The Guardian that Moonlight Beauty mentioned had been discovered by a solo player, a horseback-riding explorer who'd stumbled across it purely by luck. It was the Recluse Isdal—a revolting, foam-slicked slime creature.
When the player spotted the level 16 Guardian, he didn't dive into battle. Instead, he galloped off to brag about his discovery, shouting to his friends like he'd just struck gold. Truth was, even if he'd charged in, he wouldn't have stood a chance.
Word spread like wildfire. Messages zipped from player to player, guild chats blew up, and within an hour, dozens had gathered to take the thing down. But instead of a quick win, the first handful of would-be heroes got wiped out. That only drew more attention. The crowd swelled—fifty, eighty, then nearly a hundred people.
Few players at this point had access to movement-speed items, so most were still hoofing it over on foot, determined not to miss the show.
