Haru: Acolyte 15/Apprentice 7
Optifex: Legionnaire 15/Initiate 7
ErcuEmu: Initiate 15/Legionnaire 7
Alara: Apprentice 15/Acolyte 7
Tacito: Footpad 15/Initiate 7
Haru clutched her staff and scanned her surroundings. She was at the back of the party, all of them in a line walking through the entryway tunnel of the Fairbank Undermoat. Looking down the length of the throughfare, Haru followed as the party turned down an intersection. Against the dimly lit stone brick sewer, Haru was certain she spotted a figure in the distance. But after blinking multiple times, the shape in the void was gone.
“C’mon, it’s this way.” Opti called out from the head of the group. He was barely visible despite the group’s tight formation.
As they advanced, the screeching of bats and sound of metal hitting stone rang out in the distance. Haru kept herself as close as possible to the group.
After several turns through various intersections, the party arrived at an open area that widened to at least five times the width of the tunnels and was ten times as high. There was a massive stone structure that blocked the way only about a dozen paces or so from the opening of the tunnel.
“See? I told you we can’t get to Fairbank without the key.” Alara called out, who was in front of Haru.
“If we were taking the Undermoat shortcut, you’d be right.” Opti stopped, staring at the giant gate blocking their path. “But we’re not going that way.”
The rest of the group stood shoulder-to-shoulder. They looked at the huge, monstrous face with giant fangs etched into the gateway. It was twice as tall as them, set over their heads and looking down into the clearing.
“There isn’t any other shortcut but what’s in the dungeon.” Alara huffed. “I would know about it if there was.”
“Then prepare to learn something new.” Opti turned and walked over to the brick wall to his right. It had a few missing stones from its face but was otherwise nondescript. He tapped his chin and paced up and down the wall for a moment.
“What are you doing?” Alara rolled her eyes. “There’s nothing over there.”
Opti crouched and then poked the wall. A deep rumbling echoed out. Then a section parted, roughly as wide as the tunnel, right in front of the legionnaire. “It took me a second to remember where it was.” Then he stood and motioned toward the opening with both hands. “See? Shortcut.”
Emu nodded and pursed his lips. “Not bad. I didn’t even know this existed.” He sauntered forward and smiled at Alara as he walked to the exit.
The apprentice scoffed. “A blind squirrel will find a nut sometimes, I suppose.” She followed Emu.
Taci smiled at Opti. “I didn’t want to have to run back all that way, nice.” He followed the three.
Haru decided to not say anything. She looked at Opti, unable to keep the worry from her face. He had his reasons for keeping his identity a secret, but knowing deep secrets like this, even if he was posing as a beta player, would likely rouse suspicion.
Opti winked and nodded at her.
With hesitation, Haru walked through to the exit. Inside was a short corridor that led to a tiny stone elevator. She huddled next to everyone on the platform and waited as Opti was the last one in.
Moments after the legionnaire entered the corridor, the opening automatically shuttered with a craggy slam. The area grew dark.
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“All aboard!” Opti called out as he stepped onto the elevator.
Though Haru could only see his silhouette, she saw him reach for something on the wall. Then the elevator vibrated and hummed for a moment before lurching into motion upwards. After only a minute or two, the platform reached its only destination, a torch-lit area just as cramped as the one from which they departed. But the end of this hall had no exit, just a wall.
“Where are we?” Emu looked to Opti.
The legionnaire smiled. “This is going to blow your mind.” He stepped around everyone and walked to the opposite side of the platform, which was the only way to get off the elevator on this level.
At the opposite side of the short thoroughfare was a lever. He threw the huge switch and the wall at the end of the hall parted in the same fashion as the entryway in the Undermoat.
On the other side of the now-parted partition was a scarecrow propped up on a thick wooden beam. Haru targeted it and saw it was level 50. She tensed.
“C’mon, let’s go.” Opti called out and walked through the opening.
Haru gasped. But then she realized it was a training dummy. She blinked and let out a long exhale.
The rest of the group flooded out from the opening and found themselves in the underside dojo, one level down from ground level under Fairbank.
“Pretty neat, huh?” Opti folded his arms and nodded.
The rest of the party walked out and stared at the job masters, confusion painted on everyone’s faces.
“How could this be hidden for so long?” Emu stared at the wall automatically closing. “This would probably have saved hours in travel time for getting down to the Undermoat.”
Opti pointed toward a bunch of boxes filled with training mats, bow staves, and extra dummies tucked away in the far corner. “Notice anything over there?”
Emu and Alara turned to inspect the area in unison.
“I don’t see anything.” Alara said flatly.
“Nope, nothing there.” Emu shook his head.
Opti walked over to the pile and then beckoned. “Come look closer.”
The group walked towards the legionnaire.
“See anything now?” Opti tilted his head.
Alara shook her head. “No, it’s just boxes of junk.”
Emu shrugged. “Nothing.”
Opti scoffed and rolled his eyes, and then inched as close as he could, pinning himself against the wall and boxes. “C’mon, don’t be shy.” He motioned for everyone to get closer.
The party huddled against Opti, the entire party smooshed against the training supplies and the wall. Haru suddenly was able to target a small block labeled “wall switch” embedded into the wall near the box.
Alara gasped. “Why isn’t this targetable all the way over there?” She pointed in the direction of the job masters, who were on the other side of the room.
The party retreated from the small corner, giving each other space.
Opti smiled and shook his head. “Don’t tell me you don’t know about local objects.”
Emu recoiled. “I—is this some kind of gimmick feature? Like, is this the only one of its kind in the game?”
Opti shook his head. “No, there’s tons of these things peppered around the world.”
Emu and Alara looked at each other.
“How did no one else find anything like this before?” Alara blinked rapidly.
Opti shrugged. “I don’t know. Perhaps it’s something that they keep secret. Players can be a tricky sort like that.”
Emu looked at Opti for a moment, unblinking. Then the initiate hummed. “Yes, I suppose people do like to keep secrets. Maybe it makes them feel like it gives them an edge somehow. Often, though, they’re misguided.”
Opti locked eyes with Emu. “Misguided, likely. But often they might feel it’s necessary in order to succeed. You can’t play with an open hand in a poker game, can you?”
Haru shifted uncomfortably. The sudden, mysterious tension between them made her shiver.
Emu remained stone-like with his stare. “Some people play poker, others play chess. The mistake would be to think you’re playing one when it’s actually the other.”
A long silence grew between them and the party.
Alara cleared her throat. “Well, no sense arguing. We’re playing this game now.” She wagged her hand as if clearing invisible smoke from in front of her face. “Let’s just get our skills and get back to leveling. I don’t want to sit around chit-chatting all day.”
And just like a light switch being turned off, Emu backed away from Opti and walked over to the job masters. Alara then walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Emu. Taci looked at the legionnaire for a second, then toward the other two and shrugged then followed.
Haru stood next to Opti and watched the three at the job masters along with the legionnaire.
“What was that all about?” Haru’s voice quivered.
Opti stared at the three for a long time.
Haru could sense the infection rustling in her chest once again. “Maybe we could find a different group to—” She whispered, partially to keep her voice low, and partially because the pain grew greater with each passing moment.
Opti sighed and his stern face eased. He shook his head. “I don’t think that’s going to be possible anymore.”
Haru looked at him with wide eyes. “W—what do you mean?”
Opti flicked the staff she was still clutching. “No matter what happens, just know I tried my best. Sometimes the deck is stacked against you.” He smiled and winked, then walked over toward the job masters.
The terrible feeling in her chest, from the infection churning, suddenly vanished. Its change was so sudden that it frightened Haru. She’d never felt the sensation disappear so quickly like that before. Usually it would ease gradually, dissipating over a long while.
Haru swallowed hard, something more was going on between the three and Opti, and it scared her.