Excerpt: Curtain=Call

Ersatz hacked through the last of the mobs on his side of the clearing, and then checked to see how the others were doing. Tristaine and Relinquish were just finishing up, too, so he went to help Lucky=Draw and Wonderland. Behind him, he heard Michaelus casting a healing spell, so he ignored his HP and trusted the angel priest to do his part. A few minutes later, they were done.
“Yeah, level up!” Lucky crowed, grinning as he eyed his newly improved stats. “Michaelus, you need to hurry up and catch up, or else we’ll all be level 26 before you’re level 25.”
“I do have a day job, you know,” Michaelus pointed out.
“So do I.”
“I work in an office.”
“Oh.” The half-demon rogue frowned, unsure whether to be annoyed that Michaelus had one up on him, or pleased that he had the easier job. He decided he was pleased, and smirked. “Sucks to be you, dude.”
Michaelus sighed.
“Can we get on to the next area, already, or are we going to stand around until the zombies respawn?” Tristaine asked, impatient as always. The elven paladin shot a pointed look at Ersatz; sticking to business was one of the few points they agreed on.
“Let’s head to the canyon,” Ersatz said, by way of offering his opinion. Tristaine nodded approval and Lucky rolled his eyes, both of which Ersatz ignored; he didn’t care for either reaction.
“We’ve been level-grinding for a while,” Relinquish mused. “There’s a scavenger hunt event next weekend, isn’t there?” The dwarven bard gave them all an encouraging smile. “A change of pace from time to time keeps things fresh.”
“That sounds like fun,” Wonderland agreed. Tristaine looked interested, too. But then, she was interested in anything that might offer a hefty reward. Lucky was looking pretty contemplative himself. Michaelus seemed not to mind either way.
“Fine by me,” Ersatz said with a shrug. “PM us the details later, will you, Relinquish?”
“Sure.”
The Curtain=Call party walked in silence for a few minutes, before Lucky drawled (because Lucky couldn’t stand walking in silence), “It’s, what, October fourth? If we’re all level 30 and up by the end of the month, you guys want to do the Halloween melee? The GMs just announced it on the website a few days ago.” He eyed Ersatz and Tristaine and added dryly, “I know a couple PKers who would just love the chance to be legit.”
“I am not a PKer,” Tristaine scoffed. “I only kill idiots who have no manners.”
“I only kill idiots,” Ersatz deadpanned.
“If this is about the party’s infamy again, Lucky, why not bring up the rogue in our party who can’t keep his fingers to himself?” Tristaine added, eyeing him sourly.
“I think it was about the Halloween melee,” Relinquish interjected easily. “If we’re level 30 and up, I don’t see why not.”
“The game’s only been out two months, with the EXP system there won’t be anyone over level 40, 45 at the highest,” Michaelus said. “We shouldn’t do too badly.”
“What do you think, Wonderland?” Ersatz asked the mage, the only other human in the party besides him. She was looking a little hesitant.
“I don’t have any objections,” she demurred, but when Ersatz only quirked an eyebrow at her, she smiled sheepishly. “I’ve never done anything like a melee before, though...”
“We can explain it to you,” Michaelus assured her.
“All you have to do is stand at the back and cast spells with Michaelus and Relinquish,” Tristaine said, waving away the shorter girl’s concerns. “Leave it up to Ersatz and I to protect you, and don’t mind it when Lucky=Draw is as useless as always.”
“Hey!”
Fortunately, they arrived at the canyon before Tristaine and Lucky could PK each other.