The Player's System

Red Rider

Eleventh quest

The quest area was filled with the lights. There was audience at the left. It was grand horse race today. Twelve teams of the red riders were competing for the winner.

There was no difference in the appearance. The leg of the horses were red and the color matched with the hoody gowns of the riders.

No one could see their faces.

It was one strange of its kind. The red riders were supposed to take round around the town and come back. At the various points of the town there were several challenges for the riders..

They should come over the challenges and reach the horse race area. The one who would reach first would be considered winner. It was most dangerous horse race because the riders could face unseen enemies.

It was said that the race was just an excuse. The typical purpose behind the race was to defeat the red rider. The red rider was actually mystery for everyone. Some said that he belonged to one of the red riders' teams.

According to the rumors the red rider created twelve teams. His intentions were to remain mystery however some claimed that they saw the red rider. It must not be truth because if anyone had seen him then the mystery should have been solved.

The problem remained the same. All re rider teams could use the same card. No one knew how they got similar cards to fool the town people. After years of investigation the town people found out that the red rider used a card to bring terror in the town.

Here came the biggest trouble. The infamous red rider was brutal and killed many people in the town while the twelve teams of the red riders killed jackals those hyped in the fields and ruined.

This aspect made it increasingly confusing for the town people. They thought to announce this horse race and the reward. The purpose was to expose the red rider.

By exposing red rider they would get rid the terror of the card attacks. There were two people who happened to witness card attack that killed an innocent town merchant.

The merchant received a silent threat written on the paper. It happened with other merchant however they got scared to read the threat so they paid what was written in the paper.

The merchant was reluctant to give up on his heard earned assets. He did not care the threat. After three days he was found dead. Age old servant only could see something similar of card in the air. It was big card and emitting light.

The light slashed the head off of the merchant and then it disappeared. The servant barely could relate what he witnessed. Everyone wanted to know the truth. But the horrible rumors brought fear among others.

They wanted justice but did not want to die. They thought that the red rider might show up with his card for the greed of the rewards.

The later circumstances however disappointed them.

It was third horse race. In the previous six months two wealthy landlords were killed. The organizers of the race wished that they could find the culprit this time.

The red rider was poor. So much poor that he could not get three meals in the day with his all day work in the fields. The landlord was harsh and greedy. He always gave less wages compared to the hard work.

One day the peasant was working in the fields. His tool dug out the card during the preparation of the ground for the harvest. He picked the card. The peasant studied the card for few days and got to know that he could command this card and it could act.

There was no one use but to take it as weapon. The peasant found perfect plan to take revenge from the landlord and then loot his wealth. After the death of the landlord he cried in the front of the town people and then pretended leaving the town in search of job.

The people forgot about the peasant. After one year he took the imaginary identity of red rider. Now he became much confident that he could create terror with his name.

The never ending greed made him murderer and bandit. He took the identity of red rider but he never matched with the imaginative description of the red rider.

The town people thought that the red rider perhaps wore red clothing or something close the line. It was false assumption.

…

As soon as team members appeared in the horse race they saw that they were standing near the opening of the race. They might have thought to step back and guess what quest area they were on however someone made announcement and they clearly heard.

"We have few new riders. Let them get prepare for the horse race." Junan looked around to see who made this announce and what it means new riders.

But before he could know the announcer few people came toward them holding the red gowns and the bridles of the horses. They seemed deaf because they made the team members wear the gown before they could object anything.

At the time Clark opened his mouth to object something the horses were in front. They heard the announcer again. "Hurry the new riders. The twelve teams of the red riders might kill you for offending them if you refused to step back from the area."

Junan and Albert twitched.

They looked and perhaps understood what mistake brought them the worry. They were standing in the middle of the race track at the beginning point.

The twelve teams were ready but because new riders came to challenge so they were waiting for them to join the competition. For the team members they were not the one planned this place to get transfer in the quest.

Soon they were part of the horse race. There was difference the twelve teams of the red riders' were holding cards as the weapon while the new riders were holding formal weapons.

Jake was slightly angry at the opening of the quest. He tried thrice and then Clark helped him get on the horse.

He was fuming in his head for the announcer and the stupid race. They made him feel bad as the younger player. The team members wanted to ask several questions but for now they were forced to run their horses in the race.

It was part of quest so they did not feel worry to handle the horse however they were curious what would happen in the race.

The red riders soon left the race area. They were heading toward the first challenge. The fields at the north were under the threat of jackals. They were infamous to ruin the fields.

The red riders would kill the jackals. They would also attack each other for the reward money. It was middle of the night. The organizers were worriless about the red riders because they wanted to capture the culprit.

They were amazed that the greedy red rider did not show up to get the reward despite the fact that he could easily defeat others.

Team members did not particularly bother to look at the similar riders. They were curious to know however there were already many questions needed the answers.

"We will follow behind and see what is going on." Junan spoke. Team members found it reasonable. They had their weapons and in case the red riders wanted to battle then the team could not show mercy.

The lit area ended as soon as the horses left the race area. The red riders were heading toward north so they kept the pace. When the red riders crossed first water well the real red rider noticed few new people.

He got immediately suspicious. The red rider made the twelve teams to keep the identity hidden. They listened to his orders. The reward money was nothing compared to his greed.

He could no more remain contented with few coins to live on. The days were gone. He almost killed half of his enemies those bullied him.

Now the rest of should payback. For this he was willing to do anything. The card was the real power. He thought to accumulate all wealth from the town and disappear after killing his enemies. once he left the town the team would not be able to get the card because the town was limited quest area for them.

Team knew that they could only get the card under the quest area however they did not know that the present owner of the card wanted to flee from the town.

There were occasional lit lights but not in abundance. Those who were familiar with the place could venture in the fields in the night. Others might get lost or get caught by some fence.

One of the red rider separated from the race and went to inform the boss.