I reminded Kline to use his ability point.
Group chat has been unlocked.
(Selecting this allows for your words to travel over long distances to those in your group. Anyone that is in close proximity can overhear the person sending the message. Only verbal messages can be sent currently.)
Quickly I checked to see how many people were viewing us live. I was left dumbfounded. Over twelve million people were joint-watching the battle right now in the middle of the night.
The best part was that my personal followers had shot up to over 500k.
I was breathing heavily, unable to remove my eyes from the indicator. My body swelled as the adrenaline still flowed through my veins. My soreness was gone temporarily, but just sitting down for a few minutes would remind my muscles how overworked they were. No amount of pain or soreness could dampen my mood. I was almost there.
I inventoried my shield and sheathed my sword.
Heading back to our place in line, I retrieved my spear and we looted the goblins we knew were our kills. My inventory was close to three-quarters full. These goblins were dropping better loot and higher end equipment if you consider low quality better than junk.
The sum of my take in equipment was: 6 knives, bronze and iron of different qualities; 2 hatchets, both bronze; 2 short swords, one bronze and one iron of low quality; and an iron spiked club. I had gathered about 75 copper and a number of armor pieces that needed looking through.
Scanning through my new items quickly, I immediately put on a fairly new looking leather vest, with metal studs upping its defense. There were a few odd armor pieces that I left since they were garbage and got rid of the goblin loin cloths.
“I’m going to miss these pajamas,” Kline said.
A smooth leather vest with rounded shoulder pads slipped over his head and cotton shirt. He was also lucky enough to find some leather shin guards.
Testing the group chat, after I turned it on through the User Interface, it was a matter of talking and wanting what you said to be broadcast via group chat. I didn’t know if it was the game or a personal AI that was observing our mind patterns to determine what we desired. It was really just a voice channel that was absolutely worthless this close to each other. I showed Kline anyways. Those close to us would hear us whether we used group chat or not.
“What kind of a face does a mixed martial artist make when dressed in leather armor?” I asked.
He positioned his camera, remembering to take a picture for his fans. Turning to me before posing, he pursed his lips and sharpened his eyes in a squint.
“Are you constipated?”
With a jerk to the camera, he pulled his thumbs to his shoulders and flexed, with nostrils flaring and blood vessels on both his temples bulging.
His biceps were massive and his forearms were as big as my calves.
“I’m glad you’re on my side,” I said.
Turning away from me, he replied under his breath, “For now.”
It suddenly felt like he had thrown me under a stampeding mob of goblins. Had I said something?
Looking back at me, all emotion had fled from his face. When his eyes met mine, his mouth flew open into a deep full-bodied snicker.
“As long as you don’t steal my food we’ll be good.”
Relieved, I replied, “How can I not steal your food after a comment like that?”
“Oh, okay. I’m actually good at sharing. So how does a gamer pose with leather armor?”
Returning his wink from before, I positioned my own camera around my waist looking up at me.
Standing back for a mid-shot, I kept my chin up but looked down and off into the distance.
“By using the right angles.”
Showing him the picture, he nodded his head while examining it. “Angles, huh?”
A familiar female interrupted. “Hello.”
We both turned. The girl that had spoken up before the goblins first attacked was watching us with a raised brow.
***
The young woman was nearly as tall as Kline. Her weapon was a leaf-tipped iron spear. For armor, she wore a soft leather shirt, with a tie up front, and a thick leather skirt.
“Would you like to join us?” she said. Sweat dampened, obsidian strands were finger-swept across her forehead. Her green eyes met mine. There were silver streaks around her pupils.
Not another gamer chick. Why do they always have to be so… attractive? Don’t even consider it, Lucius. She’ll flirt with you, fry you, then eat you alive while stealing your followers.
Behind her was the man that had suggested to the crowd to stick to groups. Another guy, with dark caramel skin, followed behind, towering over them. He had six inches on me and the muscle definition of a body builder. Kline only competed with him in thickness.
“Gentlemen,” the shorter man said. He had short, combed back brown hair, and tight, focused eyes. I guessed he was their leader. His weapon was an iron longsword, the first longsword I had seen and a wooden shield. “We want to propose a strategy similar to the one you just executed. To join up as Victoria said.”
The big guy who wielded a giant club pointed toward the woods.
Kline and I looked to see that there were just as many torches now as there had been before the first goblin wave.
“What’s the plan?” Kline asked.
I studied Victoria as she watched the conversation. She stood straight, one hand on her spear, which rested on the ground. I tried to get a feel for her motives, but my attention kept reverting to how feminine she looked despite her armor. She was tall and even elegant but didn’t lack curves. I dare say it was impossible to find fault with the way she looked. Drool was used wash water in comparison.
Clenching my jaw, I rebuked myself for letting my mind wander. Destiny would have given me a quick verbal smack over the head. I’d hear it from her a year from now when I left Freedom.
Victoria’s head nodded at the words of her friend. She doesn’t give me the bad feeling most gamer girls do. She… lacks an aggressive edge.
“We want to position ourselves at one of the flanks,” their leader responded, pointing to the last group in the defensive line. “We will finish whatever enemies come at us as quickly as possible, then collapse on the remaining goblins, taking out enemies around the perimeter.”
It was the same plan we had just used.
As if hearing my unspoken critique, he added, “Oliver, myself and…”
Kline gave his name in response.
“Pleasure, Kline. I’m Peter,” he said, offering his hand.
After they shook he turned to me.
I took his hand. “Lucius.”
“Alright. Oliver,” said the big guy. “Kline and I will be the front line. Shoulder to shoulder we will rush forward and kill anything that gets in the way. Lucius and Victoria, you take our flank. Since you are using spears, stay to either side on our heels and take out anything that might try to flank us.”
Looking at Victoria, she seemed calm, nodding when she saw I was looking. Aggressive or not she had an air of severity to her.
Returning her nod, I turned away. Had I misjudged that she was a gamer?
Without even looking I was assaulted with the image of her. My palms became balmy and I felt a tingling sensation over my chest, back and arms. Raging hormones. Look, body, we finished with that puberty thing years ago. Mind your manners or I’ll find some icy water to throw you into?
Remembering the pain from my calf earlier in the day, a chill went up my spine pushing back the urge. My mind needed to be elsewhere. What’s wrong with me?
We agreed to join them and received group requests that dissolved our old group.
The next wave of goblins came soon after. We had settled into our place in line and were on the far right flank where Kline and I had begun before.
There was no real indicator when the attack began, except for the sudden stomping of hundreds of feet. The goblins didn’t even have a battle cry to speak of. The noises they made were nothing more than snorts.