The silence stretching across the Valley of Cinders was entirely unnatural. Five thousand players clad in gleaming plate armor and vibrant magical robes stood perfectly still. They stared at the towering and impenetrable walls of the Sanctuary, and then their gazes slowly lowered to the single unarmored Drifter standing alone in the open ash field.
Sebastian had his hands buried deep in the pockets of his ragged trousers. He looked supremely bored.
At the front of the massive formation, Baron K and Viper pushed their way through the shield wall of Guardians. The two guild leaders were practically vibrating with a mix of fury and overwhelming greed.
"Look at this fucking idiot!" Baron K's magically amplified voice boomed, echoing off the rocks. "He actually came outside! He locked himself out of his own damn base!"
