Crystal and I had just about recovered from our training session when [Lesser Radar] went off. I tried to tone it down, but the bell kept ringing like crazy.

"Flake," Crystal said, getting to her feet with minimal assistance from me. "I don't think we can handle what's coming."

I frowned and leaned against my spear. [Lesser Radar] wasn't telling me anything; it just rang and rang and rang.

"Well, my [Lesser Radar] is trying to give me an aneurysm," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "You know what you're doing?"

She swallowed hard, eyes shifting from the keep gates to the snowy plains. "Yes? I mean, I have vague memories from before you woke me up but...I think as long as we don't appear threatening, the Players will bribe us to let us get inside the keep without any trouble."

"Accepting a bribe?" I hissed, clenching my spear. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious. This group is too big for us to fight, trust me. My [Measure Bribe] is good enough to net us a good deal of coin to let them inside the keep." Her eyes lit up as an idea struck her. "I could probably convince them to slip us a piece of loot, too!"

Throwing my hands up in the air, I stomped away from her. "I can't believe you!"

"We'll survive easier this way by accepting more bribes, Flake!" she called after me.

"You'll survive by being a passive pansy," I shot back. "I'm not letting these suckers into the keep without a fight!"

She shouted something, but the wind tore her words away and into the night. I didn't want to hear them, anyway. I thought Crystal was one of the good guys but, apparently, I was wrong. I should've known when I saw her [Manage Bribe] level was so high!

Okay, I thought, clenching spear. No more thinking about that traitor. It's time to kick some invader butt.

My eyes scanned the snowy horizon, searching for any sign of movement. [Lesser Radar] told me something was out there, but where? Where were they - ah-ha! Coming in from the side!

I'd not yet faced an opponent who'd come from the left road onto the main. Once, I had walked down there a little only to find a frozen forest that was much too scary for me to face. If this group was coming from the forest...were they seriously strong? Maybe Crystal was right. A bribe wouldn't be so bad, would it...?

No! I can't think such traitorous thoughts! I'm a guard of the Elden Keep! The invaders would not get past me!

I activated [Charge] without hesitation, breaking into a run. I felt [Battle Sense] tick away, trying to absorb and process what little information I received from their silhouettes. It told me my opponents were likely two {Archers} and rather large {Warrior}. As I got closer, two of the classes were confirmed; the third, however, was a mystery to both me and my [Battle Sense]. The skill suggested the strange invader was either a {Mage} or a {Healer}, though neither bode well for me.

Take out the cloaked enemy first, it whispered to me. That long cloak will hinder their movement, making dodging a pain.

I had to get around the {Warrior} to do that first, though. He didn't have a shield, unlike the first {Warrior} I'd fought. Instead, he carried two large axes in his hands, swinging them leisurely as he strode toward me. He yielded his bare chest covered with old battle scars and rippling muscles. I was under no illusions that I could survive even one strike from his ax.

Let him have the first move, then [Burst] to the right - avoiding the {Archer} - and strike his side with [Thrust].

The {Warrior} raised his right arm and swung his ax down at me. I evaded it easily with [Burst], slipping under his wide strike and using [Thrust] to score a shallow cut in his thick flesh. It didn't do much damage and he hardly grunted when I cut him but still; I'd managed to land a decent hit!

[Battle Sense] pinged me; the {Archer} had fallen into firing position. I didn't waste another second, dodging out of the arrow's path and toward the cloaked figure. They noticed me coming and tried to backpedal but, just as [Battle Sense] had told me, they couldn't move very far with that cloak.

"Claire, get back!" the {Archer} yelled, but [Bursts] boost hadn't yet faded, jetting me just enough speed to [Thrust] my spear into 'Claire's' chest.

I barely noticed the Critical Hit! -130 HP rising above her head as I ripped the spear out and ducked another one of the {Warrior's} swings. Slipping behind Clair, who had stumbled back and was pointing one glowing hand toward her chest, I used another [Thrust] in the small of her back to finish her off.

The {Warrior} roared as the cloaked woman burst into a cloud of smoke, obscuring me from both his and the distraught {Archer's} vision.

[Battle Sense] told me the {Archer} was still managing to track me somehow and I heard the telltale whistle of an arrow. I slipped out of its path with [Burst], smirking as the arrow flew wide. Using another [Charge], I blew through the Claire-smoke toward him.

The {Warrior} is coming in on your left and the {Archer} is about to hit you. Duck under the ax swing - he swung too hard and it'll throw him off balance - and roll to the left.

A whoosh of air signaled the ax coming toward me; I ducked and rolled out of both the blade and the ax's path. The {Warrior} stumbled, trying to reign his arm back in but his momentum sending his ax flying into the snow. He went, stupidly, bumbling after it.

Arrow coming!!!

Still lying on the ground, I couldn't [Burst] in time and the arrow plunged into my thigh. Wincing, I blocked out the pain and used my spear to get to my feet. The {Archer} kept his eyes pinned on me, reaching for another arrow. Instead of giving him the time to do so, I slipped the dagger I'd conveniently forgotten to give to Crystal and threw it at him. He ducked - obviously - but his evasive maneuvers took his attention away from me.

I used [Burst] twice in quick succession - something I'd never tried before but it worked as I thought it would; two double boosts to AGI for 2 seconds. Shorter skill effect, but that boost was all I needed to reach the {Archer} and [Thrust] my spear into his head. The headshot didn't kill him immediately - surprisingly - but when I twisted the spear blade before yanking it out, he bled out fairly quickly.

[Toughen]! [Toughen] right now!

I activated the skill on reflex when [Battle Sense] started screaming but even its boosts weren't enough to save me as the {Warrior's} ax sliced through the right half of my body. A guttural cry of pain was all I could manage before death claimed me.

Player TruckNutz defeated NPC [Flake, Elden Guard Keeper] (3). Player has been awarded 26 EXP.

Reviving NPC [Flake, Elden Keep Guard] (3)...NPC revived at full health and returned to location >Elden Keep Gate<.

Holy. Freaking. Shitake. Mushrooms. That was awesome!