Henrik was wrapped in multiple layers, but he could still feel the biting cold. He reminded himself it was a good thing. It was when you couldn’t feel anything you had reason to be concerned.
The tower’s position on the mountain peak gave him a clear view for miles around. From this position, it was impossible to be approached without being seen well in advance and any potential dangers would have to scale sheer cliffs and slick ledges. Not to mention, he’d hidden the ladder to the tower. Just to be safe.
Seeker to Outrider-1, any movement on the horde?
The “horde” in question was a large group of the Frostbite that was gathered on the slopes to the south. It had slowly made its way east, but so long as it stayed away from the north, he didn’t see any reason to worry.
This is Outrider-1. No, he responded. I don’t think-
Before he could finish, he saw a reaction ripple through the horde. These hordes moved like schools of fish and while sudden directional changes were rare, they were also dangerous.
The horde’s shifted. They’re heading south to the old tunnel shafts.
Outrider-1, can you see what they’re reacting to?
He tried his best to pick out details amongst the frozen wasteland, but it was impossible to make out any details.
“I’m not an eagle, Seeker,” he muttered to himself. These codenames seemed utterly unnecessary, especially when it came to clan chat. But, old habits die hard.
Outrider-1 to Seeker, I think I see… It looks like a small party.
“Oh, no. Don’t do that,” he whispered to himself. The small party was attempting to fight back against the horde. But the commotion they were causing was only attracting more and more of them. The party was heading through a particularly dangerous pass with only one exit: An old miner’s passage that had been locked and barricaded.
They’re attracting a lot of attention out there, Seeker. They’re heading north to the miner’s passage.
Is it still locked off, Outrider-1?
“Cold, Seeker,” Henrik said. The miner’s passage would lead them to the safe zone, but the same could be said for the horde.
I checked yesterday, Seeker.
Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
The party wasn’t far out now. Soon enough, they’d have to make their last stand.
It’s too bad, Herik said. It’s been a while since I’d seen a shield knight. You don’t think that’s the Shield Knight of the Bla-
Seeker to Outrider-1, repeat again. Did you say shield knight?
***
The air was frigid and after running for twenty minutes in the open air, Willow’s lungs were aching with every step. Her eyes were wide, scanning the environment for danger while also picking out dangers in the grounds around her. The terrain was rocky and slick. And with the monsters behind them, a twisted ankle was just as deadly as the appearance of more monsters. Maybe even more so.
Willow! Head’s up, the outcropping!
She looked up to see it about 100 feet overhead. A stone ledge that overlooked the path they were currently running on. Once the others had passed through, Willow cast [arcane bolt], striking the ledge at its base and sending a shower of rubble down.
“Willow!” Hana shouted. “Hit it again!”
Willow closed her eyes and drew in as much mana as she could handle. The power swelled up inside her like a crashing wave and when she could contain no more, the [arcane bolt] shot out as raw power, tracing an arc and creating a chaotic explosion. The stone outcropping collapsed, sending boulders the size of motorcycles tumbling down the cliffside. These boulders dislodged others until the entire cliffside was awash in hundred pound chunks of rock blocking the path for the party’s pursuers.The resulting wall was impassable, but from the sounds coming from the other side, it wasn’t for lack of trying. They could hear the rocks crumbling as hands and feet struggled to get first footholds.
Hana was the first to turn away.
“That should buy us some time. Let’s get going.”
***
It was another ten minutes before any of them spoke. The shock of seeing that many players attacking all at once left each of them struggling to understand what exactly they’d seen.
“Any idea what they were?” Jinyoung asked.
The party was slowly making their way along a long-since worn trail.
Hana shook her head. “I’ve never heard of ‘Frostbite’ before, at least not as a system term or monster attribute.”
“But those things weren’t monsters,” Willow interjected. “They were definitely players.”
The stare from his teammates would’ve been obvious to a blind man.
“The [scan] definitely categorized them as monsters, but the monster name was ‘Player (Frostbitten)’.”
The three players walked on in silence. Each of them knew what happened if a player killed another player. It wasn’t a common occurrence anymore, not since the early days of the Break.
“Is that why you wanted us to retreat, Hana? We could’ve handled them in the corridor where they would’ve narrowed down.”
The veteran player was silent for a moment. “I told you to retreat because we needed to retreat, Jinyoung. And next time, I expect you’ll follow my orders when they’re given. Is that understood?”
Willow tried not to stare, but she could see the tension. Hana’s hard stare and just the ghost of tension on Jinyoung’s. It wasn’t anything per say, but the sliver of a moment that passed between them was defiance enough.
“Understood.”