Re: Apocalypse Game

Alan spurred his horse, racing through the dense forest with Rose clinging tightly to him. The first light of dawn was breaking, and Alan couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency. He hoped he wasn't too late.

Alan's determination to enter the battlefield to save Artorius had met with resistance from Merle and his group of rednecks. They had a different objective in mind – to accumulate as many points as possible, and they made it clear they wouldn't be charging headlong into the fray.

"Remember, don't expect us to dive into battle," Merle had cautioned.

As they approached the edge of the forest, the cacophony of the ongoing battle grew louder, and the acrid scent of blood began to taint the air. It was a grim reminder that they were on the cusp of a dangerous and volatile situation.

With Rose's arms tightly wrapped around his waist, Alan couldn't help but voice his concerns. "This is going to be dangerous," he said, looking over his shoulder at her. "Are you sure about this?"

No response came from Rose, just the unwavering clasp of her fingers around Alan's waist, a silent testament to her commitment. They emerged from the forest and climbed to a vantage point to witness the unfolding battle.

The barbarian forces had been utterly routed, and Alan could see the French players relentlessly pursuing the survivors. Their aim was clear: to maximize their points and quest ratings by hunting down every fleeing enemy.

At first glance, it appeared that the battle had come to an end. Approximately half of the barbarian horde, totaling around 10,000, lay dead on the battlefield, while the Roman losses amounted to roughly a thousand legionnaires.

"We're too late," Merle commented somberly as they watched together from the hill. The remnants of the barbarian force had retreated into the depths of the forest, and the French players had withdrawn to the rear lines.

However, Alan couldn't shake the feeling that the battle was far from over. He suspected that Axel, the cunning French noble, had more tricks up his sleeve.

Alan's attention was now fixed on Artorius. He spotted the Roman commander, leading a unit of horsemen, alongside a contingent of French players who were riding away from the battlefield.

"There! They're targeting the Roman commander," Alan declared.

This was the direction Alan intended to head. Without a moment's hesitation, he urged his horse down the hill, employing his horse-riding skill to chase after the group. To his relief, Merle and the rednecks decided to follow him.

As they crossed the field, the resounding warhorn echoed from the forest, taking them all by surprise. In an unexpected turn, the barbarians returned to the fray.

One imposing figure stood out among the retreating barbarians. He was Cerdic the Great, a legendary Saxon NPC, and he managed to rally the retreating forces. With him were the players from the Bangkok server, emerging from the treeline mounted on over a hundred war chariots. Their sudden appearance coincided with the absence of the Roman commander, leaving the legions struggling to reform their defensive line. It was clear that more Roman soldiers would perish.

As the battle intensified, the chariots thundered into the Roman ranks, wreaking havoc among the legionnaires. The players on the chariots were relentless, wielding firearms and even hurling grenades that shattered the Roman formations.

Amidst the chaos, Rose questioned their course of action. She remained firmly clutching Alan's back, her voice laced with concern.

"Are we just going to stand by and watch? Shouldn't we help them?"

Alan elaborated, expressing his disinterest in getting involved in a battle involving players. He pointed out the apparent collaboration between the players from the three different servers - the French, Thai, and Egyptian players. Their strategy was clear: weaken each other's NPC forces and enable the players later on to reap the benefits.

While Alan acknowledged the effectiveness of this approach in terms of accumulating double points - one for killing NPCs of the opposing faction and another for dealing with the undead - Alan couldn't share in the optimism. He knew what lay ahead and couldn't condone it.

Resigned to the fact that he couldn't halt the ongoing battle, Alan decided to stick to the path that Artorius and his riders had taken, leading him away from the battlefield.

Half an hour later, they reached what seemed to be a desolate town, and just as Alan had anticipated, Artorius and his knights were encircled by hundreds of Egyptian players, while the French players observed from the sidelines.

Once again, Alan was a little too late. Only two dozen Roman knights remained to guard their wounded commander. As much as Alan desired to leap into the fray and aid them, the odds of rescuing Artorius from such peril were slim. Even if he succeeded, the Roman commander might not be inclined to leave with him. Frustration welled up within Alan as he stood there, watching in irritation as one by one, the soldiers and Britannian champion knights fell.

Observing the grim situation, Merle muttered, "Looks like we made the trip for nothing."

Alan gazed at the veteran and said, "If you change your mind, you still have a few minutes to leave."

Merle's apprehension grew, and he began to understand that Alan had been meticulously tracking the timing of their arrival. His anticipation was rewarded when, approximately a minute later, the expected notification materialized.

[The source of darkness has arrived in Britannia Land]

With that notification, the eerie transformation of the town became undeniable. The thousands of once-lifeless townspeople and the hundred fallen Roman knights were rising from the ground. As if to compound the nightmarish scene, from the midst of the resurrected champions emerged even more sinister creatures.

[Revenant]

[Type: Inhuman]

[Rank: C]

The arrival of this malevolent force marked a turning point in the situation. The atmosphere grew increasingly ominous, and dread permeated the surroundings as the darkness continued to spread its corrupting influence.

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