Chương 12: Gentle Giant

I stared up at the eight foot tall monolith of muscle, my neck muscles actively protesting the vertical incline. The man was so large he probably had his own localized weather system. I couldn't help it; the filter between my brain and my mouth just gave up and went on vacation.

"What in the absolute hell?" I blurted out, still squinting against the sun that was being blocked by his massive shoulders.

"What exactly did your parents feed you during your formative years to turn you into a literal skyscraper? Did you eat entire cows for breakfast, or were you just raised on a diet of growth hormones and heavy machinery?" The giant didn't take offense. Instead, he let out a laugh that sounded like low frequency thunder, a warm and vibrating sound that I could feel in my own ribcage. It wasn't a mocking laugh; it was the sound of a man who genuinely enjoyed being alive.

"Ah, my small and curious friend," he rumbled, his Russian accent so thick you could probably use it to pave a road.

"The secret is simple. My mother and father nourished my growing frame with the purest ingredients known to man: their infinite love and their unwavering kindness." I stared at him for a beat, my eyebrows retreating into my hairline. I looked at the biceps that were currently threatening to explode out of his Adidas tracksuit, then back up at his beaming, saintly face.

"Yeah, no," I said, shaking my head with absolute certainty.

"I am calling a foul on that one. I don't think love and kindness result in a man who could use a telephone pole as a toothpick. There had to be some heavy duty protein powder or maybe a radioactive accident involved in this process." He didn't argue. He just kept that blindingly bright smile plastered on his face and extended a hand toward me. It wasn't just a hand; it was a five fingered ham hock that looked capable of palming a basketball like it was a grape.

"I am called Dimitri," he announced, sounding like he was reading the opening lines of a world class inspirational speech.

"I have chosen the path of the Guardian Class, for it is said that the strongest trees provide the most shade for those in need. I am currently seeking a companion to share in the burden and the triumph of the task I have claimed from the stone. Tell me, friend, are you prepared to face the fires of challenge so that we may bask in the golden light of glory together? I look upon you and I see a spirit that burns with the intensity of a thousand suns." I just blinked at him.

The guy spoke entirely in Pinterest captions. It was like being recruited for a quest by a very muscular, very Russian motivational poster. He was so aggressively wholesome that I felt like I needed to go apologize to someone just for being in his general vicinity. [The Guardian Class is the premier Tank Archetype with a singular focus on defensive capabilities. This class utilizes the unique skill Resolve. Damage reduction is gained in direct correlation to lost health. Upon reaching the threshold of thirty percent health, the Guardian achieves a maximum damage reduction of seventy percent.] Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. [This archetype is distinguished by unparalleled durability and a diverse suite of crowd control techniques. The Guardian excels at the protection of others. However, as a pure defensive specialist, this class does not possess the hybrid functionality of other tanks. Recovery magic and supportive augmentations are unavailable. Their primary focus is keeping allies safe from danger rather than providing support.] I reached out and accepted the giant hand of destiny, which was my first mistake of the day. As his fingers wrapped around mine, it felt like my hand had been invited into a industrial strength hydraulic press.

He was clearly trying to be "gentle" in the way a wrecking ball might try to gently tap a glass window, but the sheer, unadulterated power in his grip made my knuckles scream for mercy.

"The name is Arthur Gray," I managed to squeak out, my voice an octave higher than usual as I felt my metacarpals doing a nervous jig.

"I'm a Gunner Class. I was actually just heading over to the big white rock to see what the job market looked like, but if you've already got a lead on something that doesn't involve being eaten by a sentient carrot, I might be persuaded to tag along." I finally managed to winch my hand back out of his grasp, cradling it against my chest and counting my fingers just to make sure they were all still in the right zip code. I was pretty sure I could hear a few of them complaining about structural integrity issues.

Dimitri's face lit up with a radiance that probably could have powered a small village for a month. He looked at me like I'd just told him I'd found the cure for sadness.

"This is exactly the fire I sensed within your soul, little Arthur!" he boomed, his accent rolling through the air like a benevolent avalanche.

"We shall walk this path together, for a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step taken in the company of a new brother. Perhaps the stars themselves have aligned this morning to forge a legend that will be sung for generations!"

"Whoa, slow your roll there, Big Sunshine," I said, holding up my non-crushed hand to signal a tactical timeout.

"Let's start with the basics before we hire a choir for our legendary ballad. What exactly does this quest entail? Is it a 'save the kingdom' situation or more of a 'find a lost kitten' type of deal?" Dimitri didn't lose an ounce of his enthusiasm.

"Transparency is the bedrock of any great fellowship!" he declared, sounding like he was reading from a gold-plated management manual.

"Please, gaze upon the task at hand and see the glory that awaits us." With a casual flick of his massive wrist, a shimmering blue interface materialized in the air between us. It hovered there, glowing with that familiar "you're about to do something dangerous" light, and I leaned in to read the fine print of our potential demise.

••••• QUEST: The Stony Tide of Oakhaven TYPE: Group Quest (At least 2 members) DESCRIPTION: The coastal pastures of Oakhaven Meadows have fallen silent, save for the rhythmic clack-clack of chitinous legs. Farmer Elias Thorne reports that a migratory herd of Bovine Crustaceans has wandered up from the Brine-Silt Flats, claiming his prize clover fields as their new territory. These beasts aren't just eating the grass; they are terraforming the landscape.

Their Tremor Stomps are cracking the irrigation pipes, and their stony carapaces make them nearly impossible for the local militia to drive off. Elias needs a coordinated team to thin the herd and reclaim the Whistling Windmill, the highest point in the meadow where the "Alpha" has taken roost. OBJECTIVE: Clear the Pasture: Cull 8 Bovine Crustaceans in the Oakhaven Meadows. Secure the Waterway: Defeat 3 Bovine Crustaceans near the Silt-Claw Canal.

The Alpha's End: Slay the "Iron-Ribbed Monarch" at the Whistling Windmill. REWARD: Gold: 10 Gold coins (Per Player) Experience Points. •••••