Warfang: (Sky Realms Online Book 5): A LitRPG Series

by Troy Osgood

  Retake the South Graymalkin Lake Lumbermill 0/1

  LakeEdge was the closest, with Gray Tree Farms just north. The other two were on the southeast shore of Graymalkin Lake and the north edge. The gamer wanted the most efficient path. LakeEdge to Gray Tree over to the mill and then north to Cliff’s Walk, which would be closest to Warfang Hill. Hit all the objectives in the quickest way possible—straight lines.

  Going to Warfang Hill first would mean a lot of backtracking down to LakeEdge and the others. It would add weeks to the mission.

  But, the non-gamer part of him started to argue, if they liberated LakeEdge now, it would still be weeks before they came back south again. Would it stay free, or would the Expedition Lumber Company retake it?

  If Sky Realms Online was still the old game, Hall would have known the town would remain free. That was just the way the game had worked. But now?

  He had no guarantee that it would. It made logical sense to take out the source of the corruption and somehow isolate the Expedition forces in the middle of the lakes, prevent reinforcements at Tradon Bay from heading south.

  That would mean taking Tradon Bay first.

  He could tell that Dain wanted to retake LakeEdge and the others first. The other reason Hall kept thinking that was the right way to do it was the quest itself. It was the first part. The second part would probably be other settlements that need to be freed from Expedition control. He could find himself having to move back and forth between the lakes to satisfy each quest.

  But that wasn’t the right way to approach this. He was playing a game, but one that wasn’t behaving like a game all the time.

  In the new Sky Realms Online, it made sense to do the logical thing first, not the efficient way. He would just have to hope that he didn’t screw them with the quests. Experience gain had gone up, but it was still slow compared to pre-Glitch. They needed as much Experience from the quests as they could get.

  There was also the matter of not aggravating Dain.

  Was there a way to satisfy everyone?

  Skill Gain!

  Strategy Rank Two +.3

  I guess there is, Hall thought, dismissing the notification.

  “I agree with Leigh,” he said, seeing Dain scowl. “But we are close enough to LakeEdge that it’s worth scouting out the town, getting a better idea of what we’d be up against.”

  Leigh nodded reluctantly, not wanting to take the delay. Dain nodded, satisfied.

  “Is it really that bad?” Hall asked Leigh a couple of hours later.

  They’d started walking again, heading to the village.

  He left the rest of his question unspoken. Were they as good as Guilvan had said?

  “It’s because of the constant power from the source,” Leigh said, taking his hand in hers. “It’s why I didn’t try to cleanse the tree. With the source able to keep fighting, it would have just exhausted me. Even if I managed, it would just become corrupted again. It wore Tello and Surri out because it was their first time. It will become easier.”

  Hall squeezed her hand.

  “Will it be easier to cleanse at the source?” he asked.

  She looked up at him in surprise, smiling.

  “Yes. I think, anyway. I hope we can do what the corruption is but in reverse. Use the power of Warfang Hill to send cleansing energy through the world and not the demonic.” She studied Hall, noticing that he was lost in thought. “What are you thinking?”

  “If we free LakeEdge now and move on, once we cross to Graymalkin, what is to prevent the Expedition forces from just taking LakeEdge again? What if we start at Tradon Bay and come south?”

  “So no reinforcements come?”

  He nodded.

  Hall hadn’t fully thought it out yet. He wanted to see what forces held the village of LakeEdge first, but it was starting to make sense. If they could somehow coordinate with the Greencloak Rangers to start in from the north, catching the Expedition forces between them.

  But that was weeks away. First they had to scout out LakeEdge and then find Warfang Hill.

  Another night without a fire. Hall held Leigh tight, feeling her warmth. He felt somewhat guilty, being the only one in the entire group who had someone to hold at night to help ward off the chill. They hadn’t spent every night like that, but Hall had just sensed that she needed to feel him next to her tonight. Or was it that he needed her?

  Dain had managed to find a somewhat sheltered spot that was free of the corruption. They ate a cold meal of their rations, not finding anything in the woods to hunt. Which wasn’t a surprise, not with the Expedition forces present.

  The night passed uneventfully, everyone up early to keep moving. They all wanted to get to LakeEdge while there was still daylight. They got there just past noon.

  Dain had described the town to Hall, but seeing it was different. The Ranger had said the small village, only a couple of dozen homes, was built along the shore of Loch Hedn, which was where the name came from. He said it was a long village, just along the shore. Hall had taken that to mean that the majority of the homes fronted the water, with more inland. His assumption was wrong.

  Buildings ran along the shore for hundreds of feet, not that far apart. One and two story, built of logs. There were doors with small private gardens facing the forest, doors facing the water with paths leading to a series of docks built out over the water. The road came in from the south, Hall’s right, and passed right past all the buildings, disappearing into the north. Trees had been cleared along the water’s edge, past the buildings on both sides and maybe fifty feet past the road on the land side. There were small fields set up in that cleared space, a couple of barns the only buildings.

  The docks jutted out into the water thirty feet or so, a catwalk running the length of the village just offshore, connecting each of the docks to the houses. Each dock had space for two fishing boats along each side. Most of the boats were tied up, only a couple out in the water. Offshore a couple of hundred feet, Hall could see the built-up pile of log stands, men standing on them with long poles, ready to push floating logs to the south. Only a couple were occupied, the men barely visible but not looking attentive.

  The way it was built, and the angle they had chosen in the trees, gave them a clear view of the entire length, fields and road. Hall couldn’t see behind the houses near the shore, but Caryn and a couple of Rangers were to the south of the village, looking there.

  Hall could see all the houses, the tents set up between the fields and the road. He saw the three dozen Expedition soldiers scattered around the village. They watched for a couple of hours. Seeing the few patrols the Expedition soldiers ran. Watched them guarding a few of the villagers who worked the fields. No villager walked without a guard nearby. A few of the homes, those in the middle, looked like shops. Hall could see a smithy and a general goods shop, assuming other crafts were in the other homes. The central building, the largest, looked to be an inn and tavern.

  The Expedition soldiers seemed to mostly come from that building, but others came out of individual homes. Were they staying there? If so, where were the people?

  Hall had an easier time keeping track of the individual soldiers, getting a solid count.

  The village’s layout made it easy to scout, but would work against them in an attack.

  It made Hall’s decision easier.

  There was no way the twelve of them could free this town. Too many Expedition soldiers, and because of the town’s length, stealth would be impossible. They’d be seen, and the superior numbers of the Expedition could set up defenses easily, even surround the small group. They could spread out, but that would isolate them in smaller numbers.

  No, the town needed to be taken by equal or superior numbers coming from both ends.

  Dain seemed to agree. Not happily.

  They turned away from LakeEdge, heading deeper into the woods. Dain had called it the Hedn Wood; all the forest between the two lakes was part of it. There was no stopping until night had fall
en. No fire, shelter provided by a small cave that was packed with all of them inside. Pike and Angus chose to stay outside.

  Sitting at the edge, Hall and Dain looked over a map spread out before them. It was Dain’s own map. Hall could tell by looking at it that Dain had no Cartography skill. It was rough, crudely drawn, most of the areas unrevealed. But they could see the western edge of Loch Hedn and the southeastern edge of Graymalkin. The road that led out of LakeEdge continued north along the water’s edge until it eventually stopped at a far northern village. Two days north of the village, another road cut to the west, connecting to another road that paralleled the eastern shore of Graymalkin, curving around the south and ending at a village near the Frost Tips. Most of the Graymalkin side of the Hedn Wood wasn’t visible, the detail all on the Loch Hedn side, but stopping short of Tradon Port. More detail was visible on the eastern side of Loch Hedn, leading to the Highborn Confederacy territory. Some of the area between Graymalkin’s western shore and the Frost Tip was filled in, but none on the northern edge of the second lake.

  Hall found it odd that the only places it seemed the experienced Ranger had not been was the areas he was most curious about.

  “I want to avoid the road,” Dain said. “The Expedition will have it patrolled. I doubt they have enough to watch all the forest as well.”

  Hall wasn’t sure about that. LakeEdge had at least three dozen, probably more, Expedition soldiers. They’d killed two dozen already. He doubted there would be armies of Desmarik and Norns, but the demons could not be discounted. They had yet to see any.

  “Greencloak Rangers are here,” Dain said, pointing to a spot near the southern shore of Graymalkin, “and will be here.” He moved his hand to a spot south of Millford. “After we left, the councilors started moving the bulk of the Rangers there. We have some scattered throughout Hedn Wood but not in significant numbers. Those are based out of the southern Graymalkin camp.”

  “Where were the demons encountered?” Hall asked.

  He had his map open, copying the details from Dain’s. All the details that he could see. It was an odd process, most of the work happening to the side of his vision, leaving most of what he could see and his mind clear.

  Skill Gain!

  Cartography Rank Three +.2

  “North of the road. They drove us back, which was how they took over LakeEdge and the South Graymalkin Lumber Camp,” he added, pointing at the point that was halfway between where the east-west road met the Graymalkin road and where the Rangers had their camp. “I had not expected them to have reinforced LakeEdge as much as they had. That camp we took out was a surprise.”

  Hall studied the map. Dain wanted to head at a northwest angle. They’d have to pass the road at some point and would start running into more Expedition patrols north of the road.

  “Where is Cliff’s Walk?”

  Dain pointed to a rough spot at the top of the map. It was grayed out, indicating that Dain had never personally been there. Hall opened his map, checking the location versus what he had mentally sketched back in Timberhearth. That map had been at a large scale, the distances more broad, the locations not exact. He had hoped that working with a smaller-scale map, he could get a better idea of the exact location.

  His map showed the Frost Tips as they curled around the edge of the Edin, heading east and ending at the point where the Expedition city of Tradon Port was. The northern edge of Graymalkin was roughed in, a sketchy line that wasn’t as solid as the mountains, which were not as bold as the areas Hall had walked himself. He had gotten the extent of the Frost Tips from Bradberry’s somewhat more accurate map. Sadly, the elder Cartographer had not walked the Hedn Wood. He’d gotten the mountains from other maps. Hall sighed. It was a headache, trying to determine how accurate anything was especially when passed down from map to map, each subsequent copying less accurate.

  But it was enough to give him a rough idea of how far Cliff’s Walk was and how far it was from there to the assumed location of Warfang Hill.

  “Someone in Cliff’s Walk will know where the Hill is,” he said, hopeful.

  Dain grunted.

  They were down a couple of the Rangers. Dain had ordered two back to Millford, to give a report on LakeEdge to the army that was amassing. Hall hoped it was an army. From what he could see, they were going to need it.

  Chapter 32

  The Stontle’s arms shot out.

  Hall twisted to the left, getting his buckler up to deflect the stone appendage. He grunted, the blow slamming across the surface of the shield, the impact rattling through his arm. Pushing up, he lifted the arm higher. Twisting, he swung his sword at the demon.

  Metal met the stonelike skin. Cracks appeared, sparks erupting on impact, chips falling where the sword sliced. Lines of frost spread across the stone.

  Hall stepped back to the left, lowering his shield as the Stontle’s arm shrank back to its normal size. He stepped closer, slashing the sword across the creature’s chest, bottom to top. It left a long gash, black blood dripping out.

  For a creature that looked like it was made from dozens of small stones stacked together in a vaguely humanoid shape, it moved fast. The ability to elongate its arms made it deadly. Silent, the demon brought both of its large arms together, hoping to crush Hall between them. He activated Leap, jumping over the demon, landing behind it, and stabbing forward with the sword. The tip didn’t penetrate, just barely cutting into the surface, chips of stone falling.

  Hall grunted, stepping back, but not fast enough.

  Spinning, the demon’s arm struck Hall in the shoulder. He rolled to the ground, letting the momentum of the impact carry him further away. It was the second time he’d been hit, the first losing the spear, and his body was starting to feel the blows. His shoulder muscles stiffened, making it harder to swing the sword.

  His eyes scanned the ground, locating the spear about ten feet away. The reach made it a better weapon, but the tip would only take stone chips out of the demon, where the sword at least cut through with its longer edge.

  Each slice did damage, but not enough.

  Taking a throwing knife from his bracer, Hall threw one at the demon. It slammed into where a neck should have been, the wide head just resting on shoulders. Sparks erupted on impact, lines of energy spreading around the Stontle from the point of impact. The magical knife, turning into a bolt of lightning in flight, had done more damage than his sword slashes.

  It was too bad he couldn’t throw another one for twenty seconds, which was an eternity in a fight.

  He set his feet, holding his sword before him, watching the Stontle. It took one step, closing the distance, extending an arm at Hall. It was easy to dodge, but the angle was wrong to swing the sword, instead Hall punched out. He knew it was stupid. The demon was made out of a kind of stone, he’d probably do more damage to himself than the Stontle, but it was the only attack he had, and at this point, every little bit of damage was needed. There wouldn’t be any help; the others were all occupied.

  His fist struck the arm. To Hall’s surprise, large chips knocked off. Pieces fell from the demon, the creature letting out a low groan, the arm pulling back. Hall had felt the impact, but had taken no damage.

  He glanced at his fist, seeing metal over the knuckles, the leather black. Pulling up the stats on his gloves, Hall smiled.

  Exceptional Plains Rhinoc Hide Gloves of Battle

  Protection +2

  Disarm Resistance +50%

  Durability 10/10

  Weight 5 lbs

  Deals 1D4 + 1/2 Attack Power Unarmed Damage when hitting an opponent.

  Dismissing the notification, Hall activated Leap. Landing behind the Stontle, he slashed his sword horizontally across the demon’s back, cutting a wide crack, following with a left-handed blow to the wound. The Stontle stumbled forward, large chips falling, forming a hole in the stone exterior. Hall could see softer flesh, a dull gray. Turning the blade, Hall stabbed it tip first into the flesh, leaning forward to driv
e the blade deeper.

  The Stontle thrashed, turning, but Hall was ready for it. He turned with the demon, keeping pressure on the sword, pushing it in deeper. Stone arms fell, lying still against the demon’s sides. The body spasmed, more cracks forming across the surface, pieces falling. One last shudder and the demon stopped moving.

  Hall pulled the sword out, kicking the creature to the ground.

  SLAIN: Red Growl Caste Runepriest

  +25 Experience (+25 Faction Enemy Bonus)

  SLAIN: Expedition Bladeswinger

  +10 Experience (+10 Faction Enemy Bonus)

  SLAIN: Minor Umber Stontle

  +45 Experience

  Skill Gain!

  Light Armor Rank Two +.2

  Skill Gain!

  Polearms Rank Four +.2

  Skill Gain!

  Shield Rank One +.4

  Skill Gain!

  Small Blades Rank Two +.4

  Skill Gain!

  Thrown Rank Two +.2

  Skill Gain!

  Unarmed Rank One +1.2

  CULL THE DEMONS

  Kill demons in the Northern Territories 4/100

  RETAKING THE NORTH I

  Kill members of the Expedition Lumber Company 48/150

  Tired, his arms aching, Hall looked around. He could hear more fighting around him. The forest was thick, trees close together. It had caused them to spread out, not able to support each other. Sheathing the sword, he picked up his spear.

  Looking to the sky, he could sense Pike still in conflict with one of the flying demons. He couldn’t see them, the canopy of leaves too thick.

  Hearing a growl, Hall turned to see a Bargha. The doglike demon was ten feet away, crouching down to pounce. Hall shifted his feet, gripping the spear in two hands. The demon started to jump but was sent tumbling to the side, a speeding Roxhard slamming into it. Rolling across the ground, slamming into a tree, the demon tried to get up. The Dwarf’s axe slammed into the creature’s side, lifted up, and fell onto the Bargha’s head, cutting through. It fell to the ground, blood leaking from both sides.