System Break

The hallway outside my room constantly carried sounds of adventurers walking up and down so the boots scraping near my door was nothing unusual. If this were a game qi sight would be the ultimate hack because I could see their crappy little cores hanging around outside my door.

It was mid afternoon and I managed to get  a few hours shut eye, but I still felt like dog shit. Qi stamina would freshen a sore muscle and repair a tired body, but nothing replaced the need for sleep. With a sword in hand, half dressed and bare foot I pulled my door open and stepped back.

"Shit," one of them swore. They hadn't expected me to be on to their little game.

"Come out you coward," another said.

"I'm not the cockless simp hiding outside a door trying to get the drop on someone. You already have the numbers." With my left hand I grabbed a dagger from my harness that was bent over a chair.

"The Queen wants to see you. They won't touch you I promise."

I laughed. If the Queen wanted to see me they could have slid a note under my door. Or just knocked and told me. Junior must have been every inch the moron if they expected me to believe that bullshit. "I'm happy to fight and my Queen can watch. Make a square in the quad again and I'll fight you one after the other."

They whispered feverishly and argued whether to accept or barge in. "I'm first," one said, and I had no idea who it was.

"Nah, fuck it," another said and barged in. The door was wide open, and he strode right into the path of my flying dagger which lodged between his eyes. 

"Who's next?" I said and grabbed another while they hesitated.

"When did you become a dead shot with a throwing knife?"

"Practise moron."

"He was tossing one all the way here," another said.

"This is getting boring," I said and picked up my harness. I wiggled into it while keeping an eye on them. They would have to jump their friend before they got to me. He made an excellent obstacle as he bled out on the floor.

"Is he dead?"

I pulled on my pants and boots. "Not immediately, but since you dicked around so long I guess he is now."

"I'm going to pull him out, don't attack."

"Go get Waylander," I said. "He's the only one of you I trust even a little. Attacking your guild member because of what? … What's wrong with you morons?"

"You cut Jerome's foot off."

"In a duel which was fair and square. If he chopped mine off would you be attacking him?" I leaned over and pulled my knife from the skull of the dead moron. "Come get him, I won't attack unless you make a wrong move."

"What's going on?" I couldn't see him, but I recognized the voice. It was Cerbrus who was the second in command after the Red Queen.

I got in before they could speak. "These arseholes tried to ambush me, failed at that and then refused to duel me one on one."

Cerbrus appeared in my doorway with his hand on his sword. "What about Galant?"

I nearly choked on the guy's name; he was the furthest thing from gallant. "He fucked around and found out."

Cerbrus snorted. "And you beat Jerome in a duel this morning." He waited for me to reply but I remained silent and toyed with my throwing knife. "Come with me," he said, turned and walked out.

They glared as I walked past grinning at them while I tossed my knife and caught it. If any of them lunged at me I would send the knife their way, and they had no idea I could.

The presence of Cerbrus kept them in check and I memorised their faces. Only one of them was from the nine and the other two were friends of Jerome. If I kept up killing them at this rate the guild would be empty in a couple of weeks.

Cerbrus led me into the Red Queen's special room. It's where she relaxed away from the simps, kept the stash of cores and had her inner circle wait on her hand and foot. The room looked like a library with two walls stacked with books on shelves. She had a beautiful oak desk and comfortable chairs with red velvet upholstery. 

Cerbrus gave her a shallow bow. "Ismei," he said her name rather than her title. "This is the one who sheered Jerome's ankle in half."

She lounged on a chair sipping from a tall glass and her head swivelled in my direction. She was beautiful, I had to give her that and her eyes with filled with intelligence. The worst combination for a bitch like her. Men fell over themselves and did stupid shit for her. It was a waste of time, because she would never care for them even if they threw away their lives for her.

She was beautiful, intelligent, and cared for no one but herself. I tried to swallow my pride and prepared to humiliate myself. 

"Gunt," she said. I was supposed to be elated that she remembered my name. Nah fuck it. I couldn't do it. I stared at the books like they were interesting.

"Gunt," I am talking to you.

"I'm just admiring your books. I've been in here before." I figured it was a safe bet.

"Oh," she said. "They're nothing. The locals are medieval."

I scratched my short black hair. "Really? The green cloaks are experts beyond anyone in Dawnharbour." 

She waved her hand in dismissal. "We don't use their system; we have our own."

She reminded me why adventurers were so weak. They relied on the UI like a crutch, and I ignored it to the point of forgetting it existed. I turned to face her, and all eyes were on me including Vengance who leaned against the wall in a corner.

I wanted to tell her that the system was useless, but I showed restraint. 

"You're improving," she said. "Good. I wish everyone dedicated themselves like you."

I glanced at Vengance. "Too many morons mock the ones who are trying to improve. I've been thinking of leaving."

She jumped off her chair. "What! Why would you abandon us? I thought you liked me."

I peered at her. "I never see you and I'm surrounded by idiots who treat me like shit."

Vengance took a single step away for the wall and challenged. "Who treats you like shit?" 

I let my jaw drop in surprise at his ignorance. "Every day some asshat tries to kill me, steal or extort from me. Then when I beat their ass they come back with more numbers. It was fine during the crossing but soon as I got back the rot set in."

The Red Queen smiled at me sweetly. "You won't leave me. You just want me to teach these asshats a lesson." 

I shrugged. "My Queen, I've been teaching them myself. That's why I'm here now - I just killed one."

She looked to Cerbrus who nodded. "Ismei, I think we should re-evaluate Gunk."

I tried not to smile, if I couldn't break into the inner circle I was going to leave. Because only as her right hand man could I get close enough to the Chancellor. Otherwise I would seek another path.

She looked over her shoulder at Vengance and then back to me. "You beat Jerome easily I hear," she said.

I shrugged.

"And you're modest too." She stood and began to pace. She glanced at me and smiled - she reminded me of the snake. Cold, intelligent, and beautiful. Her blond hair hung luxuriously down her back and her leathers hugged her curves leaving little to the imagination. 

She approached me and touched a throwing knife that was sheathed in my harness. "You use these?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Is there a skill?"

"There is, but if you know what you're doing its irrelevant."

Her finger traced my harness. "You're different," she said softly and my heart lept to my mouth. "You think differently than the others in my council. I think I want you on it."

I breathed a sigh of relief; she didn't know Junior from a bar of soap.

"My queen," Cerbrus said formally. "Whose place will he take?"

She peered at me. "Make a challenge Gunk. Pick one."

I shrugged. "I don't care. You pick one."

Her eyes widened. "Where has your humility gone now?"

"Cerbrus," I said. "I will challenge Cerbrus."

She laughed and danced towards her second in command. "Did you hear that my sweet. He challenges you."

He chuckled. "He's got a death wish."

Vengance stared at me and I could see the marbles turning over in his mind. I'd have to keep a close eye on him, if I made him too suspicious I'd have to add him to the pile.

Cerbrus took a step past the Red Queen and addressed me directly. "Pick someone easier. Vengance or Roland."

"Nope," I said. "You can't squirm your way out of it now."

The Red Queen laughed like she was enjoying herself immensely. She peered at me. "First you threaten to leave, now you're challenging to be my second." She pretended to flutter and swoon. "Anyone would think you were driven mad to do anything to gain my attention."

I tilted my head to the side and grinned. "You could say that." She was spot on; except she didn't know the half of it.

"Dusk in the quad," she said, raised her hands and twirled. "Invite everyone!"