Cryo Knight

by Tim Johnson

  The air buzzed with spells and magic barriers; arrows thudded into the skeleton horde while swords and axes swung and clashed. The sound was horrible, with the shrieks of the undead mixed with the cries of soldiers and screams of wounded horses.

  Ahead, Sark stood on his saddle before jumping off his horse and into the fray. Christian saw him for a fraction of a second, moving fast with both his daggers drawn; he flitted in and out of vision, sliding into the black to re-emerge dancing and spinning and slicing through the skeleton army. Sark’s Road Breaker mauled the skeleton force with its hooves as it took crushing bites, snapping bones and shaking the corpses about like an attack dog.

  But it wasn’t enough and all around them Sark’s men were falling with screams and howls. Several of the undead fighters cleaved ax blow after ax blow into the chest of a downed man who bellowed in pain, the creatures slaughtering him like they were Goblins mining for gems.

  A horse nearby fell under their cutlasses, kicking out as they gutted it. These might not be Christian’s fighters, but they were living people, and right now that was better than what they were facing.

  The glowing gateway was across from him. Beyond, all he could see was smoke and bright orange fire, with thousands more of the undead soldiers trying to push their way out from the flames.

  It’s like a gate into hell.

  Christian hacked down at an enemy again; Alexia was mounted and by his side, still firing arrows fast.

  We have to find a way to stop the flow.

  Ahead, he saw Sulfur leap down from his horse and ready his sword. Christian knew what was going to happen. The blue laser leapt from the end of Sulfur’s sword, obliterating everything in its path. The Undead Wards nearby were suddenly a jumble of body parts.

  But more struggled through the gate. Christian turned back to it.

  He suddenly had an idea.

  The heat…

  It was a crazy idea, that could go so wrong.

  “Alexia! Cover me!” Christian leapt off his horse.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Alexia cried.

  Four more undead pushed their way out of the gate in front of Christian.

  Let’s see what you’ve got.

  Christian activated his Ice Armor and felt the ice spring from his skin, before the helm slammed down in front of his face.

  Ice Armor

  Damage received reduced by 20%.

  Active: 30 seconds

  Cooldown: 2 mins

  He launched his Ice Strike, catching one of the wards across the neck and sending it into a wave of shattered, frozen bone.

  Ice Strike I

  Damage: 30

  Mana Cost: 25

  Mana: 170/220

  Another Undead Ward had flanked him, and Christian felt the undead’s dagger slash against his Ice Armor. Christian turned, gripped it by the shoulder and snapped his head forward with his armored ice helm catching the creature square in the jaw and knocking the creature down.

  A notification pinged.

  Yeti Headbutt

  Drawing on the power of the yeti, you headbutt your opponent. This will interrupt their spell and apply a silence to any school of magic for 5 seconds. Melee range only.

  Cooldown: 2 minutes

  So that is my new skill, Christian thought. Well, they missed the part where it is also useful for knocking the undead on their ass. He turned to see more creatures fighting amongst each other to make their way through the gate.

  There are still too many.

  He ran forward, this time he held his sword end-to-end, one hand on the grip the other at the end of the sword, protected by the coated ice-gloves. He used the sword to sweep the creatures back towards the gate. They tried to rain down blows on him, their swords taking chunks from his Ice Armor and his health too, until, one after another, their heads jerked back, punctured with arrows. Behind, Alexia had activated her Arrow Rain, covering him.

  Christian stood right in front of the gate; even in his suit of Ice Armor the heat was baking hot.

  He held his palm up, gathering his remaining mana.

  170 mana. Hopefully it’s enough.

  All around him he could hear screams as Sark’s soldiers fought and died, the sheer numbers of the undead in such an enclosed space starting to overrun them. But Alexia had his back, and this was his chance.

  If the door was opened by heat, perhaps it can be closed by ice.

  He held his palm out and the Arctic Gale poured from his hand as he channeled the spell into the portal. At first nothing happened, but he kept to it. An Undead Ward tried to come for him through the door and Christian had to step back, still funneling his power, and the creature froze solid in front of him. He pulled on his mana and kept going. The mana poured out him – from 150, to 120, to 90, to 60. He could feel it leave, like part of his soul was pouring from his body. But around the shrine the orange veins of light began to move slowly away. His Ice Armor timed out and suddenly the full heat of the portal was on him. He gritted his teeth and could feel his skin burn, his health started to drain, and he didn’t have much mana left.

  Then a voice was in his ear.

  “Drink.”

  Christian could barely move, but he turned his head, keeping his Arctic Gale spell aimed at the gate.

  Sark was there, an uncorked mana potion in his hand. He pushed the potion to Christian’s lips, and he felt the deep well of magical power refill and his clarity and focus return like he had just been injected with a military grade stim-pack.

  He turned back to the shrine and blasted it with his Artic Gale. The veins of magma that had opened the portal began to slide away and Christian watched as the wall began to rematerialize. The Undead Ward who was halfway through was crushed, its boney body snapping to splintered bone as the wall finally closed. Then the vein of orange magma flew up the side of the wall and back to the upper cavern.

  Sark smiled, gripping Christian’s shoulder tightly. With an ease which betrayed a deep strength, he turned Christian to face him.

  “I told you, Christian, you were meant to be here.”

  Christian was close enough to feel the mana radiate from Sark. A flash of raw power as he vanished. Sark re-appeared back on top of his Road Breaker. His voice seemed to come from everywhere.

  “Ice against the shrine. Fighters, take on the undead. Mages, use your ice magic against the gate itself!”

  Sark turned his huge armored horse and galloped back up the line, smashing the undead out his way, delivering his orders himself.

  Alexia nodded at him from her horse. “Good job. Let’s get the next one done.”

  Together they burrowed their way through the column of soldiers and Christian stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the red-headed mage as they both activated Arctic Gale and shut the next gate while Sulfur and Alexia covered their flanks.

  Behind, along the line, Christian could see the mages manage to shut the flaming gates and watched as the magma retreated back up the cavern.

  It’s working.

  The warriors focused on killing the remaining undead, covering the magical folk as they worked. Before long, the battle had swung the other way, as the ward’s gates were closed off. After the final shrill scream of a dying Undead Ward, the corridor was clear.

  The magma veins had retreated back to the upper echelons of the cavern tunnel.

  Along the line, Sark’s dead were strewn everywhere. The healers revived who they could. He could see green light blossom along their great line and soldiers passed Healing Potions to each other.

  Christian checked on his old horse; she had a wound in her rear but could still move and didn’t complain.

  He checked his stat page. He had gone up a level. He was now level 8 and was a few more kills away from to going up to level 9.

  Alexia had dismounted and was searching the bones of the wards.

  She pointed towards a pile of bones near Christian which he could clearly see had nothing. Nonetheless, he focused on them and was rewarded
with Loot? He thought yes and landed five gold coins in his Inventory.

  Christian looted his kills and ended up with over 20 gold coins in his Inventory.

  He looked up from the bodies to see Sark on his Road Breaker horse pacing back along the line.

  “Push the dead to the side,” Sark said. “We will honor them later, but for now we must move on.”

  Christian and Alexia helped move the dead, piling up the bodies near the mouths of the shrines and climbed back on their horses. Christian gently urged his mare on, giving her a reassuring pat on the neck as they continued to follow the corridor down into the dungeon.

  19

  Sweat dripped steadily from Christian’s chin as his horse rocked him from side to side. As they continued down the tunnel, the orange veins that crested the corridors had got thicker and thicker the deeper they went, heating things up to an unbearable level.

  He ached for the cold air of the mountains.

  He invested his 5 stat points in Intelligence. Having more powerful ice magic seemed useful in this fiery hellhole. Now he was a level 8, he had also equipped the Goblin Lord’s sword, Darkstar, giving him a whopping extra 10 points in Strength. He had suddenly gone up to causing over 100 damage with each swing. The pommel had been bright green in the Goblin Lord’s possession, but now it glowed a cool frosty blue at Christian’s hip.

  When he activated his Ice Armor it all matched nicely. Soon Christian would be able to equip the Goblin Lord’s armor too. It reminded Christian of what his old friend Spencer used to say, “Look good, feel good. Feel good, fight good.”

  He smiled grimly, wishing he had some of his old comrades here with him now. They’d love Alexia as well. With her sassy banter she’d fit right in with them.

  But none of them were left, and it was just him who carried all their memories.

  He shut out the images of their deaths before they could take root in his mind. Too late. He distracted himself by reviewing his Stat Sheet.

  Christian Lawson

  Level 8

  Build: KnightAffinity: Ice

  Health: 170/220Mana: 200/200

  XP: 2875/2900

  Stats:

  Points to Distribute: 0

  Strength 17 – Stamina 11 – Intelligence 20 – Dexterity 12 – Willpower 10

  Darkstar Blade: Strength +10

  He needed to add more to his health, but for now it would do, and he was one kill away from another level and being able to wear the Goblin Lord’s armor. That combined with his Ice Armor’s damage reduction, would put his combined armor level at 180.

  So, let’s get it.

  The army had continued to march. The dead had been dragged to the side of the corridor and abandoned. The procession was quieter now, their eyes scanning the ceiling and walls for the next attack. The corridor was quiet but for the clanking sound as their armor clacked and shifted as they rode. Christian turned to see the giant white sabretooth tiger had made it, though its rider clearly hadn’t. The creature continued alone, snapping at any man that tried to come near it but following the procession well enough.

  The corridor began to flatten out and ahead Christian could see it open up into a cavern. Sark passed an order. All around weapons were drawn and Christian could feel the prickly static of mana in the air as the mages began to ready themselves. His own heart started to pound with the rush of battle.

  He sidled next to Alexia.

  “We stay near Sark and his elites,” he said. “Score kills, get gold and stay alive.”

  Alexia nodded, mouth set like stone and staring grimly ahead. Christian pressed his old mare forward. He was among the first to enter the cavern. It was huge, hundreds of feet across, carved from stone with the veins of magma curving and crisscrossing above in the patterns of pentagons. But what concerned him lay at the other end. An army of Fire Demons stood in front of a set of huge wooden gates.

  The demons each moved on two hooved feet, upright like men, with sharp horns growing from their long horse-like heads. Their upper bodies were muscular, their skin was leathery and a deep brackish red in color. They were armed with axes, scythes and pitchforks, all of which flickered with flame like they had been dipped in napalm.

  Christian licked his cracked lips as he surveyed the demons. These creatures weren’t like the Goblins. This army was disciplined, holding a line and seem very unafraid, they held their burning blades confidently and seemed ready to charge at any moment.

  Sark’s army continued to fill the hall. Christian, Lord Sark, Alexia and Sulfur all moving forward, closing the gap between them and the Fire Demons.

  As the soldiers spotted the Demons, there was a rapid murmur that passed through the army. Christian could feel the fear in the soldiers around him. He had never had a military experience like this, meeting an enemy, line-to-line, face-to-face in the field. His thoughts flitted back to his military college days and lessons on the ways of ancient warfare. Grievous losses for both sides. Unless one side had a significant technological or strategic advantage.

  They continued to slowly move closer. He could see the Demons’ eyes now, deep sunk under their horned brows. The army was not fifty feet away from them and he could smell the stink of them; a burning acrid smell, like a freshly shelled-out building.

  One Demon larger than the rest, armed in a silver breastplate and carrying a hefty double-headed ax, stepped forward, the flames from his ax dancing as he moved.

  Lord Sark clopped forward on his great Road Breaker stallion; the Demon was tall, seven foot at least, but it still had to look up. Sark didn’t dismount.

  They approached one another.

  This will decide what happens next.

  “I wish to speak to the Demon Lord Arnook,” Sark said. “Show us past those gates.”

  The creature shook its head slowly. “You are not worthy, human.” It’s voice deep and strong. It was close enough for Christian to read the description.

  Fire Demon, Level 18.

  Sark’s voice dropped. “Demon, I command you to show me past those gates.”

  This isn’t going to go well.

  The Demon growled and took its ax in both hands. “Turn back or Arnook will destroy you.”

  Then Sark was gone. Vanished from his horse. Christian saw the right stirrup of the horse move as Sark’s invisible form dismounted.

  Sark reappeared behind the Demon and brought his dagger down on the top of the Demon’s spine, then followed with a double cross-cut against the Demon’s throat. The Demon tried to turn, grasping its cut throat with one claw. It managed to lift its ax but, the heavy weapon was too slow compared to Sark’s daggers. Sark hit it with three hard stabs to the chest and guts. The Demon fell to its knees and Sark shoved a dagger through its eye.

  There was a pause as Sark turned to the Demon army.

  “Let me pass,” he growled.

  In response, the Demon army howled. Together they charged forward. Sark stayed perfectly still, like a matador facing fifteen thousand bulls, with both his bloodied daggers drawn. Christian drew his sword along with every one of Sark’s soldiers with a roar.

  They began to charge towards the Demon force, closing the distance between them and Sark.

  Christian yelled and the old girl managed to gallop; the enemy rush towards them, their burning weapons raised, and then the two forces clashed.

  For a moment, it was a blur of red, blood, screams, the clash of metal and the whip of spells. He slashed down as his horse tried to canter through the force, but a Demon ax swung into her leg and she fell with a scream. Christian was flung out of the saddle and hit the ground hard.

  A Demon loomed above him, already lifting a burning ax to end his life. Christian activated his Ice Armor just in time; his desperate upward block barely stopping the ax blow as it crushed his chest, the Ice Armor saving his life. His health plummeted, losing 70 HP and dropping him to 100/220 of health left.

  An arrow pierced the Demon’s side. Above, still on horseback, Alexia launched
shot after shot at the foe. The Demon faced her and roared.

  Christian pulled himself up to his feet, following the creature. He shoved his sword through its middle, tugging his blade out and slashing across the monster’s neck, finally killing the thing.

  A flash of notifications graced his screen, but his focus was in front of him. His old mare was under his feet, her old, milky eye swiveling in panic, her front leg near shorn off from the ax blow, the other legs kicking out in spasms.

  I’m sorry old girl, he thought. He lifted his sword to put her out of her misery.

  But there was no time. Another Demon, a , broad brute carrying a short flaming sword managed to catch Christian in his side.

  Damage: 65

  Christian’s Health: 35/220

  Christian countered and their swords clashed, again and again. The flames from the burning sword licked Christian’s face under the ice helm. He tried to physically push the creature back, but the monster was stronger.

  I need to fight smarter. These brutes are too powerful.

  Christian called on Artic Gale and poured ice through his palm gripping the sword. His sword frosted over, and the ice latched onto Demon’s own blade, covering the blade and extinguishing the flame. The Demon recoiled in shock and Christian used the moment and wretched his sword back. With their swords fused together, he successfully pulled the short sword free of the Demon’s claws, disarming the creature.

  Christian’s weapon was also useless with the Demon’s sword attached to it. He stabbed it into the ground next to him and blasted the Demon with Artic Gale from his palm.

  Artic Gale

  Damage: 80

  Mana Cost: 25 per second

  Take that.

  The ice seemed to burn the Demon like it was acid and it shrieked, its red skin blanching and health plummeting.

  They have a weakness to ice!

  The Demon tried to turn away and flee but Christian gripped the Demon’s wrist and held his palm just a few inches away from the monster’s face. He pulled deep on his mana and blasted it with Artic Gale and watched the Demon’s head freeze over to a dead white and the body sagged in his grip.