-replenishing root and wine cellar, and a hedge maze that was said to present anyone who managed to reach the center with a heavenly reward.

All the successful guilds had a bid on it, and if the guild was in Olympolis CIty, it was a successful one. Even with that, the asking price was astronomical. No matter how well nay of the guilds did, RFO simply hadn’t been online long enough for any PC faction to acquire enough gold to buy the best guildhall in the game yet. So naturally when a completely unknown guild waltzed in and bought the place, and had the Gazelles distribute by ad and word of mouth an open invitation for a grand party to every single guild and solo player in Real Fantasy Online, it turned a few heads.

“Ahh. Magnificent, isn’t it?” Alex said, sipping tea that didn’t taste like blood. He had to admit, this was one of the few things that would be missed. He sighed contentedly as he felt the oak table, twelve feet in diameter in their own private war room.

“This place’s huuuuge!” Lina echoed from somewhere in the foyer. Alex chuckled as the NPC butler poured more into his cup.

“Eh, uh...Alex?” Mayhew asked nervously as Jamie spun around the grand ballroom, marvelling at just how much space there was indoors. The room alone had to be a square acre.

“Yes,my holy friend?” the vampire replied.

“This-this’s the priest real estate of prime real estate. I know the Gazelles said it was the biggest guildhall in town, b-but I kinda remember that property taxes are a quarter the cost of the hall p-per month. It encourages guilds to go out and quest. H-How much of the treasure hoard did you spend on this place?” Mayhew asked. Alex smiled magnanimously.

“All of it.”

“WHAT!?” Thundering footsteps. Over and over. Until eventually, Lina arrived at the table, red-faced and panting,snorting like a bull. It had been a long run. “You spent all our money on this place!?”

“W-What was the asking price?” Jamie asked, feeling faint. Alex chuckled again.

“1,000,000,000 gold.” he said demurely. Lina made...noises, choking on her words incoherently as she tried to express her astonished rage. Jamie’s knees wobbled at the price.

“A-A billion? A-Alex, w-we didn’t get a billion from Bleakheart. H-How did…” Jamie stammered nervously.

“Oh, of course not. That’s vhy I sold nearly every item ve had, vith a generous donation from the Gazelles and Father Mayhew.” Alex explained. They rounded on the gobsmacked Priest.

“What? No! I never gave you any money!” he shouted. Alex pulled a black card from his pocket and set it on the table before him. Mayhew’s eyes bugged, and he immediately opened his inventory.

“You should keep a closer eye on that screen, by the vay. Somevun qvick enough can get in and out vhile you’re distracted.” Alex said, sipping tea.

“You-!” Mayhew raised his mace.

“Yes? Vhat did I do? Other than ensure that every relevant player vill be in attendance tomorrow, vhere ve can rally them and move out immediately, a mere ten miles from the Vizard’s Tower, qvick enough so that these Dawn people vill have trouble mounting a sufficient defense?” Alex said calmly. Mayhew was huffing furiously, eye twitching, mace wavering back and forth like he was still debating hitting him. “Go ahead. You vill be too slow, however.” Mayhew sighed and collapsed into a chair, mace thunking on the floor.

“I hate you.” he said.

“As vell you should, I expect. Although there’s no need to get excited; your funds don’t actually exist, after all. So enjoy the brief time here, ve von’t have it long. There’s no vay could afford to keep it. The teller turned purple and started speaking a melange of Spanish and Chinese after freezing for ten minutes. I dare not use it again.” he chuckled.

“I guess. You, you had this all planned out from the start, didn’t you?” Mayhew said. Alex winked.

“My plans have changed their composition, but not their goals. Let’s just say I’ve been around the block a time or two, and have learned that you must adapt to overcome. Unless you can run straight through all the problems life throws at you because you’re already dead!” he laughed. Mayhew tilted his head at the odd joke, but both Jamie and Lina groaned internally. It was amazing no one else knew his secret already. “Anyvay, come come. Ve still have much to do. Ve have var plans to make, and ve vill need your intelligence from vorking on the game. And the Gazelles vill arrive some time later this evening, to begin setting up for tomorrow.”

“Huh? What else is going on?” Jamie asked.

“Tsk tsk boy. Did you forget? Ve’re having a party tomorrow. They have caterers!”

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

Deep in the shadows of the forest, a dark figure digitized into being. He was covered completely head to toe in black and grey, dull and suited to moving through the night. Nearly invisible as he made his way down the path, his only distinguishing accoutrement a sword on his back, and a black scarf wrapped around his neck. He surveyed the area, overlooking the bright city where lights were glittering in the twilight. He nodded, going over a pop-up, then set forward.

Unfortunately, he triggered a random encounter. An Emperor Snake, fifty feet long and fangs dripping with venom, reared up in front of him. It hissed fiercely, the plumage of feathers behind its skull flared. The BGM in his head swelled as the health bar filled. Without pausing, almost without looking, the figure drew his sword, sliced at it once, and put it back after finding the sheath without turning his head. The snake paused, the A. I. calculating. It had 5,768 hit points, and the damage was...ERROR, ERROR, ????#@&?!

The snake’s HP hit zero and exploded into data, and he walked on unperturbed.