“I bet the mobs just stopped attacking and stared at her,” Alburet chuckled. He missed Stacia’s serious nod as he opened up the flashing message icon to find a message from Fluff.
Message from Fluff:
I’m ready to go for more killing Al, meet you at the portal guild?
He sent her back a message that he was already on his way there, adding that they would have a guest with them today. When he finished the message he looked at Stacia. “Okay, the other part of our party is going to meet us at the portal guild. Her name is Fluffball and she’s a Lunari Berserker. I told you about her last night.”
“She is a good friend?” Stacia asked.
“She’s been a good companion to kill things with. She is a nice person but a little shy, so play nice with her okay?”
“As ya wish, master,” Stacia said, squeezing his arm where she held it.
As they approached the portal guild Alburet targeted Stacia and tried to invite her to group. She looked as surprised as Alburet felt when it worked. A moment later Stacia appeared in the group UI showing her to be level ten but with a question mark where her class should have been listed. “Stacia? Why don’t you have a class?”
“I do nay know, it has been a mystery to me family. Me sisters are the same as me, none of us showing a class when inspected. Da’ tried to train us, which did nay work. He had his friends try, but we could nay learn necromancy either.” Stacia shrugged, “I will be fine, though. Ya will be watchin’ out for me.”
They reached portal, guild entering the building to find the waiting area mostly full. They got into line for the reception desk, waiting their turn. Once they got to the front of the line, he smiled at Kim warmly, “Missed you yesterday, Kim. Hope you’re doing well?”
“Yes, thank you. Yesterday was my day off. A new one, hmm? Building a harem maybe?” Kim chuckled, “Where are you off to today?”
“The fort in the orc lands. There will be three of us. Besides, isn’t it every man’s dream to be loved by as many women as possible?”
“True enough, I suppose. That will be one gold and thirty silver each, please.”
Alburet paid for the trio, “I hope you have a good day, Kim.” He dropped an extra gold on the desk, “Keep the change as well.” He took Stacia’s hand and led her to the waiting area. He spotted Fluff just coming in and tossed her an invite. “Hey, Fluff,” he called out, “I paid up, we’re going to the orc lands today. Stacia, this is Fluffball. Fluffball, this is Stacia.”
Stacia smiled broadly, “Good to meet ya, Miss Fluffball. Alburet has told me ya are a good companion and a fierce Berserker.”
Fluff pinked slightly, “It’s good to meet you as well, Stacia. Sadly you have the advantage on me as Alburet hasn’t told me anything about you.”
“Stacia is the daughter of Alistern, the owner of the Dead Man Inn,” Alburet said, taking Fluff’s arm and leading the two women into the waiting area. “She’s been my maid at the inn. Last night she said she would like to go adventuring, so I invited her along. Her armor is her mother’s old armor and I promised her dad to protect her above all else.”
Fluff looked at him with unreadable eyes for a moment before her mouth quirked up, “So, protecting her on her first time out?”
“Pretty much,” Alburet said, looking around but not finding a spot for them to sit.
Rolland went by, nodding at Alburet as he approached a group of three on a sofa. Alburet, seeing the chance, edged the women closer to the sofa as the trio stood up and followed Rolland. The mage winked at Alburet as he went by. Alburet got the women settled, taking the seat in the middle. “Now we just have to wait a few minutes,” he said, draping his along the back of the sofa so he had an arm around each of them.
Fluff glanced at him from the corner of her eye, “So, Stacia, how has Alburet been acting at the inn?”
Stacia beamed, “He has been wonderful, the perfect master.”
Fluff’s eyes went wide as her head turned to fully face them, “Master?”
“Oh yes,” Stacia shivered slightly, “the way he helps keep me grounded with his firm hands. He treats me so sweetly, sharing his meals with me, as well as helping me explore my sexu…”
“Okay, that’s enough,” Alburet interrupted with a cough.
Fluff was red, her mouth open slightly as she looked from the young woman to Alburet and back in mild shock. “He’s slept with you?”
“And so much more,” Stacia said smiling broadly, “would ya like to join us tonight? I really enjoyed the last time another two-souled joined us.”
Alburet winced at how Stacia was making him sound, not that she was really wrong. “Okay, that’s enough of airing my laundry in public, please.” He glanced around, getting a lot of disgusted looks from the women nearby along with some envious looks from the guys.
Stacia looked at him oddly, “Ya should be proud though, master. Ya made Karen and me very happy with the way you worked us so well.”
Alburet buried his face in his palms with a resounding smack, “Gah, enough!”
Fluff giggled at him even though she was crimson, “Stacia, you’re embarrassing him. We can talk more once we’re in the field.”
Stacia frowned, “I don’t understand, though. Any man should be proud if he could be even a fifth of master.”
“I’m easily better than that toothpick, baby,” a deep voice said from the side. When they looked over they found a very large muscled man in chain with a shield on his back standing next to the sofa, leering down at Stacia. “I can protect you more than this lightly armored guy. How about it, want to see what a real man can do for a fine little honey like you?”
Alburet felt his anger rising, only to be surprised when Stacia laughed. “Oh, ya poor man. Ya might be more muscled then me master but I would bet he knows how to work his body better then ya could ever hope to. Besides, he knows so well how to keep a hellion like me in line.”
The man’s face went red, his lip curling into a sneer, “Look, you little bitch…”
Alburet popped to his feet, a tight smile in place, “Let’s take a walk outside, shall we? We can have a duel out there with a wager on the line. If you beat me, you get her for an entire week. If I beat you then you hand over all your gear to her. Are you okay with this, Stacia?”
Stacia looked at Alburet and bowed her head, “As master wishes. I trust ya.”
“So what do you say, Bubba?”
“Yeah that’s fine, but nothing other than melee, no spells or abilities.” The man said with a snicker, “Still game?”
“Sounds fine. Anyone who wants entertainment come on outside,” Alburet said, strolling outside with Stacia and Fluff following him. He tossed Fluff a message asking her to put twenty gold in bets on him.
As he got outside, Alburet targeted the asshole and sent him a duel invite, “Ready?”
Steelwall snorted, “Yeah, I’m ready.” Accepting the duel prompted both of them with a notice.
Wager:
The gods have heard your wager.
The outcome of this duel will be enforced by the gods.
Alburet vaguely heard bets being placed between people who’d come out to watch as the countdown started for the duel. He was a little shocked over the system notification. Shrugging off the notification, he took the two handed axe off his back, grinning as Steelwall’s smile faded slightly, “What, did you expect a staff?”
“Stupid caster, putting points in strength,” Steelwall sneered.
Alburet took note of his opponent’s health, 1200/1200. He would need about eight to ten hits to kill his opponent. His 950/950 health, with the twenty armor mitigation would mean thirty hits or so for him to die. Factor in the shield he would have to deal with and it was going to be close. Alburet took a few steps back, waiting as the timer ticked down the last five seconds.