Midsummer Feast

“How’s things going with Anlie, Cutie?” if Opiom wanted to hold a conversation with her, so could she’d picket a better subject.

It was the day before the assault, and even though Merie had succeeded in getting two poison crystals, so did she want to see if she could get one or two more. And Opiom had offered to help her as Merie had asked in the party chat. “If we should talk, isn’t it better we make up some slight plans of how we should attack the city?” Ignoring the stupid question, she pulled up another good question. Since Opiom would take part in the assault, so could they as well come up with an idea or two. “That’s no fun, Cutie. I’d rather hear about how you’re doing with your beloved partner.” “If you won’t give it up, so can I say that we’re nothing more than we were two years ago.” Sure, Anlie had started to act more flirty toward her. But there wasn’t more to it, and it probably never would be more than this.

Merie got a bad feeling as she stood in front of a troll, rapidly jumping to the side. Next second an arrow of ice passed her. “CAN YOU PLEASE BE MORE CARFUL, OPIOM!” If she would’ve been one second later, so would she’ve been hit. “DON’T SWEAT IT, CUTIE! I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING, AND I’VE NEVER BEEN STABBING SOMEONE IN THE BACK!” How could Opiom think that it was fine? “WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WOULD HAPPEN TO KILL ME?!” Thinking about it, so hadn’t Merie got her ass in gear to ask the support if it was possible to injure others while hunting. So she thought her best option was to act as if it could kill her. “AS I SAID, SO SHOULDN’T YOU SWEAT IT, CUTIE! I PROMISE THAT I WON’T KILL YOU!” How could she be sure?

Merie jumped into an attack, slamming the troll’s side. She didn’t think she could trust Opiom. Sure, she wouldn’t be able to trust others like she was trusting Opiom, but it didn’t help the case for the moment. “HOW CAN I TRUST THAT YOU WON’T BE KILLING ME?!” Still, she was curious how Opiom could be sure about it? “I’VE HIT A BUNCH OF FRIENDS WHILE WE’VE BEEN PLAYING CATCH! AND NONE OF THEM’VE DIED, YET!” If Opiom was honest, so would it mean that Merie was safe for the moment. “DO YOU THINK THERE MIGHT BE A RISK OF US KILLING EACH OTHER DURING THE ATTACK?!” The question suddenly hit her. Considering they would be able to kill anyone being in the city, so could she guess that they also would be able to injure each other.

Merie didn’t get any answer from her friend, as they continued their fighting, And because there wasn’t any answer, so didn’t she care more about it. If Opiom didn’t want to think more about it, so wouldn’t Merie be the one to force her. “THINKING ABOUT IT, OPIOM! HAVE YOU HEARD IF THERE’S ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PARTY WHO IS THINKING ABOUT JOINING THE ATTACK?!” Merie hadn’t heard about anyone else considering joining. But neither so had she heard about Opiom thinking about joining, until they started to talk after Opiom decided to join her for the hunt. She’d asked Anlie a couple of times, but she hadn’t got any direct answer. “I HEARD ABOUT OUR SAVAGE-GIRL IS THINKING ABOUT JOINING!” When had Opiom heard about Adu joining the attack? Merie thought she’d checked the party chat from time to time, and found nothing. But she must have missed it somehow.

Ducking a swing, jumping in and hitting the troll in the stomach. Soon an ice bolt passed her head, yet another near miss by Opiom. Merie was sure it would be a good thing Adu was joining. They hadn’t been hunting together, but she could just think how well a hunt together would go.

–

It’d only been the day before the attack the assault party had decided to share where they thought about meeting up. This is in the case there would be someone from the opposite team wanting to sabotage for them, which honestly wouldn’t be too surprising. Even though the developers were along with the idea, so wasn’t it surprising that every other player was along with the idea. Some were seemingly annoyed enough, about the idea, to sabotage for them.

“I’m glad we’re this many to join the attack, and you’re willing to put your time into it.” “Without asking, so can I tell that we’re a bunch with different backgrounds, and aiming towards different goals with the attack. None better than the other, and no worse than the first. So I’ll beg you to accept your comrades, even if your goals are different. Because, in the end, so are we here for the fun out of it, and that’s what’ll bind us together.”

The person talking was probably the one who’d come up with the idea. And even though his speech sounded more like meaningless rambling, so could Merie understand what he wanted to get said. Simply, get along and have a good time.

A cheering erupted and applause followed shortly. Merie joined the ruckus, wanting to show him that she also was enjoying the event he created for them. “DO WE’VE ANY KIND OF PLAN, SIR!?” Someone probably asked what could be on many others’ minds. “There’s no other plan than to interrupt their peace and show them what we think about their decision. So those who want to make up plans should gather in groups and make up your plans. And none should be blamed if they consider joining.” His answer came out without hesitation, and Merie could guess there were a couple of reasons why he didn’t make up any plans. One was that this was the first time they met, so there was no way of knowing what they could do and how he would be able to use their powers to get the best result. And that was without considering the fact that it probably was necessary with a special kind of personality to even be able to plan an attack at this scale.

Merie followed the others’ example and started to search through the group after like-minded people. She was still sure she would end up with her own part, but she couldn’t deny that she was open to other opportunities if there would be something else interesting. And even if she wouldn’t be joining the most interesting group, so could she at least try to change information with them and then maybe learn a thing or two. “What do you guys say? Shall we try to take down their guards first? By any means necessary.” Whoever was suggesting that so did it sound like a good idea, “If you’re thinking about that , so might I suggest that you use some bombs to thin them out.” Merie couldn’t help but to join in. Not in the attack, but in the conversation, but with a suggestion and possibly with bombs if they would need it. “Bombs sound good, if you happen to have some to spare, good Girl.” A muscular, wide, man took a couple of steps toward her as he spoke. Giving her a gentle smile, “You look like the kind of player who might carve one’s heart out as soon one turns you their back.” He wasn’t wrong, but most often so did she need to be out on a hunt, or so would the other person have done something against her if she ever would consider acting like that. “It’s a horrible way to express it, Sir. But I won’t deny that I do specialise in swift attacks.” Merie could give them that much. “And I do have some bombs I can give you, but you might need to think a couple of seconds extra before using them, as they’ll spit some fire too when blowing up.” She’d created a couple of those bombs just for the event, as they would be just as acceptable to use against buildings as against players. And she could’ve handed him the bombs spreading some poison too, but she rather use them herself.

“I hope you ain’t tricking my Beloved friend, Sir.” A far too familiar voice spoke up from behind Merie. And even though the person wasn’t using the usual nickname for Merie so, could she tell that it was Anlie. “I’m just sharing some bombs with him, in hope that they’ll be to better use for him, than they’ll be for me.” Merie opened the menu as she spoke and picked out the bombs before handing the man them. The turning to Anlie with a smile, “And I’m glad to see you here, Anlie.” It mean that if both Opio, and Adu would’d pulled out, for whatever reason, so could she at least be companied by Anlie during the event. “And I’m glad I found you, Dear. Opiom said you were here, somewhere, and I was sent out gto gather you as our savage girl wish us to talk about some plans.” Merie just nodded to Anlie’s reason, ready to follow her back to the other. But first so did she say bye to the others, gratefully answering their thanks before following her friend. “By the way, Anlie. You said that Adu had a plan, and may I ask what Opiom is saying about that?” It suddenly hit her. Opiom had never liked things like planning, which had got her into a lot of hot water when THOSE two were belonged in the party. “For once, so is she accepting to follow a plan. But it might be because we’re heading into some unknown territory.”

Merie couldn’t say that she felt this was unknown territory, as it was almost the same as their usual hunts, but on a far larger scale. Not to mention that they, for once, weren’t risking getting lynched if they would happen to get found out, which would make it far safer than usual. “Do you know what she’s planning?” Merie couldn’t think that it was something bad, but she still wanted to know, and if it was worse than she had thought so would she like to have some slight time to think about how they could do it better. “I Don’t think it’s anything too advanced, rather so do I think she wants to talk about how we should work together to get the best result. So it’s maybe slightly more advanced than how we usually do, and just take the position which seems fitting for the situation.”

Why did Anlie express it as if that wouldn’t be what they already were doing? Maybe the only difference was that they not always were talking about it before starting. “I see.” Still, if Adu did want to act as they planned, so would Merie go along with it. And if they were lucky so maybe something new could come out of it.

Reaching the others, it looked as if everyone was there. “It looks like the lost girl has returned.” Couldn’t Lart have expressed it another way? Sure, she hadn’t gone there with them, but it’d only been because she didn’t know who would join. Or heard a single thing about that they should meet up somewhere else before the event started. “If Cutie is here, so do I think we can get started, and maybe get one or things said before it’s time to start.” Opiom did a swiping hand-gesture toward Adu as she spoke, almost as if she wanted to push Adu in front of the group. “Then.. If you please excuses me.” Adu’s eye were rapidly flying all over the place as she walked to the centre of the party. “I know we haven’t been out and hunting together, so I might be way out there with the plan. But I would like to ask what you think about putting our effort just into hunting down those players fighting us. Of course with Anlie and Sir in the front. I and Merie will be trying to give you as much support as possible, and at the same time trying to kill some on our own. And Opiom in the rear, supporting everyone with her spells.” Adu’s idea was almost as Merie had thought, with the exception that she wanted them to spend their time at some free hunting. Not that the idea was wrong in any way. Rather, it was a great aws they would know from the beginning of what they would concentrate on. At the very least, what kind of targets they would go after.

“That sounds fair, and should we let you decide where we land and when it’s about time to leave for the next spot, Adu?” Anlie talked with a relaxed tone, for some reason, as she pulled up something else that could be great to also know beforehand. “Even if she wouldn’t want to, so do I suggest we make her lead us all the way. Which will be some great training until she becomes a tribe chief.” Lart was probably right, but it didn’t sound like a good idea to force Adu to take the leader role before she felt she was ready to do it. Even though it was as he said, that it would be some excellent training for her.