I backpedaled my hooves to a halt at the edge of a large crowd surrounding the Chief’s Lodge. Dozens and dozens of horns like a field of grass. Perusing the sea of floating names, it dawned on me that they were mostly players.

“SpartanDonkey’s really fast at spreading the news,” I said, genuinely impressed. Not even ten minutes had passed since we talked. If this many players came online on short notice, the actual population of Mardukryon players was much, much larger than I thought, just that most had given up on playing due to content stagnation.

“This is what SpartanDonkey’s waiting for,” Kezo stopped beside me. “A chance to revive our community.” On the way, I explained to Kezo about Mon-Aleh’s disappearance and my hunch about a world quest and that I had told SpartanDonkey about it. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen some of these guys.”

It was like final exams day in college when the whole class would show up, half of which were new faces as if they had just awoken from hibernation. Actually, this reminded me more of a dying MMORPG after the developers published a huge update. Old players would revisit the game to see what was new.

The more audience, the merrier!

Everyone on this mountain should know the name Herald Stone!

“Juan Peas and Tater Squasher?” Kezo nodded at two mostly-naked Mardukryons covered with golden orange tattoos. “I thought those brothers sold the secret of their fire inking to the Legion and switched to Delves. And is that Rowie I see? Last we talked, she told me she’d quit MCO because she was having a baby. She’s a great healer who can—"

“Let’s hurry to the front,” I interrupted. “Megan and Nitana should be there if they saw what happened to Healer Gula.”

I tried going forward but was blocked by wide armored behinds. The vast majority of the crowd were high-leveled players, and I was still tiny in comparison despite my growth spurt, as Bawu called my level-twenty physical change.

“Kezo, maybe you go first?”

“Excuse me, coming through.” Kezo used his bulk to part the people. Mr. Teamwork became Mr. Social, greeting most of the players we passed. “Hey, Rick! How’s your sister?” Kezo turned to another player with glowing horns. “Tamayo! You still owe me Artas, you rascal. Just kidding.”

I trailed Kezo’s ass like a child sticking to his mother so he wouldn’t get lost in the mall. There was plenty of animated chatting among the players. Mostly, they were catching up, one big reunion. But there was also speculation about what was happening. I stood a bit straighter upon the mention of my name.

“I heard this new player, Herald something, unlocked a world quest,” someone said.

“A new player? Figures a new player would find something new,” said another.

“Herald Stone is his full name, I think,” chimed in someone else. “Like the Stone family that owns Dolly’s.”

“What a funny fellow, naming himself Herald Stone.”

These people will all be my adoring fans, I thought with a grin. It cemented my resolve to let the events play out for the worst possible outcome for maximum impact on the community.

I pictured Bawu’s mutated test subjects pitted against players, resulting in awesome boss battles. Perhaps Chief Nogras would order everyone, not just the Hunter-Warrior NPCs, to assault the tunnels. We’d find out after Healer Gula’s trial.

But before we could reach the Chief’s Lodge, a smug obstacle stood in front of Kezo.

“Herald! Also, Cheeseman!” BeetsByLudwig waved at us even though we were right in front of him.

Behind Luds were Wharmonger—real name Wharton—and Quivercess—real name Nicole, or Nic for short. They were the first players I had met after I chose the Mardukryon race, and I’d prefer not to run into them now. Well, Nic was quite nice. Only problem was that since she was party mates with Luds, seeing her meant the clown was somewhere nearby. Unfortunately, Luds wasn’t the entertaining sort of clown.

“Herald, my man!” Luds brushed past Kezo and put his arms around my shoulder like we were best buddies of the century. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this world quest. We’re both students of Brewer Bawu, Herald. Sons of Bawu. You didn’t forget about that, did you?”

“No, I didn’t,” I said. This must be the first time he called me by my name. Gone were the days I was the new guy. “I told SpartanDonkey the moment I realized a world quest was going to happen so he can inform as many people as possible.”

“I get you, Herald,” Luds said. Was he getting paid every time he mentioned my name? “Share it with everyone, that’s the right thing to do. But I heard SD mention that this was connected to Brewer Bawu. You should’ve come to me first because we’re sons of Bawu. Bawu brothers! Maybe we could’ve explored—”

“Luds, can you let us pass?” Kezo pointedly interjected.

“Just a sec, Cheeseman,” Luds said. “Still talking to my boy, Herald here.”

My boy? Was there a way to turn him into Bawu’s test subject?

“Don’t be annoying, Luds,” said Nic. “Let them through.”

“Yeah, man,” said Wharton. “I pumped up to see what’s up with this world quest.”

Luds retorted, “I’m not annoying Herald.”

“Herald?” A player wearing an assortment of bones as armor turned to me. He stared above my head, reading my name. “Herald Stone? Are you the guy with the world quest?”

I nodded.

The player next to him shouted at the top of his lungs, “Hey! Hey, everyone! Herald Stone’s here!”

The layered chatters merged into echoes of my name, expanding like a ripple in water as more and more people picked up that Herald Stone walked among them. The people gave way as if I was an ambulance, and the emergency sirens were the voices becoming louder and louder, chanting the divine words:

“Herald Stone!”

“Herald Stone!”

“World quest!”

Luds tried to continue our conversation, but the cheering drowned his voice. Soon, the crowd swallowed him as well, and I was alone. Kezo had already trotted ahead. People patted my back and my shoulders; some oddballs headbutted my horns. Then the congratulatory pats became pushes. They were eager to find out what was going to happen next.

Time to give the people what they wanted!

Most might feel awkward in this situation—tons of attention from people I didn’t know, all veteran players, while I was only a newbie. Also, they weren’t cheering out of respect or honor but playing along with a joke. It was mild ribbing of the newbie mixed with elation at a world quest and the joyful reunion of long-lost friends. More so the latter.

This showed the camaraderie of the Mardukryon community. And they seemed to be a fun bunch. It reminded me not only of my childhood friends in Vanguard Gaming but also of the dozens of online friends I had made in the MMORPGs I had played.

This wasn’t really about me.

But it was going to be.

I, Herald Stone, drew myself to full height—which wasn’t that tall—and deliberately strutted down the corridor of people as if expecting someone would roll out the red carpet for me. If no one was going to shine spotlights on me, I’d light myself up. I cast [Greater Pyro Shell], [Healing Touch], and [Penitent Fortune Healing].

“Herald Stone!” continued the chant.

“World quest!” was another cheer.

“Herald Stone!”

“World quest!”

I spotted Megan and Nitana. Kezo had already joined them. They called out to me, but I couldn’t understand what they were saying because of the noise. I headed towards them. SpartanDonkey showed up to herd me to the front.

“Quiet down!” he yelled, standing by my side and acting like my self-proclaimed manager. “Quiet down, all of you!” He fired whistling shots in the air that cracked like gunfire. Either the players did follow his instructions, or curiosity might’ve overcome their mischievousness.

Everyone watched as I approached the curtain-covered semi-circular door of the Chief’s Lodge, the largest structure in the village.

I didn’t need to enter because right outside was a large mound of ash sitting on cushions—[Lvl 56 Mardukryon|Kurghal Village Chief: Nogras]. Half a dozen guards flanked him, and the imposing tableau was framed by the carvings of beasts and symbols adorning the outer shell of the Chief’s Lodge.

Did his guards carry him outside, or could he still walk on his own?

To the Chief’s immediate left stood [Mardukryon Lvl 39|Healer: Gula], looking frailer than before, her hands bound by shackles etched with glowing runes. Two Hunter-Warriors flanked her. She didn’t look at me when I came nearer.

Several meters to the Chief’s right was a Mardukryon trapped inside a narrow cylindrical barrier reminiscent of Bawu’s vats.

Healers and Spirit Carvers fussed at the imprisoned Mardukryon, sticking strips of parchment on the translucent yellow shield and wafting fumes of bubbling potions in bowls. Their efforts yielded no results, so they retreated to a nearby cauldron to brew something different, giving me a clear view of the Mardukryon inside the barrier.

[Lvl 32 Blighted Mardukryon|Kurghal Village Guard: Agung].

Agung? He was one of the NPCs that we saved from Blighted monsters. Agung clawed at his magical cage, mumbling gibberish like Balasi, who had eaten a Blighted Borple. But unlike Balasi, Agung turned into a Blighted creature. The streaks of magma on his charcoal skin had turned from bright reddish-orange to sickly green. Patches of fur had fallen off his lower body.

Agung got infected during the fight in the tunnels, but I assumed he would be okay once he got treated by the Healers. Apparently, not. Did I wait too long to escort the NPCs to safety, allowing the Blight to take root? Oopsies…

But how did this lead to Healer Gula’s arrest?

The only NPCs who knew Bawu’s identity were now mutants. If someone else had met her, they wouldn’t know who she was unless they were elderly Mardukryons, as Bawu escaped from Kurghal Village long ago. NPCs weren’t players who could read floating names.

Escaped… Bawu left the village because she did something that led to the deaths of other Mardukryons. Furthermore, Bawu had been experimenting with the Blight long before this, which was why she had Blighted Vinereaver’s Revenge gear to giveaway. Vinereavers loved to suck nutrients. Plenty of crystals in the Golden Forest enriched the soil, but only a single baby Vinereaver, Moa Manot, lived there.

Did Mad Brewer Bawu’s old experiment, which caused several Mardukryon deaths, have something to do with the Blight? If it did, Chief Nogras would remember and seek out Healer Gula.

“Youngling, you have returned.” One of the guards beckoned at me. “My heart is finally at rest seeing you. I have witnessed your bravery and prowess in battle, but I still feared for your safety.” He turned to Chief Nogras. “This youngling and his friends saved us in the tunnels. Unfortunately, it was too late for brother Agung.”

Chief Nogras coughed before speaking. “Youngling… tell us what you’ve seen in the tunnels.”

“I met monsters and fought inflicted by a mysterious sickness.” I gave a few more descriptions of what the Blighted looked like. “I don’t know anything else about them.”

“Your tales of fighting confirm that you’re a promising youngling, as I’ve told you previously. Tell me, have you met any Mardukryon not of our village while you fought the accursed creatures?”

Three choices here. Admit seeing Bawu and sell her out. Conversely, I could stand by Bawu and also get imprisoned. Lastly, I could play dumb—the safest choice. “I haven’t seen anyone besides the guards,” I said.

“What of your dealings with Healer Gula,” Chief Nogras asked. “There are those that whisper you help her gather ingredients…”

“And that is all there is. I help Healer Gula because she healed me when I didn’t have money for payment.”

“Same as she spoke concerning you,” Chief Nogras said. “However, I believe Gula has accomplices in this village… ” The Chief coughed again. He waved away the offer of water. “We will find whoever aided the Blight to return to our lands! “

I looked at Healer Gula. She also didn’t sell me out. Herald Stone will save you, I thought.

Unless they’d executed her right now. But if they imprisoned her, I’d find a way to break her out.

Chief Nogras raised his trunk-like arm. “Let us proceed with the sentencing of Gula—”

BOOM! KABO-BOOM!

The NPCs and players yelled, the former in panic, the latter in celebration. Everyone pointed to something happening on the other side of the Chief’s Lodge.

The cliff wall rose from behind the Chief’s Lodge as I retreated to get a better view. More explosions. Quakes followed. Chunks of rocks fell from the cliff wall, smashing bridges and homes. From those holes gushed fountains of goopy green liquid, splashing the panicked Mardukryons trying to flee. Then the massive golden crystals jutting out of the rocks started turning green.

“The Blight again?” I groaned. “I just cleaned it up!”