Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player



"OG, please introduce yourself to them." Kaizen asked.

Og'tharoz, now on the same level as everyone else, stepped forward. He was a simple-looking man with long black hair, old clothes and an unshaven beard.

"Hello, new companions, my name is Og'tharoz, I'm co-owner of this store and I'm also a demon who has lived for over a thousand years."

The information that Og'tharoz was a demon traveled through the hall like an echo, until it hit the shop windows with swords and came back.

He wasn't a demonic-looking creature, the kind with deep red scaly skin, nor did he have curved horns coming out of his forehead or glowing yellow eyes. Still, he was a demon.

Xisrith and Andrew watched Og'tharoz with a mixture of fascination, apprehension and fear. It was the first time they had met a demon in the game world. Andrew swallowed, while Xisrith adjusted his grip on the sword at his side.

"Relax," said Kaizen, noticing his companions' reaction. "Og'tharoz is not like the other demons you may have heard of."

Og'tharoz nodded, understanding their distrust. "I understand your concerns. Most people in the world associate demons with evil beings, but I believe I'm an exception."

"An exception?" asked Xisrith, his voice cautious.

Og'tharoz explained. "I am what you would call a renegade demon. In the infernal hierarchy, I was destined to serve the interests of the underworld and spread chaos. However, I chose a different path when I met a certain person a long time ago..."

Andrew frowned. "You chose a different path? Is that possible?"

Og'tharoz nodded. "Hardly, but if you know how to hide, like me, it's easy. I imagine the other demons think I've been sealed."

Xisrith was puzzled. "Why? Why did you choose this path?"

The demon smiled sadly. "Throughout my first centuries, I observed the destruction my kind caused and the lives that were ruined. I began to question the validity of our goals. What did we really gain by spreading chaos? I was disgusted by the atrocities I witnessed."

Xisrith and Andrew's eyes met for a moment, sharing a silent understanding. They began to realize that Og'tharoz was someone who had made a difficult choice in search of redemption.

"So now you fight alongside Kaizen and our guild?" asked Xisrith, curious.

Og'tharoz nodded again. "Yes, I joined Kaizen's guild to repay him for his friendship. I'm not like the other demons you might meet, but I'm not worthy as a Valkyrie either."

Andrew let out a nervous laugh. "Well, that's... unexpected. I never imagined we'd be working with a demon."

Og'tharoz laughed softly. "Life in this world is full of surprises, young man. In the end, what matters is what we do with the choices we're presented with."

Xisrith finally relaxed his defensive posture and smiled. "It looks like we have quite a diverse team here."

Kaizen nodded, satisfied. "Now, it's time to start getting things ready."

Confused, Jayaa, who was smiling, asked:

"Prepare things for what exactly?"

"A trip, of course. We're going to Mibothen." Kaizen said.

*

Kaizen's announcement about the trip to Mibothen brought a frenzy of activity to the guild.

"First, we need to prepare for the journey to Mibothen," said Kaizen. "It's a distant kingdom, and the journey could be dangerous. Let's divide up the tasks to make sure we have everything we need in a few hours."

Alina raised her hand, appearing at the end of the corridor. "I know the routes to Mibothen well, because I've seen several maps. I can lead the group and help avoid any unwanted encounters on the way."

Kaizen nodded. "Good, Alina. You'll be our guide. Now, for the rest..."

Jayaa interrupted. "We have to stock up on potions and supplies. Mibothen is known for its wild creatures, and we don't know what we'll encounter on the way."

Andrew agreed. "And we must also ensure that our equipment is in perfect condition. We don't know what lies ahead, and we need to be ready for any challenge."

Emma raised her hand. "And what are we going to do about our business here in the store? We can't just leave them unattended."

Kaizen smiled. "Og'tharoz will be responsible for looking after the store while we're away. Don't worry, there's no better person than him. Now, I'll distribute everyone's tasks..."

"Right!" Everyone agreed.

The guild split into groups to carry out the necessary tasks. Andrew went with Xisrith to a local potions merchant, where they bought a large quantity of healing and protective items to avoid trouble, even though they had Alina on their side.

Meanwhile, Jayaa helped Kaizen to ensure that his weapons and armor were in the best possible condition.

Og'tharoz remained in the store, looking after the place, and there was no more important task than that for him. In addition, he had to make a detailed inventory of the items available and ensure that everything was organized and labelled. It was a meticulous and time-consuming job, which meant he would be busy.

A few hours passed, and the guild finally gathered in the store hall. Each member was equipped with potions and their weapons were sharper than ever, because they had been crafted by a talented blacksmith like Kaizen.

"I believe we're ready to leave," Kaizen announced. "Remember, this is an important journey. We're going in search of information about the disappearance of players and the possible connection to the Eye of Hermodr. Stay alert and look out for each other."

With a final exchange of determined glances, the group left the store, riding in a carriage pulled by Black Cloud.

This was the first group trip for most of them, after all, both Kaizen and all the other members had never been in a guild or a large group in Rise Online. This was the first time, and everyone was anxious, but also very excited.

...

Edited by: DrHitsuji

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