V1CE: Online

Uneasy Alliances

"Well? What information did you gather from those dolts in All-In's casino?" Bae asked, walking through the alleyways of Emberdale.

One of the two ladies walking with her seemed to melt away: Her skin overtaken by white cloth and intricate gold jewelry.

"Not much," Ouza replied, having shed his disguise. "However, he is leagues ahead of us in terms of political power. While I admire your ability to ensnare the local nobles of Morley with your dubious legal documents, his underground empire is a tree with many branches, and it is growing."

Bae sighed. Meeting All-In herself was exhausting, since she was prone to jealous fits when shown up by others. Exhaling, she kept her composure as Ouza continued.

"Hopefully, our makeshift alliance can hold together. Seeing all he has accomplished in such a short time, leaving Emberdale to him is our best strategy, if he's content. What is your opinion on the matter?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. For all his bravado, he does have a severe weakness," Bae explained, biting her bottom lip.

"And that is?"

"Anyone is fair game when chance is involved. He hides it well, but he is addicted to gambling; more than he is to the power he's acquired."

"I doubt he would be so brazen as to gamble away his criminal empire. Though, I can't help but feel you're onto something. Still, we have no idea what abilities he holds. Whispers have come out that he is deadly with poisons and disease, which makes me believe he has class skills in either rogue or assassin, in addition to his racial skills. For the time being, we should simply bide our time in Morley, under the pretense that if either him or us come under attack from another Tester or equal threat, we can count on each other to fend them off."

Bae was already ignoring Ouza. The voice in her head was too loud, screaming different scenarios on what might happen if the Rat-King turned on them both. As a demon, she could instinctively feel the surface emotions of those around her, and yet, All-In was blank, like a ghost. That's what kept her from using her bardic abilities on him after she had secured a spot alone with him. In order for her suggestive magic to work, her emotions had to match those of her target. Becoming completely blank was impossible to her.

"Let's get back to Morley. We need to prepare for the King's tour of his realm. I don't feel safe in this city," Bae replied, climbing into her carriage.

"Agreed."

***

Six months passed, and Alan wondered if his actual body was dead by now. He figured his landlord must've walked in to a rotting corpse, attached to the neurolink helmet that all V1CE players needed to wear to transfer their conscious mind into the altered reality. The company probably went under, with legal suits filed by the families of anyone trapped in the new world.

If the body had a soul, he imagined that they game had become their afterlife. Bae and Ouza were stuck in the same Hell, and for half a year, Alan hadn't heard anything regarding them. They were still alive, but that's as far as he could gleen from the limited information that trickled into Emberdale.

Alora walked in the door, the floor manager of the casino. It was rare that she would make her way to the sewer offices, which quickly garnered Alan's attention. She had a large scar across her face that she refused to cover with her blonde hair, a wound from one of the nobles when they found her embezzling funds from his potion sales. Merrik recruited her straight from the prison, paying a small fortune for the guards to look the other way as they received falsified documents demanding her release. Her skills in accounting helped balloon profits for the casino, and Alan approved.