Iron Age Demons

by Eden Redd

  Will: 13 (Apprentice)

  Mana: 11 (Apprentice)

  Path: Beast (Apprentice)

  Forms

  Wolf

  Spell Book

  Fire Bolt (Apprentice)

  Ice Bolt (Apprentice)

  Will drew his hammer from over his shoulder, but his gaze lingered on the spell book. The spells were grayed out and the player realized he had left he spell book on the spell crafting bench. Gritting his teeth, he knew he wouldn’t be able to use them and hoped he had enough power in his new iron hammer to do the job.

  Milly rushed toward him with panu and kobolds trailing behind. The look of fear pained his soul.

  “Get to the castle! Get to the castle!” Will shouted as he rushed past them, his gaze connecting with Milly for a heartbeat before he ran on.

  “Will!” Milly said, eyes wet and heart hammering in her chest.

  Will pressed on. He couldn’t look back to her. He had to remain focused. A hydra was difficult, but he knew they had a better chance now since they had fought two before. The more he ran, the closer he could see the scene playing out. Fingers tightened around the shaft of his hammer as he didn’t slow down. When he reached the edge of town, he stared at the carnage.

  Morgan sliced through ghouls, an ice blade stabbing out and cutting bodies in half. Halves fell in rapid succession as the black-eyed warrior cut through with no mercy. Foul blood spurted before ghouls screeched in pain. Some on the floor pulled themselves along to claw at the fighting Morgan only to be rewarded with a cleave to the middle of their heads.

  Stella was in the thick of it, blue fire engulfing her hands. She punched a pale ghoul and its body exploded into bloody shards. The wave of ghouls pressed on, coming through the broken sections of walls and not slowing down. The witch was covered in gore as she punched each ghoul to pieces. Despite her powerful attacks, for every ghoul that exploded, three more took their place.

  Kobolds shouted and roared at the incoming ghouls, driving their iron spear points into necks, mouths, and eyes. Ghouls shuddered from the blows before going limp and falling when the spears were pulled back. Bodies melted into the ground, but another wave of ghouls crashed into the group.

  Folly’s spear stabbed into a ghoul neck before it twisted in his small hands. The spear slipped out of his hands as the ghoul struggled. Two more ghouls were on him and he tried to claw at them until a spearpoint exploded out of an eye. The kobold glanced over to see Freek moving like a machine, stabbing, pulling back, and stabbing again. Ghouls fell from his attacks before the large kobold kicked Folly’s spear up. Folly caught the spear and joined his friend, stabbing any ghoul that had moved too close.

  A loud shout filled the area as Will leapt into battle, hammer up and bursting into flames.

  Ghouls looked up before a flaming hammer came down on one, shattering its skull and upper body to a burning stump. Will pressed on, swinging his hammer and slamming into ghouls. Limp, burning bodies were thrown to each side of him as he charged into the thick melee. Foul, black ichor splashed across his face and arms as he swung with the might of a titan.

  Stella smiled as another spurt of blood struck her face, blue flaming hands grabbing a ghoul and ripping it in two. Morgan sliced like a chef through the howling horde, each cut precise and accurate. Kobolds stabbed, but each attack forced them to take a step back. One kobold cried out as several ghouls pulled him into the horde, ripping limbs off and feasting as his screams suddenly died.

  Will took powerful steps into the attacking horde, his hammer burning and smashing anything getting too close. The numbers began to swell as more ghouls poured in from the two broken points in the wall. If they didn’t seal up those areas, it was only a matter of time before the ghouls overpowered them.

  “Push through to the broken section! I’ll seal it up!” Will shouted.

  “What about the other one?” Stella said as she punched a ghoul into bloody chunks.

  Will smashed his hammer into a ghoul skull, “Close the entry points and we will do clean up afterwards!”

  Muscles burned with acid fire as Will swung his hammer into two ghouls at a time. They had about fifty feet between them and the broken wall. Grunting and growling, he pressed on, taking down ghouls with every strike. Stepping on a bloody chunk, he slipped and the ghouls pressed their attack. Will backpedaled when a ghoul latched on. Pulling back his left fist, he smashed it into the side of its head. The ghoul growled before Will regained his balance and pressed the flaming head of his hammer to the ghoul’s chest. A horrific sizzling filled the space between them before the ghoul stumbled back, pale skin burned black. A hammer strike to the head caused the ghoul’s skull to explode like a melon in a press.

  “Fuck this!” Will said as he crouched down and leapt into the air.

  Clawed hands rose up as Will soared overhead, his magical boots propelling him. When he landed on the edge of the wall, some ghouls reached up, their claws about seven inches from his boots.

  Calling up his inventory, the player pulled out a block of stone, ready to seal the breach when trees exploded from their trunks, a two headed hydra charging. Will’s eyes widened and he bent his legs to jump away. When he launched into the air, a serpentine head snaked forward, slamming into his chest and sent him spiraling.

  You have taken 4 damage! You have 6 Hearts remaining.

  Will held onto his hammer as he couldn’t control his fall. Ghouls looked up with hungry eyes and hands, ready to tear him to pieces. Blue flames exploded, shattering the pale undead to chunks as Stella soared toward the falling Will. Ten feet above the ground, Stella crashed into Will, changing his descent. The two hit the ground hard, rolling back to their feet just as a wave of ghouls rushed them. The witch punched as Will swung his hammer. Pressing their backs to each other, the two kept the horde at bay until a double roar shook the very air.

  A section of wall exploded inwards as the two-headed hydra burst through. Two pairs of eyes glared down at the fighters, a seething menace unfolding like a black blanket. Powerful muscles moved under thick scales as long necks eyed the battlefield. The surge of ghouls slowed down, unable to pass the immense creature. Some attacked the hydra from behind, their teeth and claws doing nothing to the giant monster’s scales.

  Val somersaulted through the air and landed next to Morgan. Footlong claws flashed as the pale beauty sliced through ghouls. Morgan gave her a nod as he sliced and cut down any nearby ghouls.

  Kobolds backed up, the sight of the giant monster sending a tremble down their spines. Freek bared his teeth, but didn’t advance as Folly touched his shoulder, urging him to pull back. The kobolds were brave, but fighting a giant monster meant all of their deaths.

  Will eyed the creature as one head stared at him with contempt. The player and his fellow fighters saw instantly that it was the same two-headed hydra that had attacked them before and from the look it gave, it wasn’t going to retreat this time.

  Stella punched and shattered the last ghoul near them before she looked up at the hydra. Not far away, Morgan and Stella stood at the ready. The kobolds kept a healthy distance on the road to the castle.

  “Those flames are a nice trick. I hope they help against the hydra,” Will said out the side of his mouth.

  Stella kept her firm gaze on the monster. “They are new but they only affect the undead. I’m not sure what they will do to a living creature.”

  “What’s the plan?” Val said with urgency.

  Will hefted his flaming hammer, “We put the damn thing down, for good!”

  Knees bent, Will launched at the giant monster, hammer swinging. A hydra head darted out, maw open and razor teeth shining in the firelight when a dark shape darted onto its head. Boney eyelids closed as claws came down, sparks flying. Val fought to maintain her balance, slashing at the hydra until Will’s hammer came sideways and connected with the creature’s snout. The hydra’s head turned from the strike, Val already jumping in the air. The other head snaked around, teeth aiming for
her legs. Will’s boot landed on the hydra’s snout he just hit and jumped. Hammer up, he swung it once before it connected under the hydra’s jaw. The strike was powerful enough to cause the head to roll back.

  Falling, Will braced himself when Val came crashing into him, slowing down his momentum and both crashing to the ground. Rolling back to their feet, the hydra heads regained their senses, both heads diving down to attack. Will spotted the green health bar over the creature and seeing that their best attacks did little to no damage. Readying themselves, Will and Val prepared to attack again when Morgan jumped and stabbed into one of head’s mouths and Stella was by Will’s side, hands up. Morgan activated his Ice Stab ability, an ice blade slicing up and shattering several teeth. Stella grabbed hold of the hydra’s bottom jaw and top of its snout and twisted.

  The hydra screeched as pain blasted its nerves. Will swung his oversized hammer at the soft spot along the neck as Stella twisted. Metal and flames crashed into the delicate flesh of the neck behind the head.

  Val grabbed Morgan just as the other head whipped around, shards of teeth flying from its open mouth. Morgan fell, but Val grunted as the head struck her and sent her flying into a nearby home, caving in the side of it.

  Morgan struggled to get back up as a hydra head bore down on him. Sword swinging, he barely kept it at bay. Will gritted his teeth as he swung his hammer again, ready for another strike when the hydra made a defiant roar and charged. The head twisting in Stella’s powerful grasp pulled away before the bulk of the monster crashed into them. Will and Stella were thrown about fifteen feet before they landed on their back and slid across the dirt road.

  Will looked up in a daze, seeing the monster’s health bar was still green.

  “Get…up,” Will struggled as he tried to fight off the daze. If they didn’t regroup, the monster was going to finish them off.

  “Stay down,” said a voice from behind.

  Will turned his head and a manic grin bloomed. Sil and Nova stood, bodies at the ready. The four-foot kobold stared down the hydra, flexing small clawed hands. She wore nothing, but her simple clothes, her aura giving off pulses of power. Slitted eyes flashed with intent and she bent her knees in anticipation.

  Nova stood, four arms bent and ready. The green stalker glanced to Will and gave him a small smile before returning her gaze to the two-headed monster. As with Sil, energy drifted off Nova in waves.

  The hydra stared at the two women, concern bleeding into one of the heads. Scales rippled along their necks as a deep growl filled the area. The tension began to build before one hydra head bared its teeth and the other one hissed with a mouth of broken shards.

  Will managed to get back up and looked to the creature above him. “You’re fucking dead!”

  The hydra roared.

  Nova shouted as the ground shifted around her. Rock sprang up, morphing and changing until plates of armor appeared. The plates slammed down on her body, connecting and forming until she was covered from head to toe in stone armor. Several shards of stone sprang up, changing into gray swords and landing in each palm of her four hands.

  Sil leapt into the air, the wind blasting her small frame. Parts of white armor appeared and clamped onto her limbs, chest, midsection, and head. Wind whipped around and a white spear formed. The kobold grabbed the white spear as two pale white angel wings formed from her back. With a hard gaze, her body floated above the ground before she darted forward like a gunshot.

  A hydra head snapped forward to swallow her in one bite when Sil stopped right before it in midair, changed direction and threw her spear. The point stabbed into an exposed eye, blood spurting and the hydra screeching. Nova tilted her head forward and charged, stone swords in hand. As the creature thrashed, she reached the bulk of its body, swords pointed. A breath later, all four sword points shattered scales and stabbed into meaty flesh.

  The hydra screeched and reared up. Val crawled out of the broken home, eyes wide as Sil opened her hand and the white spear blasted out of the monster’s eye and back into her hand. Nova pulled her swords and slashed, each attack shattering scales. Blood poured as she relentlessly attacked.

  Will grinned as he bent his legs and leapt up, flaming hammer swinging. It connected with an exposed neck and a boom filled the area. The health bar above the creature turned from yellow to red. Sil darted through the air, driving her white spear into a neck, pulling back and darting off. Morgan raced toward the beast, sword down until he was next to Nova. With a powerful thrust, he stabbed into a section of broken scales and an ice blade stabbed deeper into the creature. Screeching filled the night as the hydra took a step back and lashed out with its clawed foot.

  Nova used one of her arms to knock Morgan away before the clawed foot slammed into her. The stalker stumbled back, the power of the blow channeling through her earth armor and sinking into the ground. Regaining her balance, she shouted defiantly as she drove all four stone blades into a leg. A leg bone shattered from her attack, causing the giant monster to tilt sideways. Will lashed out, striking his flaming hammer again and again against the creature.

  Stella backed off, watching as Sil, Nova, Will, and Morgan continued to attack the monster. Sil’s body moved like a hummingbird and a hundred times more deadly. Spear points stabbed into the creature as Will growled, striking and burning exposed flesh. Nova and Morgan pressed on, stabbing as gore and blood fell from their attacks.

  The hydra’s legs trembled as it tried to attack, but was hampered by the flying kobold stabbing its spear whenever it saw an opportunity. Screeches filled the night before the monster fell. Nova, Will, and Morgan backed off. Sil stayed airborne, spear at the ready. Both hydra heads fell to the ground with a thunderous boom. The red health bar was small and flashing.

  Will stepped over to one head and raised his hammer.

  “Should have stayed away,” the player growled before bringing it down and caving in the serpentine skull.

  Nova and Morgan stepped to the other head, blades up. The hydra gave them a helpless gaze before five blades penetrated its skull. The hydra’s body rippled from its death rattle, the light dying in its remaining eyes. A moment later, the body melted away, leaving behind two soul stones.

  Will turned to the group as Stella and Val approached. Morgan sat down, breathing heavy. Sil landed next to Nova. Will stepped to them, a warm smile blooming. Nova returned his smile with her own while Sil gave him an approving smirk.

  “My guardians,” Will grinned before hugging them both, one in each arm.

  Sil and Nova hugged him back, two moons rising in the night sky.

  Four

  A ghoul moaned as it tried to reach over the partially repaired wall. Will gave it an annoyed glance before sliding a large stone into place. Along the wall, bodies moved to place stones in the breaches. They had worked feverishly for ten minutes, broken stone cleared away and new stones fitting into place. A pair of moons glowed with ethereal light as the citizens of Thorn Spire placed the last stones into place.

  Will looked to his left and right, seeing that the wall was repaired. Weakness bled into his body. Turning around, he pressed his back to the wall and slid down to his rump. Glancing at his stats, he saw that he had not healed since the battle which meant he had to eat. The player noted that he never had hunger pains, but knew if he didn’t eat, he would not heal. Nourishment was needed, but his body didn’t cry out for it. On the other hand, pain and muscles ached and that was very real.

  Alerts filled his gaze.

  You have gained +2 to Strength, +2 to Intelligence, +2 to Agility, +2 to Will and +2 to Mana!

  The player studied the alerts before they faded away. Killing a hydra provided a large reward. A new temptation of hunting hydras filled him as he wondered if they were truly strong enough to take on those monsters.

  Val, Morgan, Stella, Sil, and Nova stepped closer. Seeing Will sitting against the wall, they sat down in front of him, exhaustion filling their faces.

  “Does anyone feel a little
stronger?” Morgan asked.

  All heads nodded.

  “I think killing a hydra boosted our power,” Will added.

  “Good to know,” Val said with a fanged smile.

  “What’s the damage report?” Will asked.

  “Many windows were shattered. Two homes were destroyed. The stables missed most of the action. We will have to rebuild the main gate. We did lose one kobold in the fighting,” Morgan answered.

  Will nodded. “Everyone will stay in the castle tonight. We can start repairing and rebuilding tomorrow.”

  “It still brings up a problem we will have to address, what do we do about another hydra attack?” Val asked.

  Will pressed his hand to the ground and slowly stood up. “We can talk about it back at the castle. Right now, I’m a little tired,” Will said and held his hand out to Val.

  Val looked to the hand, reached up and took it. Will helped her to her feet. The group slowly stood up, the weariness growing with each passing moment. Kobolds stepped closer and Will instructed them to come with them so they could stay in the castle overnight.

  The crowd moved like zombies, making their way along the dirt road. Will began to slow, drifting behind everyone. Sil and Nova also slowed to stay by his sides. Morgan began leading the group as they made the short trek.

  Will looked down to Sil and then to Nova, warmth filling his weak smile. “I missed both of you.”

  Sil nodded. “I missed you as well.”

  Nova’s hands shook before she turned and hugged Will tightly. Energy glowed along her chest for a brief instant before it faded away. Will fought for air as he struggled in her tight embrace.

  “I missed you too!” Nova squealed.

  “Need…air,” Will managed.

  Nova loosened her grip, a shy smile forming. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m happy to be out and moving around again!”

  Will smiled as the stalker let go of him and walked by his side. “What was it like, in the casket for that long?”