Booba took a bold step forward, his voice trembling with restrained anger.
“You killed him once before, Elincia!” he accused. “How will you ever make up for the harm you’ve caused my friend?”
The words seemed to freeze time itself, the weight of the moment pressing down upon everyone present.
Elincia lifted her gaze. In a soft yet firm tone, she responded, “If this is the price we must pay to end this conflict, then I am ready to lay down my life. Let him take my life once-no, twice, or however many times he wishes. No one from my guild will protest. All these misunderstandings must end now.”
Broken watched her intently, his stoic expression unchanging. The stakes of dying in the game were tremendously high, especially for a top-ranked player like Elincia. Even a single death could strip away valuable experience points, potentially lowering her level. Additionally, if any precious items from her inventory were to drop, she would suffer significant losses. Was she truly serious about her offer?
Maylock, the archer with sunglasses, clicked his tongue in disapproval at Elincia’s proposal. “Levels are something we’ve gained through immense effort and pain, Elincia. You can’t just throw them away like this,” he argued. “I believe we can find another way to resolve this issue, can’t we?”
“Please, no one else speaks except me!” Elincia interjected, casting a stern glance in Maylock’s direction. “Don’t even think of making such a suggestion!”
Skywarden, clad in his gleaming white armor, approached Elincia with an impatient scowl etched across his face. “Why do you feel the need to go to such lengths for him? Look at him, he’s only wearing that ridiculous level 50 armor. Do you really think he deserves this kind of sacrifice?”
“Shut up, all of you!” Elincia snapped, her fury boiling over. Whirling around, she drew her staff and struck Skywarden’s helmet with a resounding clang. “If you can’t hold your tongue, I will personally send you to the Temple of Resurrection,” she warned.
She leaned in closer. “Do you want to test me? If I hear another word from you, it will be your last.”
Skywarden hissed in frustration, retreating slowly. “This is ridiculous…”
“Silence!” Elincia barked again, and Skywarden fell quiet, cowed by her ferocity.
Booba felt his stomach churn as he desperately tried to think of a way to ease the mounting tension between Broken and Elincia. She was his little sister, a fact he had to keep hidden in this exceedingly volatile situation. Taking a deep breath, he stepped closer to Broken and spoke in a soft, reassuring tone.
“Broken,” Booba whispered, “I believe we can trust her words. I know her… she means what she says.”
“You know her?” Broken questioned.
“Yes,” Booba affirmed. “I can vouch for her. She speaks the truth.”
Broken’s steely eyes bore into Elincia as if trying to decipher her intentions. Reluctantly, he walked past Freya and Booba, his sword already stowed away in his inventory.
Elincia lifted her gaze toward Broken but quickly averted her eyes when she met with the intensity of his stare.
“What is it that you’re trying to achieve with all this? Can you explain everything clearly?” Broken demanded, his voice cutting through the tension.
Elincia swallowed hard, taking a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking. “Very well, I’ll start from the beginning. I heard screams inside Princess Alora’s tent, so I rushed in to investigate and found out-”
“Please, skip that part,” Broken interrupted.
She nodded, her words coming out in a stutter. “I thought you were a threat to Princess Alora, so I used the most powerful spell I knew against you. But then, to my surprise, she asked me to find your whereabouts. So, I gathered members from my guild and set out to find you-not to hunt you, but to look for you without any ill intent.”
Elincia paused, waiting for a reaction from Broken, but he remained silent, compelling her to continue. “As for what Melliandra did, I take full responsibility as the guild master. However, her actions do not represent the Ass Guild. She acted on her own personal interest. Nevertheless, I hope we can resolve this matter amicably…”
Broken finally responded, “She attacked me and killed my spirit beast. But I killed her in return and acquired an Epic ring from her death.”
Elincia nodded slowly. “I can assure you that there will be no further issues from Melliandra regarding this incident. I guarantee this for you, provided you no longer hold a grudge against her. I will also ensure she apologizes to you directly.”
“And now that you’ve found me, what is it that you want?” he pressed.
A deep breath escaped her lips before she continued.
“To put it plainly, my guild and I need your help for our next grand quest, and we are willing to make it worth your while. I deeply regret my actions towards you, and I want you to know that I will not only reward you for your assistance but also compensate fairly for all that I did to you.” Her voice quivered slightly from the intense pressure she was under. “And as I said earlier, to atone for what I’ve done, you have my permission to kill me in return. I hope that afterward, everything will be clear, and no misunderstandings will remain between us.” Skywarden let out a low growl, “This is stupid,” he muttered under his breath.
Maylock shook his head in agreement. “This is too much, Elincia,” he stated.
Skywarden added, “It would be a grave insult to our guild and our reputation if you do that. It would be better if you did not make such amends. You are our Guild Master; let other members make this sacrifice in your place.”
Kingsley stepped forward. “I am partially to blame for this situation,” he declared firmly. “I should have intervened to stop Melliandra. I accept the responsibility. Let me die for you, Elincia. You are our Guild Master, your rank is immensely valuable.”
Goldrich, the older mage, then approached Elincia with a calm smile. “Can you all respect her decision, please? We chose her as our Guild Master for a reason, right? I stand with Elincia,” he added.
Broken stood silently, absorbing the reactions of those around him. He summoned his sword once more, gripping it tightly as he deliberated his next move. He knew that the consequences of his decision would be far-reaching. Although he didn’t fully understand the extent of what Elincia was asking for, he recognized the gravity of the situation. If he made the wrong choice, the conflict could escalate beyond his control. Facing a guild as powerful and skilled as theirs was a daunting prospect. These were not ordinary players; their levels and capabilities were formidable.
Maylock furrowed his brow, his teeth clenched in frustration at the sight of their Guild Master being put in such a vulnerable position.
Skywarden’s eyes burned with seething hatred, wishing nothing more than to tear the smirk off his adversary’s face.
Goldrich was poised, ready to deploy any of his skills to immobilize any guild members who might defy Elincia’s orders.
Kingsley, meanwhile, watched Elincia with an expression of profound regret, his loyalty and concern etched deeply on his face.
“I’ve made my decision,” Broken announced with finality.