Hero
Page 18
Jaxx ducked as the right head came snaking around its body to try to bite him, but its trunk and pinned head were too bulky and it couldn’t reach him while he stayed close to it. Unfortunately, the beast realized what was going on and did something Jaxx didn’t foresee.
The right head turned and sank its teeth into the left head, next to where the spear was still pinning it to its body. It began ripping and tearing, biting through the left head’s neck. It was trying to bite through the left neck, Jaxx realized.
He heard Toxotis screaming, “Jaxx, get out of there! Two new heads will grow! Get out!”
Jaxx grabbed his spear and with brute strength ripped it out of the hydra’s neck, sideways. A huge gout of blood came with it, and with the left head not supported by the spear shaft anymore, the next heave from the right head ripped it right off of the body of the hydra. A great gout of blood came from its neck, and the beast stumbled, falling to its knees. The right head spit out the left, and instead of pain, roared in triumph. It kept its eyes on Jaxx as it knelt there, waiting for something.
Jaxx, listening to Toxotis, was retreating towards the trees, when he saw the left head start to shimmer. The bleeding stopped, and rapidly, too rapidly, two heads grew from the base of the old head. The new heads went from being nubs to full size in about 20 seconds. They shook their heads, snapping at one another, until as one all three heads turned to look at Jaxx. “Oh, shit. Here we go,” thought Jaxx.
He made it to the trees and dodged around the trunk of a large oak, just as 2 blasts of lightning and one of fire hit the tree and shook it from crown to roots. The explosion caused a cloud of splinters to erupt, but thankfully it was not enough to penetrate to the side where Jaxx was hiding. The tree, split almost in half and on fire, let out a deep groan that Jaxx felt in his bones. He felt the ground rising under him and realized that the tree was falling over towards the hydra, lifting the roots and the ground around him. He dove forward as the tree fell. A solid oak tree, about 8 feet in diameter, it made a resounding boom as it fell into the pond, causing a small tidal wave. By a stroke of luck, the tree landed on the tail and one back leg of the hydra, pinning it in place.
Jaxx let out a small prayer to Apollo, as the incredible coincidence seemed like a gift. The hydra stretched its necks out, straining to get its body out from under the tree, but it was stuck fast.
Toxotis had been steadily firing arrows into the hydra, and was in a perfect position to fire an arrow at the outstretched middle head of the hydra.
The arrow, perfectly placed, struck the hydra in the neck right behind the head, where the jaw hinged into the skull. That flat, dimpled spot allowed the arrow to penetrate through the entire skull, pinning the head to the tree trunk.
Thunk! Another arrow hit the right head, pinning it to the trunk too. The left head, now in a frenzy, was whipping around too quickly for Toxotis to hit it. The two pinned heads, still alive, were blasting non-stop down the length of the tree, blowing branches and pieces of wood all over the place.
Jaxx ran to the right, trying to get out of the line of fire of the two pinned heads. Just then, he saw the left head start to tear into one of the other necks, trying to recreate the earlier way it had created two new necks. “I can’t let it get that head free, or create two new free heads,” Jaxx thought.
Jaxx charged in from the size, spear raised up. He heard Toxotis shouting at him as he ran in front of the archer, and thought he heard the word “heart” as he pounded in towards the hydra’s body. The body was pinned beneath the tree, and Jaxx almost made it all the way when the last free head saw him, and reared up, jaw opening to blast him with its breath weapon. Jaxx slammed his spear into the body, arms straining as he pushed with every bit of strength. He felt the jaws of the hydra close around him as the spear slid home, and Jaxx felt the heartbeat of the hydra vibrating the shaft of his spear in his hands as it slid into the heart. A moment later, the agonizing pressure of the jaws released, and the light died in the eyes of the last remaining head.
Jaxx fell to the ground, bleeding. He swiped away all of the notifications about his wounds and bleeding status, knowing that soon he would start to heal. He lay there, chest heaving, not really believing that he was still alive. He heard Toxotis as he ran up to where Jaxx laid.
“Jaxx!” shouted Toxotis. He pulled the third head off of Jaxx and his eyes widened in relief when he saw Jaxx was still alive. “I wasn’t sure you survived that! I saw it bite you at the end, and then you collapsed.”
“Yeah, well, charging an enraged hydra isn’t on my list of things to recommend to people,” Jaxx joked. He ached from head to toe. “I hope there are no more surprises before we get back to town.”
Toxotis nodded. “Same here. We will camp here tonight near the water. The smell of the hydra should keep predators away, and we definitely need to rest and wash off.”
He pulled out his knife. “Ever eat hydra steaks before?”
Jaxx laughed.
Chapter 15
A day after the hydra battle, Jaxx and Toxotis returned to the Village of Delios. They had cleared out multiple monsters that had surrounded Delios in the woods: 2 packs of Forest Wolves, a giant snake, a small group of Gorgons, and a juvenile hydra. The toughest fights had been the Gorgons (during which Jaxx discovered, quite by accident, that Berserk protected him from turning to stone by the snake headed ladies), and the hydra. They had beaten the multi-headed beast by having Toxotis pin the individual heads to a tree with his arrows, and then Jaxx had carved out the beast’s heart while it was stuck. It was a bloody, disgusting business, but that fight alone had pushed Jaxx over level 10.
Name
Jaxx
Race
Human
Level
10
Total XP
62,000
XP to Next Level
40,200
Strength
19
Intellect
0
Agility
9 (13)
Stamina
9
Constitution
19
Charisma
9
Rage Capacity
20
Skills
Dodge – 16
2H Spear – 17
Improvisation – 7
1H Sword – 3
Shield – 1
Fire Starting – 3
Fortification – 1
Stealth – 10
Weapon Repair – 3
Unarmed Combat – 9
1H Axes - 1
Skills
Dodge – Level 16
Dodge is the ability to avoid blows in combat. Each successful combat session where you successfully dodge at least one attack will raise this by +1. Only one level will be achieved per combat session. Current affect – 16% more likely to dodge an attack by an attacker of the same or lower level. Each enemy level above yours reduces the chance to dodge by 5%. Agility level increases Dodge.
2H Spear – Level 17
Your chance to land a blow with a 2H spear is increased by 17% against an attacker of the same or lower level. Each enemy level above yours reduces the chance to hit by 5%. Agility increases chance to hit with a weapon.
Improvisation – Level 7
Improvisation is the ability to make something from nothing. 7% increased chance to put together a viable item from raw materials.
1H Sword – Level 3
Your chance to land a blow with a 1H sword is increased by 3% against an attacker of the same or lower level. Each enemy level above yours reduces the chance to hit by 5%. Agility increases chance to hit with a weapon.
Fire Starting – Level 3
The ability to start fires is a gift straight from Prometheus himself. Higher levels allow you to start fires in adverse conditions. 3% increased chance to start fires.
1H Sword – Level 3
You chance to land a blow with a 1H sword is increased by 3% against an attacker of the same or lo
wer level. Each enemy level above yours reduces the chance to hit by 5%. Agility increases the chance to hit with a weapon.
Shield – Level 3
Your chance to block a blow with an equipped shield increased by 3% from an enemy at or below your level. Your chance to land a blow with a shield increased by 3% against an attacker at or below your level. Each enemy level above yours reduces the chance to block and hit by 5%. Agility increases chance to hit and block with shields.
Stealth – Level 7
You move silently, grasshoppah! 7% chance to move unnoticed while sneaking around. You are slightly ashamed as a Barbarian shouldn’t be sneaking, but here we are.
Fortification – Level 1
You begin to appreciate the value of a well-fortified position. You do 1% more damage and receive 1% less damage when fighting from a fortified position.
Unarmed Combat – Level 9
You are a barbarian! 9% more base damage dealt when using your fists in combat.
1H Axes – Level 1
You chance to land a blow with a 1H axe is increased by 1% against an attacker of the same or lower level. Each enemy level above yours reduces the chance to hit by 5%. Agility increases the chance to hit with a weapon.
Blessings
Apollo’s Light (Cloak)
+4 to Agility
+4 to HP regeneration (7 per minute)
+4 to Stamina regeneration (7 per minute)
Jaxx was pleased. Solid gains in his main skills: Dodge, 2H Spears, Unarmed combat, and stealth. His physical stats were getting pretty good too. His Strength and Constitution bonus points were starting to add up: by his math, with 19 levels in Strength, he was roughly at 121% of normal level. Each level adds 1% more strength, cumulative, so each level adds just a bit more than the last one. At level 100, he would be at 270% normal strength levels. To put that in perspective, if at level 1 he could lift 100kg with his normal strength as a Barbarian, at level 100 he could lift 270kg.
He could see changes in his body, as his muscles seemed to follow his strength levels pretty linearly. Right now, he was roughly 20% bigger than he had started at, and he felt slightly taller too.
Toxotis has leveled too, and was now a level 8. He was very pleased, and seemed to be leaner and at the same time more muscled. His class emphasized agility and dexterity, and he seemed like a ghost in the forest now, his feet making no sound at all.
Approaching the gates of Delios, both were tired yet feeling good. They carried some trophies as proof of their kills, and hoped to get some extra rewards from the town for their efforts at making the surrounding area safer.
They entered the gates and made their way to the guard headquarters, that stone building in front of the tower immediately on the right off of the main road. Waist high walls bordered the road in between the outer and inner walls, and a break in the wall opened into a stone road that led to the guard headquarters. Jaxx noticed small flowers and plants growing in the gaps between the stones.
Approaching the headquarters, a sentry stationed outside the entrance noticed them and motioned for them to stop. He was dressed in a uniform of dyed red cloth, with a heavy belt holding a bronze short sword. He held a bronze-headed spear and had a leather helmet that covered the sides of his face but left the front open. Sandals adorned his feet and were strapped around his calves. The title “Town Guard – Level 4” was present over his head.
“How can I help you,” the guard asked them?
Jaxx kept silent as Toxotis stepped forward and made a small bow. “Greetings, friend. My associate and I have been clearing out some monsters from the surrounding area and were hoping there were some bounties associated with them from the town to reward our efforts to keep everyone safe.”
The guard scowled. “Keeping the Village safe is our job. We don’t need any adventurers getting in our way. Be gone!” The aggressive tone and words struck a nerve with Jaxx. He was tired, hungry, and had nearly died twice in the past 3 days.
“Now just wait a second!” snapped Jaxx. “We’ve risked our lives on this and we deserve a bit of respect.” Angrily he stared at the guard. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his rage meter slowly rising. “What is this?” he thought. Until now his Rage meter had not activated unless he had bee in combat and had taken physical damage. Perhaps it was an effect of reaching level 10? He had to be careful – the last thing he wanted was to get to max Rage in a non-combat scenario and lose control. With an effort, he calmed himself.
“If you could just examine our trophies – “
The guard cut him off. Stepping forward, he brought his spear around to a two-handed grip in front of his body. “I said be gone! Or would you like to be arrested and spend the night in our jail?”
Toxotis interjected. “No need for that, friend. We will go peacefully.” He pulled on Jaxx’s shoulder and, reluctantly, Jaxx turned to follow.
“Hold.” The voice came from inside the guard headquarters, and a large man dressed in a guard uniform stepped out. He was obviously a higher rank than the guard, and along with the standard guard uniform he was wearing a brass helmet instead of leather, and had an iron sword belted to his waist. His overall uniform was of the same design, but it seemed of better quality. The leather was of a better cut, and the rivets holding his armor together were of bright brass. He wore boots instead of sandals, and oddly enough was clean shaven, an oddity here in Olympus, at least for NPCs. Jaxx had noticed that virtually all of the ‘natives’ were bearded.
The guard snapped to attention. “Greetings, Captain.”
The guard Captain, with the name “Adrastus – Level 10 Guard Captain” over his head, glanced at the guard, then returned his attention to Jaxx and Toxotis.
“I heard you say you had killed some monsters in the vicinity of Delios, and that you were looking for a reward?”
“That is true,” Jaxx said.
“It would depend on exactly what and how many you have killed. We are not in the habit of rewarding adventurers for killing minor foes that are not a significant danger to our citizens.”
As an answer, Jaxx began removing their trophies from his bag of holding and putting them on the ground in front of the Captain. First was a half dozen Forest Wolf pelts, with one being from a Wolf Matriarch. The massive female had been a level 9 wolf and had put up a good fight. The Captain seemed unimpressed until he saw the Matriarch’s pelt.
Next was the head of the Giant Snake, a level 8 monster. Then the heads of 3 gorgons, with the eyes carefully cut out to prevent them from randomly turning anyone to stone. Jaxx hadn’t been sure if they would still be a danger with the heads detached, but he remembered the legend of Perseus and the Kraken and wanted to take no chances. The Gorgons had all been level 10.
Lastly, Jaxx pulled the 3 heads of the hydra they had killed. This was the true monster. It had been level 12, and massive, and the fight had been a true battle. The hydra was identified as a ‘Juvenile’ and if that was so, Jaxx didn’t want to fight an adult if he could help it.
Captain Adrastus’ eyes had widened as the trophies were produced, and his jaw dropped a bit at the sight of the hydras’ heads. He whipped his eyes up to meet Jaxx’s in shock, which Jaxx returned with a calm smile. Next to Jaxx, Toxotis had a smug expression on his face.
Glancing over at the guard, he saw an expression of complete shock and a pale color to his face. It was obvious that these enemies were well above the guard’s level to fight.
Adrastus cleared his throat. “You claim that the two of you slayed all of these, alone?”
At Jaxx’s nod, he continued, “Well, we can certainly look at some sort of reward for this effort. These are certainly threats to this community, especially if they were allowed to continue to grow in the wild.”
Jaxx and Toxotis exchanged a smile. Hopefully their risk and hard work would pay off.
Captain Adrastus asked, “Could I take these trophies to the Town Council to show them? They will likely want to talk to you two and hear your
story. To be honest, I would as well. If threats of this level are present, we need to know how and why so we can plan for future defenses of the Village.”
“Captain Adrastus,” said Jaxx, “that would be fine. We are glad to help and would be happy to tell the story of our adventures so far.”
Adrastus nodded and swept the trophies into his own bag of holding. “I will find you after I speak to the Council. Where can I find you?”
“We are staying at the Centaur’s Barrel,” Toxotis said. A flicker of distaste appeared on the Captain’s face and then quickly disappeared. “I am familiar with it. I will find you there.” At that, the Captain strode off quickly towards the town’s inner wall and gate.
As Toxotis and Jaxx turned to leave, the lower level guard cleared his throat, then said “I want to apologize for the way I acted. Thank you for your efforts. I have family that farm outside the walls of the Village, and I would hate for any of these monsters to have attacked my family.”
Jaxx smiled and extended his hand. “No problem, friend. Happy to help.” He shook hands with the guard, who winced slightly at Jaxx’s grip.
The duo made their way through the village to the Centaur’s Barrel. As they trooped into the inn, Hylonome was standing behind the bar wiping down the wooden surface. As she laid eyes on Jaxx, her face lit up reflexively before she caught herself and quickly assumed a cool appearance.