“What? Give up my card?” Freya asked.

Her mind raced, Does he know that I’ll drop my Player Card if I die? How does he know about them in the first place?

Sangen didn’t answer and charged. 

Freya jumped back from his broadsword swing. Taking a step forward, the demoniclast continued his attack. Unlike his first strike, the following were controlled and calculated. Each narrowly missed her. Glancing behind her, she saw he had backed her up into a wall. 

“No shaman would fight like you,” Sangen said calmly. “I know you are a demon impersonating a human.”

His steady eyes and resolute stance told Freya there was nothing left to say. Sangen really thought she was a demon. Nothing she could say would change his mind. To be fair, she had given him a lot of reasons to reach this conclusion. 

I’ve been around game players too long, Freya thought, reflecting on her actions.

Sangen drew his sword back, preparing to end their discussion.

Freya planted her feet, crouched, and watched his sword. Hands at the ready, she waited. Undaunted, Sangen struck. 

Hit Redirect! Freya shouted in her mind.

She would never admit it–but saying the name did help activate the skill at the right moment. Her hand automatically swiped the blade further to her left. However, her next skill she was more comfortable not saying. Gathering her qi, she punched her Shockwave into Sangen.

The demoniclast stumbled. Freya kicked his sword out of his hand. Running after it, she snatched the sword up and pointed it at Sangen.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Freya said. The weight of the sword made her arms tremble. “But doesn’t it seem irresponsible to think anyone unusual is a demon?”

Beep!

[Group Chat]

Freya looked away from the notification, now wasn’t the time.

“Can’t we discuss this peacefully?” she continued. She slowly withdrew the sword away from him. 

Sangen squinted up at her, rubbing his head. Freya hoped her Shockwave hadn’t done too much damage to him.

Without a word, Sangen slammed his sword out of her hands.

Cursing, Freya reached out in vain to recover the sword. But Sangen was much quicker. He snatched up his weapon and pivoted to face her again.

She retreated. With her Hit Redirect still in cooldown, she didn’t like her chances in a close fight. 

“I know it seems weird, but I use my abilities to stop demons!” Freya shouted as she ran. “I’m not your enemy.”

Sangen closed in behind her, “I’ve heard that excuse before.”

“What?” 

Freya whirled around. The demoniclast still had a resolute murderous expression. 

“Our leader fought one of your kind before and received a gift from the gods for his work,” Sangen said, holding his blade defensively in front of him. “Several others have done the same. I’m looking to ascend like them.”

A slow seeping feeling of horror sank into Freya. 

“I know it must seem like a gift, but to kill for it…” she trailed off, looking for any remorse in his face.

Sangen crept forward. He was wary of her skills, but he didn’t know they were still on cooldown. She once again realized there was nothing she could say. Before, she hoped her actions would speak more than words. If she was a demon, she would have killed him while he was disarmed. But now, she got the feeling the demoniclast would kill her no matter if she was a real demon or not.

Slash!

Freya leaned back just in time. But as she jumped further away, she felt a slicing pain through her arm. For a moment, she thought it was her imagination; there was no blood. Then her forearm turned red. She was lucky her arm blocked the slash to her face, but Sangen was just getting started.

Ducking out of his next attack, Freya ran back the way they came. If she could lose him in the fog and find help…

Unfortunately, Sangen was fast. But Freya saw a familiar textbox in the distance.

“Heilong! Help!”

Freya raced through the fog in her direction. Heilong wasn’t the best person against a sword-wielder either, but she was better than nobody. Next to the marksman, the new necromancer player Scrimmancer gawked at them.

“He’s trying to kill game players for their Player Cards!” Freya shouted.

They both looked at her dumbly. Only after Sangen came into view did Heilong finally react. She cast a trap directly behind Freya.

Sangen pulled up short of the trap and ran around it. 

“Summon Betty!” Scrimmancer’s booming voice echoed.

Multiple long legs appeared out of a black plume of smoke. The spirit solidified into a dog-sized spider. Freya wondered how he could summon a spirit on command without any apparent incense or potions.

The spider spirit stayed close to Scrimmancer. The necromancer appeared hesitant to attack his former group member.

Sangen stared warily at the spider, then narrowed his eyes at Scrimmancer and Heilong.

“So, you’re all also demons?” Sangen said. He looked at Scrimmancer, “I should have known you’re not a real necromancer.”

A real necromancer? Freya questioned in her mind.

“Are you really after Player Cards?” Scrimmancer asked. 

In the corner of her eye, Freya saw Heilong typing in the air.

Sangen lifted his head, “I am after demons that do not belong here. The gods reward those that exorcise them with special cards.”

The demoniclast looked between all of them. Heilong now had her bow drawn, and Betty, the spider spirit, was creeping closer.

“Be careful demons. The gods do not look fondly upon those that do not belong.”

With that, the demoniclast left, disappearing into the fog. Freya considered asking Heilong to track him down, but what then? She wasn’t one to believe much in the gods, but she couldn’t help but wonder if he had a point. 

Do game players belong here? Did I make the right choice?