Chapter Seven

Chris sat on the mossy forested ground, his back against a makeshift tent. The sun had just started to peak over the treeline, and the NPCs in the camp were rising from sleep and stowing away equipment in preparation to march.

“Were you here for the ambush last night?”

Chris glanced up at the nervous man emerging from the tent. One of the villagers who was conscripted into the army, no doubt. The man was holding a long wooden spear and, from the way he handled it, didn’t seem to have much in the way of combat training.

“Yeah,” Chris replied with a curt nod. “Yeah, I was here for it. That Jason guy killed me himself. I’ve honestly never been so scared in my life. A couple of his undead chased me through the forest and pinned me down. I almost thought I was safe but they flanked me. Clever bastards.”

After spending the last several weeks running through dungeons and popping in and out of groups of whatever people would have him, Chris had been travelling with what had come to be known as the Alexion Army for the last several days. It wasn’t his usual style to sell himself off as a mercenary, but Alexion had offered a daily wage of in-game gold to every player who joined his cause, and Chris wasn’t one to turn down easy money. Neither were the hundreds of other players and even NPCs who had answered the call.

“At least you Travellers always come back,” the man said, fidgeting with his tunic.

Chris looked down at his hands and chewed the inside of his lip as the man stumbled off into the nearby encampment. “I guess you’re right,” Chris muttered.

“Did you say Jason himself killed you?” A man’s voice asked, and the gold armour of Alexion himself appeared, rounding the corner of the tent Chris leaned against. “Did you get a good look at his face?”

“Uh,” Chris frowned and averted his eyes. Alexion struck an imposing figure with his enormous sword, and billowing blonde hair. Chris thought back to that brief moment, the faint hint of eyes glinting under a dark hood before that sneaky zombie had crept up behind him and slit his throat. “No, not really,” he said finally. “He was wearing a hood. I really didn’t get a good look.” Chris stood up and nodded to Alexion. “I’d better go join my regiment.” Chris knew that when someone in authority asks you a question, you answer quickly and try to get out of their way. Sticking around is always an invitation for trouble.

“Wait,” Alexion grabbed his arm, stopping his retreat. “I recognize you from somewhere.”

“Perhaps from the battle? I’m just a loyal soldier, sir,” Chris responded with a hint of unease. He’d never been face to face with Alexion before, but recognition was not something he was interested in. Especially not from the leader of a nation.

“Loyal, huh?” Alexion paused and thought for a moment. He swirled his golden cape around his wrist, one finger tapping against his pursed lips, though it seemed to Chris as if it was just for show. As if Alexion had already decided his next five moves and was now simply going through the motions of a one man play of his own design. “In that case, I have a job for you.”

“A covert mission? Something to do with the Twilight Throne I’m guessing?”

“No,” Alexion smirked. “This job is going to be a little different. Come with me, we’ll need to discuss it in private.”

Chris hesitated. Getting this kind of attention could hurt his chances of getting out of this army once the invasion was finished. His plan was just to come along, collect the more than generous pay, and get out with his money. He pondered and glanced at the golden armour, golden sword, golden wafting hair. Maybe there was an opportunity here after all. “Well as long as the pay is right,” he said. “I’m your guy.”

Alexion’s eyes suddenly turned dark and the smile on his face appeared plastered on like an unholy facade. “You’ll be doing this job for free, Chris." Before Chris could ask how Alexion knew his name, Alexion pulled the tent open and motioned for Chris to follow. "Oh, and Lily says hello.”