While Lightforge slept off the effects of his own poor decisions, others were preparing themselves for what was on the horizon. Many hadn’t heard about the confrontation between a small-time gang and a group of heroes. Of those who had, many wouldn’t consider it significant. And that might well be the case. It was an easy bet to make.
Cannoneer was suspicious of easy bets. Most of the time they were a relatively safe way to make a little money. But every once in a while, playing it safe had a way of blowing up in everyone’s faces. That’s what was happening now; he could feel it in his bones.
He stood in his base, staring down at a map of the area on the table in front of him. An actual paper map rather than the digital one that he could call up from the menu. The fancy version was nice, but he couldn’t write on it. That didn’t make it useless, but it did dampen his enthusiasm for the thing quite a bit. For all that he trusted his mind in many ways, he didn’t trust his memory. That was too easy to fool, too easy to make mistakes and forget the details.
It was better to simply have things written down. And since this map never left his base, he didn’t have to worry about it getting lost or stolen. It was the perfect place to plan and put together rumors and facts. In all honesty, there was often little difference between the two, presuming you knew what to look for.
He made a quick notation on the map and moved a few thumbtacks that he was using to keep track of people. Mostly groups, actually. Few individuals were important enough to warrant that level of attention. And those who were?
He glanced sideways at a black tack sitting off to one side. It still looked pristine, which made sense as it had never been used. He’d earmarked it to track Circe, but that had proved to be a nigh-impossible task. It seemed that every third or fourth person on the street had a story about interacting with her. Even more had stories that might be her in disguise.
The problem was that her appearances were often like something out of a dream. No one could say how she got there or exactly when. She seemed to simply appear and disappear at will. While that was fitting for an illusionist, that couldn’t be the entire explanation at their current level. In addition to her powers, she had the sort of skill that required time and dedication.
He didn’t find that part hard to believe. While Circe enjoyed her persona as a chaotic presence, that didn’t extend to her powers. Whenever he’d had occasion to witness her abilities, she’d always exercised them with precision and good judgment.
He let his shoulders sag as he sighed and turned away from the waiting tack. With any luck, Circe represented a problem that could wait for now. There were gangs out there making moves, and she was a solitary figure. To his knowledge, their foray into the abandoned lab was one of very few times that she’d actually worked with a group. While that made her a wildcard at best rather than a confirmed threat.
The bigger threats were out there, and he’d made a mistake while patrolling with Lightforge and Gray Guardian. He’d assumed that the villains attacking new players would be largely solitary and low level. After all, if you have a gang then you can go after bigger targets than just lost individuals. That would have made the process a little messy, but easy to manage.
Instead they’d stepped on a hornet nest, and now they were facing the consequences. Gangs were out in force now that the newbie wave had ended. They weren’t just laying traps and trying to tempt wayward heroes into their territory. They were actively patrolling the borders of their domains, looking for a fight to pick.
They’d been given a bloody nose, and now they wanted to return the favor. Actually, “want” wasn’t a strong enough word. They needed it, especially at their low levels. Alliances would strengthen the power dynamics and keep those in power at the top. But you couldn’t start an Alliance until level 10, and there always had to be more above that level than below it. So for now the gangs were maintaining power the old fashioned way: power and fear.
The heroes had blemished that power, and now the villains were out for blood. And the longer they had to wait to get it, the worse that this was going to get. The last thing that anyone needed was open warfare in the streets between the two sides. He had to stop that at any cost.
With that in mind, he checked the time and picked up his weapon on his way out of the base. The meeting shouldn’t require its use, but he was a weapon specialist. That meant that going without would be tantamount to walking outside naked. And besides, the damn thing would teleport to him if he left it behind.
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The fastest way to travel would have been to use the bazooka’s “Blast Jumper” ability. It was simple in concept and granted him an impressive amount of maneuverability given its rough and chaotic nature. It was also about as subtle as a brick to the face.
So he walked. He’d moved his base the day before in preparation for this meeting, but there was only so close that he could safely get. The simple fact was that he was low level, and he belonged in a place like Chancery Hills. Instead he moved calmly through the streets towards a different area, known as Old Town.
Old Town, as befitting the name, was one of the first areas of the game to be built. It was actually a map from an old alpha version of the game that they’d kept in the final product. It was meant for players with levels in the low to mid 20’s. He was massively out of his depth there, but it was as close as his contact would agree to meet him. It was fair, but Cannoneer didn’t like the position that it put him in.
It took a few minutes to find the correct building. They were meant to meet on the roof, but the fire escapes didn’t reach the ground and the whole place was condemned. It seemed like the kind of place that should be entered warily, if at all. He unslung his bazooka from the strap that normally kept it on his back. Better to avoid the risk entirely.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Two quick explosions sent him to the top of the abandoned building with room to spare. He actually had to fall about 10 feet before landing on the roof. The person he was hoping to see was already there, waiting for him.
The man was thin, wiry, and had sharp features. He was dressed in combat boots, camo pants, and a domino mask. His bare chest was covered in jagged scars that were stretched over his lean frame. He didn’t so much as flinch when Cannoneer came flying on the backs of explosions. He simply stood and watched, hands grasped behind his back. A slight nod was the only acknowledgement that he gave to the new arrival.
Cannoneer stood and dusted himself off. His stomach roiled as he approached the other man and tried to force his arms and legs not to shake. They’d spoken before through intermediaries or on calls, but there was something different about being here in person. There was an air around this man that made Cannoneer uncomfortable. What was it?
Calm confidence. That was all. Without realizing it, the weapon specialist had become accustomed to a certain level of unease and uncertainty in the people around him. In the low level areas, everyone was at risk at all times. You never knew when someone might come out of nowhere and kill you off without warning. But this man was different.
If the rumors were true, this man was among the 15 or 20 strongest players in this world. Few would be crazy enough to attack him, and even fewer would have a chance to succeed. He knew exactly where he stood in the power rankings, and he had nothing to fear. Cannoneer cleared his throat and steadied his voice.
“Major Rex. It’s good to finally meet in person.”
“And to you as well, Cannoneer.”
While the man was undeniably a powerhouse, his voice was surprisingly quiet and soft. Cannoneer almost had to strain to hear the other man’s words, an effort that he would happily put in if that was the only price to have this conversation.
“Now, sir, you’re aware of the situation in Chancery Hills, right?”
“Other Alliances have their claims to fame, but Lighter Shade have eyes on all sides. I’ve been apprised of the situation.”
Cannoneer swallowed hard. Lighter Shade was a neutral Alliance, the largest in this world. Supposedly all of their members carefully maintained their neutral alignment, but rumor had it that was an exaggeration. What was known as fact was that they had an unmatched network of spies in every area of the city, and they acted as the arbiter who maintained a certain level of peace between the larger Alliances on either side. And Major Rex was Lighter Shade’s founder and head.
Major Rex stood very still, looking out over the city in the direction of Chancery Hills. That was probably a good sign, though it was difficult to say. The Alliance Leader stared for a long time in silence. Cannoneer cleared his throat to speak, only to receive a quick motion to be silent. Finally he spoke.
“I’m aware of the situation, as I said. What I don’t know is why you need my involvement. By all accounts this is a tiny local squabble. Even if the Hills and the Row descend into chaos for a few weeks, it won’t upset the balance in the greater city.”
“I know that. Normally, I would agree with your assessment, in all honesty. But I’ve been tracking the movements of various gangs in the area, and there’s something odd.”
“I don’t play guessing games. Please make your point directly.”
“Of course. The gangs’ movements look coordinated. I’m not sure even they’re aware of it, but they’re positioning themselves to act in tandem. I think one of the greater powers is influencing them.”
“Perhaps. Rumors always run wild regarding the new player areas, so it’s challenging to tell the truth from speculation. Even so, it doesn’t matter.”
“Of course it does! If they’re looking to recruit–”
“No. Cannoneer, I understand the concern for your local area, but you don’t truly understand the situation. Do you know what the top two Alliances are?”
“I’ve heard a few names tossed around, but I don’t know that I could say so definitively.”
“Pay closer attention, because there is no debate. Heroes United leads the side of good, and Anarchy Unleashed sits atop all villains. Do you know what they have in common?”
“What?”
“Each is led by one of the two strongest people in the city. Either Alliance Leader could wipe out everyone in Chancery Hills and Decker Row single-handedly. Some speak of my strength, but I wouldn’t last five minutes against either of them. Their current forces would gain little even with every low-level character in those areas.”
“You must be exaggerating. How strong can they be with the shortage of XP?”
“Once again you betray your lack of understanding. The Alliance Leaders are who they are based on a single fact. They were the first to arrive in this world. There are no more Missions because they cleared them all. NPC rates are so terrible because of their voracious appetite for conquest in the early days.”
Shock and terror ran through Cannoneer. Logically, it made sense that someone had to have cleared the Missions, but this? How strong were they?
“That’s… What level are they?”
“No one knows for sure, they keep that information quite close to the chest. Our best estimates put them either in the high 60’s or low 70’s.”
“Wow. That’s amazing. I guess you’re right, then. What could they possibly need from the newbie areas?”
“Everyone has needs, even the strongest. My Alliance is looking into a number of rumors at the moment. If either one is truly involved in some way, we will take the proper steps. Otherwise, you’re on your own.”
“Please, isn’t there any help you could give? Anything at all?”
“We don’t do favors.”
The words hung in the air like an executioner’s axe, ready to put an end to all of Cannoneer’s hopes. He slumped and turned his thoughts inward so far that he almost missed the next words.
“However, I will admit that you keep interesting company. You’ve led several successful raids on villainous groups, and then there’s the matter of the dungeon. Finding an uncleared Mission is no small feat. You’re raw and lack knowledge, but you have potential.”
“Does that mean that you’ll help?”
“It means that, perhaps, you have something to bargain with. Care to find out?”
For the first time, Major Rex turned to face Cannoneer. The Alliance Leader smiled, revealing sharp teeth. And when the light caught his face just right, it revealed faint imprints like scales across his features. Cannoneer swallowed hard and nodded.