Legends of Orlea

Chapter 2

Zirem read the warning sign twice, then headed towards the center of town. Everyone ran there, so he figured that would be a good place to go. With a very low level, he couldn't equip his sword, Void. So he walked down the road, with NPCs and lower level players alike running to the center. Picking up the pace, he strapped his sword to his back, and jogged to the square.

As he reached it, a figure in armour stood, holding a blade that glowed with a white fire. His armour was red, and his shield was probably very powerful. Zirem's gaze rested on the helmet which covered his or her face. A screen popped up saying, "Helm of the Dead Souls. Grants temporary immortality when user desires it. Plus 5000 defence stat." Zirem gasped. His own armour gave him five defence. 

The person stood, and spoke loudly and clearly. "All of you who haven't paid the tax yet, or given the required amount of crops, come here." Five people hesitantly stepped out. With a casual swipe, the player beheaded them. Blood flew everywhere, and Zirem couldn't look. He yelled in reply, "Oi! Do you think killing people for not giving you something is right?!" The player turned, and said, "They're weak. They don't even have a life of thier own! They struggle, clinging to their petty lives, trying desperately to earn the money they could so easily earn if they were stronger!"

"So? That's not a reason for you to force them to pay you a tribute! You said you could easily earn the money they give you. Why don't you do it alone, instead?" The shut the powerful player up. Zirem gritted his teeth. "Fine. I'll settle for a duel instead. Every person who hasn't paid their taxes, you will die if he loses. If he wins, you live." All the while, the player pointed at Zirem with the flaming sword.

Zirem walked up, and felt everyone's gaze on him. They knew their lives were at stake, and he would fight to the best of his ability. He doubted it would be enough.

A screen popped up in front of him, explaining the rules of a duel: Rules

1: You may not go out of the created zone. It is thirty meters in diameter. 

2: Magic is allowed, but not killing magic.

3: Helmets aren't allowed.

4: You cannot kill your enemy unless you aren't in the safe-zone.

5: If anybody interferes, both players/NPCs shall be immediately and permanently banned from the game.

6: The players HP will start equal.

Zirem started sweating. His sticky hands gripped the basic iron sword like his life depended on it. A HP bar appeared over the male player, indicating his maximum health. It was 1 000 000. Stealing a glance at his own HP, he noticed it was also at 1 000 000.

The duel started, and the man charged. His white sword stabbed through Zirem, dealing 748 000 damage. Another swing and he lost. Not even a single hit. Everyone gasped as he fell to the ground, gasping. The victor stood over him, sword strapped behind his back. "What's your name?" asked the player over him. 

"Zirem... What's yours..." he coughed out.

"I'm Haclaw. You've just incurred the wrath of one of the most powerful players in this game. You're going to die very soon." Then the player left, and Zirem didn't see what happened next.

He woke up in the same place, with a healing salve rubbed on his wounds. He could move properly, and was feeling all right. All that was left was a dull headache. Zirem recalled the duel, and got up. He needed to get stronger fast. Putting on his clothes and armour, he rushed outside, grabbed his weapons and ran to the place with the gorillas. 

The quest was reset. Accepting it, Zirem continued to the gorillas. His level was pretty high, so he wanted to test out his skills. Satanic Maelstrom sent one flying, blows still striking it even as Zirem got up, his sword in his right hand. The attack was so quick that the blows only stopped a few seconds after the player had stopped moving or doing anything.