by Tao Wong
“But we can’t go in, not injured like this,” Devin said with a grimace. “And we’re not going to waste good healing potions on the low chance that we’ll win.”
“I know, I know,” Erin said, once again placing her hand on the scarred Adventurer’s arm and gently guiding him back to his seat. “Why don’t I get you a glass of hot milk, eh? Maybe mixed with some Kowla blood for your arm?”
“Well, I do like milk…”
Omrak sat quietly, still staring at where the group had left before he turned to Daniel, his brows furrowed. “Are we cheating?”
“There are no rules saying we can’t use healing spells,” Daniel said firmly. “And if you haven’t noticed, other groups are using healing potions too between fights.”
“But…”
“We’re fighting the best way we know how,” Daniel said. “We could try to use more ranged weapons, but I suck at aiming. And you’ve got two hatchets. I’d rather be ready for when they close with us than to, maybe, kill one on the way in. And your Skill is useful.”
Asin nodded at Daniel’s words before adding. “No Skills. Use what we have.”
“Very well,” Omrak subsided, somewhat mollified. As another plate of ribs arrived, the blond giant grinned and focused on feeding his hungry body.
Even Daniel, his stomach stuffed, reached for another piece. He’d touch them all up later today with his Gift. Still, as Daniel bit into the ribs, he considered what had been said. Their trio of Adventurers was literally the smallest team on the field. Most other groups were at least five strong, sometimes as many as seven. It gave them a wider range of spells, defenses and Skills to use.
“What are those things?” Omrak growled as he stared at the flapping monstrosities that slowly circled higher in the arena. Finding their exit blocked by an invisible shield, the flock of monsters turned towards the Adventurers who stood watching them below.
“Shabaz according to Jules,” Daniel said absently as he continued to load the crossbow he had pulled from his inventory. Stuck near his feet were a pair of other bolts, ready for his use. Though it would be a miracle if he had a chance to actually use them.
“But what do they do?” Omrak growled. The golden birds, seeming to have made a decision, tucked their wings in close and started to dive bomb the group.
“Incoming,” Asin said as she scampered a distance from the pair. Omrak, seeing the sense in her actions, took steps away from Daniel too as he readied his hatchets. Now, he really wished he had that tower shield once again.
Asin’s Fan of Knives were the first to fly out and be deflected by a pulse of golden light. The daggers, pushed away, fell around the group. Omrak’s hatchet, flying in slower and a beat behind Asin, managed to escape the deflection from the first bird but was battered away by the second. Hunched behind his crossbow, Daniel waited as the birds neared, holding fire till he was certain he could hit.
As he readied himself to pull the trigger, another flash of gold occurred. Even before it finished, a second, third and fourth flash repeated in quick succession. Close to the party now, the flashes of gold forced the Adventurers to squint, their bodies rocked by the attacks. None were particularly damaging, no more than a particularly stiff punch, but one that affected their whole body no matter their armor. And it was, unfortunately, repeated till all eight birds had used their ability and started winging away.
“Damn it,” Daniel cursed, his eyes still struggling to focus after the visual attacks. By the time he regained the initiative, the flock were in the sky again, getting ready to return.
“Timer,” Asin snarled as she fingered her knives.
“Damn it. That’s why they have this on a timer. I don’t think we’re expected to clear them all,” Daniel said. Certainly, for their team, this would be a challenging fight.
True to his expectations, when the allocated five minutes were over, the trio had only managed to take down a single bird. Working together, the trio had timed their combined attack to start before the birds had reached the attack distance for their shield spell, forcing them the creatures to choose to waste their gifts or attempt to dodge. That Asin had hidden a last, Piercing Shot behind Omrak’s throw had been the attack that scored the kill.
As the trio gloomily walked back to a series of boos and taunts, they could not help but reflect on their further shortcomings.
Later that evening, Erin jaw dropped as she saw the three Adventurers returning from the arena, the large Northerner helped along by both his friends. His leg had been splinted and bandaged, held aloft as they walked him over to the nearest free table.
“What happened?” Erin asked, glancing down at the break. Having been an Innkeeper in Silverstone for so many years, Erin knew that such a break likely saw the end of their remarkable run. For a trio of Red ranked Advanced Adventurers to have made it this far, it was incredible. Many more experienced, larger and better-equipped parties had already fallen out of the tournament as the cumulative injuries, and the risks, kept increasing with each fight. As it stood, there was only one day left in the tournament with four fights scheduled for that day. A gruelling last day indeed. Even Erin, normally bored to such spectacles, intended to watch at least a few.
“Omrak decided to counter charge the Thyreophora,” Daniel said with a shake of his head.
“It worked!” Omrak protested and grunted as Daniel dropped the Northerner on the seat not too gently.
“At the cost of your leg!” Daniel snapped. “You might have stunned it with your charge, but now you’re injured.”
“I just require some healing,” Omrak protested.
“It’s a big bone!” Daniel snapped, then drew a deep breath. “Broken bones aren’t that easy to heal. The healing spells I know only set it in place a little bit. You could walk on it, but one good hit and you’re done. And the next time it breaks, it could shatter.”
“You could-”
Asin’s claws dug into Omrak’s shoulder, making the giant shut his mouth.
Erin said nothing, continuing to act oblivious to the interaction. It had been clear to her that there was more to Daniel and his healing than his self-confessed healing spells. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for the group to be as well put together as they had been. But, as an Innkeeper, it was none of her business. Adventurers always had secrets, whether it was a powerful enchantment or an artifact from ages past. The important thing was that it did not endanger the city or her inn. Everything else was none of her business.
“I’ll do my best,” Daniel said and then turned away, waving a hand in farewell. “I’m going to get some herbs.”
“Upstairs?” Asin said, looking pleadingly at Erin who sighed. At least they ate a lot and paid without argument.
An hour later, the young healer found Erin working in the kitchen, readying the mugs and cutlery for the evening rush. Already, the inn was becoming crowded.
“Erin? I was wondering if I could get some boiling water and a pot?” Daniel said, one hand clutching a satchel of herbs.
“Of course. Darla!” Erin called and instructed the maid before she turned to Daniel. “Just wait by the bar. She’ll bring it out for you.”
“Thank you.”
“Will you be pulling out?” Erin asked.
“I don’t know yet,” Daniel said, rubbing his chin. “We don’t want to, but tomorrow there are four fights.”
“And another break would force your friend to take a real break,” Erin finished. Once again, she noted something in the youngster’s eyes but declined to pursue it.
“Yes. It’s a risk,” Daniel muttered. “Do you think you could have her add this to the boiling water for five minutes?” He said, holding up the satchel.
“Of course,” Erin picked up the herbs and walked into the kitchen. A quick, curious glance inside showed most of the usual mixture of herbs that she had come to expect. Still, Erin left, pondering that look in Daniel’s eyes. Somehow, she doubted that the party would be pulling out tomorrow. Perhaps s
he would put a few coins on them finishing the tournament.
“Hold still, you big lunk,” Daniel growled as he tightened the sticks around Omrak’s body. “Sticking your sword in its mouth and enraging it…”
“Do I have to drink this?” Omrak complained as the pain subsided.
“Yes. It’ll help the healing process. It’ll give my Gift something to pull upon too when I use it later.”
“But it tastes like Roc droppings!”
“Then stop taking risks like that,” Daniel snapped and then held a hand up almost immediately. “Sorry. Not fair. If you hadn’t charged it and stabbed your sword in its mouth, we wouldn’t have won. That armor was ridiculous.”
“Apology accepted, of course, Hero Daniel. But you are unusually upset.”
“Worried,” Asin answered for Daniel.
“We will be fine tomorrow,” Omrak said, placing a hand on Daniel’s shoulder.
“Stupid. No. Gift.”
“Asin is right. Using my Gift on you, well, I’m afraid some people might guess,” Daniel said.
“In truth, Hero Daniel, I understand not your fear in this matter,” Omrak said.
“Huh. Well, if you think the guilds have been obstinate now, if they realise what my Gift can do, they’ll be even more persistent,” Daniel said. “But it’s not just that. Lords and ladies, rich merchants and less savory but powerful individuals – they’d all take an interest. Being able to heal almost anything…”
“Powerful,” Asin said softly. “Kings. Queens. Anyone.”
“Exactly,” Daniel said, shadows in his eyes as he recalled his past.
“Ah. And the cost to you would be a trivial matter to them,” Omrak said. Then as he glanced down at his leg, his lips tightened before he made up his mind. “Cast your healing spell. I shall strive to be more careful.”
“Not happening,” Daniel said, rejecting the offer immediately. “We either skip the fight and let you heal properly or we do it right. You’re not going out there on a matchstick leg.”
“Hero Daniel…”
“Right,” Asin said, putting a hand on Omrak’s shoulder and shaking her head as he tried to protest further. Omrak sighed and subsided before making a face as Asin held aloft the noxious mixture of herbs to his lips. Whichever choice was made, drinking the mixture was the correct action.
Chapter 10
“We give up!” Daniel called immediately after the door rolled open revealing the Salamander King and its trio of guards. Even across the arena, he could feel the heat radiating from the foursome. There was nothing they had that would stop the Salamander’s before they arrived and even if they equipped their cloaks, they were meant to stop sudden bursts of flames. Not the on-going, furnace level heat these creatures put out. Better to run away than die.
Behind, the doors rolled open as Daniel and team backed up. Occasional taunts erupted, but for the most part, the audience stayed silent. This was a Dungeon Town. And if most of the audience were not Adventurers, they knew someone, were related to someone, in the business. They understood the dangers that Adventuring involved and how, sometimes, the right call was the one that had you running. Still, it was good that there were other teams to watch, as the crowd turned their attention to groups who were willing enough, daring enough or just Skilled enough to take on the Salamanders.
“How many is that?” Daniel said, almost rhetorically as tamers quietly corralled the Salamanders, pushing them back in to await the next team.
“Two,” Asin replied as the trio moved back to their waiting room. The trio was glum, each thinking over the last half-day.
The first couple of fights this day had gone well. Or at least, as well as could be expected. Having brought along their nets from Karlak, the group had been able to deal with the Shadow Cats in their first battle simply enough, suffering mild injuries. Enough so that Daniel had only to cast a Healer’s Mark on Asin. Omrak, however, had to enter the next fight injured, Daniel cautious about over-burdening the Northerner’s body.
The second battle of the day was more exhausting as the group was pushed to their utmost by the Laksha – a horned, ape-like creature with wings and coarse, brown fur that provided a layer of protection on its body. The monster was, for all its six feet height, nimble and cunning. Wing sweeps would force Asin back when she attempted to backstab it, while sudden lunges and its claws tore into its target. When it felt surrounded, the monster would wing away into the sky again. It was only due to the creature’s inability to stay aloft for long periods of time that allowed the team to finally take it down after a long, protracted battle.
Now, the trio were seated in the empty but for them waiting room. All the other teams had either failed, dropped out or moved to their own room. Without a word, Daniel quietly checked on all their bandages, forcing the group to drink the herbal remedies he had brought before sitting down himself. While his own wounds ached, he had quietly sealed many of the deep injuries. An advantage of understanding his own body and Gift better than any other – he could afford to fix himself with smaller consequences. And still…
A kiss. Was it his first kiss? It was the first he could remember, but surely Lorelei had kissed him before. Or he her. There they were, hidden behind the tool shack, making out while her father drank his earnings away. He had felt that memory go, a half-remembered moment that tugged at his heart as it slipped away.
“Win?” Asin asked, looking at the group.
“I know not, Hero Asin,” Omrak said, his brows furrowed. “The monsters we have faced have been varied. I must believe that other parties have faced their own challenges.”
“Lost. Twice,” Asin said, ears drooping.
“Aye,” Omrak agreed.
“The top group hadn’t lost anything as of yesterday,” Daniel said softly, shaking his head. “I thought if we won all of ours today we might have a chance. But…”
“Salamander. Bad,” Asin said. “Right run.”
“I know,” Daniel’s fist clenched as he spoke. “If we have any chance at this, we’ll need to win the next fight.”
Murmurs of agreement rose from his friends. Friends that he had sacrificed a lot for, memories and experience, his safety. It galled him to think it might be for nothing – but better nothing than a death. Because that, he could not heal.
“And facing DAO are a tribe of Redskin Orcs!” roared Jules. “As you have seen, these Orcs are aggressive, vicious and most of all, out for blood! They’ll trade their lives for the Adventurers. DAO better be ready for a real fight this time!”
“Orcs.” Danie’s lips curled up, memory returning about the damn monsters they had faced. Of course, those were green-skinned Orcs, creatures who were ‘less’ savage than the ones they faced now. Redskin Orcs were known to be nomads, monsters that were barred from the Orc states due to a past disagreement. They plagued both nations with their presence - attacking, raiding and otherwise harassing smaller settlements.
“Skills,” Asin said with concern, knives held in her hand. “Crossbow.”
“Agreed,” Daniel said. Unlike before, he had the crossbow in hand and knocked already. This particular crossbow bolt looked different to the others, with a bulbous head that contained a small bottle of liquid inside it. It was one of his last explosive bolts - the other used to deal with the Thyreophora.
“I shall guard us,” Omrak said, hunching down as he waited. To cover for the healing of his leg, Omrak had taken more static positions, keeping closer to the team in an effort to deceive the watchers.
As the doors rolled open, Daniel raised his crossbow. Still, he held off shooting until the Orcs were within the arena, knowing that if he purposely damaged the arena, he would have to pay for it later. Almost immediately though, the Redskin Orcs rushed the group, making Daniel pull on the trigger in haste.
The crossbow shifted slightly, not much, but just a little and instead of striking in the center of the group exploded to the side. Luckily, the shift caught one of the seven Redskin Orcs full-
on, the potion bottle shattering on impact. In seconds, the Skill-compressed fluid expanded, spreading over the Orc and splattering another near him. On contact with air, the potion also burst into flames, sending the first Orc screaming and rolling while distracting the other unfortunate enemy.
“Damn it,” Daniel swore and eyeballed the distance. The Orcs were covering the ground too fast for him to reload and so Daniel tossed the crossbow behind him, grabbing hold of his hammer from its loop in his belt as he strode up to join Omrak.
Asin began tossing her knives out, casting Piercing Shot as she targeted a slimmer female Orc behind. A roar, a taunt, forced the trio’s eyes to lock onto the massive lead Orc. Unwillingly, Daniel and Omrak found themselves rushing to the creature, anger and Skill clouding their judgement. Even Asin focused her throws at it, Piercing Shots tearing through a hastily raised arm and stomach in quick succession.
“Die!” Omrak howled as he swept his huge sword at the monster. With a contemptuous swing, the Orc blocked the attack, its sneering face growing slightly more serious as their blades clashed and the Orc was stepped back as he dealt with the young Northerner’s strength.
“What he said,” Daniel snarled as he ducked a swing by another Orc’s sword as he Shield Bashed the tank Orc back. Before he could recover, his first attacker, sporting dreads and a serrated blade landed a cut across Daniel’s shoulder. Glowing red, the attack actually split the metal of Daniel’s armour, but luckily the blow had lost most of its strength by the time it reached his flesh. Even then, Daniel found his grip on his hammer opening involuntarily as pain shot down his arm, the strap the only thing stopping it from falling. Still, at least the pain refocused Daniel’s mind.
Another slash, this time unpowered came sweeping at Daniel. Stepping backwards, Daniel blocked the attack with his shield even as he cast a Minor Healing (II) on himself, the spell re-stitching his wound partly closed and allowing him to grip the hammer handle again.