Prologue
The underground passage, bathed in the pale blues of magelight, played host to the rushing waters of an underground river and overgrown flora that seized the better half of the cobblestone paths leading to Maderscorn Manor. From the shadows of the entrance emerged four adventurers eager to take on the world. Not least among them stood a young rune knight with cropped blue hair highlighted by a black streak at the front. He was clothed in a long, black coat and gripped a six-foot, sapphire sword firmly in one hand. Planet Breaker allowed himself a grin at the battle to come and turned to his fellow party members, all of whom were strangers he was certain he could rely on.
To Planet Breaker’s rear was a pale dark haired man wearing a long leather duster and large wide-brimmed hat. Next to the leather-clad man stood a woman in a white kimono. with pointed ears and blonde hair kept in a braid that reached the small of her back. The final member of the crew, a stalwart knight clad head to toe in iron armor with tower shield and mace, stood at the ready.
Alright. We can do this, thought the Rune Knight.
“I’m out,” said the armored one. All eyes turned to him.
The elf in the kimono blinked at him. “What?”
“There’s no healer,” said the armored one. “I’m out. Unless one of you wants to make room?”
There was a brief pause before Planet Breaker spoke up. “I’ve done this plenty of times without a healer,” he said. “If we just follow the mechanics—”
“You noobs can go and waste your own time. I’ve got shit to do.” The armor clad warrior vanished into a pillar of light, leaving the party.
The group let out a collective sigh. “Whelp,” said the man in the hat. “BRB.”
Planet Breaker thought a moment, then said, “I bet we can three-man it.”
The elf shrugged. “Worth a shot. What kind of magic do you use?”
“Rune,” said Planet Breaker. “You a taoist?”
“I’m Jewish.” The elf smirked. “But I use tao-magic, yes.”
Planet Breaker smiled. “Any melee?” The elf shook her head. A quick glance above her gave her name: Adona Perfecta.
“Back,” said the man in the hat. “I miss anything?”
Planet Breaker glanced above the hat brim and read the floating name. Von Helsign...subtle. “Von, what kinda magic do you use.”
“None,” he said. “Don’t worry I’ve still got this.” Smiling, he drew two repeating crossbows in each hand from his coat.
Planet Breaker nodded in approval. “Alright, let’s go.”
The three of them raced down the dim paths flanking the underground stream, ever vigilant for oncoming threats. First came demonized dire bats, flying frenzies of fur and fang, unafraid to swarm the nearest target. Planet Breaker flicked his wrist three times and formed a runic circle before him. When he swung the sapphire sword through the array, it instantly lit ablaze with enchanted flame. The elf kept her distance, forming a series of symbols with interlocked fingers. A red light fell upon Planet Breaker. With the help of her enchantment, Planet Breaker’s sword swung true almost twice as fast as before. The bats kept their distance from the flame, screeching their outrage as a barrage of crossbow bolts found their mark. In a few short moments, what monsters weren’t scorched or cleaved were impaled to the adjacent wall or floating down the river, leaving streams of red in the water.
“Nice,” said Planet Breaker. The elf applauded the crossbowman, who showed off by blowing on the tip of a readied bolt only to accidentally shoot a hole in his hat. The party allowed themselves a quick laugh before racing on through waves of giant rats, and undead soldiers. A long flight of stairs took them up to a hallway furnished with various torn paintings and vases covered in dust. At the end of the hall was the disheveled dining hall of Baron Maderscorn himself.
The hall’s great banquet table lay on opposite ends of the room, smashed in half well before the group’s arrival. Remnants of food and the corpses of valiant knights lay strewn about, just short of a glowing black and red magic circle. Within the array stood two robed figures with hands raised high on either side of a rotund nobleman.
“Do you know who I am?” the local lord growled. “I am Baron Fredrick ponce Heraldrin Maderscorn! I’ll feed you to the peasants for this indignity!”
Planet Breaker and his party made their way to the center of the room as the event played out. Each of them already knew getting near the magic circle too early meant certain death.
“You all know the fight?” Planet Breaker asked.
The elf raised an eyebrow. “Did he just say he was going to feed those people to people?”
“Nice guy,” said their crossbowman.
Planet Breaker nodded. “Right? So a big ass worm thing is going to come out. Stay out of—”
A foreign voice drowned him out. “Hey guys! Are you at the boss?”
The new name on the party list caught their eye, but before anyone could answer, a sphere of dark magic encircled the robed cultists and the baron. The whirling energies shrunk down to reveal a massive, lamprey-like creature covered in grey and brown spikes.
Planet Breaker took his stance. “Yeah, we’re at the boss,” he said.
“I’m on my way!” said their newest member.
The worm shot forward. The three adventurers leapt in varying directions, dodging the charge. With a sharp turn, it launched itself for the two crossbows aimed for its head. Planet Breaker formed three runes and shot forth a bolt of lightning, blowing away a single spike. “Jump to the side!”
His words went unheeded. The worm took several shots between its teeth just as a long stream of bile launched from its mouth. Their ranger was too slow. The acidic phlegm covered him and all but locked his feet in place.
“Crap!” Von shouted.
The worm reared high. Unable to do much else, the ranger let loose another volley of bolts that ricocheted off the armored spikes of the beast’s hide. “Craaaaaaaap!”
Just as the worm came down, the elf leapt into her gooey party member dislodging him from the slime and tackling him to safety. The two exchanged a look. “You’re welcome,” she said. The worm’s mouth clung firm to the floor and began sucking up the bile.
The elf looked back. “Ew.”
Planet Breaker let out a low curse as the spike he had blasted off grew back. “Use magic to clear the spikes, then hit the soft spots! Don’t get hit by or stand in the goo and it won’t heal when it hits the ground like that.”
“Got it!” The others said in unison. For a time things went well. While Planet Breaker and his elven support shot forth fire and lightning, their ranged attacker landed bolt after bolt into the creature’s hide. Then it charged for him again. Certain it would be dead in a few more hits, the ranger fired again and again into the maw of the beast only to be covered in disgusting ooze once more.
“You had one job!” the elf shouted. Again she raced to save him.
“Wait!” Planet Breaker knew the timing of this fight all too well. “It’s gonna—”
The elf tackled the ranger just in time for them both to be swallowed up by the monster. Their health pools fell gradually from both the belly of the beast and slurped up acid until they fell to zero. Now the damn thing was back to half its maximum health.
“...Eat you both.” Planet Breaker’s brow furrowed. He took his stance and waited for the next attack.
“I’m here!” said the fourth party member. “Oh.” A translucent wall of crystal blocked entry into the room. “I’m locked out. Just wipe.”
Planet Breaker heard him, but was too focused to register the request. The worm shot for his legs. He leapt, formed a circle beneath him and plunged his sword through. Lightning clung to his blade as it crashed through the top of the monster’s head. The beast let out a shrill shriek and raced about the room, bucking and writhing in pain, trying to free itself from its unwanted passenger. Planet Breaker held firm through the wild ride that made the room a constant blur. The monster slammed its body against a wall. It scraped along the stone, breaking through pillars and ripping apart hanging tapestries before finally whipping its head back and throwing its assailant high into the air. The enraged beast shot upwards for its prey. Without a moment’s hesitation, Planet Breaker formed a new series of symbols and shot a ball of flame right down the creature’s throat. With his palm extended, he quietly sealed his foe’s fate with a simple word: “Break.”
The fireball erupted inside the creature and detonated like a bomb. The worm writhed, letting out a violent roar of smoke and flame. Planet Breaker fell at the perfect angle. The tip of his electrified blade found an open sore. His boot found just enough footing. He raced down the body of the beast, leaving blood and lightning in his wake until he reached the ground.
The worm’s gurgling cry faded, and its body fell, cleaved open from throat to abdomen. The brief moment of silence was shattered by the resounding applause from Edward’s fellow players. The youth felt himself blush.
“That was amazing!”
“I didn’t even know you could do that!”
“Hurray! Free loot!”
The spoils of victory made their way into the inventories of each of the characters. Planet Breaker received the same dagger he had about six of now, but the real treasure was the fight itself and getting to experience it with people just like him. “Thanks for the group, guys.”
“Thank you, man!” said the crossbowman. “That was awesome!”
“G.G. guys,” said the one who didn’t get to do anything. “Take care.”
Edward stretched on his bed, inadvertently causing his character to do the same. “I gotta go, but do you guys wanna—” Planet Breaker looked around the room, seeing only the corpse of the worm he had defeated, and the glowing exit of the dungeon instance.
“Add me as a friend…” The party list was empty. The room was quiet. All that remained was the resounding silence of solitude. It was amazing, truly, how a game labeled as “Massively Multiplayer” could leave him feeling so lonely. He supposed it didn’t matter, but if he couldn’t make friends in the real world, this one would have done just fine. He considered looking for another group. However, sleep beckoned despite his protests. Planet Breaker’s player logged out of Breaker Online and removed his headset. Hell awaited Edward in the morning.
