Havoc returned to Wolf’s Lair Fortress after her clash with the druid. Her slow steps and downcast expression said everything: she was disappointed in herself.

  Minutes earlier, Zed had sent an urgent call for every guild member to gather in the throne room. Havoc knew her place in the guild was in jeopardy; she had a lot to explain.

  She paused at the fortress gate, drew a deep breath, gathered her courage, and stepped inside.

  More than forty players were assembled around the throne, where Zed sat with his hands resting beneath his chin. As Havoc walked forward, firm and steady, heads slowly turned toward her.

  “Lieutenant, step forward,” Zed said.

  Under the cold stares of her guildmates, Havoc approached, and Zed gestured for her to stand at his right.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “The druid and his friends betrayed us,” Havoc answered without hesitation.

  “Are you connected to them in any way?”

  “Of course not! Why would you even think that?” Her eyes widened.

  Zed lifted the Ebony Axe with both hands, letting his gaze slide along its sharpened edge.

  “You fought that druid and lost, even though you’re stronger. He spared you. And then, for some reason, you recommended him to our organization.”

  Her eyes widened further, while his narrowed.

  “I didn’t know he was capable of that,” she quickly said. “He told me he just wanted to pay off his debt so we’d leave him alone.”

  “Lieutenant, someone has to answer for this whole mess. That iron was meant for the Thorn Rose Guild. In case you’ve forgotten, they lead our alliance, and they helped us take this fortress. So tell me: how am I supposed to explain the disappearance of five thousand units of iron?”

  “It isn’t my fault. I don’t even know how they pulled it off. Only players ranked sergeant or higher can withdraw the ores.”

  A cleric to Zed’s left let out a mocking laugh. “How convenient that you’re ranked above sergeant, isn’t it, Lieutenant?”

  The insinuation made Havoc’s heart race and her blood boil. She scanned the crowd for someone who could verify her story, and found one—a sorcerer in a moss-green robe.

  “Malorn, you saw me leaving the fortress an hour before the robbery.”

  Malorn scratched his neck, paused, then nodded. “Yeah, she left on horseback. Wait… hang on.”

  He opened the guild panel and reviewed the rank permissions. “It wasn’t one of us who stole the iron for them. Actually… they could’ve done it alone. Remember, weeks ago we gave ore-withdrawal permission to the recruits—”

  The guild’s vice leader, a paladin named Tonks, spoke up.

  “That’s right. We made that exception so the last batch of newbies could move the iron to Thorn Rose’s castle. But… that permission was supposed to be revoked after the delivery was done. That was over a month ago.”

  Havoc smacked her fist into her palm and turned on the leader. “Zed, you’re the only one who can assign or revoke permissions. This is on you.”

  Tonks looked at Zed. “Yeah, you definitely screwed up.”

  Zed rose from the throne with fury in his face. He raised the axe and pointed it at her. “It’s your fault! You’re the one who brought them here. Anyone else think I’m to blame?” he asked, sweeping the room with a glare.

  No one answered. Not even Malorn or Tonks.

  “Good,” said Zed. “Havoc, you’re demoted to soldier.” He opened the guild panel, changed her rank, and confirmed it.

  Havoc watched her privileges disappear.

  “I think that’s too much,” Malorn muttered.

  Zed turned a murderous look on him. “You want a demotion too, Sergeant?”

  Malorn shook his head quickly.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Humiliation washed over Havoc. Not even losing to the druid twice had made her feel this low. Something inside her snapped. She unsheathed her sword and pointed it at Zed.

  “You don’t deserve to lead this guild. You never take responsibility for your mistakes. You’re only a general because the rest of us officers did the work while you did absolutely nothing.”

  Zed laughed in her face.

  “And who do you think you are, talking to me like that? I founded this guild. Without me, none of you would be here. You’re just mad because some scrub druid beat you. You’re weak; always have been, always will be.”

  Havoc opened the guild panel, scrolled to her profile, and confirmed her departure from the Black Paw.

  “I refuse to be part of a guild run by you.”

  “Great,” Zed said. “Don’t let the door hit you.”

  “But before I go… I challenge you to a duel.”

  All eyes snapped to the leader. Havoc knew he couldn’t refuse, doing so would make him look like a coward. And if there was one thing Zed’s ego wouldn’t allow, it was that.

  He hesitated, then straightened. “I accept.”

  Havoc allowed herself a confident smile. “I want a balanced duel. We fight as equals. I’m level twenty-one, you’re level fifty.”

  He grumbled, then nodded. “Fine.”

  Those who knew Zed found his lack of enthusiasm strange. Anyone who’d seen him fight knew he wasn’t one of the guild’s better duelists.

  A balanced duel would drop all of Zed’s abilities above level twenty-one and scale his stats to match hers. Malorn and Tonks exchanged looks. They both knew Havoc actually stood a chance.

  “Come,” Zed said, resting the Ebony Axe on his shoulder. “Follow me to the arena.”

  The guild trailed after him. Along the way, players whispered, placing quiet bets.

  Outside, sunlight filtered through a cloudy sky. Zed stepped into the arena between the fortress and the outer wall, steel greaves sinking into the sand. Havoc followed, while the rest of the Black Paw positioned themselves on the edges of the arena.

  Havoc took her place on the left. Zed on the right. Ten meters apart. Havoc tightened her grip on her sword. Zed sent the duel request. Just as she was about to accept, something stopped her.

  “This is a free duel request. I challenged you to a balanced one.”

  “What’s wrong? Scared?” he sneered.

  “That’s not fair. You’re thirty levels ahead of me.”

  Malorn cut in. “Boss, it needs to be balanced. Otherwise it’s pointless.”

  The others nodded in agreement. Havoc rejected the duel, expecting Zed to resend it properly, only to receive another free duel request.

  “I’m not accepting unless it’s balanced!”

  “Oh really? Then let the real duel begin,” Zed said while charging.

  “What are you doing?” Havoc backed away, while dread chilled her bones.

  Her fears were confirmed as Zed used Devastating Dash, sliding across the sand and spinning the axe in a lethal arc. Havoc leapt back just in time.

  “You’re trying to kill me outside a duel? You’ll be punished!” she shouted.

  “I don’t care,” Zed barked.

  “Then fight me fairly!”

  “No!”

  The black axe swung down. Havoc blocked, and the system immediately marked Zed as a potential Player Killer. City guards would hunt him now, and players would be eager to claim the rewards for killing a PK.

  The blocked strike drained half her energy.

  “Help me!” she shouted to her guildmates.

  No one moved. They just watched, confused.

  Zed attacked again with a brutal combination. Havoc dodged and parried, then countered with Rend, Thrust, Crescent Slash, and Rend again, all clean hits, all worthless against a thirty-level gap. Zed barely lost ten percent of his health.

  It was an impossible fight. But Havoc wasn’t going to give up now, not when she could still prove that she was the better fighter.

  Whispers trickled through the spectators.

  “He’s… awful,” a huntress said.

  “A-awful? He’s terrible,” a mage added.

  “Or she’s just really good,” said Tonks.

  Zed panted harder, fury growing. “No more games,” he growled.

  A red aura exploded around him, his eyes glowing the same crimson as that iron bear’s. He leapt high into the air, raising the axe overhead; then the strike hit with such force it blew open a crater in the arena floor.

  Havoc stumbled, unable to regain her footing. No one survived a hit like that, especially from a warrior under the Berserker Fury.

  Yet somehow… she was still alive.

  Zed turned, roaring, “Tonks! What the hell was that?!”

  The paladin stood with his hammer raised, glowing bright gold. Havoc looked at her hands; they held the same glow. That was Starward Protection, a paladin skill that redirected damage away from an ally.

  The paladin walked into the arena. Zed met him halfway. The two shouted at each other while the rest of the guild shrank back in fear.

  Havoc sheathed her sword and headed for the gate. Tonks abandoned Zed and ran after her.

  “Havoc! Wait!”

  She stopped and glanced over her shoulder.

  “Thanks for saving me, Tonks. But it’s clear I’m not welcome here as long as he’s the leader.”

  “I understand… Good luck.”

  “Good riddance,” Zed called out behind them, a bit calmer now.

  Havoc continued on. As she looked up at the fortress walls, memories—good and bad—flashed through her mind.

  A bittersweet ache tightened in her chest. A chapter of her journey in New Avalon Online had come to an end. No other game had ever made her feel so many good and terrible things.

  But where am I supposed to go now? she wondered as she stepped beyond the fortress gate.

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