Not Just a Game Part II

“Luke the Blue, your punishment is to find for the Council of the Dragon a Black Dragon egg,” said Matthew the White
“What no banning?” asked Luke
“Sorry man I tried to get them to be lenient and give you a banning but the other council members were adamant for the trouble you have caused you that you be punished in that way,” said Matthew the White
Luke was confused, “lenient? But then all I have to do is wait. Oh wait am I on a time frame”
“Sorry man, no time limit on your sentence I am truly sorry,” said Matthew
Matthew was being very apologetic and it was confusing the hell out of Luke, “so all I have to do is find a Black Dragon’s egg with no time limit. Ok can I go now?”
“Oh yeah sorry mate I don’t want to keep you,” said Matthew
Luke smiled, “cool. Me and Sara will be off then, computer log out”
Once again nothing happened. He looked up at Matthew the White with malice in his eyes, “what aren’t you telling me Matthew and keep in mind I trained you”
“I thought you realized, I am so sorry man, you can’t leave. You and your girlfriend, Sara was it, must stay here until you both find a Black Dragon’s egg and bring it to us” said Matthew
“No,” said Luke flatly as a razor blade
He was slipping into denial Sara had seen it only once before and it wasn’t pretty. She was obviously more prepared for this eventuality then he was. But she still had to do something with his magic it would be deadly she had to do something quickly before he got angry, “don’t worry Luke you said the Dragons are nesting now you’re a wizard just go up there and take one. It won’t be hard for you”
The left side of Luke’s face was twitching like someone had implanted a piston in his face. It made his face scowl viciously like a starving Doberman seeing raw meat, “you don’t get it Sara, Black Dragon’s nest in the winter and hatch in the spring. There won’t be a Black Dragon egg for another year”
She let her head hang it was a depressing thought to stay in this world for a year but she would survive and with Luke here with her she might actually enjoy it. She lifted her head and let her hand rest on his shoulder, “don’t worry Luke it’s ok. It won’t be too bad we’ll live we’ll get through this we’ve gone through worse”
All of a sudden her hand was jolted as if she had been sparked. She took one look at her hand then looked straight at Luke. He had his back to her and he was facing Matthew the White. His hood was up and the white runes were shining on his blue robe. He said one thing, “Sara get back”
She didn’t need a second urging she leapt to the ground and just in time. Luke released an almighty burst of energy from his body directed straight at Matthew. The Grand Magnus merely stood there and but a second before the blast hit him it dissipated into nothingness, “don’t do this Luke you may have trained me but I am a Grand Magnus now and there is nothing you can do to change things”
“We’ll see about that,” said Luke and he lifted his hands into the air as if worshipping a god.
He whispered an incantation silently, Sara couldn’t hear it but looking at Matthew she took better cover behind a statue. The roof was suddenly ripped off and above a great thunderstorm was brewing. The howling wind was silencing everything but the two wizards.
Matthew the White yelled over the wind, “are you a Weather Wizard now Luke?”
Luke the Blue still looking overhead answered, “a means to an end my old apprentice”
A crack of lightning was heard then another and another until it sounded like a million drums playing out a vicious march. Then as if at once all the lightning fell and struck Luke but where others would fall he stood strong. The energy that was expelled when it hit him was like the supernova of a star, bright as blindness and as powerful as a nuclear blast.
When the dust settled and Sara had brushed off the rubble from what remained of the statue. She saw Luke standing in a shirt and pants his robe long forgotten lay in tatters on the floor but the runes that were once on it were now on him fused to his body. He stood their energy surging up and down his body like he was a living Jacob’s ladder. Static sparks were flying off every hair on his body to each other to earth themselves. The effect was that his hair looked like his body but in smaller versions multiplied a thousand times. He looked like he was being literally electrocuted but his eyes said otherwise, they were twin balls of lightning that surged with a controlled and decisive power that could turn men to ashes with but a blink.
“The Spell of the Living Lightning, very impressive man but what do you plan to do now?” said Matthew the White unblinking.
“Teach you that I’m still the master,” and with a flash of lightning he was gone.
“You never taught me anything by running Luke” said Matthew the White
I whisper from behind him, “oh I’m not running I’m dancing”
Matthew sent a burst of light behind but it was too late he was gone, “you playing games with me Luke?” he asked
“Did I teach you nothing?” asked Luke from the left side of the hall
Before Matthew could even turn his head Luke was in front of him delivering the Grand Magnus an uppercut with the fury of a thunderstorm. It sent him flying straight into the air and at the moment when he stopped mid air before he started his fall to earth with a pointed hand Luke sent a continuous stream of lightning at him.
The electrical energy held Matthew in mid-air putting him in a state of weightless electrocution, “obviously not” said Luke grimly as he heard his old apprentice screaming in agony
Through the screams of agony Sara discerned two words, “release…me…”
Luke didn’t seem to care or was incapable of it, “I had so much more to teach you Matthew yet you ran to that Grand Magnus the second he offered his hand”
It seemed that Matthew was either getting used to the feeling of being electrocuted or he was shaking it off, “I… wanted… more… then… you… could… give… me…”
This caused Luke to give him an extra surge of power causing a fresh round of screams from Matthew, “I offered you more and all I asked is that you waited”
Sara could tell Luke was losing power he was starting to breathe heavily like he was over exerting himself. She yelled out, “Luke stop!”
For a moment Luke was distracted and Matthew the White made his move, the screaming stopped and his body suddenly went limp.
“Shit” said Luke and he started looking around furiously well holding the limp body in the air.
Sara thought the worst, that her boyfriend had just killed someone, “let him go he’s dead!” she screamed
“Not yet,” said Luke answering both parts of her plea in a whisper she barely heard. He sent a surge down his spare hand and readied another lightning bolt as he kept looking for something.
Sara was beyond understanding at this point she almost ready to run up to him and slap him across the face to snap him out of it like she had on many other occasions. She was about to get up when she remembered, “this is just a game I have to trust him” and she watched
Luke looked above and saw the thunderclouds part to reveal a beam of light and a descending figure. “Here he comes,” he said as he tensed and waited for him to come into range.
“What is that?” Sara asked herself as she watched what looked like Matthew the White descend upon Luke
“And you say I’m one for theatrics,” said Luke and he let his lightning bolt fly.
The glowing version of Matthew the White merely smiled and drifted to the side so the lightning bolt missed him by a fraction.
Luke let another lightning bolt fly and another and another until with another bolt he yelled, “stand still you pathetic excuse for an astral projection”
The projection merely smiled wider and started to descend faster still dancing circles around Luke’s magic. Then sensing the right moment the projection attacked Luke flying right through him causing Luke to lose his breath and his consciousness.
Sara ran to Luke’s side and caught him just before he hit the ground. The projection disappeared to reunite with Matthew’s body as it fell. Matthew the White’s eyes flew open and his descent stabilized. The Grand Magnus landed softly on the staircase in front of Luke and Sara. Then he said to her, “I’m so sorry this has been brewing for a long time I asked the council that they get someone else but they decided that this was best. I just hope this has dispersed any bad blood between us and don’t fear he will be all right soon enough” and with a flash of light Matthew the White Grand Magnus of the Council of the Dragon disappeared.
Sara looked at his face and brushed a stray hair off of it, “why can’t you ever let the past stay in the past?”
“Because when you’re a wizard you have to make sure your past doesn’t comeback and bite you in the proverbial ass,” said Reeves the Black stepping out of a shadow, “he’s exhausted you can take him up to one of the rooms he can rest there. You’re both free to stay here as long as you wish although I don’t suggest you waste your time here”
“Thank you,” said Sara as he lifted Luke into his arms and carried him up the stairs to one of the rooms.
“I have to go now I’m going to log out and check on your situation in the real world. I’m sure the Council has already arranged something but best to be sure. See you after lunch tomorrow and please feel free to use the facilities. Computer log out,” with that Reeves the Black disappeared with the familiar noise of an Internet connection being made.

Before Luke even opened his eyes he incanted a lightning spell and let it loose above him but he was happy that the first thing he heard and saw after the dust settled was Sara, “I had a feeling you would do that”
Luke sat up in his bed and smiled, “old habits die hard”
“Who was he?” she asked
Luke’s face immediately became downcast, “my old apprentice believe it or not”
“But he kicked your ass,” she said
“That’s because he betrayed me,” he said with a twinge of anger, “he was my apprentice because that is our way. When someone chooses the path of the Magi and joins the Council of Eight a wizard is chosen to teach them, show them the ropes so to speak. A good idea really but it was flawed, when Matthew joined I saw that he had potential so I took him under my wing and made him my apprentice. It worked out well he leaned more towards one element then the others as I did but his was Light where mine was Lightning. I knew from the beginning he wanted to be a Grand Magnus so when we found out about becoming an Elemental Grand Magnus we were both overjoyed. The problems started arising when we found out what was required. We had to master the Elemental spell of Life and Soul for our chosen element.
“Shortly after I petitioned that Matthew was ready to take the trial to become an Arch Mage and a Councilman on the Council of Eight. They agreed and he took the trial. He came out Matthew the White Arch Mage of the Council of Eight. It was one of the happiest days of my life for he had become my equal instead of my apprentice but as it turned out I still had much more to teach.
“A few weeks after he became an Arch Mage a seat on the council opened up but he didn’t accept it he flatly refused it. Saying he wouldn’t settle for a council of Arch Mages when he could sit with a council of Grand Magnus’s. It turned out that he had been meeting with a Grand Magnus everyday for weeks and that the Grand Magnus believed he had the potential to become a Grand Magnus himself but would never achieve such a position if he stayed in the company of Arch Mages. So there in front of the Council of Eight he announced that he would be leaving to become a Grand Magnus.
“He didn’t just betray me, he betrayed the council. We even had a bounty on his head for quite a time but as soon as he became a Grand Magnus he was out of our reach. He even had the nerve to keep the title we had given him, Matthew the White. He was impatient and arrogant, he allowed his ambition to get in the way when he could have waited and achieved a power beyond the Council of the Dragon” finished Luke
When she was sure that he’d finished Sara said, “Can you blame him though for wanting more and wanting to get it quick?”
“Yes, but it doesn’t matter now our little fight proved that. Until I master the Spell of the Lightning Soul I will not be able to beat him and prove that I was right and he was wrong,” said Luke
“There’s something you’re not telling me Luke,” said Sara
Luke looked at her then out the window, “after he announced his resignation from the council he pulled me aside and said I could join him and we could both be Grand Magnus’s just like we originally planned. I refused saying if we joined them now we would never become Elemental Grand Magnus’s and be more powerful then them. Needless to say that led to a huge falling out and we went our separate ways from there”
“Have you moved on now that he kicked your ass and looks like he’s over it?” asked Sara
“Yeah I’m over it I got more important things to handle now then old grudges,” he said looking at her with a smile
She put her hands up defensively, “hey I don’t want to get involved with the politics if that’s how it gets.”
“Well it’s usually not that bad,” said Luke not even believing himself
“Well anyway if I have the choice I’ll stay away from Wizarding all the same,” she said
Luke laughed, “fair enough I can understand but that doesn’t change the fact that if you’re going to be staying here for a while you’re going to have to choose…”
Luke was interrupted by the sudden entrance of Reeves the Black, “uh, did I interrupt something?”
“No we can handle it later. So how’s my family going since I gather that’s what you logged out for,” asked Luke
“They’re fine a message was left for them on your computer saying you had spontaneously decided to go backpacking with Sara and would be back in about a year. It seems that most of them bought it,” said Reeves
Luke smiled “figures but you said most let me guess, Andrew didn’t buy it”
“I don’t believe so no,” he answered
“I knew it, he’s more paranoid then me,” said Luke shaking his head with a smile; “he’ll be registering any day now”
“To join?” asked Reeves
“He’s wanted to join for a while but I haven’t let him. So now that I’m not there he’ll be joining up in a heartbeat,” said Luke
“Is that a bad thing?” asked Sara
“Depends on whether he’s been playing already behind my back like I’ve suspected he’s been doing for a while. If he has we might have another traveling companion soon,” said Luke
“You think he’s been playing for that long?” asked Reeves
“Yeah, I think he’s been playing for almost as long as I have,” said Luke like his little brother going around behind his back was something normal and expected.
“What?” Sara asked.
Luke laughed, Sara was an only child so didn’t really know what to expect from younger siblings and it probably shocker her to find out it was hard to keep secrets around them. Luke knew so he never really tried it worked better that way but his brother Andrew had an unusual ability to see beyond this and know when he was hiding something. Quite annoying really but he got used to it.
“Do you think you’ll run into him?” asked Reeves
“Maybe but it doesn’t matter we have other things to attend to,” said Luke once again looking at Sara with a smile
“Luke you know as well as I do that I can defend myself. I don’t need magic,” said Sara
“Path of the Warrior,” said Reeves plainly
“What?” said Sara
“In the event that a new player refuses to name his or her path one will be chosen based on either refusal towards one or a leaning towards one path over the other,” said Reeves like he was reciting a page out of a textbook
“In other words because you don’t want to be a Wizard and you won’t chose your path the Path of the Warrior has been chosen for you,” translated Luke for Sara
“So I’m a warrior now?” asked Sara
“Yep,” answered Luke
She quickly looked at herself to see if she had changed, “nothing’s happened”
Both Reeves and Luke laughed. After they had finished Sara asked, “what?”
“Chances are you aren’t going to change unless you want to or something happens to you and considering that your path has only just been chosen nothing has had a chance to happen to you for you to change,” explained Luke
Sara breathed a sigh of relief at the news, she was scared that she’d become some sought of butch Amazon but she was glad to hear that she wouldn’t change unless she wanted to. “That’s good to hear,” said Sara relieved
At that moment Luke leapt out of his bed and summoned up a new robe identical to his old one. He slipped it on and said to Sara, “come on we got to take you shopping”
“Shopping?” she asked. It felt like a loaded question she enjoyed shopping and she knew Luke knew this but she couldn’t help but be curious.
“Well the blacksmith will be closing soon and you need a weapon,” said Luke
“A weapon?” asked Sara
“Oh and clothes but that’s after we get you a weapon,” said Luke trying to find her the silver lining
“I’m not going to wear any of that fetish wear,” said Sara with a smile
Reeves looked disappointed but Luke said, “don’t worry I don’t expect you to. That’s just the latest fashion among the Assassins no one else is expected to wear that stuff, in fact they enforce it. I never thought I’d hear myself say this to you but you do have to fit in the pants are ok but the shirt doesn’t exist and the shoes…”
Sara interrupted him, “I’m not getting rid of the shoes I like my shoes”
“Ok said Luke the shoes are passable but you can’t keep the shirt,” said Luke
Reeves jumped in, “and the bra…”
Luke had his hand around his throat and started charging it with electrical magic, “You finish that sentence Reeves and I’ll have you electrocuted for a week”
“Ok,” he gasped. Luke let go, “can’t blame me for trying” said Reeves
Luke looked him straight in the eye, “yeah I can”
Sara got up from her chair, “I hate to break this up but we got shopping to do and since my dear boyfriend is picking up the tab it might take some time”
Luke laughed at the sudden break in the tension. It was one of the reasons he loved her she had the ability to break the tension in any situation be it through comedy or violence. “Ok let’s go,” he said as he walked to do the door with Sara’s hand in his, “your welcome to join us Reeves”
“No thank you, I’m not going to be the third wheel on your first date in this world,” said Reeves with a smile, “sorry Sara I didn’t mean to be rude”
“It’s ok Reeves just don’t do it again or I’ll remove your reason for being rude,” she said calmly with a smile
With a cringe and a whispered spell Reeves blended in with the shadows and disappeared.
When he was gone Sara said, “You don’t have to protect me Luke”
“Sorry Sara but in this world I do,” he answered
“Not for long,” she said with a playful smile
Luke laughed, “you always brighten my day” and he gave her a quick kiss
After enjoying the kiss for a second she pushed him away playfully “hey I thought wizards aren’t supposed to have girlfriends”
“Wizards aren’t but I’m not a wizard and I’d like to see them separate us,” he said to her as they half stepped half stumbled out the door.
“That can be arranged,” said someone from in front of the building
Luke just rolled his eyes at the drunk, “what do you want, bandit”
“I want a piece of that ass, wizard” said the bandit pointing to Sara
Luke drew himself and started incanting a spell but Sara put her hand on his chest, “I can handle him Luke”
She went down the steps and stood across from the bandit and went into a classic fighting stance. The Bandit just laughed, “so the little whore wants to fight, fine I don’t care I like it rough”
The Bandit drew his Rapier and charged at Sara. Luke looked on with interest he had seen her fight before, her anger focused her skill like a laser, pinpoint accuracy and every hit a killer.
When he was in range she kicked the sword out of the bandit’s hand and with a jumping, spinning heel kick hit him in the head knocking him to the ground. The bandit had a broken jaw and probably a broken skull but he still managed to yell, “the whore’s a monk she ain’t dressed like no monk”
Luke yelled out to her, “remember Sara there’s no need to be gentle you can finish it if you want”
She smiled a sadistic smile, “I don’t need any encouragement” and with that she performed her finishing move. She leaped into the air and with a resounding “kiah” drove her knee into his chest.
With a spurt of blood the Bandit was finished. Sara got up and brushed off her knee she had done it hundreds of time before just not on a living target with the intent to ‘finish’ it.
Luke went down the steps and asked her, “How did it feel?”
She shrugged, “I’ve done it a hundred times before that was no different but I did need the stress relief”
“I always knew you were a killer Sara,” said Luke with a smile
Sara ignored the comment her sensei had told her the same thing, “So what did he mean when he called me a monk? I’ve never trained under a monk before and I’ve only ever watched them once” she asked
“Well the only people in this world capable of doing stuff like that are monks. Normal people aren’t allowed to know moves like that and they dress a certain way so he was naturally surprised when you crowned him with a kick to the side of the head” Luke replied
“I’m not going to get in trouble am I,” she asked nervously she didn’t want to meet any of the fighting monks in this world on bad terms she didn’t know what to expect.
“Don’t worry I know who we can talk to all you need is to be certified and that’s not hard,” said Luke
“Certified?” she asked
“Don’t worry it’s nothing they get you to spar a few of the other students and then if you succeed they give you a piece of fabric to signify that you are a monk of that temple,” explained Luke
“Oh that all” she said honestly. Once again sparing multiple students was something she had done hundreds of times before another few would be no problem. “So where are we going shopping?” asked Sara
“A tailor, I wouldn’t trust the clothes stores around here the plague’s made everyone a little screwy when it comes to money,” said Luke as he led her down one of the many streets
“Is it far?” she asked anxious to get started she needed to relax
“Not far at all, in fact here it is,” said Luke as he stopped facing a building almost identical to all the others except it had a sign with a pair of scissors crossed over a hammer.
“That’s strange,” she said looking at the sign
“Husband and wife team,” said Luke, “they were the first couple from the real world to get married and decide to stay here, quite a romantic story really”
“How long has this game been going on for?” she asked curious
“It started a little after D&D, around ten years maybe more but it’s only since it went online that it’s become really popular,” said Luke
As they stepped into the store Sara was expecting a big, sweaty man with a giant hammer whacking at an anvil and a demure housewife sitting at a table sewing. That’s not what she got. The woman was standing over an anvil with a small hammer whacking at a delicate knife wearing at a primitive lead apron with her face covered in soot and the man was sitting at a table with a red robe carefully stitching runes similar to the ones Luke had on his while whispering something under his breath, probably a spell she thought to herself.
Luke leaned over to her and whispered into her ear, “not what you were expecting was it”
“No,” she answered in a normal voice
“Fuck,” said the man as he lifted up his head revealing that the needle had gone through his thumb, “your paying for that Luke”
“No problem Si,” answered Luke
“It is a problem Luke I said this robe would be done by closing and I still have a few more runes left to do,” said the man identified as Si
“I’ll reimburse whoever it is,” said Luke
“Yes you will,” said Si and then he turned to Sara and said, “and who is this Luke?”
“My girlfriend Sara,” said Luke introducing her
“Pleasure to meet you,” said Sara offering her hand to shake it
“You’re a real-worlder aren’t you?” he asked her
“Yes, how did you know?” said Sara
“Because my dear we don’t shake hands here. It’s offensive to Elves to offer your hand let alone shake hands and Orks tend to think your offering your hand as a gift. So we tend to not shake hands unless we can’t help it. Also those kind of materials don’t really exist in this world,” answered Si talking about her clothes
She looked at Luke, who shrugged, “so what’s V up to?” he asked Si seeing that his arrival had gone unnoticed by the woman
He looked at the knife she was working on and cringed, “A Night Bringer came in last night, late last night while we were sleeping when we came down he was sitting on the anvil. He said that he needed a new knife and he gave her a piece of parchment and a small bag of jewels. Rather suspicious really, I think it’s for an assassination but it’s not up to my discretion. Although I wish she wouldn’t do such a good job on it”
“She seems rather involved,” said Sara, “must be a special knife”
“From what I can tell it’s a Colvin-Elf highbred it probably has poisoning spells infused in the blade. It’s no wonder why the Night Bringer asked V to do it she’s probably the only one for miles who can,” said Si
“That reminds me I thought you were moving to the big city?” asked Luke
“Well we thought about it for awhile but then decided we like it here, we’ve found a niche market for custom weapons and armor. Besides we’d be too busy in a city but here we don’t get too many standard customers and enough ‘discerning’ to keep us pretty happy” Si answered
“Fair enough,” said Luke
“So what can I do for you?” he said addressing Sara
“Me?” she said
“Yes you, Luke hasn’t needed a new robe for quite a while and his sword has a never-dull and never-rust spell infused into the metal. So I doubt he needs us but you, on the other hand, are still wearing clothes from the real world. Don’t worry Luke we heard the news already no need to explain,” Si said addressing Luke’s look before he continued, “So my dear what can I interest you in?”
“A change of clothes and a shirt to replace this one,” she answered
“She’ll need a training uniform as well,” added Luke
“Any special improvements, time distortion perhaps? That’s very popular with unarmed fighters at the moment” Si asked her
“To soon for that Si,” said Luke, “just magical resistance and steel turning”
“Very well, if you would just step this way I’ll take your measurements,” he said showing her through a curtain.
When they were both through Luke went over to V and asked her, “Do you know anything about who the Night Bringer is trying assassinate?”
She ignored the comment and just kept banging on the knife.
Luke admired the craftsmanship that was being put into the knife it was on a different level compared to the work that was put into his sword. She probably hasn’t even slept since she got the order, he thought to himself.
After a few minutes of watching, Si and Sara came out of the other room she was looking pretty bewildered. She walked over to Luke, “getting measured is quite an experience here isn’t it”
Luke laughed, “Yeah it is,” he thought back to when he was first measured. He remembered wishing he had that much mental control that he could get four sets of tape measure to take measurements while writing down the results and drawing a concept design of the clothing he would make.
“He’s brilliant,” Sara said
Si smiled broadly but before he could he speak an unfamiliar female voice said, “no need to inflate his ego”
All three of them looked over at V she was putting down her hammer and wiping her face with a rag. She smiled, “it’s big enough as it is”
“What’s wrong?” asked Si genuinely worried
“I set one of the crystals wrong so I decided to take a rest. You want a quick job Luke?” she asked
“Depends,” he turned to Sara, “do you want to do a job?”
She thought about it for a moment and then she figured she had to start somewhere, “Sure why not”
“Cool, I need you to collect me eight pints of blood from someone who is in the second last stage of the plague and if you get it all from the heart I’ll give you a bonus” she said
“And what do we get?” Luke asked
“I’ll tell you what I’ll pick up the tab for her clothes,” she said
“But V I’m picking up the tab and I’ve got more then enough money you picking up the tab for Sara’s clothes isn’t worth the effort,” Luke was in full bargaining mode
V thought about it for a moment then said, “my deal stands but if it’s all from the heart I’ll make her something real special”
“Deal,” said Luke extending his hand quickly
V took his hand and shook it, “Done”
As Sara and Luke headed to the door Si said, “your clothes should be ready in two days by closing time”
“Thank you,” said Luke and Sara in unison, Luke with a bow Sara with an offered hand quickly changed to running her hand through her hair.
When they were outside Sara said, “Not quite what I was expecting”
“You were expecting Si to be the Blacksmith and V to be Seamstress?” asked Luke
“Yeah,” she answered
“Well technically that’s not true either, they’re both Artificers, very skilled Artificers. Just one specialized in metal and the other in fabric,” said Luke
“So what’s an Artificer?” she asked pumping Luke for information
“An Artificer is someone who can infuse magic in materials be it metal, fabric or even wood. They’re the ones that make the wizard staff’s and the magic swords it’s a rather useful skill to have but a dangerous one to specialize in,” Luke explained
“Why’s that?” she asked
“She probably wouldn’t tell you but V’s leg is made of Mithril,” seeing the look on her face he quickly, “it’s a metal that is naturally infused with magic. It got cut off by one of her own swords”
“Someone used one of her own swords against her?” she asked shocked
Luke smiled, “No, she was trying to make a sword that would be able to use itself, so if anyone tried to use it without permission it could defend itself. Needless to say it worked and she lost her leg before it flew off to find it’s non-existent master. It’s still out there somewhere probably got picked up by a wizard or something like that”
“Ok, so how are we supposed to get eight pints of blood from the heart of someone in the second last stage of the plague?” she asked changing the subject
“Well there’s three ways we can do it, the first is you kill eight people in the second-last stage and we suck the blood out of there still hearts, the second is you knock out one person in the second last stage and I suck half of their blood out of there heart. The third is we get one of them to agree to let us suck the blood from there heart under the supervision of a healer and in payment get the healer to cure them of the plague. I’ll let you decide,” said Luke giving Sara her options
“Well the first one is tempting but that would attract too much attention. The second I don’t like at all, it’s too underhanded for my liking. So we’ll have to go with the third one, but how are we supposed to suck the blood out?” asked Sara after deciding
“That’s the easy part, we go see the Alchemist’s and buy eight one pint syringes from them,” answered Luke then added, “you never know they might ask us to grab a pint for them as well that way we might get a discount”
“They do that?” she asked
“All the time, there’re still trying to cure the plague so they need samples of blood to experiment on,” said Luke
“Ok then, but where do we find them?” she asked
“Around this corner,” answered Luke as they turned the corner
In front of them were a city of tents made of all sizes, shapes and colors in such a violent array that it looked like a painter threw all his paints on the countryside tins and all. Where the rest of the city the lights were dying out here lights were turning on, it kind of looked like a primitive version of Las Vegas. “Wow,” was all she could say
“Yes, it’s very impressive but hold my hand tight and don’t let go,” he said and he started whispering frantically as if there lives depended on it.
All of a sudden there was a huge, “BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!” followed by a force that knocked them off there feet and a huge green mushroom cloud rising into the sky.

To Be Continued
LOL
Sorry ladies and gentlemen but if you want to know what happens next your going to have to wait ten days, sorry. >

Yours in Anarchy
   Master Matthew C. Ninness