A Power Game

Elly's first impression of the forest was amazement. As her father was a personal friend of the games creator - which was part of the reason he tended to the Level 1 World Boss - she had been confined to the castle for the entirety of her time inside of Euphoria. The only time she had seen the sky had been from inside the curved stone walls of the palace garden, and the only time she had touched the needles of the the tall, solitary pines was when the wind blew east, carrying them over the castle walls and through her open window. Now, she realized just how sad that had been.

"They're wonderful."

She ran one hand along the thin branch of a pine tree, taking a few needles between her fingers as they left the rough wood. Sam turned back to her with a cheeky smile.

"Yeah, they really are." He ran three of his long fingers over the bark of a pine tree to his left. "Did you know that pine tree literally means 'withering tree'? The first people to discover them thought they were pining, or dying, because they were dark and brittle. They didn't realize that it was simply the type of tree, so they nicknamed them Dying Trees, or Pines."

Elly's small mouth opened in a perfect 'o'. She had always been interested in little facts; small, insignificant things that nobody else seemed to care about. Sam seemed to share the little fascinating quirk, as he was constantly throwing out facts about things, whether they were grand of seemingly pointless.

She watched the tall boy stride through the trees, his thinly booted feet barely making a sound as they ghosted over sticks and soft pine needles.

"Where are we going?" Elly's voice was hushed. It seemed a sin to break the calm silence of the forest. The silence was almost magical, she thought. Like a spell cast over the trees.

"I own a small cabin up in the west. It's just between the two mountains you could see from the top of the castle; they're called Anne'Rhu and Su'Ghin. It was said that they were once two sisters, who loved the rocky mountains of this world so much they decided to become them. I don't know if I believe the story, but it's kind of sweet." He cursed softly as a stick broke under his foot, the snapping sound echoing through the trees. "Didn't want them to hear me."

His words confused Elly, who frowned. Her beautiful face scrunched up in bewilderment.

"Them?"

Sam smiled back at her, running one hand over the top of her fair head. "Nobody we need to worry about, little princess. Just a couple of visitors to your noble land."

He said the words without doubt, but Elly noticed his hand casually ease towards the hilt of his long, curved sword. His eyes were narrowed at her in what she took to be reassurance, but she noticed that his pupils were snapping around in them, trying to look everywhere at once.

"What's wrong, Sam?"

The tall boy sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder protectively. "Look, I think it's nothing, but this could actually mean trouble." He paused, his smoky grey eyes meeting hers. "Normally I wouldn't worry you, but this could get very serious very quickly. I've told you about my brother?"

He had mentioned him vaguely once, saying little more than that he had a sibling. Elly tried desperately to remember. His brother was ... an assassin? A freelance something, she knew. Sam had shivered as he described him, and Elly had never seem Sam so much as become worried before. She had seem him take on four of her father's guards, bound and barehanded, without so much as batting an eye, yet a single person that could make him shiver ...

Fear was an emotion that was entirely against Sam's very being, yet here it was in his eyes, making them glow dimly in the forest gloom.

"Well, this is probably a good time. My brother's name is Octavian. He trained the forces of the Dead Syndicate's elite stealth and hand-to-hand fighters for six months before mysteriously disappearing. He suddenly cut all ties with the party. He's the only person I know who can stand toe-to-toe with me and probably walk away the victor."

Sam wasn't being cocky this time, Elly knew. He was deadly serious.

"He was nicknamed the God of Speed for a reason. Even I can't match it. The kid's like greased lightning. He's an archer class, but he uses daggers. I know the guy pretty well, but even I can't figure that one out." He increased the pressure of his hand on her shoulder slightly, leaning down to her. "Look, Elly, I need you to promise me something."

She nodded, the look in his eyes brooking no argument.

"If I tell you to run, you run. You run as fast as you can, and you hide -" He paused, locking her eyes to his. "Even if that means going back to the castle. If I tell you to, you do whatever you have to to escape my brother."

Elly breathed deeply, nodding her agreement. "Okay", she whispered. Her eyes were sincere, but her heart absolutely was not. She would rather die than go back to that dungeon.

"Good." Sam stepped back, releasing his grasp on her shoulder. It was only then that she realized how tight his grip had been. He really was nervous, she could see.

"In that case, let's go meet your new brother in law."

-

In the clearing, barely two hundred feet away, Mhykol was feeling very nervous. Octavian stood tall and rigid, like a wild animal that was about to fight to defend his territory. Avery stood beside him looking far more relaxed, but a light of worry shone in her glittering brown eyes. One of her slim hands rested on the boy's stiff arm. Of the two reactions, hers probably scared Mhykol more.

"Octavian, don't fight him." Avery's voice was calm.

"I wasn't planning on it." The boy was lying, Mhykol could tell. His hands were wrapped around the handles of his knives so hard that they were beginning to turn white. "Not unless he decides he wants one."

Avery shook her head slightly, her curled brown hair swirling around her pale face. "Octavian, don't. You'll lose." Her voice was so certain, Mhykol found himself believing her. A worm of doubt wiggled its way into his mind, however. He had seen Octavian fight, though it had more been like a rottweiler playing with kittens. The boy was insanely fast, and his reflexes were crafted from quicksilver. Mhykol couldn't imagine anybody beating the slim fighter.

"Don't be so certain, Ave." Suddenly, Octavian went slack, all the tension fading from his body instantly. He flung one of his knives into the ground, blade sinking deep into the mossy surface. "You don't have to worry about me. I don't want to fight him any more than you want me to."

Reese stepped forwards, and Mhykol noticed that his long, straight sword was in his left hand. He approached Octavian hesitantly, touching the boy on one shoulder with his pointer finger. The smaller boy turned with raised eyebrows.

"Just what kind of person is this brother of yours?"

Octavian sighed, scuffing at the ground with one boot. He bent over, picking up his knife, and cleaned it against his shirt before tucking it back into his sleeve. The boy's witty brown eyes were narrowed in thought. He seemed to be watching his memories play before his eyes.

"He's a warrior, born and bred. He joined the Royal Thrones about the same time I joined the Dead Syndicate, but he rose through the ranks faster. So far, he's the only person to have beaten the World Boss for level 1 of Euphoria, but he's stayed on this level instead of advancing. I don't know why. Nothing that monster does makes sense." The last line seemed to be a thought that escaped onto his tongue. "He trained Avery." Octavian pulled a thumb towards the girl. "Ask her what he's like."

Everyone turned towards Avery expectantly.

"Sam's nice." Her voice was quiet. "Brutal and ruthless, but nice."

"Well damn, that kind of description almost makes me sound respectable."

Everybody in the clearing whirled around as the light, melodic voice rang through the air. Mhykol watched as the speaker emerged from the woods. He didn't look like Mhykol had expected. He had imagined the boy as looking like Octavian, but more ... evil? The boy that stood in front of them looked nothing of the sort.

His long brown-black hair was tied back in a ponytail, just like Octavians', and they had the same black clothing and pale skin, but that's where the similarities ended. The newcomer was tall, standing about the same height as Mhykol. He walked with an easy, swaying gait that spoke of thinly-veiled power. A curved sword hung from the man's waist, brushing against his right hand every time he took a step. His eyes were like grey rocks in his sculpted face, flat and unreadable. His eyebrows curved up in the same mocking grin that Octavian often wore, as if the man was looking down on the word like a gameboard, laughing at the stupid moves of other people.

"Good morning, brother."

To Mhykol's surprise, Octavian didn't look startled, or even suspicious. Walking forwards, he reached out his hand to the taller boy, who shook it strongly. The two boys met eyes before stepping back, each seeming very respectful.

"This is bad."

Avery's voice broke the silence, just loud enough for Mhykol to hear, but not loud enough to be made out by the two boys in the center of the clearing. He turned to her.

"Why?"

"Sam's going to kill him." The girls big eyes watched the two men like a hawk, dancing between the two.

"How do you know?"

The girl glanced away from the two boys momentarily, meeting Mhykol's eyes with a dark, level look. Suddenly, she seemed far older than her barely seventeen years. The little girl was washed away, leaving only the cold fighter that made up the core of the seemingly frail young woman.

"I just do. Look at the way he's standing." She gestured towards the newcomer. "He's in Stance of the Scorpion." Mhykol didn't know what that meant, but it sounded serious. "Besides that, look at the trees behind him. See anything?"

Mhykol looked behind the taller boy, and instantly made out a second figure. She was of just under average height, with long hair the color of fresh snow. She was leaning against a tree, watching with interest. One of her hands tugged at the end of a strand of hair that ran through her lips, the other rested against the trunk of the tree she leaned against. with how starkly white she was against the dark forest, Mhykol was amazed he hadn't seen her earlier. She looked like a ghost.

"Yeah, young girl, right?"

Avery nodded. "You can't see them because she's a higher level than you, but I can view her stats. Overall, she's not very strong, but she's an adept magician, strangely powerful. She specializes in fire magic, though she also has powers in necromancy, healing, and glass magic. Octavian and Sam might be an even fight, but with that girl on his side, Sam would certainly win."

"She seems pretty passive right now, though. Maybe she won't fight?"

"She'll fight." Avery's voice was very certain, and her words held a deadly calm. "So I'll have to do the same."

Suddenly, Rain and Reese appeared beside her, with Katie a half a step behind. To be honest, Mhykol had almost forgot they were in the clearing with him.

"We'll help you." Rain's voice was apprehensive, but forceful. Mhykol nodded, his hands grasping the handles of his twin swords.

Suddenly, a name came to his mind, burning like fire in his memory. Left and Right. He would name his swords after the legs he never had, the legs on which he now stood. Left and Right, and together, Freedom. Unfortunately, he happened to be looking at his right hand when it came to him, so the sword in his right hand ended up being Left.

Hey, it's quirky. In fact, he kind of liked it that way.

"No." Avery's voice was still her soft near-whisper, but in her own way, even more forceful than Rain's. "No. I don't mean to offend any of you, but this fight is out of your league. This is a duel for masters." She exhaled lightly, brown eyes conceding defeat. The girl looked at them all once, giving them a tenuous smile.

"Be right back. Hopefully."

With that, the small girl walked over to Octavian's side, turning her head to say something to him. Mhykol watched as Sam's face lit up in delight at seeing Avery, and then dim as he realized why the girl had come forwards.

"You sure you want to do this?" Octanian's voice carried easily to the children standing a few meters away. Sam answered by drawing his curved sword. Behind him, Mhykol saw the white-haired girl push away from the tree, turning to fully face the three people in the middle of the clearing. Her hands raised slowly, focusing on Avery and Octavian. Mhykol thought he saw her eyes narrow.

"Prepare yourself, brother. I'm about to send you to hell." Sam's voice was nearly a snarl, his attractive face curled in concentrated anger.

"Meet you halfway there." Octavian's voice was as it always was, friendly and mocking. He turned his body to the side, face tilted towards his brother. His knives whirled through his hands as he tugged them out of his sleeves.

And then, Sam attacked.