“Um. Are we dead?”
“Why aren’t we respawning?”
“Didn’t the Ursine attack us?”
Jun opened his eyes and instead of the attack landing on them, it landed on Vegan, planting him on the floor.
“But why?” He yelled as he began to fizzle. Behind him, he could see an entity emerge from his shadow. It briefly scared him, but it was too late. He was already fizzling. “What the.” But before he could fully be sent to respawn, one of his skills triggered. It was a skill that he’d generally never use but in this situation, it just happened to work. He didn’t know why, until out of his shadow he saw a red name and a health bar. Instead of taking fatal damage, he was left with 1 HP.
“It couldn’t be...”
That moment Madder manifested from his shadow again for only a moment and returned to Jun. The Ursine roared as if it was angry that it hadn’t given its kill. It looked hungry. Vegan only understood that he was still alive. With 1HP he began to cast his skill. “Leech!” His HP began to increase significantly. But the damage dealt to the Ursine was minuscule.
“That bloodsucker,” Julia whispered.
As Madder wisps into Jun's shadow, the Ursine begins looking at them. “Run!” she whispered to Jun.
“Let's go!” Jun yelled to the group and it didn't take Julia and Aethera a moment to begin running.
“Wait for us!” yelled Gwen.
The players would begin to run down the slope and behind them, the Ursine trampled the earth below it, chasing them with a drool dripping from its mouth.
“Madder where are we going?” Jun whispered back.
Madder stayed silent and the group would continue to run until there was a bridge. “Let's cross guys!” The group began to cross and as the Ursine approached the bridge it moved towards it but then walked back a couple of paces. “Phew!” Jun said. The Ursine then began to dash towards the bridge but then halted. A few seconds later it began walking back, while still facing them. “Why do we still have aggro!” Aethera yelled.
As ditzy as Julia was, her guess would make the most sense. “It might be due to us having the most levels?”
Madder nodded in the shadow, but no one could see her do this.
“That can’t be.” Aethera said, questioning the hypothesis, “but it makes sense.” She clasped her hand on her
“But it can't cross this bridge?” Jun then pointed at the bridge.
“We’re going to need to keep going till we get to the end of the map!” Madder urged Jun.
The group continued running under the blood moon until they hit a small settlement which consisted of a building, a campfire and some shacks where players could interact. There weren't any shops or Taverns. “What happened back there?”
“Where’s Vegan?”
“He must be still back there…” Sean said remorsefully.
“So what was your plan after all?” Jun asked Gwen.
“Gwen opened her character screen and displayed it for everyone to see. She was a Level 40 Priestess and Level 10 mage.
“We hired you to protect us during the first phase of the Ursine Ritual. But after the first phase, you were to help us defeat the Ursine, while we gathered up all the materials as we could.”
“Although Gwen's explanation would satisfy most, Aethera was still concerned. “Then why is Vegan here? What does he have to do with the Ursine?”
Sean would cough, raising his head and looking at the group. “The Blood Moon is a very special event that occurs in the game. This region is the only one in the entire game where this takes place which means. Any Blood Class can get class materials during the Blood Moon. Not just the Sangolytes. Vegan is looking for his class change material just like us. But I’m afraid it's already too late. If he's alone, he will not be for long. And he will not be able to defeat it by himself.”
“If any more players than our group were to enter, we are more likely to not be able to acquire our mats as needed. It would be a bloodbath.”
“Isn’t that ironic,” Madder whispered to Jun.
Jun went into thought. Rubbing his chin looking at the sky. “Well, what other classes require these drops from this event?”
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Sean pulled up his character screen and went to the class tree section. As it stands each of the base classes has a Blood-Class. He pulled the screen towards the Priest class. “As we know, the Sangolyte is the Priest and Mage class combined, but there are other classes. The Warrior can become a Bloodsworn. The Paladin can also change into a Dark Knight. Although the Mage can become a Sangolyte, the alternative class which focuses on the Mage class is if at their first class change turn into a druid and then into the Blood Briar. Even Pugilist can turn into Haemakers. On the other hand, Rogues.” Jun quickly looked back to his shadow and then back to Sean. “What can rogues turn into?”
As Sean pulled his screen up, he finally landed on the class change which included the Blood Moon event items. “It says here…Sauder.” One of the branches led from no class and it was Julia that noticed it. “Hey, what's that one that's straight from the adventurer?”
“Oh!” Gwen smiled at her words. “I’m glad you noticed. “That's the Vampire Class.”
“So what you’re trying to say is that this event should bring together anyone who is anyone of the Blood classes. From those wanting to change and Mentors as well?”
Both Gwen and Sean nodded.
“So you wish to go back?”
Both Gwen and Sean nodded.
“Ugh!” Jun yelled. “A contract is a contract. I brought you there, but…”
“We paid for our return!”
Unlike other games, Asper Online had an advanced system for goods and services. As there was a community board, players could also make contracts based on no tangible things. Traders specifically could make contracts using their caravan, which is how this all began, but part of their deal was to return to Windborough. Jun pulled up his agreement and saw the confirming words. “Ugh!”
Jun looked at Julia and Aethera. “Well. We got a job to do.” He opened his skill for his caravan. To repair my caravan I'm going to need several materials and 100,000. “Unless you know a good handyman,” Madder exclaimed.
Jun looked back to his shadow. “And who might that be?” he whispered.
“Knowing him, he should be here shortly. He wouldn’t miss a blood moon for the world.”
Jun rose to his feet and began walking towards the bridge. As he did, the players behind him followed. The Ursine was no longer there. They continued until they met the area where they had summoned the Ursine, and the Ursine was swiping at a group of players, while 3 players sat on top of a mountain, watching the fight play out. Jun inspected the players from afar. He could see Vegan was still in the fray with several other players but the players were on top. Ms.Cullenary, level 289 Dark Knight, Goblinman, a level 314 Haemaker. The last player sat in the middle as if he was ready to jump in, but couldn't. “That’s…”
“Ghoul! Go on! Help your brethren!” Ms.Cullenary yelled.
Ghoul jumped from the perch and landed on the battlefield. “Hey kiddos, step aside.”
Ghoul charged up and sped right to the Ursine, and pierced it with an arrow made of blood.
“What class is that?” Jun asked.
“I don’t know if it's not on the class tree?”
“How is that possible?”
Although they couldn't tell what class he was they could pick out his level. Since the last time they heard of Ghoul, he was at his third Veil. As we met our characters after this time, he was now in his 4th Veil. He then pulled out two daggers made of blood and began throwing them at the Ursine. It was taking damage and was being knocked back. He then shot an array of blood arrows into the sky which began to rain on the battlefield. The Ursine would take damage but some of the players did as well. “Hey, Friendly Fire!” one player yelled. But Ghoul didn't budge. He continued his onslaught of attacks indiscriminately. Many layers began taking damage and started to notice that Ghoul did not care if he was hitting other players.
“Hey Stop it!” One of the players yelled.
Ghoul turned back to the players with glowing red eyes.”And what are you going to do about it?” He then faded into a blood mist and began attacking the other players. As they took damage, many fizzled into thin air. It was then that Vegan seemed to be the only player left standing.
Vegan was walking backwards. “Hey, you don’t have to do this. We just want class change mats.” Ghoul pressed Vegan back and back until he was back to a cliff. “This is my Ursine, Vegan, back down wannabe.” he then pushed Vegan, and Vegan fell off the cliff.
“Now then, back to the Ursine!” He turned and faced the Ursine, who was running straight for him. “Cullen, Gobby! Let's get it!”
Ms.Cullenary and Golbinman jumped from the perch onto the battlefield and continued the fight. As all characters were blood classes, their attack that would require health, now healed them, so each of the players would barrage the Ursine with dozens of attacks until finally, the Ursine was with less than 10% of its full hp. Madder noticed that these players seemed to play very well together as if they had done this boss before many times. Their movement honed. No wasted moves and steps. Anyone watching could tell they were professional players. With 1 HP left, They would charge up their final finisher moves.
“Red Wave Punch!” Ms.Cullenary yelled.
“Dark Paradise!” Goblin yelled.
Lastly, Ghoul flew into the sky. “Blood Moon Skill: Capture!” Ghoul then threw a ball which hit the Ursine, and its body flew into the small ball which remained in the sky with percentage numbers on it. It then began to shake a couple of times when finally it settled.
“We did it!” Ghoul yelled.
“We caught a Complete Bloody Ursine Trent!”
They began to celebrate!”
Suddenly a chest appeared. The trio would approach it hesitantly. They looked at each other and opened it. With a quick glow, the players would receive items. Those still on the map could tell that they received class change items for the Blood classes. “Look at this trash.”
Ghoul then opened his inventory and began dropping all the new items he had just received. “Well items only last a couple of minutes on the floor and then they disappear.” He began walking away. “The scrubs could pick 'em’ up later.” They began to laugh.
Something about their interaction made Julia kiss her teeth. “I second that Aethera,” whispered. She clenched her fist. Gwen then looked at Jun. “Yggsalad are you glitching something is wrong with your shadow.” As Jun looked back his shadow was in the shape of a large demonic face.
“Ugh, Madder,” Jun whispered.
Finally, a voice we hadn't heard in a long time would come to Madder’s side.
“Madder calm down.” It was Crypto. “I know you hate it too when normal players act like Pirates”
“It just doesn't make sense. Why would someone who is strong steal from the weak? Where's the challenge?” She replied. But then Crypto and Madder stopped talking and began to laugh. “Of course.”
It would take 10 seconds for Goblin to notice something was wrong.
It would take 7 seconds for Cullenary to notice something was wrong.
But it took Ghoul 2 seconds to know something was wrong.
“Guy ready up. The event is not over.” The trio entered a combative stance, but they didn't know what was coming.
“That's My Blood, you have it.” said an ominous voice.
Although it was just a game, the voice sent a shiver down each of the player’s spines. Where even Goblin took his VR Helmet off and put it back on. “Goblin did you just' afk?”
He nodded, shaking his head. The trio then put their backs together.
“Look Up.” From the sky, the moon was closer than ever. Such a visual phenomenon was unheard of in the game.
“Why is the moon so close!” Ghoul yelled.
“Do we attack it?” Cullen yelled.
“The moon then would split as if a video graphics card was failing to display the actual graphics. It was dark geometric blocks that covered the blood moon. Out of the black patches emerged a character wearing a black suit, with white hair wielding a black long sword.
“Who said you could capture my Ursine?” the voice said.
“Your Ursine?”
“Who said you could capture Betso?”.
When the trio looked upon the character his name was flashing red, with a level 515 and guildless.
“Arculus.” Ghoul read. “How do you even say that.?
“You read it with your blood,” Arculus said ominously. “Let the real Blood Moon event occur.”
An announcement would be made once again, in the map for a character with a bounty higher than they’ve ever seen. While a Mentor can be a teacher who shows players a good example, or in a video game a higher-level player that helps a lower-level player learn the game, a mentor could also be someone who teaches cocky players a lesson.