The two enormous panthers put the brakes on just before they ran him over. Jali pushed a soft black nose into his face, purring loudly when QJ scratched his ears.

He had grown up with the two beasts, over the past two decades, the three owners had slowly developed all the Shadowfiend abilities. As bodyguards, they were extremely formidable. Bali pushed her sister aside and nuzzled his face, sending him an image of young QJ playing with them in the Ravenwood fountain.

QJ laughed and pushed her head away. "You're not supposed to do that remember?" The big cats could send flash images when fighting they would use terrifying scenes to incite fear.

They followed QJ as he entered the Academy and headed toward the stables. "You guys remember Scorch? Bet he'll be happy to see you."

A few minutes later Both cats stood on their hind legs and peered into the stall as QJ took care of the morning ch.o.r.es. Scorch nosed them playfully, he had no fear of the shadowfiends.

A few minutes later, they entered the Academy. Jali sat next to the front entrance while Bali followed him to his cla.s.s. Walking down the hallway, the academy students couldn't hide the shock at seeing the sleek black cat padding softly alongside QJ. She stopped at the door to QJ's cla.s.s and sat down, while he went inside.

Ringo was leaning against her desk when he entered. She had received a "courtesy call" from Anna saying that extra security would be needed because of a current threat. "Morning QJ, how does it feel to be done with Show Stopper?"

QJ smiled, "finally my hands have been untied." He glanced down at his desk, there was a small box with blue wrapping paper sitting on it. "Who left this?"

Ringo shrugged, "Maya did, although she didn't say what it was for."

QJ opened the box and looked at the contents. "Um..." He looked up, his face showing surprise. Inside was a note printed neatly on silver paper, and some chocolates.

"You looked surprised QJ," Ringo walked towards his desk and peered inside.

"Yep... It's a very nice surprise ." QJ took out the note and stowed it away, then he picked up one of the chocolates and tasted it. "Woah... These are really good."

Ringo reached in and took one, "sharing right?"

"No, put that back ..."

"Best to share QJ." She popped the chocolate in her mouth, closing her eyes for a moment while she chewed. "That is very good indeed."

QJ closed the box and stowed it in his desk. "Fine, but I expect compensation."

Ringo stared at him for a moment. "Not going to read the note?"

QJ shrugged, "I'll read it later."

Slowly the cla.s.s filtered in, some of the students showed caution or even fear walking pa.s.s the shadowfiend, however, some of them stopped to pet the beast or scratched his ears.

"Take your seats please." Ringo had to remind the cat-lovers by the door that cla.s.s was about to begin. "Unfortunately due to a recent incident, we'll be shadowed by the two large cats that you've seen. Rest a.s.sured they are quite harmless and are here to protect."

QJ brought up the guild interface while Ringo was talking, Leeta had leveled up, and could finally leave her starter city.

"Okay everyone, shall we take a look at how things stand?" Ringo activated the Leader Board.

Top Guild Level: 1) Old Skool-Lvl 13.5 2) One Problem 10.6 3) Chupa Lupa 8.5

Cla.s.s Leaderboard: Range Rider: s.e.xy Dexy-Lvl 13, Gunfighter: Oldman Crane-Lvl 16, Brave: Laffy Taffy-Lvl-9, Tracker: Carlotti Hottie-Lvl 12, Shaman: Dead Mimi-Lvl 13, Field Medic: Suga Pie-Lvl 12, Wrangler: Kingslayer QJ-Lvl 10, Scout: Cactus Flower Lvl 11, Commanchero: Breeze-Lvl 11, Cavalry: Iron Lou-Lvl 13, Raider: Devil Woman-Lvl 13, Gambler: Pinnacle-Lvl 11.

Top Five Ranking: 1) Oldman Crane, 2) s.e.xy Dexy 3) Iron Lou 4) Sunny Meadow 5) Dead Mimi

"Looks much the same, Old Skool is pulling away. Don't worry about that, they bear all the earmarks of a professional guild." Ringo walked down the center aisle, "Our lone Field Medic can finally leave her starter city. You're with me today Leeta."

Leeta smiled sweetly, "Oh okay!"

QJ couldn't help but stare, Leeta was an average looking girl until she smiled. She had short brown hair and dimples, she reminded QJ of Anna. "Welcome aboard Leeta."

"QJ, Breeze, and Lotte you are with us also. We need to get some levels on Leeta so we can attempt 10 person raids." Ringo glanced around the cla.s.sroom, "any questions before we start?"

The freshmen GnG cla.s.s slowly disappeared from the cla.s.sroom, one by one until only the five were left.

Ringo glanced at the huge black panther in the doorway. "Will we be able to hunt properly with your two friends?"

QJ nodded, "they can stealth, we won't even see them. Also, they won't interfere with normal grouping, even if we wipe."

Breeze stared at the cat next to the door, "How do I get one of those?"

QJ laughed, "well, the two in the Academy belong to Mora Jol and Leah Fintree."

"Let's get ready, this time we are heading to the Skareth Swamps." Ringo pulled up a map of the area. "They are level 15 elites, so they XP will be great. We should be fine as long as we have single pulls."

"No worries." QJ zoomed out on the map, "so take the portal to Skavek and head east."

Skavek 8 AM, Player population 7,115. Your current level is 10.

The group arrived at the edge of a large swamp, there were all sorts of different beasts, most of them in groups of two or three.

"Woah, that's a lot of XP." Breeze glanced at QJ, "you can give us singles right?"

QJ nodded, "singles, doubles, triples. Don't worry so much."

He heard Lotte's laugh, "he's just joking."

"Two minutes, ready yourself and I'll start this show." QJ extended a hand, palm up. "Come."

A moment later, a single spider appeared on the ground in front of him. It seemed to be mostly bee, but the legs were definitely arachni. In addition to the spider legs, it had two very delicate looking arms that were striped orange and black.

Cleo

Level 22

HP 1250/1250

Strength 30

Agility 60

Stamina 28

BR:10

He knelt and touched her antennaed head. "Wow, look at you. You didn't eat the boys or anything right?"

She waved her arms delicate arms slowly in front of her.

*Cleo has cast summons.*

The two incider spider appeared in front of her, they had also grown quite a bit.

Incider Spider

Level 20

HP 1000/1000

Strength 40

Agility 25

Stamina 35

BR:7

Incider Spider

Level 20

HP 1000/1000

Strength 40

Agility 25

Stamina 35

BR:7

"Oh, I see. We are going to talk about this later Cleo." QJ glanced back at the group, "ready?"

Ringo was staring at him, she had her single dark braid in her hand and was twirling it. "QJ... where the h.e.l.l did you get three spider pets?"

Breeze nodded, "yeah! I want one or two. That one looks more like a bee."

Lotte bent close and examined Cleo closer, 'this one looks really tough. She's a caster right?"

*Cleo has cast Arachni Predator*

All Allies receive + 40 ATK, 30 percent Haste.

"Nice buff Cleo." He walked to the edge of the swamp and examined their hunting grounds.

Ringo followed, she pointed to a nearby island. "Lets clear a path there, and then figure things out."

*La.s.so*

An Elite Vicious Croc has been roped and is closing on your position

*Kneecap*

An Elite Vicious Croc has been slowed by forty percent.

*Breeze has activated Blood Feud*

An Elite Vicious Croc has been taunted.

*Quick Shot*

Lotte has. .h.i.t target for 1,252 damage.

*Quick Shot*

Ringo has. .h.i.t target for 2,132 damage.

*Aimed Shot*

(Head-Shot Bonus)

QJ has. .h.i.t target for 6,230 damage

*Breeze has activated Turoc Mach'tu.

An Elite Vicious Croc has been hit for 923 damage.

An Elite Vicious Croc has been stunned.

*Hot Pack*

Leeta has healed Breeze for 2050 hp.

*Double Direct Shot*

Ringo has. .h.i.t target for 2123 damage and 1727 damage.

*Direct Shot*

Lotte has. .h.i.t target for 1322 damage.

An Elite Iguana has. .h.i.t Ringo has been his for 850 damage

"The h.e.l.l!! Adds!" QJ glanced west, several mobs were running toward them. "Not good!"

*Field Pack*

Leeta has healed Ringo for 880 hp.

*Kneecap*

An Elite Iguana has been slowed by 40 percent.

"s.h.i.+t, more incoming. We've been trained." Breeze spotted a group running by them, deliberately handing off a half dozen mobs that they had aggro'd.

*Breeze has activated Blood Feud*

An Elite Iguana has been taunted.

"d.a.m.n them." Ringo cursed at the half dozen mobs charging at them.

QJ has Opened a Scroll.

*Evasion*

*********

High above the group, a half dozen stealthed Winged a.s.sa.s.sins circled the area, their eyes glowing red.

"Captain! That group deliberately put those mobs on them." Maia watched the heat signatures from at least a half dozen Elite's charge at QJ's group.

Merci nodded, "at times Heroes are very nonchalant about death since they are immortal in other worlds." She watched as QJ's group escaped with an evac. "We are not to interfere."

Maia brought up her hud and located QJ's signal, "North of our position now, near the center of the swamp."

"The young prince would be upset if he knew about the locators in his gear. At any rate, take the squad and continue observing." Merci extended her bone spikes as she slowly descended.

"He's not a prince Captain," Maia knew it was pointless to say, to the a.s.sa.s.sin Queen, QJ was the son of a peerless King. "You aren't coming with us?"

"I'll catch up, first I am going to have a word with our friends." Merci banked and headed downward.

"Captain we aren't supposed to interfere." Maia sighed as she watched her Captain closing in on the group.

"QJ is long gone, so this couldn't be considered interference. I'll only kill them a few times each."

*******

QJ ended up on the bottom of a pile of bodies. Ringo, Breeze, Lotte, and Leeta were stacked on top of him like firewood, in that order.

"No rush or anything, you're all very light," he muttered from the bottom of the pile.

Slowly the untangled themselves, Ringo being the last one to get off, she gave QJ a hand up. "Thanks for cus.h.i.+oning our fall like that, very heroic." His teacher gave him a toothy smile, "hmm... this isn't good."

They were standing at the entrance to a deep, dark hole that had stairs leading down. An ominous sign nearby read, "Crypt of Dispair."

Breeze patted QJ on the back, "good thing you had that scroll. I'm about to level up."

QJ noticed Cleo and the boys close by, "let's get to it, I hate wasting time."

Ringo looked at the crypt, "shall we try our hand?"

QJ brought up his hud, a moment later Anna's face smiled at him. "Hey Nan, could you look up the Crypt of Dispair real quick? Just want to know the level requirements.

Anna nodded and did a quick search. "Six different levels, 16-18 Elites. There are four halls on each level. To advance to the next level you must kill the floor boss. It's considered cake for a standard group of level 16s."

"Thanks, Nan. I owe you one." QJ cut comm and faced his group. "Get ready. I'm going to start pulling."

Ringo nodded, "so brave, I like it."

The group slowly worked their way through all four halls, each hall had six Elites. In the last hall, there was a 20 level Boss, Crimson the Hungry.

Ringo checked her guns, "Boss is a bit high, but we might be able to handle it."

QJ nodded, "First kills often bring some nice surprises."

Leeta had gone up two levels from the high-end mobs, she was close to 11. "I want to try."

"Before we start, is Crimson a male or female? I can't really tell." Breeze had her hatchet in one hand and was staring at the boss.

"We can always check after, if you're still curious.." Lotte said with a straight face, causing everyone to stare at her.

*Cleo has cast Arachni Predator*

All Allies receive + 40 ATK, 30 percent Haste.

*Kneecap*

Crimson the Hungry has been slowed by forty percent.

*Breeze has activated Blood Feud*

Crimson the Hungry has been taunted.

*Quick Shot*

Lotte has. .h.i.t target for 1,850 damage.

*Quick Shot*

Ringo has. .h.i.t target for 2,120 damage.

*Aimed Shot*

(Head-Shot Bonus)

QJ has. .h.i.t target for 7,730 damage

*Stinger*

Cleo has. .h.i.t target for 13,322 damage, 8 poison counters applied.

Incider Spider has. .h.i.t target for 8,354 damage

Incider Spider has. .h.i.t target for 9,200 damage

*Hot Pack*

Leeta has healed Breeze for 2220 hp.

*Cleo's Parlor*

Crimson the Hungry has been bound and cannot move for 3 seconds.

*Six-Gun Fan*

Ringo has emptied her gun into target for 1244 damage, 1351, damage, 1534 , damage.

*Six-Gun Fan*

Lotte has emptied her gun into target for 1655 damage,2301, damage, 2914 , damage.

I MAY DIE BUT MY LEGACY WILL LIVE ON!!!

*Crimson the Hungry has cast Summon Target [Ringo]*

The dark-haired gunfighter instantly appeared next to the dieing Vampire, he sung his teeth into Ringo's neck.

*Aimed Shot* [Critical Hit]

(Head-Shot Bonus)

QJ has. .h.i.t target for 21,550 damage

QJ has slain Crimson the Hungry.

*Hot Pack* [Critical Heal]

Leeta has healed Ringo for 8654 hp.

QJ advanced slowly and helped his teacher to her feet, her face was ghostly white and she was very unsteady. "You okay Ringo?"

Ringo nodded, "that was the scariest thing." She rubbed her neck where the puncture wounds were still visible. She kicked the dead boss's corpse. "d.a.m.n bloodsucker, let's see what he dropped."

QJ linked the items to his group. "s.h.i.+t..."

Night Stalker [Vampire Only]

Medium Armor

+20 Strength

+20 Accuracy

+20 Agility

Battle Rating 12

Ring of Darkness [Vampire Only]

Temporarily Fade from view.

+15 Perception

+15 Critical Hit

Battle Rating 12

"What a tease right?" Breeze shook her head as she read the stats, "hardly fair to drop that kind of gear. Can we even sell it?"

"I leveled up again." Lotte looked at the game log, "wow, looks like everyone did."

"Not a bad turn around, might as well call it a morning." Ringo kicked the corpse an extra time, watching as her group ported back to town one at a time, until it was her and QJ.

"Might as well equip the gear now." QJ took a step closer, "excuse the inspection."

"What? No QJ..." Ringo grabbed her student's shoulder.

Ringo [Cursed Vampirism]

Wrangler: Level 14

"Got you good didn't he." QJ shook his head as he opened up his hud. A moment later, Anna's smiling face was looking at him.

"Heya QJ, I'm kinda liking that you keep calling me." Anna took a sip of her coffee, "what ya need handsome?"

QJ smiled, "need you to find out about vampirism in GnG. Gotta a guildmate who was recently bitten.

Anna leaned closer, "wow, that's interesting. I'll check it out and let you know after lunch."

"Thanks Anna, you're the best." QJ cut comm and turned back toward his teacher.

She was breathing hard, her red lips parting as she stared at QJ. "Port quickly QJ, I'm feeling the urge to bite you."

QJ shrugged and rolled up his sleeve, "on the arm is fine right?"

"Then you will be infected too, just port out quickly." Small fangs protruded from Ringo's mouth, her blue eyes were as cold as ice as she stared at him.

"My Indomitable Will ability gives me immunity to curses." QJ smiled at his teacher, "just a sip though."

Ringo stared at his arm, her face unreadable as she bent her lips to his forearm. "Please excuse me then QJ." Without another word, she sunk her fangs into his arm causing him to jump slightly.

QJ watched for a moment, but then turned away quickly, there was something wildly sensual about the scene. He did his best to think about other things for a few minutes until she finally stopped.

Ringo quickly donned the gear that had dropped from the boss, her color returned to normal and her fangs receded. "Thank you, QJ."

"Now, you owe me lunch." QJ took a step back and ported back to town.

Ringo nodded and activated her return portal. "See ya back in cla.s.s."

A moment after they left Cleo crawled out of the shadows. She had fled in fear when the Vampire had attacked Ringo. Cleo felt anger at herself for abandoning her master, slowly she approached the dead vampire, overcome with the need to consume the enemy.