The pain in PlayaSlaya’s face flared to anger at that.
“You don’t understand. You don’t get it!” Even from ten paces away Kaiden could see he was shaking with rage. “Fine. You don’t have to. I’m your guild leader. I give orders and you obey. That’s how this works! Hell, I pay your salary, Nando. The only reason you can afford to be in this game is because of me!”
“Not anymore,” Nando said calmly. “And after today you won’t be the leader of Maximus. You don’t deserve it. Not after this. A lot of the members have been asking for new leadership, but I kept quiet so you would keep paying the bills. No more. I’m taking control. You can take your money and leave.”
Ouch. That had struck a chord. Kaiden flinched but PlayaSlaya stumbled backwards as if he’d been physically assaulted. The anger in his face built to rage and he clenched his teeth so tight Kaiden swore he heard something pop.
“I built this guild. You’re not going to take it from me. I am Maximus!” PlayaSlaya roared and moved so quick Kaiden didn’t even have time to get his shield up.
Chapter Sixty-One
PlayaSlaya had his axe out before anyone could react. In one smooth motion he lunged forward and brought it down on Skaia’s head. She backpedaled, trying to get out of range, but the blow had already taken nearly a quarter of her health. Looked like it’d been a critical, too, considering Skaia was on fire – a fact made all the worse because her healing abilities were on cooldown from tending to the party on the way in.
Ability: Concussive Strike
PlayaSlaya brought his Star’s Heart War-Axe down on the floor and a blazing trail of energy surged toward the already stumbling Skaia. She was a medic, extremely useful in combat, but rather squishy in one-on-one – and it showed. Concussive Strike took another chunk out of her health and its knockdown effect slammed her into the wall.
“I am Maximus!” PlayaSlaya shouted again and charged.
Ability: Sucker Punch
A savage punch that deals 2x base damage. The first time this ability is used each combat it deals an additional 2x damage.
Nando stepped into his path and scored a savage blow to PlayaSlaya’s chin but was beaten aside by a counter attack in the form of the Involuntary Launch ability which flung him into the ceiling. PlayaSlaya continued forward, the blades of his war-axe glowing red hot.
Ability: Fiery End
The blow connected with Skaia and her health dropped to zero, her scream drowned out amid an explosion of flame.
Party member killed!
Skaia’s corpse slumped against the wall, still flaming as the attack’s damage-over-time ability continued.
PlayaSlaya wheeled on Zelda next and launched into a leap, axe raised. Titus jumped into its path and caught the blow on his shield, then lashed back with a hammer strike. PlayaSlaya was already gone, though, wheeling to the side, then spinning back in to get at Zelda.
He’s killed Skaia, taking away our heals. Now he’s focusing on our DPS, Kaiden realized. He moved to rush forward, hammer in hand, but Nando held him back.
“You handle this Werner asshole. Hurston and I got Playa,” he said, then charged, fists lighting up with one of his brawler abilities.
“Keep Zelda alive!” Kaiden shouted to Titus, then joined Thorne in spinning to face Werner.
“Odds aren’t on your side anymore,” Kaiden said, advancing on him.
“Not exactly to plan,” Werner retorted, looking entirely unconcerned. “But I’m max level and you two are barely into the fifties.” He laughed. “This will be a cakewalk. I’m a blast warden, the best damage-dealing class in the Corps. I’ll have you two dead bef—”
Thorne’s hammer caught him under the chin and snapped his head back as his health bar dropped to the mid-eighties. The blow caught him by surprise and Werner fought to raise his hammer-gun and take aim, but Thorne gave him no room to breathe.
“You always were a snide asshole,” she said. “But now you’re a snide asshole who’s out of his depth.” She smacked him again, then landed another blow on his head, dealing critical damage. Her charge bar filled with each attack and Kaiden’s visor brought up a line of text reminding him of the power warden passive.
Ability: Improved Aggressive Mindset (passive)
Each successful attack you land will regenerate X charge where X is 15% of damage dealt.
Werner retreated, eyes wide at the unrelenting aggression of the attack. He fired off an Improved Scatter Shot to cover his retreat but Thorne was ready for it.
Ability: Improved Instigated Fury
The fervor of battle sweeps over you. For the next 8 seconds each time you take damage your base attack increases by 15%.
The Improved Scatter Shot struck her right in the chest and Thorne looked down to the dozen or so scorch marks on her armor, then back up to Werner. He swallowed audibly as their eyes met.
“I earned my levels, Werner. You had some intern grind them out for you.”
“Damn this game,” Werner growled then charged up an Improved Kinetic Grenade. “PlayaSlaya! Take down Zelda and loot that database!”
His only response was a growl and Kaiden spared a glance back to see the guild leader unloading a barrage of attacks against Titus’ shield. Hurston was already dead – Kaiden must have missed the notification – and PlayaSlaya still looked to be gaining steam. He was a hell of a fighter. His armor helped in no small measure, absorbing far too much damage than any suit of armor should. And his Star’s Heart War-Axe was flaming brightly, boiling from deep within as if there was an actual star inside. Combined with PlayaSlaya’s
