Chapter 14: The Spidersilk Bandits

Ira leads Oscar, Iricryo, and Melanie down a long, grassy road. There are long stretches of trees on each side of the road.

Oscar: How much further? I’m bored.

Ira: It’s not much further from here.

Iricryo: I do hope you know where you’re going; it would be easy to get lost around here.

Melanie: Calm down, I’m sure she knows exactly where she’s going.

Oscar: Yeah, Iricryo, you need to be more trusting of people.

Iricryo: And I think you two need to be a lot less trusting. The ultimate objective of this game is to kill all other players, remember? And yet we go off with some strange woman to middle of god knows where far away from Militia protection just cause she asks for our help. If she’s powerful enough, nothing is stopping her from turning around right now and killing the three of us.

Melanie: No one’s forcing you to come, Iricryo. Just leave. I’m sure you can find your way back to Lecithin from here, right?

He turns and sees similar looking trees in every direction.

Iricryo: Never mind…forget I said anything…

Oscar: So, I’m curious, who are these bandits you were talking about anyway, Ira?

Ira: They call themselves the Spidersilk Bandits. It’s a fitting name considering their scheme. After clearing Drywood of any other players, they turned the town into one giant trap, like a spider’s web. On the outside, they keep up the appearances of the town, and people just passing by and wandering Militia patrols would never be able to tell the difference. Then they put out advertisements on deals that would attract people to Drywood. Once enough players have been lured into their little trap, they spring into action. The entire town becomes locked down, and a series of dangerous traps spring. The bandits then kill all the defenseless, surprised players. The entire thing takes less than a few minutes, then they clean up and return the city to its previous charade.

Melanie: But yet you fell into the trap and survived.

Ira: In the short time period me and my boyfriend had been in Drywood before they sprung the trap, he was showing off his skills as a craftsman and some of his latest inventions. Such a showoff…anyway instead of killing us they decided to capture us and force my boyfriend to craft for them. I was captured as well, but my boyfriend struggled and created a diversion long enough for me to be able to stealth away.

Melanie: So you went back to Lecithin to seek Militia assistance, they claimed to be too busy to do anything for you, so instead you decide your only choice is to try a successful stealth trip through the town to rescue your boyfriend.

Ira: That’s the long and short of it. I figured now that so much time has passed since my escape, their guard has to be at least slightly down, and while their putting on their charade of being a normal town they won’t carry around their heavy arms at all times.

Oscar: Well if things get choppy in there, call us and we’ll bust you out!

Ira: Thanks for the offer, but if things go wrong you should all just leave, there would be no hope. These guys are the most organized group I’ve ever come into contact with. There are only seven of them, but they operate with military precision and coordination. Their plans are so flawlessly executed, I doubt even the Militia could bring them down.

Oscar: Psh, well…I could take them…

Melanie: Hey, what’s that that up ahead?

Two men dressed like bandits guard the road, keeping a long, barbed fence around them to keep people from passing. A single woman is trying to pass.

Woman: Are you trying to tell me I can’t pass?

Bandit: That’s right! This area is controlled by the Spidersilk Bandits! Anyone who wants to pass has to pay a toll honoring them.

Oscar: Is that them?

Ira shakes her head.

Ira: Probably a couple of wannabe’s who know they operate around this area and are trying to profit off their name. But they aren’t wearing a spider emblem around their neck. The true Spidersilk Bandits are never seen without one.

Oscar: Those bastards, trying to force a toll like that! We need to go help that woman!

Melanie: Hold it. Take a good look; whoever she is, she’s very confident. Let’s let her clear the toll for us, shall we?

The look back over at the woman. The woman is tall and sleek, with shapely curves and huge breasts. She dresses in long, flowing white robes that are tied very loosely and fall down enough on her chest to expose some of her cleavage. She has long, straight red hair going down her back and falling slightly in front of her eyes. She wears a lot of makeup and her eyes are darkly shadowed.

Woman: Come on, boys, I’m sure we can come to an understanding here.

She leans forward towards one of them seductively.

Woman: You know, all our nerves are hooked up to this game. I’ve been thinking about maybe doing a little experiment with the connection to our pleasure nerves. Interested?

Bandit: Huh…what?

Woman: Come on, you know what I mean…

She begins to lower the robes on her chests and both bandits stare intensely. They lower their weapons and look on with wide eyes.

Woman: Heh, idiots…

Fire shoots forth from under her robes and engulfs both of the bandits. A hole is blown threw the fence as well. As the smoke clears, she ties her robe back to its original position.

The group looks on with somewhat surprised expressions.

Iricryo: That was kind of a dirty trick.

Melanie: If you got it, use it. Simple enough policy.

Iricryo: Still…

Woman: Enjoy the show?

Melanie: So you noticed us here.

Woman: Are you more of those damn Spidersilk Bandits? If so, I have no problem turning you all to ash if you get to close.

Iricryo: Relax, we’re not bandits.

Oscar: Actually, we’re on our way to go kick the shit out of those bandits!

Iricryo: Well, not really…

Ira: Has he heard any part of the plan at all?

Woman: So I take it you’re heading to Drywood, then?

Ira: And what makes you say that?

Woman: I recently figured out that’s where those bastards are hiding and that’s where I’m headed.

Oscar: Then you can come with us! We can always take another strong arm to help take on those bastards!

Melanie: But…we’re not really going to fight them…

Iricryo: Wait? Are we just going to pick up another random stranger?

Woman: Come on, don’t be like that! Are you saying you wouldn’t enjoy my company.

Iricryo quickly draw his rapier and puts it to her throat.

Iricryo: Try anything funny and I’ll kill you.

Woman: Fair enough. Besides, I like it when my men play hard to get.

Melanie: I suppose you could be useful in some way if you are planning on attacking the city anyway. You see, we weren’t planning on going in, just escorting our friend there so she can sneak in and rescue someone using her stealth abilities. But if you’re going to run in and cause a scene, then that should greatly increase the chance she remains undetected.

Oscar: …I want to help cause a scene…

Iricryo: (in whisper) Not if you want to live long enough to get back at the High Council.

Ira: Who are you and why are you after the bandits?

Sarah: I’m Sarah, just your friendly wandering mage. I run around, strike down some players with lightning, set a few places on fire, you know, fun stuff! But those damn bandits have been standing in the way of all my fun, luring away so many players in this area! I barely get to have fun anymore! So I just thought I’d burn them to the ground.

Ira: Well, I suppose a distraction wouldn’t hurt…if you’re planning on assaulting them anyway.

Iricryo glares over at them. Sarah catches the stare and smiles back sweetly.

Sarah: It’s ok, big boy, I’ll behave.

Oscar: Ok, we can get acquainted on the way, right now let’s get going!

Ira: You don’t even know where you’re going! Hey!

The rest of the group hurriedly follows after him.

Oscar is seen running through a circular scope with a bulls-eye in the middle. He fades behind some trees.

Voice: I don’t think I could get a clear shot from here, way too much forest in the way.

The scene flashes out to two shadowy figures. One aims out the window with a sniper rifle and the other leans against a wall.

Shadowy Figure 1: That’s all right, that’s why we chose this location in the first place, remember? There’s virtually no chance of being taken out from a source outside the town. Just wait till they get in, like all the others.

Through the scope, the other figure gets a zoomed shot through the trees of Ira.

Shadowy Figure 2: Well, well, look who it is. Doesn’t surprise me to see her back so soon. Guess we should let the others know how to set things up.

Oscar comes to the top of a hill and looks downhill through a small clearing of trees. He sees a large town. The town is made mostly of wood, with high wooden walls surrounding it. Three features stick out about the town from this angle: The large wooden drawbridge that was currently open, supported by large, powerful chain, the only entrance/exit to the town; a thin, square tower towards the right side that reached high above the wall, and a smaller, thick, round tower in the center of the town that was about the height of the wall.

Oscar: Is that it?

Ira: That’s it…the town of Drywood.

A title flashes under another scene of the town, “Drywood.”