Rapid Fate Online Chapter 119: Praetorian On Side

“I appear to be above you, in terms of combat,” Tamajiki commented calmly as the guard crumpled to the ground, making you suck your lips in and jamming them in between your teeth so that you wouldn’t giggle or smile too obviously

This, understandably, angered the guard and he got up and lashed out again but it was obvious that Tamajiki knew how to handle himself and after dodging attack after attack he finally wrestled the hot iron from the guard and pointed it back at him.

“Release the girl from the cage,” he demanded in a low, calm- yet threatening, voice.

The guard, who was puffing heavily, grit his teeth and stepped back.

“HELP!” he called loudly, “TRAITORS.”

“Oh shit, this is bad,” you thought, getting up on your knees so that if the cage were to be opened quickly you could duck and scurry out of there as quickly as possible.

As soon the guard yelled, Tamajiki acted and struck the hot iron to the latch that was keeping your cage shut.

In two strikes, he had it open ,and you barreled out of there and ran towards him as he used the hot iron to keep the incoming guards at a distance.

“Get behind me,” Tamajiki said to you, pulling you in behind himself as he swung at the guards.

Suddenly Praetorian appeared and saw his slave in the middle of a fight and ran in to find out what was going on. 

“Hey!” he called as he ran in beside Tamajiki and pulled his sword, protecting Tamajiki’s right side from incoming attacks, “what’s going on?” 

“THEY ARE ALL SPIES!” the guard, who was at the foreground of trying to fight Tamajiki, yelled. 

“Why are we spies?” Praetorian called back to the guard, wielding his sword at another who tried to come in from the side.

“The girl was found snooping to get information and you’re all protecting her therefore you’re all in it together!” the guard yelled.

“Who? What?” Praetorian asked, spinning his head around to see you hiding behind Tamajiki.

He recognized you as the girl who he had given to Delilah and his mind suddenly started ticking over when he saw how you and Tamajiki were working together.

“What is the meaning of all of this?” Praetorian asked Tamajiki, still fending guards off.

“Praetorian, do you trust me?” Tamajiki asked, smacking his iron rod against another guard’s sword and pushing him back.

“Not particularly, but I don’t believe you are in the wrong,” Praetorian replied, jumping around to protects Tamajiki’s left.

“Escape with us, and I will explain everything,” Tamajiki said, backing back to the side of the ship.

Praetorian weighed up his options then nodded and backed back as well.

“Ok, we jump on 3,” Tamajiki called, urging you to get up on the side of the boat.

“Don’t let them get away!” the guard called.

“No time to count, jump!” Praetorian said quickly, grabbing Tamajiki and yourself, and throwing you all over the side and into the water.

The cold water smacked you in the ribs as you fell into the depths of the darkened water, the waves churning up and spilling over you as you tried to find your way up to catch a breath of air.

As the boat continued to pass you all in the water, it kept the water bubbling and making it harder to find the right way up.

“I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe! I need to get up to the… wait… no, I can breathe under water…”

Amid the turbulence, you took a second to calm yourself then slowly breathed in.

To your delight, you were able to breath under water and you opened your eyes, looking for the other two.

You spotted Praetorian first and swam towards him, grabbing his arm and swimming up to the surface with him.

As you broke through the cold waters, he took a  gasping breath in and you calmed him as best you could.

“It’s ok. It’s ok. You can actually breathe under water but it is a bit scary when you think you can’t.”

“Where’s Tamajiki?” he asked, looking around.

You started to look too and as the waters calmed in the wake of the disappearing boat, Tamajiki broke through the surface and looked around for you and Praetorian as well.

“Are you ok?” Praetorian shouted to him.

“Yes, and you?” Tamajiki replied, swimming over to you both.

You nodded and you reached out and put an arm around him, kissing him on the lips quickly.

“I see you two are indeed well acquainted,” Praetorian commented, “do you know each other in real life too?”

“Yeah,” you admitted, with Tamajiki nodding along. 

“Are you heroes?” he asked.

“No, but we will be,” Tamajiki replied, “we are still studying.”

“You conducted yourself professionally back there,” Praetorian commented, bobbing up and down in the water, “can you explain what is going on?”

“Could we, firstly, get out of the water, and to an area where we can talk a little more freely?” Tamajiki asked.

“I do have a teleport cube,” Praetorian replied, “come close and I’ll take us back to my place.”

You all huddled in and he pulled it out of his inventory and called to be taken back to his save point- which was his house- and in an instant you were all removed from the water and were standing, dry, in his living room.

“Well… this is much nicer,” you commented, sitting down on a chair.

“Who are you?” Praetorian asked Tamajiki pointedly.

“I cannot give you my real name but I go by Butterfli3 in my other avatar,” Tamajiki replied just as pointedly.

“The number one ranked player in RFO?!” Praetorian said with surprise, “I… I am inclined to believe you… but, why? Why are you not playing as Butterfli3?”

“Praetorian,” Tamajiki said softly, “I know you are part of the blue businessmen official guard corps. I am not sure how much of this I should disclose.” 

“Are you working in an official capacity?” Praetorian asked, “does this extend beyond the game or are law enforcements involved?” 

“No.” Tamajiki shook his head. “But depending on the severity of this case, there may be law involvement in the future.”

Praetorian nodded solemnly and looked at you both, then looked at you.

“And you are?”

“O/N, I am married to Butterfli3 in game… and outside of the game we are…” you looked at Tamajiki to see what he would prefer to call you as.

“Engaged,” Tamajiki said confidently, making you smile.

“This is a collaborative effort then?” Praetorian asked, “seeing as you are both under cover?”

“Yes,” Tamajiki asked, “we will explain everything if you are willing to divulge any information that could help us.”

“I will tell you what I know then.” Praetorian took a seat and gestured for you both to follow suit.

<<< Rapid Fate Online Chapter 118: Trapped But Safe

Rapid Fate Online Chapter 120: An Old Acquaintance >>>