“I did, and like I told you, I’m in.” A wolfish smile lifts Zaena’s pointed ears.
Ryuk finishes loading black marbles into the magazine, returns it to his inventory list, and takes an empty magazine, which he also loads with black marbles. He returns it to his list and grabs the last magazines, which he alternates with black and knife marbles.
Dory the Weaponsmith suggested that rather than wear the magazines on his belt, it’s best to put them at the bottom of his inventory list so he doesn’t have to worry about scrolling to equip them when a magazine runs out. Most players can access their lists in the blink of an eye, so he’ll be able to replace the magazines ultra-fast.
“Let’s go.” Only once he is at the door does he turn back to Zaena. “I’m serious, and if you aren’t up to it, that’s fine by me too, but I have to rescue her tonight. I just feel like it’s the right thing to do.”
Zaena raises an eyebrow at him. “Are you doing this because you love her?”
He clears his throat. “That’s not how I’d describe it. Tamana and I have been friends for a very long time, but romantically, we’ve never been linked.” Ryuk quickly remembers how he failed to ask her out and cringes at himself. “We’ve never dated.”
“Why not?”
“Because of all this – this world,” he halfway lies. “We were always having such a damn good time here that it really never came up.”
“So you do love her then?” Zaena’s eyes soften.
“What do you want me to say to that?”
She stands and approaches him. Her ghost limbs grab him by the front of his armor and pull him the rest of the way to her. “I want you to say that you love her, then I’ll help you,” she says with a mischievous grin.
“Are you … drunk or something?”
“I had the same number of shots as you. So maybe.” She laughs, but she doesn’t release him. “Consider it part of leveling up: come to grips with who you really are and how you really feel. Come to think of it, I think I had more shots than you. I saw Hiccup taking your shots for you.”
Ryuk is suddenly embarrassed. His face flushes red as he says, “Fine, I do love her then. Happy?”
She releases him immediately. “Good, let’s get going.”
They exit through the bookcase into the hostel’s entry way. Jim, the owner, stands immediately and walks around to the other side of the counter. He places his hands behind his back and asks, “Is there anything the lady and my young lord will be needing this evening?”
“Thanks, but we’re fine.” Ryuk returns his hood to his head. “We’re going out; if our guildmates, a blond-haired commoner and a cranky goblin come, please show them to the room.”
“Very well,” Jim calls after them.
The door slams shut and the two step into the streets.
“We’re actually not very far from their guildhall. Hiccup said that it would be this way,” she turns left, “and that it’s surrounded by the largest stone wall in the district. Lucky for us, I have ghost limbs.”
The Guild District is relatively quiet aside from the occasional conversation carried by the wind. Smoke from the chimney of a nearby blacksmith guild tickles his nostrils. It is by no means a cold night – it is rarely cold on the floating continent of Hyberborea, other than in the Klin Mountains – but he feels a chill anyway, possibly an effect of the alcohol leaving his system.
“That must be it,” Zaena whispers as they turn down a lane that leads away from the Bonsor River. A guildhall sheltered by walls that are at least three meters high is situated at the end of the cobblestone road. The rented guildhall is a bad choice if one wishes to maintain a low profile. It’s big, suspiciously imposing, and the alley that separates it from other guilds makes it easier to approach unnoticed.
Just to be sure, Ryuk checks the building stats and finds out that it is indeed the home of the Shinigami’s alias – the Ripazu – just like the fat guy told Hiccup.
“To the left,” Zaena says, “follow my lead.”
“Got it.”
Ryuk brings his marble gun up holds it ready. He’s not sure of how this is going to play out, and try as he might, his Extreme Focus skill just isn’t coming online. They reach the alley separating the guildhall and keep as far from the scattered lanterns lighting the lane as they can.
Using her ghost limbs, Zaena lifts herself to the top of the wall and crouches in the shadow of a spike-shaped merlon.
Zaena: Face the wall. I’ll grab you, but you’ll still have to help climb.
Ryuk: Got it.
She catches him under the arms like a nanny lifting a toddler, and he rappels up the wall. He crouches next to another spike and covers the courtyard below.
Zaena: It’s awfully quiet.
Ryuk: There.
He senses the two NPC sentries before they actually step into an arc of light behind the main gate. His hand goes to his marble gun, but he decides on his slingshot instead. He palms two knife marbles, loads one in the pouch and holds the other one tight with his pinkie and ring finger.
Zaena: Are you sure?
Ryuk breathes in, lets half out and waits for the first guard to turn to the entrance. He lets loose and the knife marble strikes the guard square in the throat.
Tonsil shot! Instakill!
The other guard goes down with Ryuk’s second shot.
Tonsil shot! Instakill!
Skill level up! +3 LUCK!
Skilclass="underline" Tonsil Shot
Level Two: 1 in 11 chance of connecting.
Damage: 24% if enemy is less than level 30; 12% if enemy is greater than level 30.
Odds of instakilclass="underline" 10%
Requirements for instakilclass="underline" LUCK > 7
EXP comes but he swipes it away. Zaena gives him the thumbs up. “Amazing shots.” With that, she slowly lets herself down into the courtyard. Ryuk waits for her to settle and keeps his eye on the front door of the Shinigami’s rented guild quarters.
Zaena: Do you feel my ghost limb? Use it to slide down.
As before, he feels a small jolt of electricity as he touches it with his bare hands. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he crouches and closes his eyes. He concentrates on his breathing for a moment, and as he does, the inside of his eyelids begin to populate with the world in front of him.
His Extreme Focus and Magic Eye skills working in tandem, Ryuk keeps his eyes closed for a moment, taking in as much detail as he possibly can. A faint green energy appears at the center of the guild. He opens his eyes and it disappears, closes them and it appears again.
Skill level up!
Skilclass="underline" Magic Eye
Level Four: A colored glow indicates that magical properties are present. Higher levels allow for more detail and access to the Wikipedia of arcane knowledge. A red outline signals that a hidden enemy is near. A yellow outline signals that an object is enchanted. A dark blue outline signals that necrotic magic is being used. A green outline signals that algomagic is being used.
Requirements: Level 8 Mage, LUCK > 6.
Ryuk: Algomagic inside.
Zaena: Got it. How many enemies?
Ryuk: Hard to tell. I sense several; then again, I’m only getting a slight read.
Zaena: Is Tamana in there?
Ryuk tries again to feel his way into the guild. His level is too low; he knows from his former avatar that Extreme Focus at a higher level could actually see into objects, around objects, through objects, and can note and interpret tiny changes in the environment.