Lord Of The Lost

The Knight's Fiefdom; a mysterious and ancient land bordering the ominous Black Forest, has long been shrouded in mystery. Picture this: while Moonlight Village stands proudly as a sharp sword piercing into the wilderness, pointing directly at the Black Forest, the Knight's Fiefdom is more like a forgotten, rusty spear buried deep on the other side of that very forest.

It's an old and weathered place, bestowed by a king thousands of years ago to a legendary knight who had once been a beacon of strength and honor.

This fiefdom is even older than the nearby Border Town, though you'd hardly notice its presence. Most people, especially ordinary players; have never even heard of it. Its history, though rich, has been lost to the sands of time, overshadowed by the rise of other places.

But recently, the fiefdom stirred from its ancient slumber, for the legendary knight himself had pried open his own coffin, emerging not as the man of glory he once was, but as a Death Knight, undead, mounted on a skeletal warhorse, patrolling his crumbling lands tirelessly, day and night.

The residents of the fiefdom were filled with dread. They whispered of omens, believing his return heralded doom. Then, just a day ago, something happened. The Death Knight, driven by some unknown madness, launched a savage attack on his own castle. His skeletal horse trampled through the lands of the vampire lord, leaving destruction in its wake.

Meanwhile, Metatron had been keeping a close watch on the news flowing in from beyond Border Town. He knew there were secrets hidden within the machinations of the Black Mage, secrets that tied directly to the main storyline of their world. Yet, the information that trickled down to the players was vague, fragmented, and unreliable at best.

Still, there were signs, werewolves infiltrating Border Town, and thieves growing bolder by the day, all linked to Shadow Castle.

When Metatron caught wind of these events, he knew this was the moment he had been waiting for. With Shadow Castle destroyed, an opportunity presented itself; one that would allow the players to gain immense rewards and peel back the layers of the world's mysteries.

As soon as William heard this, he didn't hesitate, immediately asking, "When are we heading out?"

Metatron's response was quick and straightforward, "When will you arrive in Border Town?"

William's reply came just as fast, "I'm already here."

Without wasting time, Metatron finalized the plan. "We'll head out as soon as we meet."

They agreed on a time and place to rendezvous. But curiosity got the better of William, and he couldn't help but ask, "Why did you choose me for this?"

Most players would consider such a situation a hidden event; something they'd want to keep to themselves. After all, why split the profits when you could have everything for yourself? William thought it odd that Metatron was willing to share.

Metatron, with his usual calm demeanor, gave a simple explanation, "I'd end up empty-handed if I went alone."

...

Moments later, William received another private message from Metatron, adding more to the plan: "Two people aren't enough. We need more helpers."

William was slightly taken aback. he hadn't even set foot in the fiefdom yet. How could Metatron know they'd need more people? William was confident in his abilities, but it seemed Metatron wasn't convinced.

"Would you mind bringing in more people?" Metatron asked cautiously.

William considered this. He sensed that if he refused, Metatron might go and find others to partner with. Rather than risk losing the opportunity, he relented, "It doesn't matter to me."

And just like that, William found himself pulled into a discussion group. What lay ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: the fiefdom held more danger, and perhaps more reward; than either of them could handle alone.

The team now consisted of five players, each with their own strengths and quirks. There was Wallace Beethoven's, Metatron, the Forum Master, the Gambler, and finally, a mysterious player by the name of "Alex."

Luckily, sequence games had basic translation features, bridging any language barriers. After all, Metatron and Alex weren't from Eastern Europe, and communication could've been a problem without it. Still, some things went beyond just language.

The Gambler, never one to beat around the bush, piped up, "Forum Master, can we really trust the story about Shadow Castle? Is it legit?"

The Forum Master didn't miss a beat, immediately turning to Alex. "Alex, what do you think? Any thoughts?"

Silence.

Alex offered no response; just a blank stare that gave nothing away. William observed that Alex was naturally reserved, rarely speaking in the group, which made this awkward pause seem even longer. Curious, William dug a bit deeper and found out that Alex had been invited by the Forum Master himself. The two apparently shared some history, but no one else knew what kind.

Moments passed, tension building as the silence stretched on. Finally, Metatron, the mastermind behind the entire operation, broke the quiet. "Even five people won't cut it. I'm almost certain we'll suffer heavy casualties if we go now. Let's wait two more days before making a move."

William blinked at the message, a slow question mark forming on his screen as he typed. He had always considered Metatron to be a sharp strategist, someone who made calculated decisions. But this? Suddenly postponing everything? It seemed wildly out of character. 'Has his account been hacked?'

Before anyone could respond, Metatron sent one more message, simple but final: "I really can't go."

And just like that, he logged off without offering a single explanation.

William stared at the screen, baffled, before a chuckle escaped him. "This guy's something else, huh?"

The Forum Master, ever calm and composed, chimed in. "The reason we're holding off is because if we go now, we're doomed to fail." He clearly knew more than he was letting on, but kept most of the details to himself. William didn't sense any hidden schemes or ill intent. Metatron's ability to anticipate things was almost eerie, like he could see into the future.

It was odd but oddly reassuring at the same time.

Deciding to leave the group chat alone for a while, William turned his attention to the game's forums. A notification popped up; someone had tagged him.

"Brother, thieves are running wild lately. Got any ideas on what to do?"

The thread was already buzzing with activity, the post gaining popularity fast. As William scrolled through, he realized it was players from earlier today spreading stories about his recent exploits.

"When injustice rears its head, you roar! Even the gods themselves tremble and descend to give you a hand!" The posts were full of wild exaggeration, praising William's decisive actions earlier. Tales of him single-handedly taking down dozens of thieves were spreading like wildfire, and though the stories were a bit embellished, they weren't entirely untrue.

The thieves had become a real menace, preying on players and causing untold frustration. The death penalty time for these players was still active, meaning they couldn't log in for the next two days. All they could do was stew in anger, hiding under blankets and cursing the thieves for their misfortune.

Reading through the posts, William felt a strange sense of satisfaction. 'Guess I'm kind of a big deal now.'

He couldn't resist replying, his words carrying the confident air of someone who had earned a bit of fame. "The breeze blows across the hills: I don't have any grand plans. If I see a thief, I'll kill them. Simple as that."

Almost immediately, a player who had just been robbed chimed in, begging for help. "Brother, please! Help me!"

William glanced at the username, but it didn't ring any bells. Still, it was clear from the other comments that many players were hoping he'd take up the mantle of the "thief killer." At this point in the game, William was one of the few players on the forum who had the skill; and the reputation, to take on the rampant thieves.

William found the whole situation frustrating. These thieves were a menace, no doubt about it, but they had no sense of honor, no code to follow. They thrived on sneak attacks and ambushes, moving swiftly like the wind, never giving their targets a fair chance to fight back. Their favorite tactic was to strike the villages when no one expected it, slipping through the defenses like ghosts.

Even the village guards were helpless to stop them.

"I want to wipe out the thieves, but I can't be everywhere at once," William explained, his tone carrying the weight of his frustration.

But not everyone was so understanding. A player with the ID "Tourist" shot back immediately, dripping with dissatisfaction. "That's just an excuse. You've already killed a bunch of thieves, right? Why don't you find their lair and finish the job? Everyone's calling you 'big brother,' so how about you act like one?

We're in trouble, and you're just standing by? Is this your idea of helping out?"

William's patience snapped. Without hesitation, he responded, his words sharp enough to cut through the growing tension. "The breeze blows across the hills: Which village are you from? Tell me your location!"

The air seemed to crackle with the promise of violence. William added, "I can't kill all the thieves, but I can definitely kill 'you'."

His retort was like a slap in the face, and it sent a ripple of shock through the forum. Players who had been casually discussing their frustrations suddenly found themselves holding their breath. What had started as simple venting about the thieves had escalated into something much more serious. At first, they had just been grumbling, hoping their so-called "big brother" would lend a hand.

But now, it felt like they were demanding he act, as if he 'owed' them protection.

No one in the forum wanted to cross Wallace Beethhovenish, William's formidable in-game identity. He wasn't the type of player you provoked lightly. And the account "Tourist"? That was almost certainly some anonymous player, hiding behind a throwaway ID, not a proper serial-game player. Still, whoever they were, they had clearly rattled the wrong cage.

William's threat was laced with real menace, and even from behind a screen, you could almost feel the bloodlust in his words.

Everyone knew that player levels in this world mattered 'really' mattered. A level 2 player was already as strong as a national-level athlete. Even without special training, a level 3 could hold their own against a world-class boxing champion, purely from physical conditioning. By level 4 or 5, you were surpassing the physical limits of what any normal human could achieve.

And that was just the raw strength; it didn't even account for the more subtle advantages of boosted spirit and energy stats.

So what did a level 8 player like William represent? Only a few players had even made it to level 6 so far, and while they were all advancing, they were still leagues behind someone like him. Facing off against a high-level player who was always one step; no, 'many' steps, ahead wasn't just foolish; it was suicidal.

The forum fell into a heavy silence. No one dared to comment, as if speaking would somehow bring misfortune upon them. The tension was palpable, and it was clear that whatever had been said was enough to leave everyone on edge.

Then, breaking the quiet, a new message popped up on the forum:

"The forum moderator has permanently banned the visitor."

Followed immediately by another:

"The breeze blows across the hills and becomes a forum administrator."

William's rise in authority was official now. He wasn't just the big brother in name; he was someone with actual control over the forum's flow. It was a fitting escalation for someone as powerful and respected as him.

The Forum Master, sensing the shift in mood, reached out with a calming message. "Brother Wallace, there's no need to waste your breath on an idiot like that."

Then, as if turning the conversation back to the real issue at hand, he added, "But these thieves 'are' getting out of hand. What do you say, want to join forces and take them on together?"

The tone shifted once again. Now, instead of pointless arguments, the conversation returned to strategy and action. It wasn't just about one player dealing with a rogue element; it was about uniting against a growing threat. And for William, this was a chance to not only shut down the chaos but also reinforce his place as a leader among players.