Tyrants of Earth - The Legend of Artigan

All three exit portals in the leveled zones of the third sector were locked down. Multiple teams of Thirders were standing around, ready to deal with whatever came out. No matter who came out. When the alert had come in that the system portals were reinstated and that a Realm expansion wasn’t happening, all the third realm adventurers in standby were called.

Artigan had spat on the Guild’s honor. Along with the sudden unrest of over fifty blacklisted dragonslayers, someone had the bright idea to bring back some faith and unity towards the Guild.

Make a statement by putting Artigan into the ground.

There were over thirty adventurers ready to take down one blacklister. By any metrics it was overkill. It didn’t stop there. Every single one of them had experienced [Heroic Challenge] by Latarro. Even some friendly dragonslayers had offered an experience against their Epics.

The Guild Administrator of leveled zones in Sector Three looked on at the portal. It was more likely that the blacklister would run to Earth and wait until The Realm was in a lesser state of readiness.

It didn’t really matter, this whole thing was partly a pr stunt. To show that the new generations of adventurers weren’t like the monstrous dragonslayers of old.

The portal lit up. They all tensed. There was no way.

“Scouts use your skills! Artifacts on the ready!”

Half of the groups that were doing a Trial when the portals were locked down had been reported as being wiped out. A third had completed their Trials and the remainder had Trial breaks which unleashed frenzied monsters and armies into the area.

Two thirds of the teams getting wiped out was a great tragedy. Trials were not predictable nor friendly when the timer extended.

A big brown boot slammed forward from the portal as everyone flinched. Someone fired a shot as the bullet hit the [Rogue] near the stomach.

The orc [Rogue] hadn’t been expecting an ambush.

The Guild admin threw his hands up and started yelling at the other adventurers.

“Hold your fire! Hold your fire!”

Two other figures came out of the portal as they hurried away from the swirling gateway. The orc captain, Valee put her hand to press down on the bullet wound.

“Fuck! What the fuck? Don’t fire, I’m Valee Dubois!”

“Someone check if it’s really her!”

“Seems to be her, that’s her team too.”

The [Mage] that seemed more worried about what would come out of the portal instead turned around to look at the ambush, and his injured leader.

“What the fuck is going on?”

The Guild admin hurriedly walked forward trying to take control of the confusion. He stepped forward to Valee.

Had they managed to take down the blacklister? That would be good news.

“Team leader Valee Dubois, report!”

Unfortunately Valee didn’t quite seem to recognize his position. She pointed at the particularly jumpy [Warrior] that had just shot her.

“You little whore! What adventurer uses a gun?”

“Adventurer Dubois! I said, report!”

“Oh shit, apologies Admin.”

Valee straightened up, not even wincing at the gutshot.

“The blacklister known as Artigan invaded our Trial. After an encounter with him we decided to leave instead of risking a team wipe. While attempting to leave all the portals shut down and we mostly stayed out of each others’ way.” Valee looked around and back at the portal, “He’s a lunatic, there’s a good chance he’ll pick an exit portal in Sector Three. He might be coming this way now.”

Everyone in the room stiffened at that. They put their hands back on their weapons.

“So she worked with the blacklister?” Someone whispered, not so quietly.

Valee glared as she pinpointed the person whispering.

“That bastard knew our skills and callouts. I made the right choice that wasn’t likely to end up in a team wipe.”

“Coward, we’ve all been preparing for a Realm expansion and -”

This had not gone the way Guild admin had intended it to. He started barking orders.

“Enough! Adventurer Dubois, you and your team should get out of the way, there’s been a development that you and your team aren’t aware of. Part of that development is that we are putting this blacklister down. Now.”

Valee gave a good look at the ambushing team, then signalled to her team. Her team got out of the way of the portal, then she called out to him.

“Reporting! I’d recommend an increase in the number of the people in direct contact. Tighten the ambush perimeter and knock down the walls. Make it an open battlefield instead of indoors. Don’t hold back.”

The administrator rankled at the orc suddenly trying to tell him how to do his job, he looked at the twenty adventurers crowded in the building. They had guns, wands and nightvision goggles for that stealth.

“You think this isn’t enough?”

Valee looked at the adventurers then peered through the walls like she could hear beyond them, which she could. He remembered her skills.

“No, expect another Epic at minimum. He dismantled two armies and took down a warrior based [General] and a mage based [Strategist]. If he decides to come out this way then expect the worst. He won’t come here without a plan.”

Someone laughed. “C’mon that’s ridiculous.”

Meanwhile the jumpy [Warrior] couldn’t let go of the ‘whore’ comment.

“Thirty days and you couldn’t find an opportunity to take him down? Pathetic.”

“Alright, enough! Thank you for the information adventurer Dubois. Get your wound treated. It’ll be paid for by the adventurer who just shot you.”

Valee nodded at him, then looked at the [Warrior].

“Good, I think this wound might need a moderate healing potion.” The orc then started poking at the bleeding gutshot, making the wound bigger.

“You bitch! You’re just like your father.”

Valee froze, her hands moved away from the wound as they tightened around her gauntlets. The ground trembled slightly as Valee seemed ready to murder the adventurer.

A new skill? The admin filed it for later.

“What the fuck did you just say?”

“Enough! Last warning! Valee, get out of the way. There’s things that’s happened in The Realm that you don’t know about.”

The orc leader was still glaring at the [Warrior], looking ready to strangle them. Bloodlust radiated from her in waves. In any other situation both of those things would have been impressive and noted down. The admin that had dealt with much higher realm adventurers coughed to try to get her attention.

Her eyes and ears were darting and listening to the murmurs. She was noting the way everyone else didn’t look her in the eyes. Some were muttering, not knowing she had [Enhanced Senses]. Finally, she turned to the guild admin in concern.

“Apologies sir, what’s going on?”

He sighed, she’d probably heard it all by now.

“Valee Dubois. Ludovic Dubois, your father, has been blacklisted.”

“What?”

–