I decided to remain visible on my way down through the city. Many people were going about the activities that comprised life, and with the bustle and crowding I did not want to bump anyone. Also I wanted to see if I would spot anyone from the PK Elites. I was getting a bad feeling about those guys, they seemed to be heading in a direction that I did not want to see Ingame.

Keeping my eyes open and trying to be fully aware of my surroundings. I made my way through the gates at each tier of the city. I was moving slow, intent on making it back to the Inn. When the attack came, it caught me completely by surprise. I was on the third tier halfway to the gate, when a Mars guilds man stopped me. “Hey can you give me a hand” then he pointed at the side of the road. As I glanced towards the road I saw him give a small nod and then something heavy and hard hit my head, twice.

Coming to I could hear the chatter of players drinking and swearing, being silly and acting like boys in a frat house I thought. I tried to relax and keep my eyes closed hoping to learn anything that could help me. The tight cords that were binding my wrists together and then elevating my arms above my head were digging into my flesh. There would be no escape from these bonds, I could not feel my fingers but I suspected that they were swollen.

Hearing someone approach I felt my hair grabbed and pulled sharply back, my eyes involuntarily opened and I saw that the headache I was feeling was accompanied by double vision. Might have a concussion I thought. “Glad to see you awake, man. I was getting worried.” Trying to focus on the speaker I saw it was the Jackass. Feeling the need to make some kind of a response I tried to speak, only to realize that the lower portion of my face had on some kind of mask, no it was more like a muzzle was attached to my head.

Smiling gleefully the Jackass nodded and then said “I see you found your mask, can’t have you spitting on anyone now can we.” Then he swung his opened hand and hit me in the side of the head. The pain exploded along my nerves and my last thought was why the hell am I feeling so much pain. Unconscious overtook me and I hung there like a slab of meat on a hook.

I came to after having a bucket of cold water dropped on my head. I was conscious but my vision was double and I had a ringing in my ears that would not stop. Trying to focus I made out the Jackass and three of his cronies. “Awake again, so glad, we have a few things to do tonight and I don’t want you to miss them.” “Motherfucker” was what I tried to say but all that came out was a mumble.

“I have been thinking a lot about you Tor, oh yes I know your name. I know a lot about you, you welfare bastard. You see I know you are an invite to the Sleepy Hollow summer camp, I know you are in room number twelve; I even know you have a little red headed girlfriend. Don’t worry; I have plans, I will make sure she does not miss you.”

That fucker, I was not sure what concerned me first, that he knew where my body was or that he knew about Reona. I glared at him with my double vision and tried to break free, but whoever had tied me must have known about knots as I was not going to break free from this cord. Finally I gave up, I was in a lot of pain and escape was impossible.

Standing back and watching me the Jackass finally spoke again. “You might be wondering where you are, let me tell you. You are in the basement of the house of the PK Elites. I would guess about now you are thinking that you will hit the green escape button and pop your vrp. Good luck dude, I had one of my guys do the same and then visit your room with what is called an SOP. That means software override programming tool. He was a little pissed because once you pop the vrp you have to start a new toon. But what the hell right, can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.”

“So pound that button bitch, cause in a little while I will be pounding your bitches button,” Even with my head scrambled I realized that something was seriously wrong with this guy. Really messed up, I had encountered a couple of kids at the orphanage like this. FUBAR, fucked up beyond all repair.

I had to get out of here and tell someone, he had clearly gone off the deep end. The big green exit button was shaded out, he had done it. Hacked my pod, illegal but what could I do. Looking at me he began to laugh and then said, “I have two more surprises for you; first let me say, no hard feelings right."

"The two things I have for you are, a drum roll please, a trip to the Kradula, sorry we don’t power level bitches so you will be on your own.” Then turning to reach behind his back he spoke, “hold this dudes head and do not let him move.” Slowly he pulled two poniards glowing deep reddish amber and radiating heat towards the front of his body. “Dude I hate to cut this short but fuck you.”

With that he thrust forth both of them, one into each eye, and gave them a little seesaw action. My blurred vision was instantly gone and the smell of me burning filled my nose. As he pulled them out the little prick began to laugh, and then said, “Hey I gave myself a woody.”

Walking away he continued to laugh until one of the two guys holding me said, “what do we do now?” “It’s midnight and not too many people will be around. Wrap him in a blanket and then take him to the Kradula. Throw him in, once in there he will be in a private dungeon server and if you are not in his party you cannot talk to him.”

“Dude if we throw him over the entrance parapet to the main grounds the ghouls and mists will get him.” “What is you point” the Jackass asked. “He will just respawn and then be back to normal.” “No he won’t, the respawn is now in the dungeon, and in order to fully heal you must leave the dungeon now, to many high level guys were farming it so they changed everything.”

“Trust me, how is a blind player going to make his way through the Kradula to get to the entrance and walk out, it is a maze in there. He is going to be going through a respawn cycle for the next year subjective time. Here that bitch, you are not going to escape me, not today, not tomorrow, not till the damn year is done.”

The pain had done something to me and the concussion had not helped. I could not put together a rational thought, I was struggling to actually breath, the rage and the tears trying to fall into my empty sockets left me feeling unconnected. I felt them cut me down and then drop me on the floor. The blanket I was rolled in made it even harder to breath.

As I was half carried Out of the house I could hear some players talking. “That was some serious shit man,” one said. “He beat him and then he hot knifed his eyes, man. I did not sign up for this, I am sure this shit is illegal.” “Shut it, you joined the house,” another player answered. At that point I felt them lift me up and then heard one of them say, “On three, throw him high and to the side, he has to go over the edge or we are all fucked.” Suddenly I felt myself falling through the air and then heard a loud snap as I landed, my left arm had just broke, and I was fading away again.