It didn't take long for the group to find their way back to each other.
Considering the hundreds upon hundreds of people milling around the arena, it had needed a series of rather fortunate coincidences for them to all bump into each other. Lorelei figured this was the least her Guide could do.
"So, let me get this straight," Hild said in her grumpiest of tones. "Despite not wanting access to this tournament - a tournament explicitly aimed for those considerably higher in level than any of us - we completed a quest for an entry token. Having then discovered that said entry token was cursed with, and I'm quoting our Necromancer here, 'the dark side of the Force', we concluded that destroying it was the sensible way forward. Is everything I'm saying thus far accurate?"
There was a series of murmurs of agreement and one ecstatic moan.
"However, rather than ticking this quest off our list of 'things to do', we instead now find ourselves in the fucking tournament, scheduled to undertake a run of an assault course that is - at best - going to ritually kick our arses, and our highest level group member has no access to her Skills and appears to constantly be in orgasm?"
***Approval Message***
You know, I went off her for a bit back there, but the big girl is growing on me again. There's something about a person who can see right to the heart of the matter. I think her no-nonsense energy is just what this group needs more of.
Lorelei dismissed the message, eyes fixed on Kris. She couldn't tell what was going on, but it was like the rest of the party had forgotten the whole 'Charm Leech' thing and were treating him like they did on their journey to the cathedral. She could practically feel the Adoration flowing into him.
Not being able to talk was proving to be an absolute pain in the arse, and she was struggling to get anyone to look at the notes she was trying to surreptitiously pass them without Kris noticing.
***Help Message***
And I can tell you another thing, caramel slice, I'm quite liking the 'see lots of evil, speak no evil' version of you. It's adding a whole new dynamic to this group. It's all got a bit 'Fortuna's Herald says' since you bodied the Chimera, and I think giving a few others a chance to shine would be good. That Necromancer, for example; he just screams 'leadership potential'.
Lorelei glanced over towards where Steffan and Chrissy were stood under the shadow of Ent. She knew that, before she'd come along, the rest of the part had been looking to Steffan for direction. Of course, this was mainly because he commanded a Cheerleader Zombie army that hadn't survived their travels. Also, her 'coming along' had been saving them all from certain death at the hands of vengeful PvPs. Lorelei couldn't help but think that there were only so many certain wipes one leader should really have on their scoresheet . . .
However, the problem wasn't that the rest of the group - in the absence of her being able to say anything unerotic - were looking to Steffan for guidance, it was that they were all treating Kris like the second coming.
***Unhelpful Snort***
You trying to talk is hardly dispelling that impression, love.
"Look, I don't know what happened," Kris was saying in response to Hild. "But we're here now, and from everything my Guide is telling me, this is a fantastic opportunity for us to progress. People of our level simply don't usually get access to this tournament at the end of the first week of integration. This sort of thing is going to make the gap between the powerhouses and the rest of us grow. If we're not careful, we're soon going to be so far behind everyone else, we're doomed."
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Lorelei ground her teeth at how reasonable the man was sounding. But there was a reason people of their level didn't get access to this tournament - it was that they were too squishy to stand a chance. Even in the short amount of time they'd been stood together, three other teams had been defeated by the obstacle course.
***Clarity Message***
Just so that you are under no illusions, cupcake, by 'defeated', I hope you know you mean 'turned to red mist'. There's no tray of oranges, a comforting pat on the back and a wet sponge for anyone who takes part in this first challenge and fails to meet the appropriate standard. This is a full-on, 'survival of the fittest' winnowing out of competitors before the tournament proper starts. Wheat from chaff. Men from boys. Feel free to supply your own metaphor for summary execution. Oh, and just one more snippet of information that I'm sure will make your socks roll up and down.
"Go for it," Lorelei thought, trying to assimilate the warning. "Tournament proper?" This wasn't even the real start of things?
***Help Message***
So, the Charm Leech is saying his Guide is giving him the skinny on things. I can confirm that there is no version of me - either the cookie-cutter version most people get or the full-flavour bespoke treatment you're having - that is giving him any info at all. So, either our mutual friend is full of bullshit or . . .
"Someone else is talking to him?"
***Spot on Message***
That opens up all sorts of interesting questions, doesn't it?
*
Michael/Michelle - there really wasn't much to differentiate them anymore - listened to what their healer said with interest.
Ever since they'd both been rewarded with the passive Skill
However, Michael and Michelle had always been close. Coming from a large family, they'd identified each other as allies from an early age, and had stuck together in the face of all the slings and arrows - often literally - that a somewhat fraught domestic life had thrown at them. Growing up, the only way to survive the Smith household was either to be the biggest, baddest bully in town - and their eldest brother Malachi had sewn that role up tight - or to retreat to the shadows, try to avoid notice, and ensure someone was around to watch your back. The latter choice, made entirely unconsciously when barely out of their cribs, suited them both down to the ground.
Thus, when the integration came, it had been no surprise that they had both ended up with the same Class. Nor that Veiled Stalker seemed to have all sorts of exciting bonuses when they acted in concert.
During their fight with the Chimera, Michael had been horribly injured. So much so, he'd not actually been able to take much part in the eventual slaying of the beast. That enforced separation at such a critical moment had a rather traumatic effect on the two, and secretly, they couldn't stop themselves from blaming Lorelei for it.
To be fair, both of them understood that Fortuna's Herald had absolutely saved Michael's life. Without her intervention, wrapping him up
All that was left in its place was a sense of aggrievement at Lorelei enforcing their separation. A huge pulse of jealousy - which was borderline 'murderous rage' - that came from the Michelle part of their consciousness towards their erstwhile leader. And the absolute certainty that the only way never to be split apart again was to ensure that their healer was able to level up as high as possible to protect them both from such appalling damage ever again. They were not willing to spend another moment without each other ever again.
"What do you suggest, Kris?" they asked, not caring at the way the others looked sideways at them as their voices spoke in perfect unison.
The healer smiled at them, basking in the uptick in Adoration that flowed in as they spoke. "Well, it isn't really for me to decide, is it? I am just the guy who makes sure all you real heroes are able to keep doing what you do best. I am merely pointing out that if the rewards for this tournament are good enough to interest those of such a higher level, think about what they could do for us. After all," he nodded towards the assault course, "how hard can it be? Especially when we have luck on our side?"
Lorelei ground her teeth as everyone turned to look her way.