When Lord OhZone proposed Karl, a thoroughly below average player with tactical skills akin to a soggy baguette and a damage rotation laden with random button mashing, as the vanguard for their next raid everyone was instantly on board.

This was odd given that not only should Karl not have an obvious choice to lead the vanguard into the breach to assault next leg of the raid. He wasn't even a top 10 pick. To take it further, If Karl was one of the last ten people left on earth and one of them had to be chosen to lead a raid, he would have been the third best option. With no regard to this fact, or to Karl's own feelings, and with barely a moment's hesitation, Lord OhZone appointed Karl as the leader of the vanguard.

Suddenly, the Taco Knight officer found himself with dozens of the okayist players at his command, all of whom were either willing or unaware they were about to rush head first into unknown territory with an almost comically high chance of player death.

Everything happened so quickly Karl had barely had time to ask for Brenda, Dumdum, and the rest of his crew to come along through the breach.

"We won't let you down Karl," Brenda said. "We know what you're asking us to do, and we'll support you from here."

Karl felt a wave of relief wash over him, but was wary--sometimes, when his followers presumed his thoughts, he was shocked to realize that their assumptions. He almost didn't even understand the magnificences of some of the ideas he didn't even know he had. It was as though they knew more about how his mind worked than he did himself.

Wait, had Brenda said from here? Karl looked at her with worry she took for questioning.

Brenda reassured Karl with a nod of her head. "Lord OhZone had a talk with us and... you can't keep your true feelings from us Boss. We'll hang back from the vanguard and give you a chance to show your strength."

Karl was surprised--he hadn't even realized that was how he truly felt.

Dumdum looked down, almost defeated, "We finally all realized how much you've been holding back for our sake." The healer cast a longing look at Nekomata, who was swarmed by an enthralled audience as he recounted his epic battle with the raid boss. He was really into the moment when Brenda had been thrown away, and he jumped in selflessly to save the 'off' tank.

"That's the difference between you and Neko. He doesn't have anyone to hold him back, but you have us. So don't worry this time, we'll hang back, now go out there and let loose!"

His followers just looked so proud of themselves, and Karl did remember holding back during that fight with the fat little raccoon lord guy. In fact, Karl had been so committed to holding back that he hadn't even thought to attack at all!

Reassured by his loyal followers, Karl decided it was time to teach a new group how WNC was played. Most of the vanguard players were positively electrified by the challenge, some were just happy to finally get a crack at a real raid, while a handful had merely stumbled into the clearing while questing and didn't understand why they were being herded towards a hole in the wall, but went ahead all the same in an attempt not to appear impolite.

Coop offered to come along without needing to be asked; as she said with a sly grin, "I couldn't bear to miss a train wreck". Everyone laughed, even Karl. He wasn't sure why what she said was funny, or where the train was, but he didn't want to be the only one left out and not laughing.

Lord OhZone bellowed exuberantly as the assemblage of followers filled the air with chants, hailing Karl's razor-sharp skills of command and demanding any challenger to prove a more bold leader. Steven's words only added to Karl's sense of invincibility; had he not singlehandedly struck down a raid boss with his pool noodle?

The gaping wound in the stone wall, surrounded by shattered stones and dust, gave the adventurers access to an unknown compound behind. Jagged and unrefined edges lined the stone as Karl stood out front with confusion or determination, depending on the lighting, his pool noodle ready for battle as he was first through the breach.

And so, Karl found himself in new terrain, surrounded by unfamiliar faces. His usual gang of hangers-on conveniently absent, as he led a mob of newbies. This was a dish even Steven's mother would be hesitant about serving.

Karl glanced back, and saw the vanguard following him obediently. He suddenly realized he had no idea how to actually lead a group. Not in a emotional or metaphorical sense, but a physical one. Was he supposed to point? Yell out when he wanted everyone to turn left or right? So far they seemed to follow him fine without needing much direction, he took a right turn to test his theory. They followed along like baby ducks. Karl really liked that. He took another left just so see them do it again.

After a few minutes of random lefts and rights, Karl finally got bored and needed something to distract him.

Karl eyed the player beside him, BackStabBarbie. She had neon-green hair cut into a bob and a long dagger with a wicked blade strapped to her waist. The way she cautiously surveyed her environment was making Karl nervous.

"First time on raid?" He decided to say something in hopes it'd distract her for a moment, her neck had to be getting tired at this rate.

BackStab's response was dry yet confident and clear, gentle but firm. As if she weighed every word perfectly before saying it. Karl thought she sounded pleasant. "Nope. First one worth being in though."

Karl was glad he'd worked up the courage and talked to the scary looking rogue, she was saying positive things about his raid.

"Your other raids that bad?" Karl asked, fishing for more compliments. It was almost admirable how well Steven had sheltered Karl from the wide world of toxicity while raiding. Between the Taco Knight's smooth runs, Steven filtering out the worst offenders, and Karl not even noticing when he was getting eviscerated in chat, it was usually a pleasant experience.

"I'm usually a que solo. It's hard to get a high rating that way. So when I que up, the only one's that will take me are the desperate, and those are the groups run by absolute idiots who have no idea what they're doing. Half the raids I join wipe to trash mobs and never even make it to a boss. It's exciting finally being in a top guild with you all." The reeled in compliment made Karl swell with pride - it seemed BackStab approved of his management style.

About then Karl saw something shiny up on a side path and decided it was time to take another left. He still liked looking behind and watching the whole mob of players pivot around the corners to follow him.

After a moment of studying the area, BackStab gave an impressed whistle. "You're doing an incredible job"

Karl felt another burst of pride, he hadn't even had to try for that one! He agreed with BackStab, that had been a very nice left turn he'd lead the vanguard down. He had no idea about the rows of deadly traps he had narrowly avoided for the 4th or so time that BackStab was actually referring to.

"On most raids I've been on, we've lost at least 20 players to traps like those."

Karl had no idea what Backstab was going on about. Something about explosions and pitfalls, it seemed like a strange topic of conversation. He continued along the winding side streets, turning left and right as the mood hit him, often trying to get an up close look at what he hadn't realized were actually sprung traps.

The path to the next boss was littered with corpses which had been riddled with arrows and burns. Scorch marks spread across the ground, evidence of explosions caused by flammable liquids. The only sign of a safe passage was the lack of further destruction, it seemed Karl had found his way around the trap-ridden area without even knowing it.

"I get it now!" Backstab smirked like she was in on the joke. "You managed to trick the Circle into setting off their own traps. How'd you do that?"

Karl grinned sheepishly, having absolutely no clue what she was talking about but loving the praise anyway.

"Fine, keep your secrets." BackStab stretched out with her hands behind her head, finally relaxing in a moment from her constant vigilance. Karl finally took in a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, the way she kept on edge had really harshed his mellow.

Other players nearby heard Backstab and before long, the entire vanguard was buzzing with stories of how Karl had cleared the way for them single-handedly.

"I heard when he gets serious he can take on a raid alone!"

"We all heard that you idiot, there was a server alert about it."

"I heard he taught Nekomata everything he knows!"

"Oh yeah, I heard that if we don't change our ways as a society, global warming will be beyond salvageable by 2030."

"We get it Tim, you went to community college."

"Our world is on fire and we are dancing in the flames."

The group ventured forward, following Karl deeper into the encampment. As they marched on, their confidence in their mission grew. Even Karl started to feel the energy of the moment, hastening his pace, taking the vanguard ever closer until they were nearly at a jog.

"Why are we..." BackStab said, her face suddenly lighting up, "Oh, I hear it now."

"You do?" Karl asked, perplexed and unsure what the rogue was talking about hearing.

"Don't act all surprised, I may not be a legendary Taco Knight officer, but I'm not a half bad rogue." she smiled slyly. "How many do you think are fighting up ahead?"

Karl was wondering what she meant by that when they rounded the corner. Karl brought the vanguard to a halt as they were met with an unbelievable sight. Before them at the great gate - the wall separating their world from the Circle's underground fortress, orc fought orc in a battle to the death. The two sides clashed in an epic and relentless struggle - one which only seemed to be intensifying.

The great gate was an unforgiving wall of steel and stone, carved into a mountain side. A hundred orcs armed with steel-clad armor and heavy weapons clambered against only three brave defenders, each forging their own shining path of what an orc should become. The clash between them was fierce and ferocious, the air filled with deep growls of rage as they fought for their lives. Exhaustion slowly creeping in as they pushed on, determined to win this battle.

"How did you get them to fight each other?" BackStab asked breathlessly.

BackStab shuffled towards the conflict, hesitating when she noticed Karl standing still. "Shouldn't we attack now, while they're distracted?"

Standing victorious amidst a pile of corpses, the three orc commanders defiantly glared at the vanguard. Worn and tattered from the epic battle, they had pushed through - fighting till the end - until their strength failed and there was nothing left to do but succumb and fall where they stood, too exhausted to stand, but their eyes still had fight in them.

Karl remained firm and rooted to the spot. No one had ever explained how to engage in a battle like this, or if they had he hadn't been paying attention. Should he rush head first into battle? Was there some mysterious technique that Karl had not yet heard of? Should he yell 'Charge!' and hope for the best? Or could he weave some magical spell? What exactly was the protocol for this situation?

BackStab glanced apprehensively at Karl. Adrenaline coursed through her body as she realized that the ideal opportunity for an ambush had slipped away and that the orc commanders had won the fight, although considerably weakened. Without the distraction of the Circle regulars fighting three minibosses meant casualties were inevitable.

For the first time, BackStabBarbie doubted Karl's ability. As hard as it was to believe, maybe getting them here had been a fluke, maybe there really was no difference between a guild officer and all the other knuckleheads who lead raids.

BackStab was just inches away from uncovering the truth, when Cooper stepped forward and clambered onto her ogre mount. With a raccoon roar of defiance, she spurred her beast forwards, and the mighty orcs had no time to react before they were pinned beneath its massive bulk.

The three commanders snarled with rage, but the feral look in the ogre's eyes stilled them. The once mighty warriors were exhausted, scared, and now broken. Coop used her ogre commander mount's special ability and took the three as her subordinates. Their nameplates flipped from red to green and the raccoon began healing the trio up. She was surprised at how deep their healthpools were, as her healing did almost nothing.

"General," a one-eyed orc growled between clenched teeth, "we need to run

Coop looked around and saw the Circle minions rose from the ground, dust and dirt cascading from their bodies. Their bones made sickening cracking and snapping noises as they were set back into place, while their eyes glowed an eerie green.

"How many times have you already taken them down?" Coop asked the one-eyed orc as the warrior trio readied for battle once again.

"That was the fifth wave," one eye muttered.

"aaaaaaack!" Karl tripped on a shambling orc that was slowly bringing itself up, swinging his pool noodle sword out to regain his balance and putting the orc back down in the process.

BackStabBarbie took notice, "You idiot's he said attack!" and the vanguard descended on the reviving orcs.