Avilien: Tutorial islands

More terror

Laughter growing as loud as the inn's atmosphere, Luke, Cissy, Nagori, Split, and the guides ate and laughed well into the dark hours of the night. Bellies full and smiles on faces they watched the empty plates despawn before their eyes before then standing up to leave. Now it was time to head into the darkness surrounding Mixten and deal with high-level threats.

Traversing back to the entrance of the city the group found the gates closed and more than fifteen guards clad in full metal armour with polearms waiting there. The guards would not allow the gates to be opened for anyone, and at night all city and town gates were indestructible. Using steps leading up to the top of the walls the group hopped off one by one and started to follow the city road into darkness. Cissy and Nagori began to feel insecure about this decision as the plains lit up now and then with magic breath or torrents of fire tornados.

Terror beasts duked it out for dominance in the wilds or hunted one another for food. Their red glowing auras made the girls shudder, neither could believe what they were about to do. Both had heard and witnessed countless players fall victim to these Terrors. Out of all of the guides, only one could see as if it were daylight. Nebs. His cat eyesight combined with his nose allowed him to sniff out potential lurkers. Hundreds of Terrors awaited the group.

Gruntusks, Salatooths, Bruntusks, Giant Thunderbugs, and a few Tremor worms hid beneath the ground, that was all Nebs could locate. Luke had his eyes set on destroying Gruntusks. He would have liked to go after Salatooths but didn't feel comfortable enough to take one on seeing as their levels started at fifteen. With the two girls hanging back the lads hopped the small drystone wall and entered the darkened plains first. Once all were stood on squishy grass everyone took a deep breath.

"Nebs, single out a lone Gruntusk. They will be our only prey tonight," said Luke as a shiver ran down his spine. He couldn't tell whether it was brought on by adrenaline or a cold chill.

"Luke we should party up. I can't heal you if you're not in a party with us. Split doesn't have to party since he is in the guild, so I can heal him regardless," explained Nagori as she opened her holo watch and sent Luke an invite to the party.

Luke opened his watch, the light shining on to his face made his expression clear to all. Awesome Biscuit didn't group, or rarely did. Screwed up and fighting with himself Luke hit the accept and felt his gut sink. Few friends and being a solo gamer made the thought of joining parties unappealing. Nagori had a valid point and her healing would offer a safety blanket for him if he took damage.

"For his majesty to accept a party invite!" exclaimed Split with a shocked expression and a half giddiness to him as he waited for Nagori to shoot him across an invite.

"This must be a dire situation. I'm so happy to be in the same party sire!" Split fluttered his eyelashes.

"You're a weirdo," spat Cissy at Split's direction.

"Thank you, Luke," Nagori smiled yet at the back of her mind this was part of her master plan. Wear Luke down inch by inch and then make him submit and succumb to the call of the guild.

"Got one, master. It's close too. Head out for two-hundred meters and then you should see its glow. There are a few Bruntusks in the area in a herd grazing on the grass. They'll remain docile unless attacked." Nebs gave clear direction and with a shake of her wrists, Cissy headed to the front of the group and took point.

Traversing the darkened wilds and trying not to trip or fall over, Luke wished for a source of light that wasn't attached to a terrifying creature. The three moons offered some, but not enough. For two-hundred meters, the group walked towards a beast much bigger than themselves and glowing red. Easy to spot the level varied from person to person. To Luke it was level two, Split saw it as a level four and the girls saw it as a level five.