New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

Truth was, it had been sheer luck.

When the golden dragon landed on the red one, it dislodged the lance that was stuck in its shoulder bone. Violette was next to where it landed inside the dragon and acted on instinct.

She used her magic to grab onto the shaft and then flung it toward the biggest mana source she could sense. That source was the dragon's beating heart.

She threw the lance with enough magical force that it went right through, leaving a gaping hole in its heart. Phoenix watched as the lance lodged itself in a rib, ending its flight with a 'Ting!' sound.

But the damage number astounded her. Floating next to the heart was a flashing damage number.

*-3'000'000!!!*

It was no surprise to her why she got the kill. But she knew this high damage wasn't caused by Violette alone. Phoenix's eyes drifted back to the lance stuck in a rib near her.

'What kind of weapon is this?'

She didn't have time to think about it, though, as they needed to get out of it for now. The air inside was already thinning out.

Phoenix flew to Violette, grabbing her by the hips and lifting her onto her back.

"Hang on tight!"

She then launched forward, directing her course toward what she assumed was the dragon's throat. When she came out, she ended up face-to-face with the golden dragon.

The sheer size of it was at least twice that of the one they had just killed. Phoenix felt small, as she was only as big as one of its eyes.

The golden dragon blinked, its eye peering deep inside the two humanoids before it, before turning its head away.

It was now looking at Astaroth, and the piercing gaze of a dragon was not something Astaroth appreciated much right now. Nonetheless, he withstood its stare.

After looking at the Ash Elf for a few seconds, the guardian of Sunpeak took flight, heading back to its nest. Its job was done, as far as it was concerned.

Astaroth breathed a sigh of relief when the dragon flew off. He was silently praying that this dragon was not here to kill them, too.

But they weren't out of the woods just yet. As the players started amassing around the dragon's corpse, waiting for the loot window to pop, a horn resounded in the air.

The army that was standing at the edge of the burnt forest was now slowly marching forward. Most players instinctively went into a defensive stance.

They were ready to defend their right to loot, even if it was against an NPC force. Even if it cost them their access to a major city.

Astaroth was already walking to meet them. A small group of three NPCs also split from the primary force.

Astaroth couldn't see their faces well from this distance, but he already recognized one person, from their magic aura alone, or rather, complete lack of one.

Once the three men on horses had arrived closer, they dismounted and walked the last few feet to Astaroth.

Amongst the three was an old man that Astaroth had already recognized as the guild master of the adventurer's guild. The other two he didn't recognize, but could take guesses as to their identities.

One of the two had a very militaristic air to him, his back ramrod straight and the decorations on his armour reflecting the sunlight.

The other one looked more shrewd, and by his lack of armour, but overcompensating panache, he could guess this man was here to represent the nobles or royals of Sunpeak.

Astaroth already expected this conversation to turn into a political debacle. He felt exhausted at the thought, even though it hadn't started yet.

He bowed at the men when they stopped before him, eliciting a smile and a quick nod from Master Eustas.

"Hello again, Guild Master."

"I am pleased to see you again alive, young man," the old man replied, glancing at the dead dragon behind him.

"It wasn't easy to stay this way," Astaroth joked.

But before he could continue his conversation, the military man in the middle raised his hand to silence them.

"You can keep idle chat for when you two are alone. Let's get down to business."

His tone was final, and Astaroth cared little about going against him.

Euclesias materialized a table between them, followed by four chairs. Two of the chairs were on one side of the table, and the two others were on the other side.

Astaroth took a seat, knowing who would sit next to him. He quickly understood why the guild was here.

Since most players had joined the adventurer's guild, they had a legitimate claim to the remains. The guild master could also ensure they gave rewards to the players who helped take down the beast.

Facing them, the representatives of the army and the government would be fighting to grab the lion's share of the beast's loot. Astaroth was freshly out of a battle, and they threw him back into another, this one of wits and words.

The representative from the government, or nobles, in this case, looked grossed out at having to sit at a table with him. Astaroth already disliked him.

"Let's get this over quickly. I can't wait to be away from this dead monstrosity and all these peasants."

"Duke Archambault. Please refrain from calling my adventurers 'peasants'. Remember, they play a large part in ensuring our kingdom's safety."

"These abnormals shouldn't even be allowed in our walls!" the duke rebuked, his voice almost a screech.

Astaroth could feel the undertones of hatred and fear in his statement. He understood his feelings, though.

Who wouldn't fear people who can't die, after all?

The military glanced at the noble with slight disgust. It was obvious he had a different opinion about players.

He could already feel the looks of greed from the man too, but they were aimed at the players, not the dragon. And more specifically, toward a young girl with black skin and pointy ears.

"Ahem. Let me introduce myself. I am Grand Marshall Promentha, leader of the armies of Sunpeak, and duke to the court."

Astaroth gave a nod to him, staying wary of his glances toward Violette.

"I've heard about you, young Astaroth," the marshall added, his gaze suddenly locking onto Astaroth.