"Do you think we'll get to see what it drops?" Raven wondered. She stood behind Aidan as they walked along the road on his left, and Forsythe on his right. She was taller and her face was a little rougher. Her cloak clung to her under her long sword strapped across her back, holes and other signs of long wear permeating it. "Probably not." She answered herself before either of them could reply.
"One more time." Forsythe requested, turning his head toward Aidan.
"Well, it will roll with more than one person on either side of it or behind. Back and forth. Its size is such that it's not really avoidable and it's a one-shot death move. So we will fight it one on one from the front and string ourselves out in front in a line. It lunges forward when it moves but it's not really dangerous because the speed of only increases when it is catching up, not when it's in front of the target. The dangerous part is the acid spit. It spits acid and even if it doesn't hit you it'll do small damage based on proximity. So we will carry max capacity healing potions and swap every two minutes." Aidan said, going through the plan one more time. It was the hundredth time or seemed like it.
"Two minutes because it target swaps to the closest in range that isn't the current target?" Forsythe asked.
"Yes. If you're on the threat list it will select the next closest target. That's why at about 2 minutes you need to start hauling toward one of us on the road, to avoid the roll when it turns. If we're to the side of it when you become the target it will roll and, well," Aidan continued. None of them had much hope of dodging the roll. Luck might come into play but it would be like standing under a falling building.
He was feeling tense, uneasy. After a month of obsessing there was nothing to do now but execute. now that there was nothing more to do he was wishing they could wait. Probably, he reflected, because he knew he would die.
"When you're free of its attention, move up the road and maintain distance while you regenerate health. Don't bother trying to hurt it. I think that's a mistake since you two are melee and it'll just exhaust us faster. We're in for the long haul anyway. We'll just fight it one on one until it's dead. If we try to add in ranged attacks we'll just be losing focus when we should be thinking about swapping, or moving, or healing. So when you are the target, dodge, and fight. When it's close to time, run. When you are free of its attention heal and move."
"Ah. Because of the roll having more people is actually asking to be annihilated. As well as the inaccurate acid spray. Most groups would fall apart if some of their members started dying." Forsythe closed his eyes and sighed. "I see."
Aidan stopped, looking up the forested hill that led up to The Mountain of All Ends. "If one of us dies... Keep going, and keep doing what we discussed. You both remember that it will never stop chasing us?"
Raven and Forsythe nodded grimly. They had heard the rumors that a group looking for food in the mountains had found the World Boss foraging. When they had tried to run it had followed them all the way to the Great Green Sea, where it had finally slain them. Then it had turned and pursued other players on their journey who had tried to stop and help the group. Everyone on the World Boss list was killed. Hundreds had died. People could do nothing but watch it slowly crawl back to its normal pathway on the mountain as the bloody day came to a close.
"So is it okay to drag it through the towns we discussed?" Raven asked quizzically. "I mean if we get killed it'll go back." While there wasn't any uncertainty in her voice, even the overly optimistic Raven talked about what would happen if they died.
"It won't go after the NPCs who are just protecting their territory. So long as no players interfere there won't be collateral. Frey has been going to the towns we're to visit and letting people know that the Devil is dragging Mu through, and if they don't want to get killed they better steer clear." Aidan explained wryly as if he were amused. He had stopped at the small path that led up the mountain. "Last chance." He whispered. "Leave now or follow me. We have no idea how much health it has or how long this will take. If the duration exceeds 4 hours we'll start 2 manning it and give 15 minute breaks."
"Oh. Yeah. I'm backing out. I'm glad you brought it up because it was going to be really awkward for me to do it after that speech." Raven said agreeably. "Forsythe too. We were gonna chase you all the way out here, scold you real good for leaving us, demand you take us with you, then laugh and leave you at the foothills. Maybe go find some hot springs. Get married."
"Married." Forsythe sighed. "You went too far."
"You won't marry me?" Raven said, pouting too hard to be sincere.
"You're my little sister," Forsythe replied earnestly. "I love you."
"God. Would you lighten up? Stop saying really emotional things in that flat voice you freak. I love you too alright?" Raven turned away and hid her face. "I'll just have to marry Aidan."
"Rejected." Aidan refused immediately, causing Raven and Forsythe to instantly start chuckling. "Worry about yourselves more." He scolded.
"Me? You're the one that's a wizard and you're going to try and tank." Raven muttered. "Don't you think we should get a healer?"
"Do you know any that are willing to die at the end of the fight? It's fine. His frontal attacks are slow and they aren't physical. I'll probably take the same amount of damage as you two even in my fancy rags. Moreover, I've a hunch that it's a scaling boss since the last few have been. It'll just be harder to kill with more of us." Aidan grinned over his shoulder, and then his smile left. "Thanks."
Raven straightened slightly, cape flickering heroically as she lifted her huge sword and gently placed it on her shoulder. There was a smile on her face full of confidence. Normally she would be the one that wouldn't stop talking. Now there was only solemn silence.
Forsythe was checking his gear while he listened, merely acknowledging the gratitude in Aidans voice. He didn't stop checking his gear for a full minute before he looked up like he remembered where he was. His head tilted as if inquiring to the reason why they weren't going already.
Aidan turned and started laughing. He started walking up the hill, and after a brief pause, his two companions began following him.
-----------------------------
"Raven it's coming." Aidan backed around the forest path corner and sprinted down the hill toward her, he abandoned his spellcasting and slowed as he passed her. "Tag." He immediately dragged a healing potion out of his satchel and drained it. That had been close. The narrow pathways leading down the mountain made it difficult to jump side to side when the acid sprays hit. Even near misses were costly health reductions. Aidan looked up in time to see Mu round the corner and immediately focus on Raven as the two-minute timer ticked over and Mu focused on the nearest target.
Mu was the highest form of life in this world. A level 350 World Boss measuring at an incredible 150 meters. The creature that the LS team admitted was going to be the Boss to beat to begin the next expansion. They had released the data early because they wanted players to see it and be aware of it. They had also posted that they found it highly unlikely for players to be able to kill it beyond their projected expansion date. A boastful post that had gained a lot of attention.
The creature itself was mesmerizing in both its girth and complexity. It's hideous armless body and gaping maw gave it an intimidating look even without mentioning size. It reminded Aidan of a giant millipede. At four points around its body rows of pincers spread its entire length and it used them to propel its massive bulk. That was where the millipede description ended though. Those protrusions were sharpened points and while they weren't used for fighting being run over would have been an instant stabbing death even without the crushing effect of the trample.
The huge face had a cross shape, and the lines on its face would spread out revealing that they were, in fact, mouth flaps. Rows upon rows of whirling teeth glinted in the light, any one of them individually larger than Aidan was. It had a long tongue that continually swirled back and forth over those teeth tough enough that it wasn't cut, and strong enough to withstand the poison and acid the tongue threw. They had briefly tried to use terrain to their advantage but the entire body was flexible to the point of absurdity. Any passageway they could fit through it would ooze through. It could contort itself around any number of turns like a ludicrous accordion bus. Most of the time it didn't even turn around small obstacles, choosing instead to step over trees and large rocks or just knock them aside.
The tongue flicked acid spit at Raven who immediately hopped to her right, ignoring the rock that immediately split beside her as it sizzled and turned into liquid. She struck the body with continuous [Overstrikes]. Her most powerful and expensive skill. She only had to maintain contact for two minutes and then she could return and switch with Forsythe, whose turn was approaching.
"Stop dodging so narrowly Raven. It's only been an hour. We're almost to a flat place. It'll be easier." Forsythe said impatiently.
"Easier?" Raven questioned doubtfully.
Aidan knew what she meant. It was getting harder if nothing else. Any gamer could tell you that some of the most difficult fights in any game that was hardcore enough to seek your death as a matter of pride included bosses that could kill you with every single ability at their disposal. In addition to that even if a boss like that appeared and had a set pattern, being forced to dodge that pattern repeatedly would wear on, stacking the mental pressure as time passed. 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes could turn into eternity for a player when they knew one slip up would mean game over. Even if the pattern never changed even the best players sometimes died because their mind got bored and wandered to other things. Escape was one of them. They might start thinking a game was too stupid. Of course, they COULD win, but they didn't have to win. It was enough to fight a boss to the point where anyone could see you would succeed right? Or they didn't have to leap as far to the right or left, as long as they dodged it didn't matter right? Thoughts like these would be death here.
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"Forsythe!" Raven yelled. Forsythe sprinted forward even as Aidan sprinted backward, making sure that their distance apart was significant enough that he wouldn't accidentally take Forsythe's round. Aidan could have done it, and probably would soon have to when they started needing breaks, but for now, he preferred to be at full mana and health.
Unexpectedly several orcs and a manticore broke cover near Aidan and began sprinting at him down the road. He started to ready his spells, heart plunging, and then noticed they were ignoring him. Without a glance at him, they were sprinting for the horizon; anything to escape the eldritch horror lumbering along the road. The presence of the undisputed top predator of Last Sojourn was driving monsters and creatures away in fright.
"First NPC town is coming up. Remember. We're just going to run through it maintaining the pace. We're not risking any players randomly showing up and doing stupid." Aidan reminded.
"Please shut up," Forsythe cried, sounding strained and like his concentration was slipping because Aidan was babbling. He stepped and twisted, turning, using one foot and then another to propel his body in different directions and used his single sword to cast his rapid piercing thrust over and over. "Aidan!"
Aidan sprinted forward. How many times had it been now? Raven moved past him in the other direction. She didn't look excited anymore, just tired. Time for breaks soon? No. It had only been over an hour so far. Forsythe passed him, whispering that he was leaving Mu to Aidan for now. "Right. Leave it to me." Aidan had to maintain a great backward pace because he didn't have the agility that the others did. There was no choice really but to dodge when the great head came down and tried to pin or swallow him, and no choice but to dodge when it spit that horrid acid. [Lightning], [Fireball], [Arcane Strike], [Harm], [Flamestrike]… the spells came one after another. He had decided on an order so that when he came to his 25th spell he would know when to switch. It was always the same order. He had almost stumbled once when he was on his 23rd spell because a bird had flown over Mu and had distracted him. Bad news, his mind was already wandering.
"NPCs arriving." The NPC village of Mountain Shadow was fairly large. It was a staging town for events or would have been. No vendors to speak of, and a large standing army of NPCs that didn't do anything but wait. Now though they were setting up archers on the road and a rain of arrows fell on Mu. Then Mu began to roll back and forth. The great killer did this once or twice, almost completely decimating the computer-generated support units. "Tch." Aidan almost cursed. "First piece of information that is incorrect. He WILL roll on NPC's. Next time we get to a town whoever isn't fighting him has to do a spot check. Any players around and we go around it."
"Aidan!" Raven yelled. Aidan startled, realizing he was on spell 26, and then turned and ran past Raven. "Don't forget to count," Raven screamed at him as she passed.
"My bad." Aidan was surprised at himself. His mind had started to wander again immediately after the bird mistake. Still, having an order on who would switch and at what time ensured there was always a backup if someone was spacing out. Raven's scream had reminded him and he had switched in time. If he hadn't been quicker the boss would have switched to Forsythe or Raven and he would have likely been trampled as Mu moved passed to get to them, or rolled when it turned toward them.
"94%," Forsythe whispered, he was moving backward with Aidan as Raven fought the boss. "Rock behind you, Raven. Jump right." She did, muttering a quick thanks.
"6% down," Aidan said dryly.
"Raven." Forsythe moved to switch.
In this fashion, they moved for another 10 incredible hours, through two more NPC towns that were decimated by Mu's rolls. There were mistakes of course. Forsythe actually got hit by an Acid attack while he was switching out. He turned his back and it hit him as the boss was targeting Raven. He had to sit out his turn for 10 minutes until the acid wore off, and he continually apologized even going so far as to try and take over for the time lost. Aidan and Raven bluntly told him to get back into the rotation and he quietly did. He must have been tired. They all were. 46% remained.
"Hey, when this is over you guys want to go to the movies?" Raven asked at some point. She had just switched. "I was thinking we could watch something without any action." The fatigue in her voice was heartbreaking.
"I was thinking about trying out this new game I heard of, you know, like 2 years ago." Aidan said, deciding to joke along. They couldn't keep snarling at each other not to screw up. They were starting to fall asleep on their feet. "I think it's been long enough I can probably get a really good deal."
"I was thinking that the next game I take up is going to be nice, boring, maybe checkers." Forsythe admitted, but then he asked. "What was the game?"
"Girls Academy 3: The Revenge." Aidan said, doggedly trying to hold onto the joke. He winced, ashamed, and almost felt obligated to apologize.
"Takes all kinds. Aidan!" Raven ran back toward him and he ran past her. "I tell you what, I'll play it with you."
"Coming up on the Elf Queen Forest. Oh. She's there. She looks pissed." Forsythe reported and then turned to Raven. "Raven go see what she wants and tell us over party, it's your break anyway."
She ran off to do that, and a minute later Forsythe switched with Aidan and started fighting Mu.
"Uhh, she said to get the hell away from her forest. We're dirty humans. We should just die in the road or in a fire." Raven sounded resigned. "I'm just going to kill her. I need to do something different."
"Nah. Hey, hey tell her that she should spread her fighters out and that for that comment we're going to double back in an hour. Then again if she isn't lying face down in the dirt apologizing." Aidan said. He started laughing. "That Elf Queen turned so many players away. Who gives a damn if we wipe out her village."
"Oh. She was mad. Some of her guys attacked me and I murdered them. This is a 150 area." Raven sounded much better as if killing some random mobs had refreshed her.
"Forsythe," Aidan called and ran back out of the way. Forsythe passed him and started dragging Mu toward the village. Aidan half expected the defenders of the forest to start attacking them instead, but in this game, you could only be attacked by insulting an NPC leader or attacking first when it came to neutral NPC's. Raven must have said something disparaging, or, more likely had lied about defending herself and had just straight up insta-gibbed a few warriors. The Elves spread out in the trees and fired arrows down, several spearmen were instantly demolished when they were close enough to cause Mu to roll. They were only in the village for two minutes but it was enough that the Elf Queen was screaming at them as they left. "Hey see you in an hour!" Aidan called cheerfully back at her.
They did return to that village an hour later, and this time the Elf Queen was face down in the dirt bowing and apologizing and asking them not to come back. Aidan laughed his whole rotation through.
-----------------
"Hey, you guys want to wrap this up for me?" Raven said, panting as she passed Forsythe and took her break. "It's only like 12% more. I think I'm starting to sweat and it's getting unattractive."
"Deal," Forsythe said. He was down to one-word responses when he responded at all.
Aidan reluctantly tore his gaze away from the scattered Isles of Crosston. He had been thinking that if things had been different he would have really liked to explore them. The water looked crystal clear and called it to him with promises of crisp and cool enjoyment. He had already moved up, and now moved passed Raven, it was her turn to rest for 15 minutes. This was the worst moment when your break just ended and you had to watch the person coming off rotation for a whole minute before you could start counting your turns again.
They had started in the afternoon nearly 14 hours ago, and dawn was breaking over the coast. The dark had been trickier than they had thought. The Acid attacks didn't stay very visible in the dark and they had been forced to do more dodging than they would have liked.
"Hey Aidan," Raven said. There was a pause as if she were gathering her strength. He knew how she felt. He had tried to calculate how many times he had been in the front of Mu now and his brain had simply given up. "Forsythe and I have a plan for when Mu dies. I call it Operation Victory Pose. We still doing that Forsythe? I mention it because I think, you know, we might actually kill it." Raven even sounded the tiniest bit surprised herself.
"Didn't think we would?" Aidan had moved to the front and was having a harder time than he liked moving his feet in the sand toward the bridge that would carry them back to the mainland.
"No, no… I thought it would be easier." Raven laughed.
"Yes. Still on Raven." Forsythe confirmed.
"How many kilometers have we come?" Raven asked.
"15? 16? I think. Hills are bad." Forsythe sighed again.
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"1%. Get ready Forsythe." Raven was laughing in between panting. There was madness to it that Aidan didn't want to think about. Soon it would be over. The golden purple pattern on Mu's flesh signified it would explode. The pattern never lied, not for 300 levels in the game. Every creature that had that particular pattern exploded on death. It usually wasn't a problem. Now it was a 150-meter problem.
"I'm ready," Forsythe whispered. "I think it's your turn, Raven, how about that?"
"It worked out after all. What do you think, 5 seconds to do it?" Raven asked him, also seeming pleased that she would deal the finishing blow.
"Yes. Switch." Forsythe backed up and simply stood by Aidan. Aidan had never seen his friend so tired. His sword fell limply from his fingers and lay in the dirt, and his shoulders were slumped. Aidan smiled at him, and he nodded back. Aidan wanted to hug him. Wanted to cry. Wanted to tell him it would be alright. After months of lying Aidan couldn't do it anymore, not even for his best friend. Even if they sprinted away now there was no guarantee that the explosion radius of the 150-meter creature wouldn't catch them. That wasn't why they both watched quietly though. Neither would leave Raven.
There didn't seem to be anything to say. Aidan was proud to die with these people. His friends, family, the best he knew. 15 hours and 17 kilometers later, and Mu suddenly threw back it's long sloped maw and let out an earth-shattering shriek. Its skin began to glow a dark black, and lumps and corrosion began appearing. As expected, the idea of avoiding a 150 meter long exploding monster had been too much to hope for after all. Aidan was so tired, he couldn't even stand let alone try and run. He was moments away from just sitting down, but as a last act of defiance, he refused and managed to remain standing.
"Now Forsythe. Operation. Victory. Pose." Raven cried tiredly, panting between each word. She was running at him, and with the last of his energy Aidan looked up. Raven flung out her arms and jumped at him, tackling him to the ground. Moments later Forsythe was on top of her, both of them were struggling to hold Aidan's arms and legs together before he could react. They needn't have bothered because his thinking was too slow to understand what was happening. Something unexpected was happening at the end, but it wasn't the boss. It wasn't an enemy so he didn't know what to do.
"What are you doing!?" Aidan demanded. The panic in his voice shamed him. His brain wasn't working well enough to understand what was happening and it was an uncomfortable feeling. Like he should know what was going on and do something to prevent it. Then it came to him. Horror washed over his face.
He could only see the whites of their smiles as their faces disappeared into the shadow of their hoods as the wave of fire burst from behind them.
"Punishment game," Forsythe explained calmly, covering as much of Raven and Aidan as he could. Raven did the same to Aidan. She laughed viciously as if she were getting her true revenge. It all faded into white noise and ringing in his ears. Then, he was alone.