Today is Day 6 of NaNoWriMo and the first day of Blizz Con! For those who don't know, I'm big into gaming (hense the theme of this book I'm writing) and I used to play a lot of WoW (World of Warcraft) until so many changes were made I stopped liking the game. I have virtual tickets to the con so I'll be paying attention to that this weekend. It will make writing hard, but I'm determined to make my word count and enjoy the convention.
Yesterday life wanted to be mean again and try to throw me for a loop by having my dog sprayed by a skunk. Luckily, she didn't get it too bad so the bath was quick and easy. Even with that in the way, I suceeed in passing my word count... by a lot. My total for day 5 of NaNoWriMo was 3,211 words! I'm going to try to get more done today. Wish me luck :)
All passages were in order from yesterday's post, so here's what I wrote:
A white aura glowed around Rinneth as well as her two inflicted Calacour and deceased one. A healing spell. It seemed the fallen cat creature hadn’t actually died yet. Good timing on her part. We watched as the suffering Calacours shook off the plague and the other rose to his feet, all signs of wounds gone.
The knight swore and went on the defensive as her pets attacked. Rinneth stayed back, clearly assessing the situation. Our battle display showed her while her rage resource steadily rising, but her will resource was dangerously low thanks to that spell.
“C’mon, Rin, use the potion,” her rogue friend said under his breath.
“She won’t yet,” Rinneth’s dragon companion said. “It’s not the right time.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. Just wait and watch.”
Rinneth activated another summoning, depleting what will she had left and consuming more than half of her filled rage bar. More Calacour appeared until all eight of her Calacour were on the field. What is your plan, Rinneth? I knew her tamed beasts would help tip the scale, but to deplete her entire store of will to do so against an opponent who had yet to reveal a large portion of his skill set, that was reckless to me.
Her risen knight opponent focused on the cat-like beasts as they all tried to tear him apart. In his focused state, he failed to see Rinneth’s slow approach, and when she lunged for him, he barely had time to deflect her attack. This quick defense left him open for one of her Calacour to grab a hold of him. The knight wrestled with the beast and finally threw the creature off him, his arm and neck bleeding black blood.
It can’t be. The Calacour staggered to stand and then fell to the ground, the body convulsing several times before laying still. As I thought, poison blood. Impressive. This knight had spec’d higher into the ability tree than most. Many players chose to branch out to other class abilities once they made it to a certain point with their own class, claiming the later available class abilities weren’t worth the points. I understood now why this player was so skilled with the risen knight. He had learned to utilize those abilities, and now it would put Rinneth in a bad position as she wouldn’t be able to prevent her pets from digesting that blood.
Rinneth saw this too but she still sent her Calacour in to attack. They all managed to harm the knight before meeting an untimely end but it wasn't enough to put him at a disadvantage with her on her own now. I couldn't understand her plan. She used up all her resources to summon them and now she had nothing.
"Ramos, you seem a little too calm for this situation," Rinneth's rogue friend observed.
He's Ramos? What was Fallon's top body guard doing with Rinneth in a game? Didn't have more important things to do?
"Erin, just shut up and watch," Ramos said. "Rinneth has a plan."
The risen knight laughed at Rinneth as she slowly circled him in hopes to find a way through his defenses. "Just give up, girl."
"It ain't over until the fat lady sings," Rinneth said back with a smirk.
I snorted and Thuldren laughed. I wasn't sure who liked her spunk more, me or him.
Rinneth's opponent rushed her and all she was able to do in the fury was dodge and deflect. She did manage to get a few strikes in, but his armor protect him from most of them. The knight then did what I was afraid he'd do, he activated several of his stat enhancing abilities and tore into her.
"This doesn't look good," Vamir said.
"She's done for," Rial put in.
"Just keep watching," Ramos said.
I eyed this Dragon. What did he know?
The knight threw Rinneth like a ragdoll and she lay motionless where she landed, her health nearly gone. Was this the end for her?
"Rinneth, just use the damn potion!" Erin complained.
"Not yet," Ramos said, his eyes never leaving the fight.
"Why not yet?" Erin asked. "She's done for if not."
"You forget she has one last move she can still pull off."
"Don't don't mean--"
Ramos nodded and when Erin went back to watching intently, my team and I became extremely interested. What could they possibly mean?
Rinneth's opponent stalked towards her but then stopped when a red aura began to glow around her. But the aura wasn't just around her; it also surrounded her fallen Calacour. Then, the auras around the cat-like beasts funneled to her and her body began to change as she struggled to push herself to her knees.
I looked at Ramos when he chuckled. "What is going on?"
"Bestial wrath," he said.
"Bestial what?" Rial asked.
"The strongest ability a beast tamer has. It takes the power of all pets of the tamer that have been summoned during a fight, alive or dead, and transfers their power to her sending her into an uncontrollable rage. This ability can only be activated when the life and will of the tame is below ten percent and their rage is at max."
"That's great and all, but how will that help her when she has no health left?" Rial asked. "There's no way that attack will last out long enough for her to take her opponent out before he gets in one last killing blow."
Just then, Rinneth tossed the tournament potion on the ground and the effects began to do their job. I watched as both her health and resources skyrocket back to max, as well as her tournament points flying up in numbers. She figured it out. Her points continued when she used all of her will and rage to activate her pet revival spell and several temporary stat increase abilities. I found myself on the edge of my seat watching this battle make a complete turn.
Rinneth let out an animalistic roar and her opponent began trembling with fear and I realized that roar had been a fear ability. He dropped his weapons and then she and her pets attacked. Blood splattered all along the ring as the nine of them tore the risen knight apart. He didn't even get the chance to scream in pain. The entire tournament ground was quiet as she stood there breathing heavily. Then, it echoed with ear deafening cheers as she calmed down from her ability's affects and fell to her knees, completely exhausted. Thuldren cheered with unbridled excitement while the rest of us clapped with more reservation. The moment she was declared the victor by the NPC referee, Erin jumped into the ring and sprinted over to her. I smiled when he handed her a stamina drink, allowing her to get back up on her feet. She affectionately pat her Calacours one by one before dismissing all but one, her striped Calacour. I suspected he was her favorite.
Ramos jumped into the ring and casually strolled over to Rinneth. Be began lecturing her quietly about something and she punched him in the gut. Erin laughed at him, as well as many others watching, and then she grabbed him into a headlock.
"This is for doubting me!" She yelled as she refused to let go.
"Okay, okay, I get it. Please let me go," Erin pleaded.
"Quite the interesting trio, don't you think?" Vamir asked.
"They're something else," I agreed.
"So what's our verdict?" Rial asked. "She outscored everyone thanks to the proper use of that potion, and--"
"Quit yer yappin', lad," Thuldren said. "Da lass is da one we want. We all know it."
"He's right," Vamir agreed. "With that display, I can't think of a reason that would keep her from being on this team."
"Then it's settled," I announced loud enough for everyone in the area to hear.
Rinneth looked up at me and I smiled as I activated my menu and filtered through the options until I came to the team recruitment option. I typed in her name and waited for her response.
She looked at her menu when the request arrived and then shrugged. "What the hell, why not?"
Her friends laughed as did we. The game system responded to her acceptance and revealed her contact information to us. I forwarded it off to the others for them to store on their personal devices and then sent her ours. She then spun on her heels and headed for the exit.
"Rinneth, where are you going?" Erin asked her.
She smirked. "Well, if I'm going to play with the big boys in the sandbox I need to make sure I have the proper equipment."
"But you're wearing PvP gear now."
She shook her head. "You still have a lot to learn, Erin."
"I guess so, if you're scolding me," he said as he followed.
Vamir nudged me. "You should go with her. If she needs more points you can work with her in battlegrounds to get as many as possible so she's not at a huge disadvantage in arena matches."
"I don't think we're going to do well in the arena for a while," Rial said. "Gear really matters there."
"Lad, have some faith in da lass," Thuldren scolded. "I bet she be able to teach 'em boys a lesson in the sandbox."
I laughed at his poke at her words. "What about the rest of you? You won't be helping?"
"Well someone has to do the boring transition work," Rial said. "There's the paperwork we'll need to send her and set her up with a key to get to the game lounge, and just a mess of other things you always forget about."
I scratched my head. "Right."
"Thuldren, why don't you go with Vesser," Vamir suggested. "The two of us can handle the paperwork side, and with two of you helping her, it should make it easier for her to get points."
Thuldren nodded. "Be happy to, lad."
I motioned for the Dwarf to follow. "Then let's get moving before we lose her."
He chuckled and we rush off to track Rinneth down.
Chapter 5
(Rinneth)
I lifted up the pod lid when the machine let my mind go from the simulation and sat up. My dogs snoozed on the large couch and my sun conure slept in her cage, a note taped to the metal bars. I climbed out of my gaming station and picked it up to read.
Rinneth,
Ramos sent me a message while the two of you were in the game and said something life changing was happening and you wouldn't be able to take care of your pets. I don't know what could happen in a game that would be life changing but I fed your dogs and bird, let the dogs out, and as you can see, put your bird back in the cage so it wouldn't get hurt.
Sylvia
I was surprised Ramos asked her to do all that. She didn't like "cleaning up after me" as she claimed she was doing. I looked outside where the full moon cast bright white light over everything in sight. I then looked at my wall clock. Midnight. Maybe she was the only one up and not busy. The most logical reason, for sure.
Vesser and Thuldren had helped me a great deal in the battlegrounds tonight. They helped enough to get me a full set of better PvP gear, which would help once I started ranked matches with them. I looked at the messages Vamir sent me to sign off on. I still couldn't believe I was on a real team now. Joy rushed up inside me as I looked over the team rules and I suddenly started jumping around. I couldn't stop myself.
"I told you it would happen," Rashta said.
"Yeah, yeah."
I got myself under control and read the team rules some more. I grunted when I came to one. "Looks like your idea Vesser is my destined mate is wrong. Team rules state no dating each other under any circumstance."
"Doesn't mean you're not."
"Rashta, if I was, he wouldn't have wanted me on this team so bad."
"Or that's why. This makes it easy for him to get to know you."
I shook my head and headed for my bedroom door. "You're something else."
I headed for my father's study. Since this PvP team thing was official he needed to know. Especially since I was sure I saw the team name in a stack of sponsorship requests he was considering. I had warned Vesser me being on the team might ruin their chance at a sponsorship from my father's company but he already figured that might happen and they'd deal. Apparently they lost their sponsor shortly before they jumped up in the ranks but had been doing with managing their funds and making sure they win even small tournaments to keep those funds high enough.
A light was on in my father's study and I walked in, barely knocking to announce my presence. My father looked up from some paperwork and smiled. Most businessmen loved going paperless and using hologram devices. Not my father. He preferred paper. I always attributed it to him being old.
"Your father isn't old," Rashta scolded.
"A thousand years old is definitely old."
"I see you finally got out of that game," he teased.
I shrugged. "I was having fun."
"I'm glad. I'm also glad you're here I want to talk to you about something after I get done with this paperwork."
"What are you working on?"
"Just finalizing the simulator project. According to Ramos and these notes, you insisted on having one."
I nodded with enthusiasm and leaned on his desk. "Yes! I do want one. Father, they're so amazing!"
He chuckled and continued to sign off on the documents. "Well I'll make sure you have one in your room once it's done being renovated."
"When will that be finished?" I asked. "I don't really like the room I'm in."
"Soon."
I sighed. I hated that response from him.
My father signed one last sheet of paper and then piled them neatly together before putting all his attention on me. "Alright, now we can talk. You came in here with purpose, so you share first."
I shook my head. "No you first."
I knew it would be best. My father wasn't the most supportive about my looking for a team to play on, so he may get mad and I wanted to hear what he had to say.
My father nodded. "Very well." He picked up a small pile of papers and handed them to me. "It's about time I get to sponsoring an Evenstar PvP team and these one jumped out at me. I know you've been following these ranked teams for a while so I want your input."
I looked at each sheet and immediate tossed two on the floor. "Those two suck." He chuckled with amusement and waited. "This one, while being the top PvP team, has a big sponsor now."
My father sighed. "That would figure. Everyone told me not to put this off."
I snickered and looked at the remaining two teams. "This one won't look good for the company. Their players are arrogant and don't have good sportsmanship." I looked at the last team….my team. Seemed fate really wanted to push this issue. "This is a very good team. They're ranked number two."
"Any sponsors?"
"No."
"Good, then that's the on--"
I laid the paper on the desk. "Just one thing wrong with this application. It's now out of date. They let a player go earlier today due to constant bad behavior."
Vesser had explained that to me after Thuldren had headed off to sleep long before either of us was ready to. I knew Tyden was a jerk, but after Vesser explained how big of one he was, I was surprised he had stayed on the team for so long.
"Alright, so this team isn't good either?" My father asked.
Here goes nothing. I took a deep breath. "Depends. They held a tournament today to find a new teammate and they signed someone."
"And who is it, Rinneth?"
I smiled sheepishly. "It's me, Daddy."
He dropped the pen in his hand and stared. "What?"
I tried to not let disappointment get the better of me but I couldn't stop the sigh that escaped my lips. "This is where you're supposed to be happy for me, Dad."
He sighed and rubbed his face. "Rinneth, I want to be, but you know how I felt about this. With the relations between our clan and--"
"Whether you like it or not, Dad, I'm officially signed on the team," I said with authority. He sat back in his chair and was forced to listen. "This is what I want and damn Hallion to hell for trying to get in my way. I could care less about that Dragon and what his demands are. I'm not going to keep living my life as if I'm some dirty little secret of yours! Mother would have been happy for me. Wish you could be too."
My father looked at a picture he had standing on his desk of him and my mother. I spun on my heels and left the study as he sighed quietly. That had gone better than expected, but I had hoped he'd be supportive for once. All that ever mattered to him anymore was what he wanted. He wanted me safe so my dreams of having a life had to be tossed out the window in his eyes for that to happen. But I didn't like playing by his rules and I was going to fight tooth and nail to have a life.
"You could always leave the clan," Rinneth suggested.
"And go where?" I questioned. "Not like I have friend I could impose on."
"You could stay at the lake house."
"Technically it's still on the clan's land. I wouldn't be considered gone."
"It belongs to you, so you could make it that way."
"No, I don't want to leave yet. I can live comfortably without having to worry. I'll just fight my father for my rights I deserve."
I stopped heading for my room when I got a weird feeling. I looked around and when my eyes rested on the room where my father and I stored out hoard. The door was ajar and I thought I saw a shadow moving around. I narrowed my eyes as I quietly ventured closer. No one was allowed in that room without permission.
When I made it to the door I stopped and listened. Someone rummaged around in the room and anger boiled in my chest. I didn't tolerate thieves. Throwing the door open I rushed into the room and tackled the intruder, not thinking he could be armed. The two of us wrestled in the dark room until I managed to get the upper hand and pinned him under me.
My eyes widened with shock as I stared at the young man with green and black hair. "Vesser?"
He stared at me back. "Rinneth?"