by Paul Kite
These weren’t only small islands, about a dozen square yards in size and consisting of sand alone. The big ones were no less than a mile wide! They were covered in a local variety of palm trees, vines, and other heat-loving plants and trees. These lands were inhabited not only by NPC orcs but also by wild animals, which supplied local settlements with food and hides for clothing.
“We’re moving toward the edge of the islands, and then we will sail along the coast towards the mainland,” Kirk ordered. “There I’m gonna show you which strait we should turn to, and which island to go to. It’s still not visible from here.”
This time, the captain didn’t insist for Ariana to be ‘imprisoned’ in the cabin, and the girl happily ran around the deck, poking her curious nose everywhere. Her childish carelessness revealed the princess’s young age. Although... if I were about fourteen or fifteen, I wouldn’t have lagged behind her either.
Well, I sat down on an empty barrel near the mast, and prepared to wait patiently while we were approaching the islands. I was tired of looking at the boundless ocean! During the voyage there was only one moment, which briefly dispelled my boredom and monotonous work – a passage between small... not even islands, but rocks and underwater reefs, which our ship passed yesterday morning.
“Captain, there’s smoke out there!” the sailor shouted again. He was standing on a platform, apparently known as mars, when the ship turned towards the mainland and sailed about one hundred yards. “Something’s burning!”
Kirk cursed and ordered all the crew members to arm themselves at once. I could perfectly understand his anxiety and nervousness. The last battle exhausted the crew, and no one had any desire to jump into another fight again.
“Turgen, put a protective dome over the whole ship!” he turned to the wizard. “Hey, you on mars, can you see what’s happening there?”
“No, captain!” the sailor responded almost immediately. “The wind is weak! There’s smoke right above the island, nothing’s visible!”
“Damn it!”
“Where do those orcs live, those who traded with your family?” Lsaeros decided to ask, walking up to Kirk and not losing sight of the princess.
“Just where the fire is raging now,” the captain replied sadly. “It’s only one village, but it’s rather large and populous.”
“Should we send a boat ahead?” the navigator asked sitting on a stool. “With a couple of people, let them check.”
“No!” the captain refused. “I don’t want to risk my people lives for no reason. Enough! We’ll approach the island, and then decide what to do.”
“Okay, captain, as you wish,” Dirk nodded, accepting his decision.
’Moonlight’ came as near to the island as the strait depth allowed. We could at least get a glimpse of what was happening.
Apparently, the island orcs’ settlement survived the attack, and now the battle was ending. The sounds of battle were gradually subsiding, as was the fire accidentally or deliberately set by the enemies who attacked the village.
“Captain, should we land?” Dirk asked, touching the boarding sword on his belt and holding a crossbow more comfortably. “Or should we wait until this to settle down?”
He voiced the question that everyone on the deck had in mind.
In these three days the sailors recovered, healed their wounds. Our combat wizard also recovered almost completely and could fight at his full strength. However, despite the suddenness and surprise of our attack, it would be the same, we would definitely suffer losses. Even if just one of us was killed, it would be tragic. When the sailors fought the drow, it was for their own survival. This time... was it worth the risk to save the lives of strangers? Even those with whom the Kirk family once did business.
However, I’d already decided for myself, throwing three points I received for killing the NPC and drow players straight into my agility. The system had recently generously awarded me with three levels for that fight. I received the first five levels over the fiftieth and the first three units by the new calculation. I prepared for battle, waiting only for the captain’s decision. I remembered to put on a white mask that came bundled with the armor of light elves. I hoped it would save me from a tangential blow to the face.
At that moment, the sailor sitting on the top of the mast was telling the captain everything he saw with the help of that special device.
“We’ll land!” Kirk stated resolutely. “Launch the boat into the water! Three sailors, the airbender wizard, and the princess will remain on the ship. The rest are coming with me. Kraven, Lsaeros, you can also stay aboard.”
“No, I’ve already obeyed you once,” I reminded Kirk about the boarding.
“And I just want to warm up,” the wizard grinned. “Of course, I’m not going to rush ahead of you. I can cover you. Give me a crossbow.”
The boat approached the shore silently. When we came to about twenty yards from the land, I jumped into the water, telling the others that I would go first to explore. If there were sentinels there, I’d kill them quietly so that they couldn’t warn the rest.
Coming out of the water onto the sand beach, away from the wrecked flat-bottomed boats of the villagers and hanging nets, I immediately activated invisibility and hid behind the nearest dense shrubbery.
Despite the fact that everything that could catch fire in the village was burning, the fire indulgently ignored the tropical forest surrounding it. Magic? Shamanism? I didn’t know, but at the moment it was convenient for me, and for those who follow me. Otherwise, we would have risked perishing before we reached the orc settlement.
Moving in short dashes, I ran along the trodden path leading to the village. However, so far I hadn’t met any orcs or anyone else. Were they such fools that they didn’t place a sentinel? It was strange...
Oh well, at last I saw them. I was already near the large settlement when I noticed two burly orcs stripped to the waist with a large number of amulets on their necks. They were orc players! They were called Kragand and Goral and their levels were 46 and 61 respectively. Hooting cheerfully, they chased after a young orc. After they caught him, they began to torment and mock him and in every possible way.
Beasts! Damned beasts! Why? Does it really bring you pleasure? To scoff at an NPC incapable of resistance, especially since he was a child.
Poor child, what could he do against two healthy high-level orcs?
He only curled up in a ball and silently endured the kicks and stabs. Goral was apparently tired of this game and he swung his ax to take the young orc’s life.
Yeah, don’t even think about it!
I jumped and landed behind their backs. By the way, I decided to work with swords this time for a change.
It’s good that they don’t wear armor!
Of course, it wasn’t very convenient switching from one opponent to another, but I managed to do it. With the first blows, considerably reducing my opponents’ health, I rather quickly finished off Goral, the stronger one. Then, smiling my most terrible smirk ... which wasn’t visible under the mask... I rushed to Kragand.
“Hey, you’re a player!” The orc began to squeal. He retreated in a cowardly manner, then stumbled and fell. “Let me complete the task! Don’t kill me, bro!” He focused on my eyes and understandably saw that I was a player like them.
I wanted to answer in the spirit of the famous Western cowboys, which I adored in my childhood, but I restrained myself. The next second, I plunged the blade of the sword exactly into the enemy’s eye with a sharp movement. I temporarily interrupted his immortal life and sent him to the point of rebirth. I hoped it was on the mainland.
“Are you alive?” Approaching the quietly whimpering orc, I touched his shoulder and the next moment instinctively blocked his knife, grabbing his small hand an inch before my face. I nearly stabbed him in response. There the life of the boy, who successfully escaped death at the hands of his fellow orcs, could have ended.
“Kill me, elf!” tears appeared on the trembl
ing little boy’s eyes. “Don’t torture me!”
That’s awesome! The little orc knows what the light elf armor looks like. I’m in shock! How?
“What a fool!” I whispered, scolding myself, and took off the mask.
“Man?!” the little orc opened his green little eyes wide with surprise.
“No, I’m a demon!” with a short laugh, I made a scary face.
“You aren’t like them,” the boy began composing himself, although the uncontrollable fits still shook his body from time to time.
“Where are the others? Why did they...” I nodded at a couple of corpses that hadn’t begun to dissolve yet, “...attack you?”
“There,” answering the first question, the orc pointed to the burning village, “The villagers are near the shaman’s hut in the center of our community. Ir-Zan managed to gather all the survivors around him... but this won’t last long, they will be killed soon,” tears began filling his eyes again.
“They won’t be killed!” I tried to encourage the boy. “How many warriors do the enemies have? How many wizards?”
“Wizards?” the boy narrowed his eyes helplessly. “Maybe shamans?”
I nodded in agreement.
“There are three shamans. They’re very strong! Although... they’re weaker than Ir-Zan. But there are a lot of warriors, too! Twice as much as this,” he showed both his open palms. “Four of them... that is, already six of them, are dead. They’re also very strong! They took us by surprise. And their weapons are uncommon.”
“I can handle it! As you can see, these creatures are no match for me. By the way, what’s your name?” Only then, I remembered I didn’t know the name of this brave boy.
“Tiyar-Sa.”
“Listen to me very carefully, Tiyar-Sa. Run to the beach,” I pointed to the path. “There’s a boat with people there now. They’re my allies. Tell them everything exactly as you told me. Got it?”
“Yeah,” the little orc nodded.
“And I’m going to the village to save your people,” I put on the elven mask back.
“Don’t go alone, they’ll catch you and...” the boy clutched at my hand.
“Everything will be fine!” Stroking a hand through his hair, I smiled confidently. “Come on, run to the beach.”
Watching the little orc run, I activated the retreating invisibility skill and headed to the center of the village choosing the shortest route.
Yeah, I see the bad guys, but where are the good guys? I asked myself when I got there.
A crowd of players just gathered around... well, let’s call it a hut, the size of an average wooden house of a wealthy merchant. It was as if the invisible line was surrounding the building, which none of the soldiers could cross, or shoot an arrow or a bolt over it. The shamans, who were standing nearby, couldn’t cast their spells past the barrier either.
“What shall we do?” the orc asked as he approached the shamans.
“Tark!” one of them roared in response. The man was of medium height with a bunch of feathers on his head. “It would be better if you gather your people around. Half of them are running around the village and playing hide and seek with the surviving orcs. Beware, stupid! The peasants will cut you up one by one.”
“They won’t! Watch your tongue,” the orc grinned. “Don’t forget who’s in command here! You’ve been appointed as my assistants by our clan leader.”
“Command, then!” the shaman shouted in response. “I need time to prepare for the strike! And I don’t want any of these NPCs to prevent me from doing my job!”
“Get ready faster, Nerkal!” Tark snarled.
“Get out of here, you knucklehead. I’m a shaman, not a wizard! We need to combine our efforts to break through this freaking dome. Do I need to explain to you how it works?”
“No,” the chief orc calmed down a bit. “I know. Okay, come on. I won’t distract you any longer,” he waved his hand.
“Zirap! Dikah!” the leader called his warriors. “Stop playing games, finish off those who’re still alive, and run back.”
Apart from the several high-level players in Tark’s group, whom I noticed near the hut, I identified three shamans as my main targets. After all, only they could break through the protection of a certain NPC named Ir-Zan. If the barrier fell, then all the other orcs, who were safe in this building, would be defeated and destroyed.
Well, given half a chance, I can kill one or two shamans for sure.
Chapter 22
The head of the group returned to the other soldiers, they exchanged a few words and he sent a couple more orcs to the other end of the village. Apparently, there were other orc players.
It was great! The fewer people at the central hut, the better my chances to survive after the attack on the shamans. They’d already started some kind of ritual with all the accompanying ‘special effects.’ Nerkal’s subordinates began to spin in a kind of half-mad dance, beating tambourines, while the chief shaman himself chanted the boring text of the spell.
However, when I was five feet from them, an invisible barrier stopped me. As I understood it, this was exactly the same barrier as the one at Ir-Zan’s house. Damn it! They also put the dome, or whatever they called that thing.
How can I get through it? How can I get inside?
I decided to test the protection against physical damage. I tried to pierce through the invisible veil with my blade and... well, the sword passed through the barrier until it hit the handle. As soon as my hand touched the obstacle, it felt like it hit a wall again. I just had to interrupt their ritual, which’d already demanded a lot of effort. Honestly, I was hoping that the shamans didn’t have powerful recovery potions. After all, it wasn’t quick to fill the mana bar with regular potions.
Then I remembered the daggers! I decided to try my luck. Although I didn’t have the appropriate skills, no one prevented me from throwing a knife at someone from this trio. I could hit the mark. Losing my weapons wouldn’t be so terrible. The daggers of chaos were tied to me personally and to no one else!
I sheathed my swords and took out my favorite weapon! It was perfection itself! There was hardly anything better in this world. I needed to study a totem and then everything’d be altogether excellent!
I aimed, threw the dagger but... Alas. I was better at shooting a crossbow.
The dagger fell somewhere in the sand under the feet of the dancing orc, who didn’t even notice it. I had more small simple daggers that I had taken from Ardal the executioner. The second shot and... Yes! The blade hit the hand of the shaman with feathers on his head. Despite the initial numbers, the system decisively added a double strike and critical damage. The damage was enough for the shaman to lose his rhythm and shake his head in shock, searching for the one who dared to disturb him. Our eyes met and he muttered something.
Yeah, my friend, you miscalculated and haven’t put the protection against physical damage. Reap the rewards of your mistake now.
As soon as my dagger caused damage to the target, my invisibility immediately dissipated. Not only Nerkal, but also other players, of course, noticed me. The shamans could hardly harm me, but the other orcs...
I drew my swords, and turned to the approaching orcs led by the raid leader; they were shouting violently and threatening to kill me.
“Hello!” I shouted to the players when they came about ten feet from me.
It’s time for me to die! I can’t do it alone!
Bang, bang! Suddenly the land before the orcs crashed and dispersed into clods. I managed to react in time and without hesitation, I fell to the ground. Instincts and reflexes were a great thing!
A quick look around...
Well, Kirk’s team arrived. Right on time!
“Goodbye!” I winked at the surviving orcs-players and turning around, jumped up to the shamans. They’d just removed their protective dome and turned into the easiest prey for a player like me.
It would be better if they didn’t do it! Maybe the shamans would have bee
n able to sit out under the protection of the dome, until the protective spell expired... but we had crossbows, so it wouldn’t have worked.
A quick movement, a sliding strike of two swords simultaneously and the main shaman’s chest was covered in blood. Then a sharp jab of the blade into his heart, and he collapsed to the ground like a sack of potatoes. He didn’t even try to resist! The shaman merely hissed that he was going to find me and get his revenge. Of course, he’d have to get in line behind all the players who were eager to kill me. I remembered that one clan promised to find me when I was in prison in the Dark Forest.
However, the second player, whom I chose as my next goal, had endurance, courage, and some mana. He uttered a short spell and a lump of gray stuff rushed past me. It was unlikely that it was something strong enough to kill me. It was better not to check. Not allowing another spell to be cast, I approached the shaman and took his life with a series of blows in the blink of an eye. How smart!
I didn’t have time to kill the third player. No one could have survived two crossbow bolts in the chest close to the heart and another one in the skull.
“Actually, he’s mine!” I said sorrowfully to no one.
The fight behind me was in full swing. Our combat wizard was flinging furiously with all the spells he could generate. Orc amulets weren’t a good defense against his spells. They broke down with a soft crack, one after another. Even Lsaeros decided to keep up with Turgen. Cutting his palm, he read a short spell and sent two small red clouds created from his blood to the crippled orcs.
Oh no, I was wrong, it wasn’t a battle spell. The clouds hovered over the players and the NPCs from the village for only a split second, and then flew on. At the same time, the blood magic spells endured an orc’s attempt to destroy them. They continued to fly slowly over the burning village and study the bodies lying on the ground. I wonder why he created them? I should ask him to teach me more about the runes. For three days of our journey, he refused to teach me, finding every possible excuse. It was mostly because of his terrible fatigue from working with the sailors.