Chapter 14: Situation at hand

Grimm explained the situation they experience to Lazy and Swift. Going into great detail about the Goblin fort they found. In total they saw 3 dozen goblins, half a dozen goblin riders with baby DinoGators as mounts, and 4 hulking goblin berserkers. If there was a goblin chieftain they weren't able to find it. Power also added that since they killed nearly half of their riders the fort should be on high alert.

Swift was more worried about the captured players they saw. Even having the ability to respawn with those numbers they don't have a chance of escaping.

Day started to turn into night as the group chatted. Nitro was sleeping in one of the beds while power cooked some of the gator meat he's been saving.

Lazy, Grimm and Swift were talking ideas on how to save the players and deal with the base.

"Won't don't we charge in with our bus and give them hell" Swift added.

"Ya that would put our only base at risk. This Berserkers are tough. They are nearly ten feet tall and can crush cars in a single swing." Lazy pointed out.

Grimm chiming in asked "then why don't you just make more mobile bases with the other buses and we drive in there with a fleet? Just put a turret on top of each?"

"It's not that simple. I mean yes we have a couple buses I haven't touched yet but there are only five of us. Two people need to be on a single bus and Swift now has a Mount so he won't ride in the bus"

"Hey that's not fair" Swift interjected.

"It's completely fair. I build the base and you take the Mount. Even if I did make another base with a second bus that would split us up. I'm not a fan of that. It would be harder to defend with two people and chances of losing the bus is at a higher risk. What I suggest is a more time consuming plan but with less risk"

The guys went quite ready to hear his plan but startled by Power yelling

"Good ready boys! We got Gator stew tonight. Speaking of food. Lazy is it possible to build a green house? Or something. I have these seeds and if we keep pillaging food from these houses, we'll run out."

"I'm not sure honestly. If it's a blue print I don't have it. Which brings me to my plan. We need to, as a group, level up and have a minimum level of fifteen. Instead of going out hunting we can slowly attack the goblin fort. If they have more traps. Why don't we trap the trap? One of us can set the trap off while the rest wait and ambush them. We'd slowly widdle down there numbers and gaining experience. While we do that. Power you can use your strength skill and push cars out of the way for the bus. Seems like I'll be the last to reach level fifteen, so once I reach it we should have a clear path to the fort. We can charge with the bus. I'll drive, Nitro on the gun. Swift can be in the back and we'll open the back door once there. Once we are there and make it through the barricade, that's when the fun happens. Swift will be able to get out and fight, nitro will have to get off the turret and I'll man that. Power you'll be in front the bus making sure nothing happens and I'll cover you. Grimm will have to either stay on the bus or close to Nitro and he'll guard him. Hopefully by that time I'll have more blueprints and maybe soemthing that can help us."

"Sounds like a good plan" Swift said. "I can't wait to level up Tantrum and see what happens. I know let's evolve but based off of their race. Wonder if it'll be different now that it's real"

Grimm butted in "I've been meaning to ask you guys this but kept forgetting. When I was making my character in this world and picked my class. In the description there was something talking about Class Evolution at level 20, 80, 120 and then final at 200. Do you guys know what that is?"

The three guys were caught off guard. Class Evolutions where part of the last update and only happened at levels 100 and 200. This is a nice change.

"You see, for your class when you reach those levels you'd be able to basically change to an advance version of your class. With only one or two options. Who knows how it'll work now. Power ideas?" Swift asked.

"No clue. I do hope it I get more Psionic powers. I enjoy the tank role but I'd rather have more utility then just shield block."

"Fuck that slightly changes the plan Swift. Should we all reach level twenty instead? Get the class evolution?"

"Nah. Let's just get you to level fifteen and then head to New Orleans. I've been messaging with Hammer seeing how the situation is going. And it's not looking too good."

He scarfed down some stew before continuing. Giving Power a thumbs up on the quality of the food.

"So Black&Gold and BabyKakes guild combine have less then a thousands players. They locked themselves down in the convention center and set up explosive traps in buildings surrounded it. Seems like every battle they have they are always overwhelmed. From what I'm told it's a fifty to one ratio of goblins to players."

"Well what about their level" power interrupted "if they have so many players and can respawn why are they having such a problem?"

"That's the thing. Their level is pretty low. Most people are between levels one and four. The guild leaders and some core members are level eight. It's like spawning in a level thirty area at level one. Moral is super low. Most people are just giving up and not even fighting. Dying constantly without gaining anything and losing all the experience they have. Seems the only ones left fighting are the guild leaders and a handful of players."

Grimm finished his stew with a slurp and said

"So are the goblins not attacking them or staying away because of the traps? Should we even go there? We can't bring all the buses to them and don't have any way to help. Why do t we just leave straight to Kansas City and then slingshot back?"

"Can't. Hammer has some members there and asked we pick them up. It'll be tough but it'll help put us on the leaderboard of guilds. We aren't large but I want to be in the top ten. we are doing amazing compared to some of the other guilds. Even the number one guild Royal Knights are barely ahead of us. Their leader and core members are roughy level ten and the rest of their guild is at level eight or so. If we kept this pace up we can pass them and prove we are someone to rely on. So I say we not only get Hammer fists members but we also save Black&Gold and BabyKakes."

Swift turned to Lazy looking him in the eye

"If you have the material can you build more turrets? We can use the city buses to get everyone out."

"I mean yes but that's a lot of material. From the buses I dismantled I have enough material for like three or four turrets. And if I dismantle the rest I should have enough for another two or three. I need a lot of material for it."

"Good. Then we'll do your plan for dealing with the goblin fort and then head to New Orleans. I'll message Hammer about the plan and see if the guys in the city can start to collect buses for when we get there. I'll also have to add the leaders to my friends list for future communication."

Power collected the bowls and started to clean up. Lazy sat in the drivers seat looking through his blueprints over and over.

"You guys can head to bed. I'll keep watch for the night. I didn't do anything so I have energy to spare."

The three guys didn't argue and decided to jump on the chance and started to get in bed and go to sleep. After a couple hours Lazy started to get sleepy. His eyes were heavy. He tried his best to hold them open as they closed, pulling him to sleep.

{I am not awake.}

The voice I'm his head scared him waking him up. He pulled the crystal over seeing its blue eyes looking back at him.

{Ready to talk now?} he asked.

{About?}

{What you want to do once you get a body? And why were you out here alone?}

Even without a physical form he could tell the elemental was thinking as it paused.

{ I can't remember what brought me out here. Once I saw you it was a spark of…finding something.}

{ Me I'm particular or because I'm a player?}

{ what is a player?}

Lazy wasn't really sure how to answer this. This thing he was talking to seemed to have a conscious. Would it really believe it was created in a video game? Would it even be able to understand what video games are?

{Um…I guess best way to describe it is as Demi gods? Or semi immortal beings? We can get stronger by absorbing the essence of what we kill but when we are killed we lose the essence we've accumulated.}

Astap was silent for a couple minutes. Trying to understand what it heard.

{ Some memory has come back.}

{ That's great! What is it}

{ I can not tell you till I have a body. Although, I do have a proposal. Once you make me a body. If you help me do what I ask. I will serve you.}

Lazy thought that whatever memory came back is something important to have an elemental willing leave offer it's serves to him.

{ Better deal. I'll help you but you'll owe me a favor instead. Deal?}

{Deal}

Lazy smiled and leaned back.

{I can also keep watch and sense if any danger is around. Rest.}

Without asking questions and just trusting Astap he leaned back going to sleep.