Real World
North American Alliance- Greater New York City Area

When I came too, I could see the inside of the headset and let out a groan. I hadn't regained consciousness before the manual Logout time and since I hadn't been in the safest location when it happened, my Avatar would still be vulnerable and at the mercy of whoever had captured me. My only hope was that whoever had captured me would keep me alive long enough to log back in six real-world hours. 

I pulled the headset off and placed it on the stand before standing and stretching my muscles. Based on my body's needs, I headed for the bathroom immediately. I looked around the small apartment I had settled into and headed for the bathroom to get cleaned up. A soft beep on my wrist drew my attention and I touched it bringing up any messages waiting for my attention.

"Kevin, it's Matt. I don't know what you are doing but a lot of your actions are starting to piss people off. I know you have your reasons because of what Ava did, but be careful you don't get in over your head. Either way, I am on your side." Matt was one of my older friends and we had helped each other out more than once. 

Yet Ava had joined Children of the Light clan and it was only after everything settled did he find out everything about what had happened, but by then it was too late. I deleted the message as the next one started to play. "I forgot to tell you earlier, I am going to have a small gathering next week, call me back for the information and confirm your attendance. You need to get out brother." I groaned and deleted the message and while I liked Matt, I didn't want to attract any more attention than necessary and the Children of the Light had both the resources and contacts to find out who had been working against their goals. 

The funny thing is I had not pursued the nuclear option with them, not yet anyway and I wanted to keep a few cards up my sleeve for the endgame. "Kevin, I have reached out to all my contacts in my guild and other sources, I can only confirm whatever you will unlock is nothing that you or anyone will expect. Give me a call back whenever you log out of Fate Online and we can talk face-to-face." Ahh, Jared wanting to talk was unusual, to say the least. 

I deleted the message just as another message started playing and the shower came on as I finished pissing. "Hey, idiot! We are all going to Matts for a barbeque, you better show up or I will send my husband to drag your ass out of the shoebox you call home. Love you Kevin and see you soon!" I smiled as I listed to Bree, the woman had energy and life about her that made everyone smile when near her. 

"Hey man, be careful. All our contacts within Blackrock went radio silent. The blackout coincided with the time you went to visit that one person we talked about. The big ten are trying to figure out what the hell is going on, but Blackrock is dead serious about this. Watch your back and be careful with who you trust outside our circle." Another message from Jared sounded and it had been left within an hour after I had visited Abraxxus in-game. 

I touched my wristband, "Search for any new forum posts on the Fate Online Blackrock site and wiki, priority anything within the last two hours. Discard any miscellaneous posts, anything official from Blackrock has priority followed by the top ten Guilds and any big mercenary guilds." a beep sounded letting me know the search was underway, as I finished showering and drying. 

From the bathroom, I headed for the small kitchen unit and once again missed my old home. While it wasn't the biggest or best, it was three times as large as my current home. I heard another faint beep, but it was just a text and not a compilation of what I needed. I brought it up and started reading as I continued to prepare my food. 

I dismissed the information. "Block whatever email, phone, or system that was used to send that message," I told the V.I. and I heard a slight beep immediately as the message was deleted. Ailis had chosen her sister's side and had refused to listen to me, she could stay by her side and pay for the choices Ava had made just like the rest. 

I sat down on the small lumpy couch as the screen opposite of me flashed as it powered up filling with the latest news on one side as the forum posts filled the other half. I wish I had someone to scan through everything, but I had asked enough of my friends in support of my vendetta and would not ask for anything more. Thirty minutes later I laid down and quickly fell asleep. 

Five and a half hours later, the blaring alarm dragged me from sleep. "Alarm off!!" I snapped causing the apartment V.I. to shut off the annoying sound. I looked at the wall-mounted clock, it was about four in the morning and I had eighteen hours of game time unlocked. Three days in Fate Online with the time compression. 

I quickly got up, brushed my teeth, had a cup of coffee before laying down on the couch, and placing the headset on my head. "Initiate Fate Online," I called out triggering the startup sequence.

"Please lay as still as possible." I heard from the apartment speakers as the V.I. booted up the headset and linked it with my implant as the world around me dissolved into darkness once again.

When I could see again, I was laying in a cell somewhere, two guards were studying me, and based on the physical feelings I was impeded by some Debuffs as well. I quickly pulled up my current status as one of the guards left the cell.

<<<>>>

Buffs...

Well Rested: You have been asleep in a safe location for at least 8 hours. Experience gains are increased by 5% (Duration 1 Hour), Combat Skills will progress 5% Faster (Duration 2 Hours), Non-Combat Skills will progress 10% Faster (Duration 2 Hours). Health, Stamina, and Spirit Regeneration is increased by 10%. (Duration 4 Hours)

Debuffs...

Hungry: Combat and Non-Combat Skills will progress 10% slower.
Thirsty: Health, Stamina, and Spirit Regeneration decreased by 10%.
Unwashed: Goods and services cost 5% more. Merchant and Charm related Skills are decreased by 1 Level.
Guardsman Mark: You cannot use Stealth, Teleport, or use Portals.
Drained: Health, Stamina, and Mana Regeneration are decreased by 25%. 
Hindered: Attack/Movement Speed is decreased by 25%.
Lock Down: Cannot access your Interface, including both Messaging and Inventory. Cannot cast spells or use active Skills or Abilities.
Soul Binding: If killed, will Resurrect at your current location.

<<<>>>

I looked at the remaining guard, "Can I get to my Inventory or can I have some food and water?' I asked and the guard continued to ignore me as if I had not spoken, 'Look if your people wanted me dead, I would be dead. I promise I am where I want to be, so can I please get some food and water?" I asked again and the guard turned to look at me and glared. 

"You will be silent or I will bind your arms and gag you. Understand?" the guard asked and I gave him a small nod as he went back to ignoring me. I started counting the bricks on the wall and by the time I got to one hundred, I heard the approaching feet of several new people. Two I recognized immediately from the tunnel, but the other two were new.

One was a towering giant of a man, easily seven feet tall heavily muscled, and wore heavy armor. The other was a woman, a little under five and a half feet tall, with blonde hair with brown-black eyes. She was the least imposing of the group, yet everyone differed to her. "So...what am I doing here?" I prompted her and the giant of a man took a step towards me but she held up her hand stopping his movements immediately but he still glared at me. 

I knew for a fact, just based on the guy's look, if I wasn't careful I was either going to be hurt or wish I was dead. "You opened the way and broke the seal?" she asked me and I frowned.

"If you are asking if I made the sacrifice and opened the wall, then the answer is yes. Now, I seek the Compact and what was promised for breaking the wall." I responded and the giant of a man blurred foreword and slammed me into the wall. 

"You will keep your tongue and speak with care or I will find a more interesting way to use your tongue. Understand?" the man snarled, spittle flying and hitting my face as his eyes changed to bright red and fangs distending as he continued to glare at me. 

"ISIAH!' the woman snapped and put a placating hand on his shoulder. 'Release him, he is not an enemy and we need not make him one either." she told the giant of a man who glared one more time and did as he was told. 

I rubbed my neck from where this Isiah had been holding me, "You don't call me friend but you do treat me as an enemy. I am in a cell, bound and marked hampering me, and if I wished to leave we both know it would not happen. So once again, I seek the Compact and what was promised. If you refuse to fulfill the agreement, then let me go and I will be on my way." I told the woman as she continued to study me. 

"What you seek...We must talk and then you will understand what you are talking about. I am Talia Sunstrider of House Lightsbane, Queen of...well it doesn't matter at this point. Will you come with me as a guest and a possible friend?" Talia asked me and offered a hand to help me up. The Quest was still open so I assumed this was the way foreword so I took the offered hand and followed her out of the cell as several of the Debuffs were removed with the shackles on my legs.