“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

Ancient Proverb

Calista closed the distance to the monstrous beast in a flash, leaping into the air and embedding her spear in The Valley Champion’s shoulder before it had taken its first full stride towards Cynthia. The paralysis poison slathered on her spear’s tip seeped into the beast’s arm as it spun and swiped towards its unexpected foe.

Yanking out the spear, Calista dipped under the beast’s counterstrike, her Defensive Instincts making her movements as agile as a ballerina. As she felt the wind of the creature’s blow waft across her crimson hair, she managed to land three more jabs beneath its armpit, injecting more of Rain’s poison into its body. A final jab in the side completed her initial assault as she danced back to avoid the kick from its back leg.

The beast gave no indication it felt any pain, though each attack slightly slowed its movements. Grateful that it’d had any effect on the high-level creature, Calista was tempted to return to the offensive for a few more targeted strikes. But that would give it a fair fight, and they didn’t plan to fight fair.

Calista mimicked her best ‘scared prey’ face and turned to run towards the trip lines and bear traps. If their plan worked, it’d be trapped between the three of them – rooted in place – and they could finish it off from a distance.

Get ready, you two, Calista projected as she caught the creature’s eye. Let’s make short work of this thing. We…

Cynthia’s wolves leapt from the river onto the creature’s back, their rocky teeth tearing away at its flesh.

“Damn it, Huntress. This wasn’t your fight!” came Cynthia’s cry from across the river as more players emerged from woods behind her.

Xavier, Jacob Stone, Edna, and Mr. Fredrickson darted from the tree line, headed straight for The Vally Champion. As they reached the water, Jacob slammed his massive tower shield into the soil and a spectral bridge formed across the river. The bridge resembled a medieval drawbridge, with faintly blue, nearly transparent bricks forming its surface.

Xavier was the first to step onto its surface, his speed a match for Calista’s even with her Double Speed enhancement active. It took him less than a second to cross, his black blade clutched in his hand and eyes focused on the beast with steel resolve.

Cally, what should we do? Passi asked, as fear and bravery went to war in the child’s mind.

Stay down, Calista instructed, her mind whirling. Don’t engage in this fight, no matter what. Do you understand?

But what if… Passi started to protest. Her instincts told her to hide – the scars caused by Xavier and the Carthage sister ran deep – but she was tired of being scared of them.

No. Matter. What. Calista insisted. If you do, they'll know you're a player.

Passi reluctantly agreed, still conflicted.

Calista knew this confrontation between Passi and Xavier was inevitable. They’d done their best to keep Passi away from him – using her mobile Emporium and mission board judiciously to limit their trips to the Castle of Glass – but it was only a matter of time before they crossed paths.

But why did it have to be now? Calista thought to herself. At the worst possible time.

The Champion roared in outrage at assault, its bellow echoing off the mountains around them and triggering an avalanche of snow in the distance. It thrust its claws towards its shoulder and skewered one of the wolves through the throat, ripping it off its back and hurling it to the bed of smooth river stones at its feet. The summon’s head was dislodged from its body and it melted into a pile of mud as it died.

Cynthia, on the other side of the river, coughed up blood as her linked creature was destroyed. Mr. Fredrickson pressed his hands against Cynthia’s back, his hands glowing healing blue, as Stone and Edna crossed the bridge behind Xavier. Her former boss had deep bags under his eyes as he healed the woman. He carried himself as if crushed under the weight of his sorrow, but he didn’t flinch at the beast’s fearsome roar.

Xavier came in hard, his blade sweeping across the beast’s back and leaving behind a deep gash down its spine, though it left no trace of blood. Milly had told her of the blade’s appetite – that it drained an enemy’s lifeforce and used it to replenish the user – but it was unsettling to see it herself.

“What did you have planned?” Xavier called, his blade sweeping for the Champion’s calves as he dodged its strike and retreated beside Calista. “Our traps are all on the other side of the river.”

Calista looked at the man in utter confusion. Xavier, focused on the beast, was calm and collected as he waited for Jacob and Edna to arrive. There was no malice to his words. No anger. Just cold calculation. It was a stark difference compared to how she’d seen Xavier fight before.

“Aren’t you going to accuse me of kill stealing, or some other nonsense?” Calista spat, unable to contain her dislike of the man.

“What? Why would… oh, of all the cycle-barren… Jacob! Edna! It’s a talent absorber. Watch out!”

As Xavier shouted the warning, the beast slammed its palms against the ground. The river stones beneath their feet began to rumble and join together as The Valley Champion channeled Cynthia’s summoning talent. Five replicas of the beast were formed from the stones, and the unified roar of the enemy group shook the treetops.

“Great, that’s just…” Xavier started, until an explosion rocked the space between two of the summons furthest from the river.

Rain had hurled an explosive potion between them before they’d even moved. The detonation sent shards of stones scattering across the battlefield as both creatures were blown apart.

As they collapsed, The Valley Champion stumbled backwards, blood erupting from its mouth, as had happened to Cynthia when her wolf was slain.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Well, isn’t that a handy side-effect,” Jacob announced as he barreled straight into a third summon with his shield. A resounding crash filled the battlefield as the summon was knocked to the ground. Jacob jammed his shield into the summon’s neck, severing its rocky head, and the main beast spat blood once again as another summon was destroyed. “Edna, no shadows, my dear. Get your shot in while you can, or you’ll miss out on the experience.”

Edna drew a crossbow from her inventory – one as dark and menacing as her shadows – and fired at the Champion. Her bolt struck it straight in the right eye with a sickly thunk. The beast roared in pain, and, for the first time, a note of fear could be heard in its bellow.

It had only taken a few moments for them to obliterate three of the five summons and leave the beast with limited vision. Despite its higher level, their superior numbers had quickly overwhelmed the creature.

“Let’s finish it,” Xavier said, and before Calista could respond, Xavier had dashed for the beast, sword raised high.

Now that seems more like the Xavier I know. What the hell is wrong with him? Calista thought as she followed him, hurling her spear for the beast’s throat.

Over the next thirty seconds, Calista and Xavier systematically tore through The Valley Champion with targeted strikes while Jacob and Edna dismantled the fourth summon. They skillfully dodged its increasingly desperate attempts to retaliate and Rain’s poison compounded in its blood and slowed its movements with every passing second.

Rain obliterated the final summon with her experimental iron balls – shot out from her palm with her metal magic like a musket blast – just as Xavier sliced across the Champion’s throat and Calista jammed her spear through its remaining eye and into its skull.

As The Valley Champion slumped forward, the victory screen appeared above them.

Congratulations! You have defeated Unique Beast: The Valley Champion

You have been awarded 20,000 experience points.

Edna Carthage has leveled up. Two attribute points and a class talent point acquired.

Cynthia Carthage has leveled up. Two attribute points a class talent point acquired.

Rain Desjarlais has leveled up. Two attribute points a class talent point acquired.

Frank Fredrickson has leveled up three times. Six attribute points acquired.

Items Received: Champion Steak x 7, bear claw x 2, Winter Coat of the Champion

Gold: 7,000

Calista breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Passi’s name was not on the list. The last thing she wanted was for these people to learn of her unexpected player status.

Satisfied that Passi’s secret was still safe, she opened her own player screen and saw her gold increase by a thousand – a paltry sum that didn’t even cover the cost of the bear traps.

Hey, I leveled up! Rain projected as she emerged from behind the boulders and waved to Xavier. How far behind is Frank? He gained three levels and still doesn’t have a class.

Rain did some quick mental math.

He’s probably level eighteen or nineteen. Edna and Cynthia are likely close to my level, and Stone and Xavier are likely close to yours. They could be higher, but I don’t think so. You and Xavier were pretty evenly matched in that fight.

Rain, if they attack us, I don’t know if we’re strong enough to take all out, Calista said anxiously. Be ready to…

“What are you guys doing out this way?” Rain said chipperly as she strolled from behind the boulders and walked towards Xavier and Stone. Extending her palm, the iron balls that had decimated the stone summon flew out of the rubble and returned to her hand. The casualness of her magic made Stone raise a curious – and cautious – eyebrow.

“We were just out for a leisurely stroll,” Cynthia replied sarcastically as she crossed the spectral bridge while wiping the residual blood from her mouth. Frank followed behind her, already engrossed in his level up and trying to avoid eye contact with Calista and Rain. “What the fuck do you think we were doing?”

“You screwed up our ambush,” added Edna, equally irate. “We’d been stalking it for a day and would have had it trapped if not for you.”

Rain gave the sisters her best customer service smile, which just made their scowls grow deeper.

See, Cynthia’s going to ask to see my manager at any moment, Rain chuckled, but her humor did little to alleviate Calista’s anxiousness. She felt more on edge than she had in the midst of the battle.

Time to go Rain, Calista said, opening her inventory to take out a Waypoint Crystal. Passi, honey, change of plans. We’ll meet at the meadow…

Calista, Rain said firmly. Look, I’m not a fool, but we talked about this. If we can’t learn to tolerate each other, and, god forbid, work together, we’re going to spend the rest of our short lives looking over our shoulders for the dagger while the game stabs us in the stomach. We don’t have the luxury of holding grudges. Besides, I supply Xavier with his medicine and their entire group with potions. Do you really think Xavier – the obsessive gamer – is going to sacrifice that advantage for nothing?

“It’s good to see you outside your shop, Alchemist,” Stone said, his words coated with his usual charismatic charm. “Even if it is in… less pleasant company. I’ve told you before you’re more than welcome to join us in our hunts.”

Calista’s scowl matched that of the Carthage sisters, as Edna tapped Stone’s shoulder and pointed towards the forest - straight at Passi hidden in the shadow of the pine.

“Why’d you bring your fairy child with you, Huntress?” Stone said curiously, raising his voice so Passi could hear them. “Seems like a poor parenting decision.”

Shit. How’d he know you were there? Passi, head into the woods.

No, I’m tired of hiding, Passi responded indignantly. I don’t want to be afraid anymore.

I’ll… Passi! Damn it!

Passi flew down from her branch and landed directly beside Calista, her cheeks puffed out in anger and a hand on the hilt of her dagger. Her knees trembled as she glared at Xavier, but she stood her ground. From behind the rocks, Anchovy darted from his hiding spot and sat at the girl’s side with an equally petulant glare.

Calista gripped her spear so tightly that her knuckles grew white, waiting for Xavier’s anger to boil over and for him to strike.

But Xavier didn’t attack. He hardly even reacted. All he did was observe Passi and the cat with mild curiosity.

“Ah, the fairy child… from the jungle tribe,” Xavier said impassively. “You made her a little outfit. Cute.”

There was no malice in Xavier’s words. In fact, there was no sign at all that Xavier remembered Passi any more than he would a passing stranger seated next to him on the bus.

Xavier opened the description of the Winter Coat of the Champion and began to study its description, already dismissive of the fairy child’s sudden appearance.

He… he doesn’t remember me? Passi projected to Calista, just as confused as she was.

Stay on your guard, Passi, Calista responded. It could be a trick, or…

Calista hesitated. She didn’t think it was a trick. She’d known Xavier for years, and not once had the man been able to control his emotions in her presence. The thought that this man could hide his anger in front of his attempted murderer wasn’t even within the realm of possibility.

He… he really doesn’t remember getting stabbed by Passi.

“This coat is a tank-class item,” Xavier said, glancing over at Rain. “Does your team have a tank class member? Stone could use it, but it would clash with his medieval style.”

Did… did he just offer to give us an item? And crack a joke? What the absolute fuck is going on!

Rain opened the item’s description as Calista stared at Xavier, speechless.

“It’s a solid item. Leave it with me for a couple days, and I can dismantle it and craft two new items – one for your team, and one for ours,” Rain offered. “But I want those claws.”

“Deal,” Xavier agreed, and the system transferred the items into Rain’s inventory. “I need more toughness for my build, if you have that option.”

Calista placed a protective hand on Passi’s shoulder, but her grip on the spear began to relax.

He still talks like Xavier used to, but it’s like his hard edges have been smoothed out. And he barely remembers Passi.

What the hell happened to him?