Chapter 466

The more they explored the town during the ten minutes before the siege started, the more James started to notice just how different this instance was to the actual safe zone. Of course, there weren’t any shops, and the NPCs were gone. However, that didn’t mean the storefronts weren’t still there. Each and every store had a variety of options they could use their Siege Tokens for, ranging from barricading the doors and windows, to adding in traps, establishing healing zones, and so on. An organized and prepared group, could in theory actually establish quite the offensive from within the town using such things, if, of course, they knew what they were going to be facing.

On top of those options, there were cleared spaces where players could, in fact, build basic siege type weapons such as catapults, or trebuchets, at an extra cost. Furthermore, traps could again be build in various pathways and junctions in the roads, to act as additional defensive measures if the waves made their way into town. In the very back of the town, was the ‘heart’ so to speak. Much like with Dungeon Wars, it was a massive, floating orb, that the siege forces would have to attack. They could literally raze the town to the ground, but if the defenders kept the orb from falling, they’d still survive the wave.

James and the others, at the moment, had made their way back from the center of town to the main wall surrounding the town. Players had been throwing their singular tokens into the wall, which had a ‘joint’ upgrade pool for players. At a cost of 100 siege tokens, the basic wooden walls would become enhanced wooden walls, granting them an increased amount of durability, and damage negating properties. Another 200 after that, would improve them into armored wooden walls, which could negate basic physical attacks, and had a 20% damage reduction applied. Currently, they were only a dozen or so points away from that, which wasn’t a huge surprise, given the number of players in the event. With under 2 minutes to go, there were close to 1,000 players in the Siege Event. Impressive, for sure, but also problematic, considering how James had set up the siege event. 200 Painguins assaulting the town was one thing… 2000 Painguins, an entirely different matter.

Luckily, Steve had, as hoped, been a shining light on all things Siege Wars. He’d begun managing players and giving advice on potential defensive structures to build, how best to use points, and so on. He was the reason there were multiple groups outside of the city entrance at the moment, using points to plant traps in the snow, as well as building barricades, and small, auto turret type buildings, wherever possible. Additionally, the crafty developer had encouraged the groups to build long range ballista on the wall, advising them against wasting points on the oil pots, as well as the shorter ranged cannons. Steve’s words of wisdom there had simply been, “If it’s close enough for a pot, it’s close enough for a skill shot.” In short, Steve was telling people at their current levels, and the current available options, skills and spells were superior to oil pot traps.

All of that, of course, was fine and dandy. It made sense, especially for the first wave. Without anyone knowing what the exact drop rate for siege tokens was, as well as the rewards for each wave, both of which Steve had been mysteriously quiet on…in typical Steve fashion, it was best to conserve tokens rather than waste them on things that might just get destroyed, or be useless. James had played some games before where people had actually died or decreased their dps to pointless levels by insisting on using mounted turrets over their own skills and abilities. But, the long range weapons, which exceeded almost all player abilities, save people like Elm who were sniper based classes, would prove helpful.

More than helpful really, given the change to the floor that apparently took place for the siege event. While the town itself had the same layout as it did regularly, the area around it was different. From the front gates, there was an open, snowy expanse of roughly 500 yards, with the tree line extending further back into that. A shimmering wall could be seen in the sky roughly 1,000 yards back, denoting the end of the area. According to Steve, that shimmering wall was where the waves would originate from, and then they would move, steadily, with deadly intent, through the forest, and towards the town. Already, James was imagining the sight, of 2,000 Painguins marching themselves out of the woods, like cybernetic shock troopers, to assault the town.

A standard ballista that cost 10 siege tokens, had a range of 500 yards, meaning players could begin attacking the Painguins the moment they appeared, if manning one of the weapons atop the wall. A trebuchet, on the other hand, had a range of roughly 300 yards, for a large stone. Steve had been… vague on what the range of a sacrificial lamb launched by a trebuchet would be, but he had assured Alex that it would be possible to use them. Something that had obviously caused everyone to grin. A siege type event, after all, wasn’t proper without flying livestock.

There was one thing though, about the whole thing, that had James on edge. It wasn’t a worry about how they’d do against the first wave. The walls provided plenty of cover from the beam lasers, and he was certain in the next minute or so, the walls would be upgraded to level 3. No. The point for his unease, and confusion, over the whole situation, was a particular party moving out past the gates of the town, who were setting traps in the snow. They weren’t like the others. They weren’t using siege tokens to activate preplanned traps. Instead, they were out there with a member of their party, as he used his class, to set traps. The level 81 Trap Master, had an assortment of devious traps and abilities that would make a dungeon core jealous. And that was speaking from first hand experience, as James saw him lay another intricate, lightning based trap that instantly became invisible within the snow.

That Trap Master was, of course, Crikey. And he, it would seem, was still a member of the only party James had ever seen capable of rivaling Z and the Knights Who Go NI. Led by the now level 84, Soul Demon. Last time James had seen that particular player, which had involved SoulDemon getting eaten by a mimic treasure chest underwater, the playing killer savant had been a level 66 Thanatos. His class now, was ‘God of Death’. James hadn’t had any time to chat with him yet, as SoulDemon and party had arrived, spent a few seconds chatting with Z, and then left the town after joining their party, without even glancing at James or Rue. Now though, as the last minute came to a close, and they laid their final trap, four of the members turned and began moving back towards the town. SoulDemon though, remained, moving further away from the town as he did, his eyes focused on the forest.

“Looks like he’s going solo.” Z said, the level 83 Beastking said. He was accompanied by Badgy the Badgerker on one side, and his newest companion, unlocked when he hit level 80 and became a Beastking, on the other. The eight foot creature had antlers atop its head, but the body of a gorilla, and a snake for a tail. A chimera of sorts, that Z had named ‘Hornz.’ Above them, Turk circled, keeping an eye out on everything below. “Typical.”

“Think he’ll be okay?” James asked, sincerely worried. SoulDemon was strong. James knew that better than anyone. But even at level 84, he was about to be descended upon by a literal army of level 75 mobs.

“If anyone can do it,” Z said, voice confident. “It’s that pretentious prick.” Their shared laughter was cut short as the sky turned red, and a loud sound, similar to a gong, reverberated through the area, as a message rolled across the chat bars of every player in the Siege Instance.

Incoming Wave: 1 of 5… Good Luck