The Jade Harem

Frank saw the blue light several miles into the forest and knew Hannah was in trouble. He could feel it as well, a strange pull and need to protect her from whatever was causing her harm. However, they were aware that the intruders had Jaina and were making a run for the borders, meaning he had to hold his ground. Roric was at his side, as were well over a hundred goblins, dozens of gnolls, a contingent of fifty city guards, and as many undead as he could muster. Rajeen and Blackbast were to one side, hidden in the trees with two dozen harem girls ready to launch a surprise attack.

He hoped it would be enough, but one of their biggest fears finally came true. Players of significant level and power had come to cause them harm and had struck out of the blue. Now, they would focus all the fire they could muster on such short notice in a mass attack. Since Evalynn suspected their numbers were small it should be easy to overwhelm them. However, if all else failed, Roric would encase Jaina in a bubble of protection and run, forcing them to drop Jaina and chase him down.

Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that, but they had no idea how powerful their foes were. Now they waited as Evalynn paced angrily while Gisley tried her best to calm her down.

“They are in battle; we should go to them,” Evalynn insisted for the fourth time.

“Evalynn, please calm down,” Roric pleaded as he waited nervously. “Gwen is leading the attack. I am sure she can handle it.”

“If she can’t, then whatever is coming is going to be hard to stop,” Frank said.

“Can we even be sure Gwen caught up to them?” Chandice asked from where she stood with two of her demons out. “They seem to be using decoys to keep us occupied. For all we know, Gwen is attacking the wrong group.”

“Which is why we need to cut off their escape,” Roric said as his hand tightened on the shaft of his spear.

“How did these people get into the forest unnoticed?” Gisley asked as she tried to hold Evalynn’s hands.

“You can’t see every player,” Frank explained. “The interface shows you most of the players, but anybody actively trying to hide isn’t shown. They could have used any method of stealth to stay hidden while they stalked the forest.”

“We can’t even see them now,” Evalynn added as she looked into her interface. “All I can see is Jaina and our family. The people carrying her don’t show up.”

“But if they wanted to be that hidden, why kill those players?” Gisley asked. “Why let us know they are here at all?”

“It was a decoy,” Frank replied with a slight smile. He explained that they probably planted the rumor about coming here for a bounty, then staged that attack to draw their attention away. They probably hoped the harem leaders would overreact and send a significant portion of their strength to search an area far away. Unfortunately for them, Frank hadn’t taken the bait. He sent a small squad containing some guild rogues with Zillix and Idris. She was given a detachment of the most powerful ghouls he could muster to bolster her skills with the undead. They would search the area, but he knew they were going to find nothing. The real attack would come in the east, in the graveyard or Lovewood, exactly where it came.

“You knew it was bait,” Roric said. “And you knew the girls were likely in danger. That’s why you insisted on deploying masses of goblins and city guards to the forest.”

“I suspected,” Frank replied. “I could have been wrong.”

“You knew we were in danger, and let us go out anyway?” Gisley asked.

“It was a calculated risk,” Frank replied. “They had a plan to draw us out one way or another. If I couldn't avoid the battle, I could at least lure them to a battlefield that favored us.”

“Hannah is right,” Evalynn said with a look of respect. “You are far more cunning than you let on.”

“You're even using us as bait,” Roric said. “You know if they get passed Gwen, we won't last long. You just want to slow them down for Rajeen and the girls to have a chance.”

“If they are strong enough to get passed Gwen, then all we can hope to do is wear them down,” Frank explained. “We break them up so Rajeen can focus fire on one at a time.”

“How many goblins do you have in the woods?” Gisley asked.

“All of them,” Frank replied. “And some volunteer monster players from the guild.”

“You really don't think we stand a chance, do you?” Evalynn asked.

“I was sure they were after Hannah, so I prepared for every contingency,” Frank replied. But now that I know they want Jaina, I am even more concerned, so I called in extra help.”

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Gisley agreed. “Why would anybody want to hurt Jaina?”

“She must be connected to Hannah’s past somehow,” Chandice suggested.

“Impossible,” Roric said with a hint of irritation. “I came in with her. We were not here for all that chaos. It all happened before we got in.”

“Can we be sure of that?” Chandice asked. “Hannah is sure she wasn’t here for all that, either.”

“I have memories of news articles that the players were fighting a war,” Roric said. “If I had come in before that, I wouldn’t know those things.”

“Unless the visitors are fabricating memories,” Chandice suggested.

“I don't even want to think about that,” Roric said with a toss of his head.

“They aren’t fabricating memories,” Frank said firmly. “And I don’t think this is about Hathlisora, at least not directly. This has something more to do with Jaina specifically. Maybe the role she played in uncovering the spies in Alexandria’s brothel.”

“I forgot about that,” Chandice said. “She certainly made some enemies, especially when she pretended to be Hannah to meet that woman.”

“That must be it,” Gisley agreed. “A revenge attack.”

“Maybe,” Frank said. “But we won’t know unless we can capture one of them, and I doubt they will allow that.”

“The blue light is gone,” Gisley pointed out as she flew up. “I hope they won.”

“I do, too,” Chandice agreed as she leaned into Roric.

“They didn’t,” Evalynn growled as she looked into her interface. “Jaina is on the move, less than a mile from us and coming this way.”

“That means they moved several miles in seconds,” Roric pointed out.

“They teleported,” Frank said. “They planned their escape to include short-range teleports in case they got into trouble.”

“Probably recall stones,” Chandice said. “They left an anchor someplace, and all had a stone to call them to it if needed. On the plus side, they can't have more than one unless they have two wizards in the party with a focus on translocation magic.”

“Why not just open a proper portal to a faraway city?” Gisley asked.

“Jaina is an unwilling participant,” Chandice said. “She wouldn't pass through the portal. They would arrive on the other side empty-handed. They are limited to short-range pre-prepared hops if they want to keep her.”

“I see a purple light,” Evalynn said as she pointed her spear

into the distant trees.

Frank squinted with his ghoul sight, which didn't favor the bright sun, to search the far trees. He spotted the light and instantly made out a tall, dark-skinned man running with a scantly clad woman thrown over his shoulder. Three others came out of the tree with him, all running at an almost panicked speed.

“As soon as they are in range, hit them with everything we have,” Roric said. Don't worry about Jaina. I would rather she respawned than be taken away.”

“Wait, something is wrong,” Chandice said. “They are running way too frantically, and Jaina is glowing.”

Roric's ears perked up as he put his keen sight to use.

“Jaina is glowing,” he agreed. “It’s almost like her tattoo is lit up.”

There was a roar like an angry god as trees went flying, and a dark shape came crashing through. It was the size of a house with metallic scales of black and purple, running on four legs as it spewed fire after the four intruders.

“Hezzrigozza!” Chandice cried in alarm. “They have angered Jaina’s dragon.”

“That's her dragon?” Frank said as he took a cautious step back. The sight was awe-inspiring as the engine of scaled death pursued the fleeing intruders. Even from across the field, Frank could feel the ground shaking under its enraged steps. The dragon flared with purple flames as his eyes burned with cruelty and death for the fools carrying away his property.

“You will never escape me!” the dragon roared as he bore down on a woman in blue plate. She screamed as he snapped her up, lifting his head high before breathing fire. She was trapped in his bite as the flames engulfed her, her cries of terror drowned out by the roar of flames. He swung his long neck, casting her charred body aside while lumbering after the rest.

“What do we do?” Roric asked as he questioned the sanity of rushing into a fight that included the enraged beast.

“This works in our favor. All we have to do is slow them down so he can finish them off,” Frank said as he stood tall. “But we send the cannon fodder in first.” With that, he turned to his undead and pointed at the three remaining players.

“Kill them all!” he said with a voice as cold as the grave. “But do not harm Jaina or the dragon.”

The undead surged forward without a hint of fear or concern for their own safety. The others watched as a wave of them swept across the field, causing even more alarm in the fleeing players. A man in white robes with red trims saw the futility of their situation and went to open a portal. He was crushed by the dragon, who scooped him up and slammed him into the ground several times. The dragon only stopped when he was sure the man was dead, then turned his gaze on the final two.

The tall man with Jaina over his shoulder and what looked like a female rogue ran with amazing speed. They saw the undead bearing down on them and tried to turn to the side, heading for the trees and Rajeen. They got within a dozen steps of the trees when the harem girls hidden inside opened fire. Spells, arrows, spears, and the like flew thick from the foliage, turning the two away and into the arms of the undead.

What followed was a vain effort to break through, but the undead did their job and slowed their progress. The big man realized they were doomed and finally threw Jaina down so he could use his bow. He turned it on the dragon, hurling arrows of blazing blue that bounced off the beast's hide like insects on a windshield. The dragon laughed as he closed the gap, challenging the man to harm him. He lashed out with claws and teeth, scattering ghouls and zombies with every blow.

“Do we just stand here and watch?” Chandice asked as the fray went on.

“I don't think it would be wise to get in the middle of that,” Frank said. “The dragon is protecting Jaina. I don't know if he would show us the same concern.”

“I can guarantee he won't,” Roric said as the ground shook from the dragon's savage attacks that shredded the poor man. The rogue woman was another story as she flashed from spot to spot, never allowing the undead to swarm her. She had some kind of mobility that was as quick as Hannah's blink, and she was putting it to good use.

“I see a blue light,” Gisley said as she pointed to the sky.

The others looked up to see a blue fireball racing across the sky. It dived at the battle, leaving a long trail as they squinted to see the enraged devil burning inside.

“Hannah!” Frank cried as the woman flew right into the fight, her scythe sweeping as she plowed into the rogue woman. Suddenly the field was covered with flashes as the women vanished and reappeared in a rapid dance of vicious attacks.

“They can both blink,” Frank said as he tried to think of a plan. “We need a way to hamper the rogue.”

“Hamper her?” Chandice laughed. “Magical devices like that only have a limited number of charges. At the rate she's using them, she's going to be out in twenty seconds or so.”

Frank tensed as he watched the two women blink to a new spot, exchange blows, and then blink away again. Hannah fought like the dragon, savagely lashing out while channeling her essence into every blow. She was taking two or three hits in return, but she wasn't showing any sign of it hampering her.

“How is she still alive?” Evalynn gasped as they blinked to within a dozen paces of them. They could see the blood from a dozen wounds on Hannah’s body before she was gone again.

“She’s using the essence to bolster her health,” Frank said in a worried tone.

“Can we help her somehow?” Gisley asked as she tried to keep track of the fight.

“Gisley, can your moon rays blind somebody?” Frank asked, thinking of how Hannah's powers required line of sight. It stood to reason that the rogues did, too, so what would happen if she couldn't see?

“I can dazzle somebody,” Gisley said. “But it only lasts like six seconds.”

“Just do it,” Roric said. “Any time we can give, Hannah will help.”

“I’m telling you she is going to burn whatever item she’s using out,” Chandice said. “Sooner or later, she's going to have to stand her ground or make a mad dash for escape.”

“If Hannah doesn't burn out first,” Frank replied. He knew her essence pool was limited, and judging by how brightly she blazed, she was using it fast. Gisley flew up and called down rays of light, desperately trying to strike the woman but the blinking made it near impossible.

“She doesn't stay still long enough,” Gisley cried as the dragon finished with the man and then turned his gaze on the battling women. He reached out a hand and growled as his fingers danced in the workings of a spell.

“Whoa!” Chandice cried as the entire field before them lit up in black flames that burned the rogue, but didn't seem to bother Hannah. The air shimmered with intense heat, making seeing more than a few feet impossible. The undead were incinerated in moments, but the two women remained, one cold and impassionate, the other in obvious pain.

“He’s trapped her in the fire,” Chandice gasped. “Her blink is line of sight, and the heat shimmer is as effective as blinding her.”

“And thanks to Hannah’s devil nature, she can see through flames,” Roric agreed. “This woman can’t get away.”

Hannah was on her in a split second, slicing with her scythe in a savage rage. Frank flinched as the woman cried out for mercy, but Hannah showed nothing and buried the point of the scything in her burning chest.

“Recede and rot!” Hannah shouted as the scythe glowed green, causing the woman to scream as her body went necrotic. Hannah blazed even brighter, pouring the last ounces of her essence into the attack that was even now devouring her foe. The rogue woman broke down into a burning goo as Hannah stepped back, breathing heavily with tears in her eyes.

“What spell was that?” Gisley asked as she looked at the others.

“Necromancy,” Frank growled. “She just gave away what she was.”

“She must have been so angry she lost control,” Evalynn said in her defense. “I bet they tore the others apart, and Hannah was mad for revenge.”

“It’s no excuse,” Frank replied. “Not after all the work we have done to bury her secret. That may have just signed our destruction with the north.”

“Let’s not get too angry,” Roric said. “That woman was likely too far gone to be aware of what spell that was, and I doubt the harem girls heard or saw any of that over the flames.”

“I'm going to get Jaina,” Evalynn said, running off to recover the fallen woman. Chandice went with her while Frank, Roric, and Gisley stood motionless, watching the scene.

“I think she’s in shock,” Roric said as he squinted through the heat shimmer.

Frank sighed and walked across the field, stepping into the flames as the others gasped. He hadn't bothered to tell anyone he had gained fire resistance from Hannah, but now he didn't care. Hannah stood like a statue over the burning pile that was the rogue. She didn't react until he put his arms around her, and she looked up with wet eyes.

“Oh, Frank, I am so sorry!” Hannah cried and threw herself into his arms.

“It’s alright,” Frank said as he cradled her and lifted her up. He walked back with Hannah in his arms, sobbing that she was sorry.

“Hannah,” Gisley said and tried to comfort her, but jerked her hand away the moment she touched her. “Ow, you're super hot.”

“Give her a minute,” Frank said as he held her in his arms. It was only then that he felt the ground shake and noticed Roric looking up. Frank turned to see the dragon's fearsome face, his eyes glaring down on them with contempt.

“You need to be more careful than that, dear sister,” the dragon said in a voice that sent chills down Frank’s spine. He leaned in closer, looking Frank directly in the eyes. “And you do not fail her again. She will never recover if she suffers the fall once more.”

Frank did his best to stand strong as a creature that could crush them all turned and headed away. He spoke a word in a language Frank thought sounded familiar, and the fire instantly vanished, leaving behind a charred field with faint smoke.

“What was that about?” Roric said as he recovered from his shock.

“I don’t know,” Frank replied then looked down at Hannah to see she was asleep.

“She needs healing,” Roric said as he turned to see Evalynn coming back with Jaina in her arms. Rajeen and Blackbast were behind her, as were the harem girls, rushing across the charred remains of the battlefield as Roric waved them on.

“Jaina is fine,” Evalynn said as she lay her down. “Just a poison that has weakened her.”

“Let me purge that,” Roric said, and with a simple command, he drove the weakness from Jaina's body. She stood up, thankful to have control again, and then surveyed the scene.

“How is Hannah?” Jaina asked as Frank turned to show them the battered and bleeding women. Her body was a patchwork of cuts and stabs that seeped a dark black liquid. Her arm hung limp with blood dripping from her fingers, and her face was gaunt like death.

“Goodness,” Rajeen said in shock. “Aris, heal her now.”

A woman came forward and placed her hands on Hannah, quickly calling on holy power. Her hands glowed as magical power flowed into Hannah, mending wounds and stopping the blood but not waking her up.

“Why is she still asleep?” Gisley asked as she landed beside them. “I thought her staff protected her from the side effects of using her power.”

“I have never seen her use that much essence before,” Frank said as he looked down at the woman in his arms. “She must have burned out her entire pool.”

“That means she was likely unconscious,” Blackbast said. “The woman in the crown might have taken over.”

“Let's not talk about this here,” Rajeen quipped, pointing to the trees. “We must find out what happened to Gwen and the others, then get to the palace and secure our doors.”

“Right,” Frank agreed as he turned to head for the nearest forest portal. “We should search the bodies that are left and see if they have anything that might tell us who sent them.”

“I can almost guarantee that players this well prepared didn’t bring anything that would give them away,” Rajeen countered.

“Just check to be sure,” Frank said. “And take their magical items. Have Chandice look them over to see if they tell us anything. I want to know what happened to my girls, so can we please go find them?”

“Of course,” Rajeen said with a nod of her feline head. “But give me Hannah so I can take her and Jaina directly to the palace. Then you and Roric and go see about the others.”

Frank nodded and handed her over after Rajeen tested Hannah to ensure she had cooled enough to be handled. Then he turned to Evalynn and asked her to lead them to the forest portals that would get them close to where they saw the blue light. It took nearly an hour, as there wasn't a portal very close, but they arrived at a scene of terrible carnage.

Bodies littered a battlefield that still burned in places with fire. Drellis was there with Sandris, containing the worst of it, but stopped to approach the group.

“I am very sorry,” he said as Frank stood over the body of a woman he loved.

Frank dropped to his knees as he scooped up the body of Breanne and wiped the hair from her face.

“I’m the one who should be sorry,” Frank whispered to her. “I should have been here.”

“They killed my sweet Breanne,” Evalynn said as she teared up.

Quinny and Umtha were dead as well, and Frank lay them together before stepping back. Two dozen of Gwen's city guards lay strewn about, but the Queen was nowhere to be found. The field was scarred with the torments of battle with broken trees, churned earth, and smoldering remains of fires. Drellis said they planned the attack well and had five low-level players to draw fire while the others took off with Jaina.

“Frank, I am sorry,” Roric said as he put a hand on his shoulder.

“I know they will respawn and be fine, but it still hurts to see them this way,” Frank said.

“I feel the same way,” Roric said. “The first time I saw Gisley die was heart-wrenching.”

“I didn’t even know it happened,” Gisley said. “I just woke up and found out.”

“Let’s gather their gear so I can bury them,” Frank said. “I don’t want to leave them for people to gawk at.”

“Gisley and I will get their stuff,” Evalynn volunteered.

“I don’t mean to be callous, but where is Gwen?” Chandice asked as she looked around.

“Probably her castle,” Frank replied. “Her power is tied to the city. She can only fight for so long outside of it. They must have punished her so badly she was forced to retreat.”

“She must feel awful then,” Chandice said. “Having to abandon the chase because of how her power works.”

“I will talk to her,” Frank agreed, knowing that Gwen would indeed be upset. “I am sure she did all she could.”

“What worries me is how accurate your prediction was,” Evalynn said as she gathered the girl's items. “You said they would send players with real power after us eventually, and it happened.”

“But why go after Jaina?” Gisley asked. “Did she really make them that mad over the spies?”

“It’s impossible to say with what little we know,” Roric said. “But we need to do whatever it takes to learn more.”

“Maybe they said something to Jaina that will help,” Gisley suggested as she stroked Quinny’s cheek. “Come back to us soon,” she whispered before bending low to kiss her forehead.

Frank agreed, but first, he used his ghoul powers to dig a mass grave. He buried the bodies of his beloved wives and then, with stern determination, headed back. Roric and the others went to check on Jaina and Hannah while Frank used the magic doors to enter Gwen's castle. He found her sitting on her throne, glowing with a soft golden light. She was healing from the heart of her power, slowly recovering her strength after a terrible battle.

“Gwen?” Frank called as he approached her throne.

Her eyes came open, and she stood on shaking legs. She tried to step forward but stumbled, forcing Frank to catch her.

“I tried to stop them,” Gwen whispered as Frank set her back on the throne. “But they were easily my level or higher. I wasn't strong enough with the four of them working together.”

“Shhh,” Frank said as he stepped back. He reached into his pocket to grasp the figurine and, with a word, changed into a human man. He then kneeled and took her hand, rubbing it as she sighed. “Jaina is safe, and Hannah is unconscious. The girls will respawn soon, and things will be fine.”

“You and I both know that nothing will be fine,” Gwen countered. “This was the first time they sent powerful players, but you can rest assured there will be more.”

“We will be ready,” Frank said. “We are leveling super fast, especially Hannah.”

“Hannah is close to a hundred,” Gwen agreed. “But she needs much more than that.”

“How about you?” Frank asked. “Have you gained any levels yet?”

“Several,” Gwen admitted. “But I fear that even I will need many more.”

“Well, we know how to get them,” Frank teased as Gwen shook her head.

“I appreciate your attempt at humor,” Gwen said as she ran her thumb over Frank’s hand. “But we need to focus on what is important now. All my guards are on high alert, and I added those players to the hostile list. I sent extra rogue hunters into the west beyond Lydia's territory since that is the direction they appeared to come from. They will likely come from that direction again.”

“I doubt they will move against us again soon,” Frank replied.

“How can you be so sure?” Gwen asked. “That team will respawn in a few hours and report what happened. They may just decide to send six, or ten, or twenty players to deal with us.”

Frank understood her point of view but then explained that the dragon had appeared to deal with them directly. He described how easily the dragon had dealt with the players and how Hannah had arrived to kill the woman who seemed to be the leader. He believed that the final display of power, plus the knowledge that the kingdom had an ally in a dragon, would cause their enemies to pause.

“They can certainly muster a team to kill a dragon,” Gwen pointed out. “I have been part of a team that killed a dragon before.”

“This dragon seems to be different,” Frank replied. “He acts very much like a player, or so I am told.”

“This dragons are players thing again,” Gwen remarked as she looked tired. “Kevin swears his dragon was a player, but you can’t pick that race at character creation.”

“What if it’s a dragon like Zillix is a dragon?” Frank suggested as the idea spawned in his mind. He realized that it made perfect sense now that he thought about it. Umtha wasn't from Earth, and neither was Zillix. They were brought in from someplace else where the world and its ecology were very different. What if some dragons were actual real dragons from a world hidden in the vastness of space? That might explain why some of them behave like NPCs and some just like players.

“It’s a possibility,” Gwen agreed. “But it boggles the imagination.”

“We can worry about it later,” Frank said as he leaned in close. He planted a kiss on her lips that was eagerly returned before asking if she needed anything. She asked to speak to Hannah, and he had to remind her that she was unconscious. Gwen asked the same question Gisley had about why the staff hadn't protected her. Frank told her his theory that she had used so much essence that she had literally burned out.

“This is terrible timing,” Gwen replied. “Our guest is going to be here sometime tomorrow. I was hoping Hannah could entertain him. Is she likely to be out long?”

“I have no idea,” Frank replied. “She’s never used this much power for so long before. It could be hours, days, maybe a week.”

“Then I will have to call on Jaina,” Gwen sighed. “I am sure she will be up to the task, but this isn't important either in the current state of things.”

“What we need is to learn why they were after Jaina,” Frank agreed. “But I have no idea how to figure that out.”

“I do,” Gwen said as a slight smile crossed her lips.

“How?” Frank asked.

Gwen sat back and took a deep breath before telling Frank she wasn't the only one to survive the battle. One of the attacking players was in a cell of her castle. They had a prisoner, and it was time to start asking questions.