Okay, so. It's been about a week since the end of that ring incident. School has gone pretty well. I wasn't sure how being involved with a play was going to affect my assignments, but it's turning out all right. As for the play itself, we're getting our lines down well enough -- some of us more than others, but we'll pull it together. Oh, I did end up asking Anhe if she was confident enough to help us out with staff-fighting; she shyly agreed, and turned up with her mother one afternoon to give us some pointers. Miss Andrews all but drafted her on the spot, and now our shy little friend is helping us with that choreography for the musical.

What's that? Oh, yeah; Rachel and I had our out-of-game night, spending time at the nearby park with an impromptu picnic, our homework, and our lines. It was a good change for us, even though part of me wondered if we would have actual time together like this once the musical headed in to its more rigorous schedule. Rachel smiled at me when I wondered that aloud as I walked her home, saying that we'd make the time somehow, to which I could only agree wholeheartedly. We would definitely make the effort.

Apparently the others got up to some stuff with Dreamers Fables in-game while we were out; while they were out questing in Memphani they got into it with the King-Priests of the Demon Sands. Ellie told us grumpily at lunch that the confrontation had ended in a stalemate, and that it would have gone much differently had the two of us been around.

“What, Myanihia didn't show up to help out?” I wondered.

“She only helps when you're actually there,” the blonde girl returned sullenly.

“That seems in character for her agreement with Lana,” Rachel had shrugged.

“W-well, maybe we'll get on tonight... or maybe...” I had stammered out, and the others had looked at me with surprise.

“You of all people are having second thoughts about heading in to Panarena?!” Ellie said in shock.

“I mean...”

“Let the little turtle doves be!” Andrea had hurriedly come to my defense. “It would be nice to spend some time out of game for a day or so...” she remarked, taking Thomas' hand as he smiled at her.

“True. We should pick a movie to go and see,” he said.

“Oh def!” Andrea agreed.

“Hahh... lovebirds, lovebirds everywhere...” Ellie groaned.

“I'm not dating anyone,” Mary quipped back.

“I-I am not either,” Anhe added with a wry grin.

“Hmph.” the other girl shrugged. “It would be nice to go and see that one movie... you know, the one with Jack Morgan and Selene O'Malley in it,” she then remarked.

“Ooh, nice idea!” Andrea smiled.

“Hm?” I wondered.

“It's a pirate fantasy film or something, isn't it?” Mary asked.

“Yep!” Ellie nodded.

“Huh?!” I said with sudden interest.

“I know what we're doing Friday.” Rachel grinned.

“So two more days then,” Ellie nodded as she munched on her sandwich. “Which means there's plenty of time between now and then to get back at those Sand-people whatever in Panarena tonight!”

“Just have to be alert for their ambushing techniques...” Mary sighed.

“I agree. That was rough.” Anhe softly winced.

“Demon Sands, huh?” I remarked, popping a grape into my mouth as I pondered for a moment.

“I know you haven't had much time to read the forums, but you know a bit about them, right?” Ellie said to me.

“Hrrmm, I remember Ty saying one night he'd rather have us as an enemy for a whole month than Demon Sands for one night.” I remarked.

“Pfft!” the blonde girl chortled.

“Wow.” Andrea blinked in surprise.

“Their guild leader is someone named... Rama, isn't it? Kind of like Ramesses, that old pharaoh,” I added, and Mary nodded back at me.

“That's what I've heard about them. Not sure if they're a male or female avatar...” she said.

“This shtick again?” I quipped in a partly unamused tone.

“This shtick again... Lana.” Mary grinned back at me.

“Hahh...”

“But I get his point.” Thomas said with a faint smile. “That Myanihia had most of us going for almost the whole tournament. Though I doubt this one will be as subtle.”

“I'm more concerned about Venomheart overall,” I shrugged. “Not many seem to know too much about them. But I guess we could log in tonight and take a poke at the other guild,” I looked over at Rachel, who seemed interested.

“It's been a while since we got into real PvP action, and this time it's honestly motivated. Let's do it!” she nodded back.

“Ya-hoo! The bosses are in!” Ellie beamed.

“Just so long as we get through classes and stuff first.” Rachel softly poked me.

“Ahh... right, classes, and stuff,” I replied as she smirked.

“Don't tell us you're worn out from Robin Hood already?” Andrea said to me.

“I'm not,” I answered. “I'm just thinking about that mathematics homework...” I shivered.

“Ack, you reminded me,” my girlfriend winced.

“You two can dread homework when or if you sign up for a philosophy class...” Mary said to us.

“No thanks!”

“Nope!” we said at once, and the others laughed.

“Almost time for lunch to end,” Thomas then warned us. “Oh, what did Mrs. Brown say about our workplace trip?”

“She said it'd be good for us, and that we should schedule it soon. Next weekend or so, preferably,” Andrea told us.

“I can do that with this amount of warning.” Ellie said, and Thomas nodded.

“Same.”

“Hmm... as long as we do it in the morning I'll be good.” Mary said.

“Hm? You have other plans that day?” Andrea asked her.

“I have a campus visit to AILE at two-thirty,” Mary replied.

“Ahh! Gotcha!” Andrea smiled. “We'll have a nine-to-one schedule for it, then; that should be enough time, right?”

“Perfect.” the principal's daughter nodded back. “I guess dad will go along with us as a chaperon, since that's the case,” she added.

“W-we're going to the video game people, right?” I wondered.

“It'll be fine! Dr. Robertson is open to education in all its forms, remember? He let us open the club after all...” Ellie remarked.

“He did.” Mary smiled. “We'll get something worthwhile out of it, don't you worry.” she said to me.

“Hmm.”

“My mother will come along as well.” Anhe added. “Probably!”

“Good!” Andrea smiled back. “Oh, before we eat and split, if we're all gonna go on Friday we should get Chrissy and Mandy to go with us!”

“Another couple,” Ellie sighed, but smiled in agreement anyway.

“Just ask Justine out or something,” Andrea quipped back at her. Ellie blushed for a moment and then gave her friend a look.

“Unofficial Rule Number One of work-place conduct: never ask a co-worker out on a date.” she said adamantly.

“Then if she wasn't--” I started, but she held up her hand.

“Hold it! That's enough from the peanut gallery, thank you.” she said to me.

She likes this person at least a *little* bit, judging from that reaction, I quickly thought to myself.

“I have to agree with Ellie on that rule,” Thomas nodded.

“Aww.” Andrea softly pouted. Ellie cleared her throat, balled up her trash, and took it to the bins.

“I'm not into that scene yet anyway. Besides, there's still harem rumors around this poor kid here,” the other girl jerked a thumb towards me.

“Gyeck?!”

“Hahh...” Rachel sighed tiredly. “We'll they'll have to die out this spring for sure after the dances and the musical.” she said, taking my hand.

“I'll say.” Mary nodded in agreement.

“Anyhow,” Thomas then said, “I'll take you two to the study-cafe after rehearsals and we can finish up our homework there.”

“Okay!” Rachel agreed.

“Nice,” I nodded back.

“I'll meet you there!” Andrea smiled.

“Ahh!! The bell!” Mary cried out as a familiar tone sounded, and we began scrambling to head for our afternoon classes.

“It's like this,” Andrea said to us later that afternoon, after we had gotten through afternoon classes and rehearsals. She was now demonstrating a math-formula for us while Thomas scribbled down notes for an essay he was working on. Rachel and I had been perplexed by the formula for at least two weeks now; I was still mostly in the dark, but Rachel seemed to understand it better as Andrea wrote it out with annotation.

“Hmm, so that goes like this and not that,” my girlfriend remarked as she erased a bit and tried again.

“Exactly!” Andrea nodded. “Sean, you okay?” she asked me.

“Hrrmm...” I sighed in quiet frustration.

“Nothing gets tougher in that course, I promise that much,” Thomas said. “Even if he doesn't get these, as long as he gets the formulas and equations of the next few weeks down to a certain extent, he'll pass.”

“But it'd be better if you could get it in case you can't get some of those.” Andrea softly smirked at me.

“Hyeck!”

“Se-an!” Rachel said to me in a sing-song voice, doodling a series of notes on my paper.

“Hm? Oh!!” I exclaimed in sudden realization.

“Hahh... and what part of my explanation couldn't he get?” Andrea shook her head in amusement.

“It's more like, Rachel gets you, and Sean gets Rachel.” Thomas smiled. “So he does get it, it just has to come through Rachel after you.”

“They've been dating only five months and they get each other so well.” Andrea grinned as she watched the two of us. “I wonder what they'll do for the big day coming up?” she said in a quieter voice.

“Well, we've got our plans... it's safe to say they have theirs, at least I hope.” he remarked.

Big day? Oh. Oh that, I suddenly recalled.

Valentine's Day. It was looming closer. Did I have plans? Kind of. Did they involve being in-game? Soft of. What about real life? Somewhat. I mean, yes. There were definitely real plans in my head that weren't about the Valentine's Gala at school. I mean, that too. But not just that. After all, it would be six months on that day...

“Sean?” Rachel poked me.

“Hm?” I looked over at her.

“You're spacing out.”

“Ahh--!! D-did I miss something?” I asked her.

“Not really.” she said with a subtle smile.

I missed something.

“They'll be fine.” Andrea nodded in agreement with Thomas.

***

“Ho-boy.” I sighed to myself as I entered my room later that night.

After I got changed, I hurriedly looked at the image I had captured on my phone at the cafe. It had been hard to get it so stealthily, but my inadvertent ninja-training in Panarena had not been for nothing. It was a picture of Rachel's hand. Why Sean, what are you doing with a picture of your girlfriend's hand? Well, in this day and age, there's a handy feature on your phones to help people out with sizing for clothes and jewellery and such. And that is as much as I'm gonna say right now.

Hmm? Oh yeah, I had gotten the usual arrival-interrogation about the day's events from the 'rents, of course. They definitely seemed pleased at all the social developments in my life. So much so that I was let upstairs with a “have fun!” without even a word about homework. Now that almost made me feel as if I had stepped through some portal into another reality. They never let up about homework. Even the old man. But I guess I'd been doing things right according to their book enough so that it no longer warranted an inquisition. Anyhow. With all of the day's homework and rehearsals now firmly behind me, I got comfortable, and set the Dream Machine upon my head to escape into Panarena.

“Finally,” I sighed in relief as I loaded up in Queen's Haven.

“Someone sounds happy to be out of the real world.” the voice of Lysandra remarked. I turned to see her lounging idly on one of the sofas. “You seemed happy enough when we were vacationing together, though.”

“That was then, this is now.” I shrugged. “I don't hate being myself or having my actual life, but...” I trailed off, uncertain of where that statement was going. Lysandra looked at me for a moment and then smiled.

“I think most gamers, especially in this world, understand what you're wanting to say. We'll leave it at that, Lana--though if I had to choose, I like this you better.” she winked at me.

“Hah?” I faintly blushed.

“What? You like this you better too, don't you?” she grinned, getting up to place her coat on and buckle the sword onto her baldric.

“Ahh--um... hrrm...” I stuttered, not sure of how to answer that. She came over and put a hand on my shoulder.

“Teasing.” she softly laughed.

“No fair,” I returned with an awkward grin.

“Belle really does want to interview you for her thesis, though.”

“Gyeck!?”

“Come on, losers!” Lizzy's voice was heard. “We've got payback to deliver!”

“Oh, right,” I said, and quickly changed into battle gear.

“She's really determined to get that secret ore in the Lasat Mountains,” Belle said as she flew in to check on us.

“Hmm...?” I said with interest.

“That's true. She was definitely frustrated when they stonewalled us and forced us to retreat from that mine.” Lysandra nodded.

“So there's some kind of special ore there, huh?” I said as the others joined us.

“Def!” Lizzy nodded. “It's an ingredient for super top-notch gear, a few steps above the gear we made over winter break. Not just the ore, but a couple of rare magistones, too.”

“Oh nice!” I exclaimed.

Magistones are basically gemstones, but naturally enchanted ones. The enchantments you get are random, of course, but ingenious crafters like Lizzy can find ways to make any of them advantageous. I was definitely seeing why she was adamant on getting to that mine. Suddenly a thought struck me.

“Hey, did those guys, the King-Priests that is, have any, ahh, helpers, like Fyu or Dracuoatlax?” I asked them.

“Not that I saw.” Maryn shook her head.

“Just a bunch of insanely powerful mages.” Lysandra sighed. “Don't get me wrong; Ariana and Sky Belle are technically better, it's just that they have a lot of mages, and that makes it hard for melee to get close.”

“Hmm...” I pondered, a soft smile crossing my face.

“I get the feeling I'm going to like this.” Lizzy remarked.

“And I get the feeling that we're going to feel really silly for not thinking about it last night.” Maryn said with a grin.

“I think we need to pay a visit to a dragon.” I then said.

Dracuoatlax needed nearly zero encouragement to come and help us. Of course, we brought Fyu along as well, for the sake of our resource waggon. Maryn, Anhe, and Lizzy went ahead of us to Memphani with that while the rest of us went to fetch our winged friend. We caught up with them outside Bara Zyn, one of the southeastern cities in that region. The Lasat Mountains were directly south of us, looming in the distance both invitingly and forbiddingly.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Master, I must caution you,” Dracuoatlax said as we touched down, “It is rumored that there is a guild in these lands who have made alliance with an old adversary of mine: Djaziim the Unholy.”

“Dj-Djaziim the Unholy, huh?” I repeated with a slight hesitance.

“I, too, have heard of this creature.” Fyu nodded. “It was said he bowed to no one in the days of yore; anyone who has gained his services must surely be formidable.”

“These have gained our services, Fyu Dongtian,” the dragon returned. “And we two were also among those who bowed to none.”

“Through wisdom, and through cunning,” the dog-beast replied. “But what wisdom or cunning did Djaziim ever honor?”

“You speak the truth.” the other agreed.

I listened to the exchange with interest. The lore in this game was incredible; our friend Dracuoatlax had been rivals with a demon named Djaziim who was now serving a rival guild for some unknown reason.

“Much like myself, Djaziim has a strong opinion of his superiority,” the dragon continued. “If someone has gained his services, there is certainly some sort of hold upon him that he either cannot or will not break, which is saying something, indeed.”

“I would say 'cannot', for all the stories I have heard of him say there is nothing he will not stoop to doing.” Fyu remarked.

“This I cannot deny.” the other nodded back.

“Dracuoatlax, was this thing--this Djaziim, did he make his home in those mountains?” I suddenly realized.

“That is the truth, my clever queen and master,” he replied.

“I think the King-Priests' also built their own guild-hall or at least an outpost somewhere in those mountains.” Lizzy told us. “They couldn't get it too close to the mines because resource spots are neutral spaces in game territory, but they can get close enough to attempt monopolizing it.”

“Hmm...” I sighed, sitting down on a nearby bench to ponder for a bit.

“Lana?” Ariana asked, sitting down with me.

“I think I see a way to do this efficiently... we're gonna make two groups. One to attack their outpost or whatever it is, the other one to raid the mines.” I announced.

“I thought you couldn't attack guild-halls or outposts?” Maryn said.

“That only applies to ones like Cloverbell or Queen's Haven.” I told her.

“Ahh, that's true,” Lizzy nodded. “Player-made outposts and such can be raided or captured.”

“P-player made ones can? Then what about our house in Bethelia?” Ariana quickly asked.

“I think that region has some sort of special protection over it,” Lysandra assured her.

“Oh def.” Lizzy nodded.

“That's why it's a popular place for crafters and roleplayers,” I added, and she sighed in relief.

“That's good, then!” she smiled.

“There's supposedly a region like it in Onyxus, too.” Lysandra said.

“Not that I can imagine slice-of-life on the dark side, but hey,” I shrugged, a faint grin on my face.

“Right?” the older girl smiled.

“I think your plan will work, master.” Dracuoatlax said. “I ask permission to be with you on the assault!”

“Of course,” I nodded back. “Ariana, Belle, Anhe, you'll be with us. Maryn, you'll lead the others.”

“Got it.” our shield-user nodded.

“Give us... ehh, thirty minutes?” I turned to Ariana.

“Twenty to thirty,” she nodded. “Time enough to locate them and get their attention.”

“Exactly.” I said.

“Let's get to this grove here before we split, and then we'll start counting time.” Maryn said, pulling up the map to show us the spot in question.

“Good idea.” I agreed.

“Whee! Revenge-match!” Lizzy exclaimed giddily, and we set off. When we got to the grove a few minutes later, the Latas Mountains were looming closer. We could also see two banners planted near two paths, each of them black and red with a demonic visage on them and nine flames surrounding it.

“The right one marks the trail to the mines; the left one must be their outpost.” Maryn told us. “We found the mines last time by just following the map; we weren't sure what the banners were about then, but I guess that's their guild emblem.”

“All right, that makes it a bit easier,” I said.

“Lana, there's another group headed this way.” Ariana said as she put a hand on my shoulder.

“Tch!” I turned to look. There were five players heading towards us; their leader halted them several paces away, and signaled for me to come forward. I did so, and he came to meet me in the middle.

“I am Qi Lin; we are the Heavenly Dragons. What are you doing here?” he asked me.

“I'm Lana Windstrider of the Silvernight Queens. We were just about to... pay a visit to the guild here so we can get something we want.” I told him.

“Hmm... the way you say this, it sounds like you have a not-so-friendly reason for it!” he said to me with a smile.

“Probably not,” I shrugged disarmingly. “So? Are you here to fight us and help them?” I asked bluntly.

“Ha-ha-ha! I like that -- no holding back!” Qi Lin beamed. “Fear not; I and my friends are here to help ourselves to their mine, if we can. If you are attacking them, that makes it easier for us.”

“I'm leading an attack group to their outpost; the rest of my guild is going to be raiding the mine as well.”

“Then I shall divide my forces as well to help you.” he nodded. “Happy! Rainsong! Go with the attack group; Ai, Mistyque, with me to continue the raid!” he called to his friends.

“Hai hai!”

“Wakarimashita!” they replied.

“N-Nihongo,” I remarked by force of habit from language class.

“Yo-ho, Anhe-chan!” the girl called Rainsong said as she came over with a smile.

“Ame-chan!” Anhe smiled back. “Happy-chan!”

“Yo!” the boy in question smiled back as he arrived.

“Do not worry, Lana! We are in good hands with them!” Anhe smiled back at me.

“S-sure thing,” I nodded back.

“Oh!” Qi Lin turned back to me. “We will of course not fight over who gets what in the mine; we want this to succeed as much as you seem to,” he told us.

“Fair enough,” I agreed at once. “Though if we end up with something the other wants, I'm sure we're open to negotiating after the raid.”

“Agree.” he bowed in reply. I hastily bowed back. “Hmm? Good manners on you, for an American girl. Ha-ha-ha!” he smiled, and then clapped his hands together. “All right! What is the plan?”

“Give us...” I started, then looked around at our inadvertent but welcome team-members. “Give us about ten or fifteen minutes after we break off, then go for the mines.”

“Nice idea!” he nodded back. “You are attacking with a dragon, huh?” he remarked with awe.

“If that doesn't get their attention and keep it from you, I don't know what will,” I said with a grin.

“True!” he grinned back.

“All right, attack group, on Dracuoatlax!” I then said.

“Coming!” Ariana said, and our little attack group got onto the dragon along with Rainsong and Happy, and then Dracuoatlax took off into the air again.

As soon as we were high enough in the air, we could see the outpost at once. It was crafted of stone, and it was probably meant to blend in to the reddish mountains at first glance, but from the air we could definitely make it out. It looked like an homage to an Arabian fortress, adapted, of course, to the setting of the mountains.

“Perhaps we can take this keep intact, master,” Dracuoatlax suggested to me.

“Take the keep?” I wondered. “We don't have a banner for that, though,” I remarked regretfully.

“We have one for our guild!” Happy grinned.

“Whatever works,” I nodded. “If we can do it, you can have it.”

“Ah--! Archers!” Rainsong said in warning as we approached.

“Bah!” the dragon snorted, unleashing jets of flame towards them. The archers, whom I guessed were NPC hirelings, ran off in terror, some of them on fire.

“Here we go!” I said, getting ready to jump off. “Rainsong, are you a mage?” I asked her. She looked at me blankly for a moment until Anhe repeated the question in Japanese, then she smiled and nodded back.

“You want her and me to stay with Dracuoatlax, yes?” Ariana asked.

“Yep!” I nodded, and with that I jumped off, Belle and Anhe coming after me and Happy on our tail with a few parting words to his guildmate. She called out to him in reply, and our two mages soared off to continue terrorizing the outer defenses as the four of us landed inside to wreak havoc of our own.

“Hya!!” Anhe thumped her staff, activating her auras.

“Hiyup!” Happy grinned, taking out a set of nunchaku and setting to work at once while I began slipping in and out of the shadows with my daggers. Belle began dazing our opponents with her own magic, and the four of us slipped into a decent but admittedly hasty team-rhythm. Hopefully it would last long enough to fluster the guild we were attacking and keep their attention off of the mines below us.

“Any players yet?” I asked as I took down two guards.

“All NPCs!” Happy replied. “So boring!”

“You can say that again,” I sighed.

We forced our way to what looked like the keep, Anhe swiftly breaking down the door to allow the four of us inside while our two mage friends and the dragon kept wreaking havoc outside. I activated Shadow Vision to look around; there weren't many NPCs inside, mostly servants or workers. There were a couple of guards posted at the top of a flight of stairs through the door to our left, however.

“Which way?” Anhe asked.

“That door to the left,” I said, and we hastily burst through this one to head up the stairs, where we found the two guards and rendered them unconscious.

“What are they guarding?” Happy wondered in a cheery tone, kicking down another door to let us get inside. The four of us gasped with shock as we entered the room. There were several crates and chests full of crafting resources sitting around, all of them greater quality or higher.

“Treasure--no, a resource hoard!” Sky Belle remarked. Happy whistled in amazement.

“Look at all the rare ones!” Anhe said with quiet excitement.

“I'll say; let's call the others over and--” I started, swiftly turning around to counter a strike aimed at my back. The others were back on the alert in seconds.

“You are as good as they say,” the smiling female assassin remarked.

There was a devious look in that smiling face; she reminded me of Rayna, though she had darker skin and was dressed slightly more conservatively than the other girl. Her hair was cut boyishly short, and two golden eyes gleamed at me with cat-like cunning. She looked around briefly before returning her attention to me.

“Sorry, but I can't let you take these. Rama and Hathisis will be upset with me if I do.” she said.

“What makes you think you can stop me?” I asked her with a faint grin.

“I watched the Grand Melee; I know your skill. I know how to make the combo work.” she said to me with confidence.

“Oh? Just that?” I returned with a more visible grin.

“That's all I need to take you--” she started to say, but at that moment I pulled my other dirty trick. Into my left hand, as quick as lightning, I materialized the flintlock, and blasted her with it. Her avatar did not immediately disintegrate, but she was knocked back. The stun was enough for Happy to finish the job with a swift motion, and she disintegrated to a respawn point.

“Dracuoatlax! Over here!” I then shouted at the top of my lungs. “Hurry, gather them up!” I said to the others. Belle switched to human-size, and we quickly gathered the crates and chests of resources to a single point as Dracuoatlax came up beside the tower.

“Aiya!” Rainsong remarked in disbelief as we began ferrying them to the dragon's back.

“Our plan has succeeded marvelously, master; I see the forms of tiny beings rushing this way to stop us.” Dracuoatlax told me.

“New plan: we're gonna head away from the mines and let them chase us,” I said.

“If they are intent upon these, that plan will succeed.” the dragon nodded.

Them's the brakes, I thought to myself. If they didn't chase us the others would be in trouble.

“This is a lot of valuable ore here; I doubt they'll let us go so easily.” Belle said as she got the final one.

“Stop them!!” a voice called from below. There was a clamor of footsteps rushing up the tower.

“Time to go!” I exclaimed, and Dracuoatlax set off with us and our pilfered collection.

“They got everything?!” a second voice cried out.

“Bah! Get to the wayport and get the summon--” the first voice said angrily, but we flew too far out of range to hear the rest.

Get to the wayport and get the summon... what? Reinforcements? Likely, but what kind of reinforcements?... don't tell me...

“Where's the nearest wayport?” I asked. Happy said something to Anhe in Japanese.

“He said that they came in on one about fifteen minutes east of where we met,” she said to me.

“Tch, that's practically our rendezvous point, isn't it?” I sighed.

“Yup.” Ariana nodded.

“Hmm... we got to wayport first with dragon, then we activate and send crates through with me and one of you; then whomever is left with dragon can go help the others!” Happy said to us.

“Good idea!” I said with a thumbs-up.

“I will most certainly get to the wayport before your foolish enemies, master!” Dracuoatlax said with glee.

True to his word, we got there with time to spare. I could see players riding up to us in the distance. Happy activated a wayport to Chu, a small village I presumed was a halfway point between our guildhall and theirs, which Anhe confirmed. When the crates were through, he went through as well.

“See whomever in a few!” he said as he did.

“Okay, chicks!” Belle said to us. “Rock paper scissors?”

“Okay!” we nodded, and did a quick round; Anhe lost, and hurried through the portal, wishing us luck as it closed. The mounted players halted their steeds a short distance away, coming down from them to face us.

“Bold, bold, bold!” a figure obfuscated by elaborate robes and a fancy human-face mask of gold said to me. I faintly recognized their voice as the one who had first shouted before we took off. Their voice was deepened by it, so it was definitely harder to tell if they were male or female. “Lana Windstrider; I, Rama, applaud you for your heist and for outwitting Serpenti.”

“Rama... guild leader of the King-Priests,” I noted aloud. I could see Rainsong tense up as I said the name.

“You won't get me a second time,” the assassin in question scoffed as she stepped into view.

“That's what they all say,” I shrugged back.

“Master!” Dracuoatlax interrupted, arching his body for a strike. I quickly saw what had gotten his attention. A female player next to Rama had pulled out a lamp.

“Rama, my love, I have the lamp.” she said.

“Good, Hathisis.” the other nodded. “Awaken him.”

“As you command.” Hathisis bowed her head, and began rubbing the lamp.

“Back!” the dragon said to us, and we did as he asked, backing up to where he could shield us with his wings.

“Oh-ho? This pet of theirs knows something,” Rama said with amusement. I saw sparks and then smoke come from the lamp.

Wait, Memphani is based on Egyptian and Arabian stuff, right? Aren't certain kinds of demons in that mythology bound to objects like lamps and stuff? Which means that--

“Akuma!” Rainsong cried out as the smoke expanded and began reforming itself into a shape of substance, human-like but not human at all. It hovered in the air for a few moments, and then landed upon the ground with a thud. The being before us now was red-skinnned, with vile yellow eyes and golden coverings; a great scepter of gold and jewels was in its hand, and sharp teeth like a lion's gleamed in its mouth.

“Behold! I am Djaziim!” it said with a thunderous bellow.

“Djaziim! I hope the passing of a few eons has not dulled the memory of your many defeats?” Dracuoatlax said at once.

“Hrn? Ahh! Dracuoatlax, my old enemy!” the demon said with delight.

Without another word, the great dragon blasted fire upon him and the surrounding area, forcing the members of the King-Priests to back up several meters away to avoid incineration. Djaziim on the other hand managed to resist the blast, activating his scepter to blow a storm of sand and lightning our way. Dracuoatlax kept us covered, a resurgent flame of greater power emanating from his jaws to counter the demon's attack. The fire and sand dissipated slowly, neither combatant much affected.

“Curses! They're evenly matched!” one of the enemy guild members cried out.

“Hrrnn!” Djaziim glowered at the dragon.

“Pah!” the other spat.

“Uh-oh.” I softly remarked, and Ari nodded.

“That was unwise.” she agreed.

“I am Dracuoatlax! The Subjugator of the Ancients, Lord and King of the Torching Mount! There is none on this side of Panarena that can match me in combat, least of all this worthless and fickle jinn!” the dragon retorted, readying a great blast and letting it loose with a thunderous sound. I could barely see anything, but what I could see was that Djaziim the Unholy was having a heck of a time defending against this attack.

“Those are words he's saying while he breathes flame,” Ariana said to me. “He must be increasing the power, or adding in some deadly effect harmful to that Djaziim.”

“That's cool!” I said with wonder as we watched the battle continue.

“N'gyah! Argh! Hrrnnnph! Rrrraggh!” Djaziim grunted with exertion.

“I wonder if I can help him,” Ariana then said, raising her staff and starting an incantation.

“If you can, I can!” Belle chimed in, doing the same with her pixie wand. I looked at Rainsong, who looked back at me. I made a circling motion with my hands and pointed towards the King-Priests.

“Circle round; attack?” she asked me, and I nodded. She smiled back in agreement, and we got ready to strike.

At that moment we heard an unearthly howl; it was Lysandra. Her Howl of the Void had frozen the enemy players in place; the werewolf-girl was galloping ahead of Fyu and the others on the waggon, readying herself for a pounce. The two of us rushed to join the attack with her. Then, Djaziim stepped back a few paces, and thumped his scepter onto the ground. He, and the King-Priests who were his masters, vanished in a teleportation spell right as the three of us got to them. Dracuoatlax halted his fire, and Ariana and Belle ceased their attacks as well. Lysandra growled discontentedly, then shifted back to human form, replacing her top as she continued muttering.

“You guys okay?” Lizzy asked.

“What about you?” I replied.

“We're fine; got a lot of ore, too!” she grinned happily.

“This arrangement work very well!” Qi Lin said proudly. “Where is Happy?”

“He went ahead with Anhe to Chu through the wayport; there's a surprise waiting for you all when you get through it!” I said to them.

“Ohh! This is excellent news! We will open portal right now and go through,” he replied.

“You all go ahead, I need to head back with Dracuoatlax.”

“Lana?” Ariana said to me, then shook her head. “I'll come too.”

“Okay.” I nodded, then turned back to Qi Lin, bowing. “Thank you for your alliance tonight; we would not have been able to do this without you and your friends.” I told him sincerely. He bowed back.

“Likewise, Lady Lana!” he replied. “I will not promise complete friendship yet, but I will promise not to attack you in the guild competition!” he remarked.

“Then I promise the same,” I said. He nodded, and in a few moments the others had gone through the wayport, leaving me, Ariana, and Dracuoatlax to fly back by ourselves.

***

“You did not want the others to hear our words?” the dragon wondered as we soared through the air.

“Ehh, I guess not,” I said in reply. “That last attack; did Ariana and Belle manage to help you any?” I asked him.

“I felt their power adding strength to my own, yes,” he replied. “It was an unusual sensation, but a welcome assistance against that vile cretin.”

“Dracuoatlax... in all your ancient battles, did--did you ever lose a fight against him? Against Djaziim?” I wondered. He paused, and for a moment the only sounds we heard were the wind rushing by us and the flapping of his great wings.

“I understand your thoughts, Lady Lana, but do not make light of me.” he eventually said.

“I apologize, my friend.” I returned.

“But I will say this: though I never lost, there were three occasions where neither of us truly prevailed. Does that satisfy your asking, master?” he then said.

“It does; and it makes me glad to hear that. Not because you didn't prevail,” I quickly said, “But because with our help you'll keep having victories over him, right?”

“Hmm!” the dragon remarked. “I see now your thoughts, dear girl! Yes, it is true; with your help I cannot be forced to a stalemate against him no matter how clever he is; yet remember that your adversaries may be as cunning as you, and they may seek ways to strengthen him as well, equalizing the field once more.”

“So we just have to keep them under control.” I noted.

“But Lana, they're mostly mages, and I feel like we didn't see all of them just now.” Ariana reminded me.

“Ahh--! That's true... the others said they practically ran into a horde of magic-users...” I recalled.

“They probably have defenders like Serpenti around for anyone who gets too close to them; and I wouldn't be surprised if they have heavy fighters like Lizzy or Maryn as well,” she continued.

“Now that, masters, is information I cannot help you with.” the dragon said.

“Don't worry; we'll find a way to get it.” I said to him.

“I am sure you will!” he nodded. “Now, will you come all the way with me to the Torching Mount, or have I answered enough questions for now?” he then asked me.

“Ah... d-do you not want us along right now?” I asked hesitantly.

“Forgive me, master, but I am weary from my exertions; and knowing now that my enemy is back in the fight, I must collect myself again.”

“Fair enough,” I agreed. “Drop us off at Uldarr, then. We'll get the wayport there.”

“Indeed. My gracious thanks to you both.” the dragon replied. He let us off at the city in question, whereupon he soared off with a satisfied grunt as we promised not to battle Djaziim without him, if we could help it.

“Now what?” Ariana asked me.

“Hmm... the others will have taken care of the -- oh, there's Maryn now,” I said as a message popped up. The resources had been divvied up fairly, and the Heavenly Dragons had parted ways with the others.

“That's done, then.” Ariana smiled.

“One less worry for the night, and we got some payback for them, too.” I nodded.

“True!” she agreed. “So now what? We have a couple of in-game days left,” she noted.

“Hmm... there's got to be some way to get more information about these other guilds...” I said with a soft frown.

“Should we try Harmonia City, then? I bet Myanihia or Rayna might be around. Or even someone like Barbarianne.” she suggested.

“Oh, true! Should we hit up a tavern, restaurant, or bathhouse?”

“Hmm... isn't there a place that's all three?” Ariana wondered.

“Hrrm, I remember what you're talking about, but I can't remember where it was... I guess we'll see it on the city map though,” I said as I punched up Harmonia City: Market Ward for our wayport destination.

“Oh, that's true; and the NPC guides there are helpful about directions as well.” she said.

“Yep!” I nodded as the portal opened, and we stepped through it hand in hand.