by Troy Osgood
Not yet.
Through Pike’s eyes, Hall watched the alpha take a couple of steps forward, coming more out of the shadows and into the light of the Greenfire globe.
Disconnecting his thoughts from Pike’s, Hall stepped forward. He had moved back, allowing the other three to protect him for the brief seconds he was flying as Pike.
“Four more here. Four more behind the alpha,” he shouted to the others.
The Cavlyns were silent in all ways, but the fight was still noisy.
They picked up the pace, cutting down two more of the ones they faced. The alpha came closer.
Now Hall projected his thoughts.
A blue-white bolt of lightning flashed in the dark room, afterimages appearing in Hall’s vision. Sparks erupted where it struck the alpha. The large creature stopped, body shaking, but it managed to shrug off the attack.
Hall activated Leap.
He cleared the distance, using Leaping Stab, the tip of the spear jabbing into the shoulder and cutting across the back of a Cavlyn at the wall, the four around the alpha coming to join the fight. He landed in front of the alpha, the thing’s blind head turning and shifting, trying to find him. Before it could, Hall’s Attack of Opportunity slammed the spear into the large creature’s chest, under the neck. Activating Double Thrust, Hall scored two more hits. The alpha took a couple of steps back, trying to put space between it and the attacker.
Hall pressed the attack, driving the spear forward, scoring another hit.
The alpha was at least six feet tall at the shoulder, the head higher than Hall. The paws were thick; one swipe would cover his entire head. Ten feet long, the tail at least five. It was huge. Hall didn’t want to know what it weighed.
Any other creature would be roaring in pain, but the Cavlyn made no noise. It reared up, slashing at Hall with a huge paw. He ducked, stabbing upwards with the spear, catching the Cavlyn in the soft spot where leg met shoulder. He pushed the spear deeper, twisting the weapon.
Yanking it out, Hall rolled backwards as the Cavlyn crashed to the ground. He felt the stones move beneath him. It leaned on its good leg, not putting as much weight on the bad. Unable to swat at Hall, needing the leg to keep itself up, the Cavlyn lunged at him, trying to bite.
Hall stepped to the side, scoring a quick hit.
Pike swooped down, talons digging deep and bloody marks into the alpha’s back. The creature turned angrily, rising to swat at Pike. It lifted the good leg, putting weight on the bad.
The leg collapsed, the alpha falling hard to the ground. Hall stabbed into its underbelly, activating Double Thrust. Two more thrusts slammed into the alpha.
It tried to push itself back, kicking with its rear legs.
Hall shifted, avoiding that attack, falling into range of the front leg.
The heavy paw slammed into his shoulder, the claws digging into his back. He stumbled, managing to fall back at an angle to avoid the rear feet. He had felt bone break. It was the shoulder he’d been wounded in already. Blood flowed from the wounds in his back, small punctures.
He dropped the spear, awkwardly drawing his short sword, holding his damaged arm tight to his side. Every movement was a searing jolt of pain through the shoulder.
The alpha struggled, managing to roll itself back over. The head followed Hall, tracking his movements by the small sounds he made.
Limping, keeping weight off the wounded leg, it turned to face Hall.
Mouth open in a silent roar, it lunged.
Hall twisted to the side, the bulk of the creature slamming into him. He stumbled forward, twisting as he did, pulling his sword up. It slashed across the alpha’s side, drawing a line of blood. Frost spread out from the wound. The alpha landed, stumbling, as it only had three legs to take the weight. It turned, head twisting to track Hall’s movements. He held still, sword held to the side, ready to swing. Slowing his breathing, he watched the alpha sniff at the air. It took a step forward, head facing to the side of Hall. Tensing, Hall waited.
He barely got his sword out in time to catch the swiping claw as the alpha lunged at him.
The strength of the blow sent Hall to the ground. He rolled to the side, away from the stomping leg. Pike screeched, talons slashing across the alpha’s back, spiraling back up and diving down again, unleashing a blue-white bolt of lightning that crackled across the alpha.
Distracted, it turned, rising on its hind legs to try to bat at the dragonhawk.
Hall sprang up, jabbing his short sword forward. He stabbed into the alpha’s stomach, running past the creature, drawing the sword through the alpha.
The great body shuddered, blood and entrails spilling out. It crashed to the ground, trying to rise. Hall pivoted, swinging the sword out wide as he did, the sharp tip cutting across the alpha’s side. The creature raised its head, would have been howling if it could make a sound. It tried to rise, paws scrabbling against the stone as it tried to lift its own bulk. It fell to the ground, head turning toward Hall, mouth open to bite. Keeping away from the head, turning the sword around in his hands, Hall held the hilt in one hand, his other arm still hanging at his side. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Hall slammed the sword into the alpha’s neck. He pushed as hard as he could, feeling it scrape against bone. Hall twisted the sword, widening the wound, cutting muscle and feeling something snap in the alpha.
It didn’t move, didn’t give a last shudder; it just lay there.
SLAIN: Shadow Cavlyn
+35 Experience (Dungeon Bonus +35 Experience)
SLAIN: Shadow Cavlyn
+35 Experience (Dungeon Bonus +35 Experience)
SLAIN: Shadow Cavlyn
+15 Experience (Dungeon Bonus +15 Experience)
SLAIN: Shadow Cavlyn Alpha
+50 Experience (Dungeon Bonus +50 Experience)
Skill Gain!
Light Armor Rank Two +.2
Skill Gain!
Polearms Rank Two +.4
Skill Gain!
Small Blades Rank Two +.3
Hall took a step back, breathing heavily. Out of combat, he could see his Health bar starting to rise. He tried to move his arm, gasping at the pain that shot through his shoulder. Wanting to sag against the column in the middle of the room, he forced himself to look around, see how many other foes remained.
There were none.
The party were spread out, doing the same as him.
In the near darkness, Hall couldn’t see if anyone else was injured, but they were all up and standing.
“How is everyone?” he asked, seeing the glow from Seo’s hands as he stood next to Caryn.
“Nothing major, from what I can see,” the Druid answered. “Shout out if you’re bad.”
No one answered.
Hall sagged against the column, sliding down to sit on the floor, letting his short sword rest on the stones. He took a deep breath.
Chapter 17
The room was mostly empty, a pile of animal bones in the far corner, some with meat still on them. Hall had seen what looked like a humanoid skeleton, almost like an Elf, but a little different. He couldn’t make out what race it belonged to and had no idea how it had ended up in the dungeon. With all the corpses, and what he could get from the alpha, Hall got some good Skinning gains and a decent pile of hides.
Along the wall, he found more of the moss that Scarlis had requested. In the dim light, it was hard to tell what kind he was finding, but did notice a slight glow from some. He was just happy that it was easy to gather.
SMALL FROST MOSS (repeatable)
Gather Green Cavern Moss 8/12
Gather Lavender Shining Moss 6/12
Gather Striped Graystone Moss 7/12
Gather Flowered Gem Moss 0/12
Skill Gain!
Herbology Rank Two +.5
A lack of loot in the dungeon was a little annoying. They’d been facing the catlike Cavlyns, nothing else, and the only thing they gave was the hides. The experience was good, so Hall wasn’t going to complain.
Hall tried to think back to his first couple of days post-Glitch in Sky Realms Online. He wasn’t certain, but it seemed there had been more game mechanics, and now it was more realism. He knew the game had changed, but now it felt like it was evolving into something different.
“What’s down there?” Roxhard asked at the intersection.
Hall pulled up his map, the blinking dot indicating his position at the intersection.
At least that aspect of game mechanics hadn’t changed.
The corridor went another hundred feet before opening into a square room, two doors off of it. One directly ahead, one on the side. That door led to a smaller room. The other into another corridor. Down that length of tunnel, doors started to appear off the sides. Six in total, three to a side. The tunnel continued and ended in a large square room.
The last room in the dungeon.
Not shown on the map, Brandif had described a raised dais in the back. He described the layout to the rest of them. Nothing where Brandif had said they had encountered enemies and where Bradberry had marked traps. All knew those could change, but it gave them something to watch for.
Twenty feet down the tunnel, Caryn called a stop. The Duelist had a Perception skill, allowing her to spot a dark shape on the ground. Unlike before when the Cavlyns had ambushed them, the creatures had appeared flat against the walls. This one showed the creature’s size.
Hall moved forward, standing next to Caryn and Jackoby, studying the shape.
Skill Gain!
Increased Perception Rank Two +.2
It didn’t appear to be moving. That and the size of it that was visible told Hall the Cavlyn was dead.
Approaching slowly, he jabbed it with his spear. It didn’t react. It appeared to be a recent kill. The body wasn’t showing any signs of decomposition. Just ahead he could see dozens of small shapes, long and skinny.
More bones like those in the circular room.
It appeared to be two types of monsters living in the dungeon.
And not living in peace.
How was that possible? There was only one access point into the dungeon. Did whatever lived further down have to fight their way through the Cavlyns to get outside and to food? Or was there something further down they were missing?
Waving Jackoby up to cover him, Hall went to work on taking the hide.
Skill Gain!
Skinning Rank Two +.1
He stuffed the hide into his pouch, glad to see that they were automatically stacking.
With another wave, the group started off down the tunnel. They came across nothing else, arriving at the opening into the square room a couple of minutes later.
Not as big as the circular room, it was still fifty or so feet deep and wide. At the edge, Hall crouched, able to see most of the space with his Limited Night Vision.
It was like Brandif had described.
Thick pillars lined both sides of the opening, a heavy lintel above. This was matched over the two doors, which were made of stone. More pillars lined the wall without an opening, spaced the same as the other walls, a lintel above to frame where a door might have been. Each corner had a pillar as well, supporting a low ceiling. Decoration more than structural.
The room was empty, both of the stone doors closed.
He was about to signal the others to come forward when the door to the side opened. Hall shifted, moving further back into the shadows, less visible from the door but still able to see.
Three of them. Tall and skinny.
Skill Gain!
Identify Rank Two +.3
Gangori Bloodcarver (white)
Gangori Bloodcarver (white)
Gangori Bloodcarver (white)
Each of the Bloodcarvers was at least six feet tall and rail thin, but not weak looking. They walked with a slight hunch, arms longer than normal, fingers extra long. Hall couldn’t see many details with his Limited Night Vision, but they appeared to have large pointed ears and no hair. Bare chested, bare arms and legs, leather hide kilts the only clothing.
He’d never heard of the creatures.
Nothing like what Brandif and the others had encountered.
None carried weapons, but Hall imagined the long fingers ended in sharp claws. They had to have some offensive weapons, and if they carried none, it meant they were the weapon.
He shifted his foot, trying to get better balance. His leather boots scraped across the stone. Barely a noise.
All three Gangori’s heads turned in his direction, one of them letting out a low hissing growl. They crouched lower, spreading out, raising the long arms, fingers curled in a way that told Hall they did have long clawlike nails. They hunted by sound, just like the Shadow Cavlyns. Were they sightless as well?
Watching the three Gangori move around the room, keeping space between them, all focused on the opening where Hall was, he knew they weren’t sightless. Somehow they had seen him. He could feel their stares locked on him.
They were cautious. He had made it this far into the dungeon, their territory, which meant he had gotten past the Cavlyns. He was not a foe to underestimate.
That told Hall not to underestimate them either.
They stopped about ten feet from the opening. One straight ahead, two to the sides. The one in front hissed. Hall didn’t fall for it.
He was ready when the one to his left, his vulnerable side from how he was positioned, lunged at him.
Hall fell back, feeling the wind beat against him as Pike flew into the room. The dragonhawk screeched, blasting a crackling bolt of lightning at the Gangori, slamming into the creature’s shoulder. It let out an ear-piercing shriek, the sound bouncing off the walls. Hall could feel it in his head, sharp needlelike pains against his brain. Bolts of energy spread out from the wound, the blue-white bright in the dark space, small whiffs of smoke rising.
The middle Gangori turned in surprise as Pike flew past the first, turning at the rear of the room. The Gangori’s head followed, leaving it open to the charging attack of Jackoby. Heavy feet slammed against the stone, moving impossibly fast. A dark blur flashed past Hall, slamming into the unprepared Gangori. It fell backwards, sliding across the stone.
Activating Leap, Hall burst out of the opening, straight at the third Gangori. With Leaping Stab, he slammed the tip of his spear into the creature’s shoulder. It fell backwards as Hall jumped over it, his momentum and strength dragging it. The Gangori fell to the ground, the spear ripped out. Landing, Hall spun on his left foot, adjusting his grip and driving the point of the spear down into the Gangori’s chest.
Except it wasn’t there.
Somehow the Gangori had evaded his Attack of Opportunity.
That wasn’t supposed to happen. It was a free attack, given by the surprise of landing in front of or behind the target. He was surprised, distracted, losing the Gangori.
It didn’t lose him.
Hall cried out in pain as thin blades sliced across his chest. His armor took most of the damage, but he could feel blood leaking from the fresh cuts. The thin humanoid came in for another attack, long claws slashing toward Hall. He stepped to the side, kicking out with his leg, catching the Gangori in the stomach. It felt like he’d hit stone.
The Gangori’s lunge was halted, the creature falling to the side. He didn’t land on the ground, coming down in a crouch, hissing and growling at Hall. The spear tip caught the creature in the chest, drawing a line of blood a
cross the pale chest.
Hall stepped forward, activating Double Thrust. The spear slammed into the Bloodcarver’s chest, pulled out and struck again. The creature fell back, landing on the ground. It tried to push itself up, but Hall got in another attack, the spear tip cutting into the creature’s thigh. The Ironwood Spear’s special ability activated, leaving a large Splinter in the wound. He stepped back, taking a defensive stance.
The Gangori pushed itself up, crouching low, hissing. It didn’t see Pike swoop in from behind, talons raking across its back. The Bloodcarver stumbled forward, right into a stream of flame. Hall smelt burning flesh, the creature hissing in pain. Burning, blood leaking from many wounds, the creature still lunged at Hall. He moved aside, feeling the heat of the flames, kicking out and sending the Gangori sprawling to the ground. He twisted, stabbing down with the spear, ending the creature’s life.
SLAIN: Gangori Bloodcarver
+35 Experience (Dungeon Bonus +35 Experience)
Skill Gain!
Light Armor Rank Two +.2
Skill Gain!
Polearms Rank Two +.2
Hall turned, taking in the rest of the room, seeing the other two Gangori dead.
“What are these things?” Roxhard said, his whisper loud.
“Shhh,” Hall said in a true whisper, pointing at the open door.
Roxhard nodded. He glanced down at the bodies, nudging one. There was nothing on them, and no one was interested in taking the hide kilts.
Looking down at the bodies, Hall was surprised at how thin they truly were. He felt warmth spreading through his body, starting at his arms, moving up into his shoulder and down into his chest. He grimaced as the shallow cuts in his chest started to bind themselves together under the healing energy from Seo’s Nature’s Touch. He nodded to the Druid in thanks, stretching his arms. He could feel the tightness across his chest, the wounds wanting to reopen but magically closed. Good enough.