The Achievement Junkie

The moon crept up the sky, marking the midnight hour. While Gilga was at rest and peace, forces began to gather within the city's walls.

Unbeknownst to the public, fourteen men sat around a large table. At the head of the table was Thyron. Thyron smiled proudly at the men around him. "Tonight, we finally act. The Leisure Guild has forced our hand so we're forced to show no mercy. I appreciate the addition of you five regents. You'll make this invasion possible."

"Don't count out Ollan, and the other two," stated one of the cloaked men. "They'll handle the real invasion. We're just here to keep the higher-ups in the guild from getting involved."

"True… But you're still key for the invasion to succeed. Without you diverting the attention of Argyle, Hurmot, and Kaldor, how could the invasion work properly?" reasoned Thyron.

Another man in a hood spoke up, "I think our best plan of action is to attack Jack and his personal team. Three of us should stall those auction house owners while the other two should search for Jack. Eliminating him is our top priority."

"So long as those three are stalled, then I'll agree with your proposal. Make sure to send your strongest three at those men," stated Thyron, keeping the plan as precise as possible. "As for the rest of us under lv. 70, we'll seek out the other higher-ups of the guild and overwhelm them. That way, Ollan, Vladdy, and Jeara will clean up the rest of the guild unimpeded. My remaining question is whether your plan to handle Eedaj will hold true."

"Don't worry about that," The first hooded man responded. "The only way to fight a god is with a god. That's why we brought a god of a higher level to keep Eedaj from doing anything. But are you sure that only Eedaj is present?"

"Good…" Thyron sighed, relieved to not face a god's wrath. "Before our informant was captured, he guaranteed that Sterfen had already left the Leisure Guild for a personal quest. I'm not sure what that quest was but we know that he has yet to return."

"Then all is set. Shall we get going?" asked the first hooded man, taking charge as the most powerful syndicate regent present.

"Follow me."

Thyron led the men out of that room and through his personal manor. Soon, the group of fourteen men was walking through the dark streets of Gilga, avoiding the artificial lighting of the main roads.

Other then Thyron, there were two other councilmen uncovered and elven hooded men, five of which had darker hoods with red embellishments to mark their status.

They took their time, keeping to the unseen paths and remaining undetected. Thyron's perfectionism wouldn't allow any simple slip-ups to result in the party's failure. It would go against his nature and his philosophy. And with his life at stake, the treacherous council spokesman didn't leave anything to chance.

Eventually, when the moon was at the center of the night sky, the main entrance of the Leisure Guild came into sight.

"Who would like to have the honor of starting everything?" Thyron asked, glancing back at the men behind him.

"Allow me…" One of the cloaked men stepped forward with rage burning under his hood.

"Oh, Halmon? Someone's riled up about getting caught…"

The former councilman ignored Thyron's comment and took the lead. Once they were twenty meters away and finally in view of the artificial lights, yellow energy started to revolve around a staff in Halmon's hand. He abruptly slammed the butt of his staff on the ground.

When Halmon's staff connected with the ground, a fault line rushed forward from the point of impact. A tremor shook the street as that fault line opened up and dragged the main entrance of the Leisure Guild into its dark depths.

"Good! That should wake them all up," chuckled Thyron. "Now let's move!"

The group of invaders picked up the pace but only to a jog. They remained in formation as the group plowed through the weaker guards. Only when some people of their caliber arrived at the front of the guild's main building did the group halt their invasion.

"Thyron…" Tralon stood amidst the unwelcoming party, disappointed to see what was going on. "So you are part of the syndicate after all."

"Technically, I'm one of the few unregistered accomplices," Thyron replied with a proud laugh, sizing up the men gathered around Tralon. "So, we've got Vixus, Argyle, and Kaldor… Where are Kims and Hurmot? I'm sure you'll need them to stop us."

"Really?"

A voice rang out not in the air but in the minds of everyone. It continued, "I don't think they'll have to act at all. Should you take one more step, I'll leave you all as nothing but a thoughtless husk of living flesh."

At the same time, dark black clouds started to roll in over the city. Compared to what happened at Federal City, the speed of the cloud's arrival was far faster.

While those clouds rolled in, everyone remained motionless in front of the main building. Eedaj finally arrived but he was staring up at the clouds swirling over the Leisure Guild property. No attention was given to the mortals standing on the ground.

"So, you've decided to show yourself, Pestro!" Eedaj shouted, not hiding the deity's presence from the guild members around him. "Should you make a single attack against the city or my guild, then I'll personally corrupt your mind until you're a brainless diety waiting to be slaughtered for EXP. Do you dare?"

The rest of the city was on high alert as they were quick to discover a familiar apocalyptic scenario taking place. All the citizens were now watching the skies, some able to see a hulking, brutish figure descending from the clouds on the back a giant bony fiend.

Snarls and grunts filled the air of Gilga as that man shouted, "I'm only here to keep you from interfering. Should you interfere, though, I wouldn't mind killing you here and now."

After Pestro's reply, another loud explosion sounded from deep inside the guild. So deep, in fact, that explosion came from the back most courtyard of the restricted area. As the only courtyard connected to the city walls, it made for the perfect target for a break-in.

"You dare threaten me!" Eedaj suddenly took off, rushing through the sky with a stern glare fixed on the bony fiend. "Don't underestimate me, you oaf!"

"Try me!"

Pestro laughed and took off to the fields surrounding the city. He wanted to keep the Leisure Guild out of Eedaj's range of attack, making sure to keep his focus on the mission of the syndicate.

"So, you're just the diversion? Not bad, Thyron. You came even sooner than we had expected," Tralon stated, keeping a straight face.

"Of course, you understand that I'm not the type to underestimate opponents. I always overestimate, that why I'll always overwhelm my foes," chuckled Thyron. "Now's the time, so do what you must."

Without any words, the group of fourteen broke apart. They started to scatter into all sorts of directions.

But they startled and stopped in their tracks. The only two to make it out were two syndicate regents over lv. 70. All others were pushed back by the sudden rush of reinforcements from inside the Leisure Guild. And the most startling part was how beasts were included in the guild's reinforcements.

Hurmot had arrived with his five Celestial Cranes, stopping the third syndicate regent. But there were also Dark Beholders licking their lips at the sight of the syndicate members, which was terrifying as the beholders could understand the syndicate members' levels clearly while concealing their own.

"What… What is this?" Thyron glared back at Tralon.

Laughing and smiling, Tralon stated, "I'm sorry, but it seems like you've utterly failed to overestimate us. For that, you'll pay dearly."