End Online: Volume 2 by D. Wolfin

Players, in fact, that have not paid a fee to use our
hunting grounds."
    He still maintains the
perfect smile, almost like this fee is not extortion, but a fair price. I was
definitely wrong, this guy is the worst!
    "Judging by your
equipment, I would say you did not even get past the first floor. But,
just to be sure, we will say you made it onto the second floor. The price for
two floors is two hundred gold, per person, per day. The fact that there were
goblins around means you were in there overnight, making it two days. So,
please pay eight hundred gold."
    I nervously look over
the players standing behind him. They all have their hands on their sword
hilts, except for the two pointing their staves at me.
    "Alternatively,"
Chronix continued on, "You could always give me all the equipment you are
wearing. Or that oversized pet wolf you have behind you. They appear to be of
an appropriate value."
    Trying to take
my equipment and even Fen! I want to wipe that smile right off his face
with my fist, or better yet, a mace!
    "Lost," Verde
whispers under her breath, "We need to run, if we log out they will simply
leave new guild members to camp here and let them know when we come
back."
    "Mmm. Okay,"
I was a little uncertain, but I did in fact feel quite threatened by these
high level players, "Should we split up?"
    "No, I am a very
fast player. So they will have trouble catching me. And I already know I have
nothing to wo-"
    "Eeexcuse
me," Chronix lazily interrupts, cleaning out one of his ears with a
finger, "Remember, 'Sonar'? Unfortunately I have heard your plan and it is
quite unfortunate but it isn't going to-"
    "RUN!" Verde
calls out as she sprints away from the Swords of Light guild members. Fen and I
are stunned at the suddenness for a moment, but we quickly follow.
    We keep up at Verde's
speed which is quite slow compared to what I am used to. In fact, it is slow
enough that I feel like I am lightly jogging., and Fen appears to only be
lightly trotting along as well.
    Doing a large circle
through the hills we enter the thicket of trees we need to pass through to
get to Iceridge. It is only a minute before two of the players step out from
behind some trees. They are two of the Swords of Light members I saw earlier.
    "The boss said you
would probably head this way. Unfortunately for you, we are level one fifty,
and our skills are designed for speed. You had no hope of outrunning us in the
first place. Now cough up the money."
    The one who was
speaking arrogantly was some skinny looking kid. If this was real life I
probably would sit on him.
    "Sorry,"
Verde spoke up, putting on that entrancing smile of hers, "but we are
going to be passing through here, please move aside."
    The mousy haired kid
visibly swallowed, completely captivated by her charms.
    "Well, i-if you
ask that nicely."
    He was just about to
let us go! At least, until the bald man next to him frowned and hit him over
the back of the head.
    "ArrowHunter! You
go sit on the sidelines, I will take care of these two." Sending the now
moping kid off to the side, he took up a menacing appearance in front of us.
    I inwardly let out a
sigh and figure talking our way out of this situation is probably no longer
possible.
    "Fen," I look
straight at the wolf, "I need you to take Verde back to Iceridge, wait for
me there."
    The wolf completely
ignores me, pretending like I didn't say anything.
    "If you do,"
I lower my voice, "I won't buy whichever clothes you want the most."
    Fen shows an immediate
reaction with her tail swinging and ears perked up. A few ice bolts rain down
at the bald man, startling him and giving the wolf enough time to wrap its jaws
around to back of her cloak and run off. I didn't see much, but I thought I saw
Verde go completely pale when she was picked up in the wolf's mouth.
    The bald man, who I am
thinking looks a lot like a monk if fancy leather armour, narrowly dodged the
ice bolts and is still standing in front of me. Only, unlike a monk,