Zen's anger reached a new level with every step toward the guild leaders office. He had been working for the Arrise Guild for three years now and had to put up with many that mocked what he did. A mapper wasn't a glorious position in a guild, but a very important one. They ranged through a myriad of virtual games mapping areas, so others could build up their characters. Unlike the players that made money fighting or creating trade goods, he made his money drawing and marking where creatures were located and what level.
What made Zen upset was that the guild leader, a man named Antonio Berastas, had not only given away his maps. He did it so Zen couldn't make his commission. He gave them away to the biggest piece of shit Zen had ever ran in to while doing his job. As part of his contract it stated that the guild had access to all the maps he was ordered to map out, if his maps were sold to a outside sources he could get no less than 5% of the market value. He
was sure Antonio had no idea that was in his contract, but his sister Amanda did. For Zen to pull off his escape plan he had to do it before Amanda got word of her brothers actions.
Amanda Berastas was nothing like her brother, and even though both were good looking. Amanda was head and tails above her brother in looks, ability, intelligence and about every other important area. She was the true brains behind the Arrise Guild, and he actually respected and got along with her. Though in the end, she was still a officer of the guild and would stop him from getting revenge on her brother's stupid maneuvers.
Zen had always tried to avoid Antonio, because their was a viciousness to him that always rubbed him the wrong way. Though that didn't mean he didn't pay attention and he knew exactly how Antonio would react the moment he challenged him. The guild leader of Arrise was a typical power player, and even though his skills were elite. His intelligence was something that far from brilliant. He knew Antonio would use his brutish behavior in a way that if he pushed the right buttons he could get what wanted.
Zen thought highly of his sister, but what Antonio did to him this time was just too much. He worked hard at his job, and rarely complained about the abuse he received. His missions for the most part were smooth except for when he met Vincent Deluci or some of his henchmen. Vincent was a extremely wealthy person and his family was connected to some pretty powerful people. This let the bastard get away with a number of things, and caused a number deaths just after he met him the first time.
Two missions before he again ran across some of his men, and while he had escaped them relatively unscathed. Zen had discovered a number of good hunting grounds and a well sized mine. Vincent's goons tried to force him to reveal the site, but he made it back and got it to Amanda. He had heard that they filed a claim on it, but he hadn't heard what the results were.
Then that morning he found out that his maps had been given away, and the beneficiary was that bastard Vincent Deluci. He knew then his days were numbered, and it didn't take a brain surgeon to realize Antonio was involved in it as well. He receives a salary for every mission he gets assigned for by the guild, but the real money comes from commissions. The same commissions that Antonio purposefully tried to get around by giving all his maps to Vincent.
This was the first violation and the reason he had discovered it. The system would alert him if his contract had been violated and if his contract was violated with three separate offenses he could chose to cancel it with them paying the penalty fee. Now he only had to get him to violate his contract two more times, and he was free.
Zen walked through the halls ignoring the expensive designs and art that were on the walls and stopped right in front of the guild leader's office. He then pressed the door and waited for the guild leader to respond. He knew that bastard was purposefully making him wait, but that was fine because if things worked out it wouldn't matter anymore. He stood there for almost ten minutes before the door opened and he could see a smug Antonio smiling at him.
"Ahh Zen why do you seem so unhappy?" Antonio said arrogantly. "It is rare to see you look so mad."
"Guild leader I just discovered that you gave away my maps to a company that is ran by Vincent Deluci is that correct?" Zen asked with a trembling voice.
"Oh yes I am sorry about that." Antonio said with a chuckle. "I sold all the maps to him as a incentive to sweeten the deal. I suppose I could have split it up some, but it is tedious to spend time pulling out some maps from everyone. I am sorry you have to suffer a little for the guild."
"Are you going to compensate me for this inconvenience out of the general guild funds?" Zen asked.
"Oh, sorry that wouldn't' be right that everybody had to pay for work you already get paid to do already." Vincent said with a mock stern voice. "Sometimes you just draw the unlucky straw."
"Notice: Arrise Corporation admittedly violated your contract. This is the second time they've done so. One more breach will allow contracted to leave for breach."
Zen heard the alert in his head and had to stop from smiling. He kept the angry expression on his face and pushed himself harder to intensify it. The first violation was selling his maps without notification and the second was for refusing to compensate. They were similar violations, but he had both of them listed separately in his contract.
"Vincent Deluci is a back stabbing bastard that has hurt Arrise Guilds bottom line a number of times." Zen said bluntly. "There are a number of different guilds that would be much more lucrative to sell too, but you chose the one that has a history of double crossing his partners. He did it to me twice, and I know there are others in the guild he has targeted. How could you give my work away to him?"
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"How dare you question my decisions." Antonio roared as he went from mocking to truly angry. "You have no clue how low classed you are compared to us elites. You don't even take part in any of the raids because you're so fucking weak and a burden to the guild."
Zen just stood there and shook his head disapprovingly and that drove Antonio even more angry. His face was truly red and then he started to calm himself down. A slim smile appeared on his beat red face as he pulled on his expensive jacket and tried to relax himself.
"My job has never been to raid, but find good sites for the rest to level." Zen explained.
"I think we should resolve that, and Vincent and I have decided on joint guild raid that you should be a part of." Antonio scowled. "In fact, Vincent's team is going on a raid in the Catacombs of Teraki and they need a guide. You mapped out that catacomb, so I think you're a perfect fit."
"That is not in my contract so I use one of my rights of refusal." Zen said coldly to him. "You can't make me go and work with that scum."
The guild quest came up and with a thought Zen used one of his three rights of refusal that every member was given in their contract. The moment Antonio got the message he snarled and then smiled as he sent his response. A message stating that the right had been overridden and that he had to accept the mission as an order came back.
"You can't order me to go when I used one of my rights as a member of Arrise Corporation." Zen said his voice raising. "This is a violation of my contract!"
"I don't give a shit about what you want I am the guild leader and you do what I fucking say." Antonio said coldly.
"Notice: Arrise Corporation violated your terms of contract three times. Do you wish to terminate your employment with them as stated in your contract? Yes or No?"
Zen chose yes with a thought and a secondary message came up.
"Notice: Are you sure you wish to terminate your contract with Arrise? Yes or No?"
Zen agreed another time and he couldn't help but smile as suddenly a screen appeared behind Antonio and the lovely image of Amanda appeared in it. She looked furious as she looked to Zen and then to Antonio and just as suddenly she hid her anger behind a calm gaze.
"Antonio what the hell are you thinking?" She said coldly as Antonio looked back to her with a confused look.
"I am just taking care of a little issue with a trash of an employee." Antonio said smugly.
"Do you understand what you just did?" She asked sternly.
"I ordered him to go out on a mission and even though he wanted to reject it. I believe that people like him should pull their own weight around here." Antonio said with a smile. "So, I am forcing him to go."
"That is a violation of his contract. You can't do that." Amanda stated.
"It is only one violation and it will fall off eventually." Antonio snickered.
"Idiot." Amanda said and turned to Zen and then said. "I just found out what he did, and I didn't know about it."
"I didn't think you did, but I think it is time I moved on." Zen said back. "Vincent Deluci is a power-hungry ass hole, and if Arrise has any contact with him it won't be good. Guild leader has made himself perfectly clear that he wanted to serve me up to him on a silver platter, and this what I could do to protect myself."
"You still have to go." Antonio stated. "To break your contract, we have to violate three different terms."
"Do you think he is as stupid as you?" Amanda spat at her brother. "That one was the third different term you violated. The first one was giving away his maps. The second one was refusing to compensate him and the last one was overturning his right to refuse. The system already terminated the contract and because you locked him out of his personal home inventory the contract states that he receives compensation ten times standard amount with in 1 hour of the termination of the contract."
"What are you talking about?" Antonio looked flustered.
"Did you even read his contract before trying to pull of this stunt?" Amanda screamed. "Zen's contract has specific clauses in it other than our standard contract. Locking him out of his room inventory and taking away his access count as two additional violations. We violated the contract, so we have to follow through with the terms."
"She is trying to tell you that I am no longer an employee of Arrise Corporation and after termination you have to follow the rules dictated by the system." Zen said with a genuine smile. "Amanda I truly think that you're an amazing person to keep things going while dealing with this idiot. I really enjoyed working with you but not so much for your asshole brother."
"Zen I am sorry he tried to do this to you." Amanda's face calmed down as she spoke.
"I know I believe you." Zen said and then smiled. "If you were guild leader there is no way I would been able to break free of my contract."
Zen watched as Amanda smile as he said this and then he looked at Antonio and stated. "I suggest you stay as far as you can from Vincent Deluci and any organizations he has his claws into. He's vile and truly intelligent, and in the end even with Amanda behind you. You'll get stabbed in the back."
Zen didn't even wait for Antonio to respond before he left the office heading for the exit. He already had everything he needed, but the extra credits would help with his overall plan. He also knew the moment he saw Amanda smile that she had known about everything and had waited. She truly was a amazing woman. He hoped that he could visit with her again sometime in the future, but for now he had a lot of planning to do.