Cryo Knight

by Tim Johnson

  Something’s very wrong.

  A large figure strolled towards them out of the darkness, his sword drawn. The full moon cleared from the cloud cover and a fleeting glimmer of moonlight shone against his blue armor and reflected against the sword.

  Sulfur stood in front of them and twenty archers were at their back.

  Alexia was beside him, her bow pulled taut, aiming at Sulfur. The witch was to his back, both her hands already glowing with mana, facing up at the archers on the ramparts. The sabretooth was facing the archers too, low on its haunches, its tail whipping back and forth, getting ready to pounce up to the battlements.

  Sulfur pointed his sword towards them. “I always knew. Always knew that you would spurn Sark’s gracious mercy. But he will protect you no more. Now that your lies are exposed, Sark will destroy you.”

  Christian readied his blade.

  I need Sulfur focused on only me.

  Christian knew what Sulfur’s first attack would be and he had been adding health points this whole time to take the blast from that damn sword laser.

  He spoke quietly to his team.

  “Witch, keep the archers busy.”

  “I’m ready boy,” the witch replied.

  “Sabretooth, focus on the archers as well.”

  The sabretooth snarled in response.

  “Alexia?”

  “Let’s kill this bastard,” Alexia said through gritted teeth.

  Sulfur continued to step forward; he was ten paces away.

  Christian’s mind began to crystallize for the fight. This was his moment.

  I need to keep him back from my ranged attackers, keep his focus on me and away from Alexia and the witch.

  Christin stepped to his right, spreading the distance between them. Alexia began to edge to the left, doing the same thing.

  Now to use what I know on him. My edge.

  “Sulfur, nothing has changed for you,” Christian said. “You’re still the powerless little boy that watched his family killed by wanderers, aren’t you?”

  Sulfur looked shocked. “How dare you, speak of—”

  “No matter how much revenge you have, it’s never enough is it?”

  Christian stepped again to his right. “Look at how you disgrace your family. You killed an innocent father in front of his child. How are you different from the wanderers you hate? They abuse their power and so have you. What’s worse is that you are doing it to your own people.”

  Here it comes.

  Sulfur was fully facing Christian now. The huge man’s breaths were coming in fast and shallow, heaving out in clouds against the cold air. He was seething.

  I have him.

  “I just have one question, Sulfur. Answer me this: do you think they’d be proud of you? Your father? Your sister? Do you think they would want to know you now, if they could?”

  Sulfur couldn’t speak. The switch had flipped to pure rage. He let out a blood curdling roar and sprinted towards Christian.

  That’s when all hell broke loose.

  Sulfur charged at Christian like a bull. Christian didn’t try to parry but managed to just duck the blow, stepping underneath and to the side.

  Sulfur’s still faster than I thought.

  Christian stepped back, now behind Sulfur and facing his team.

  He watched the witch float upwards, like a thing possessed, and blast flames from both her hands at the archers that had assembled on the ramparts.

  To the side of her, using the flames as a distraction, the sabretooth was clawing its way up the turret like a panther up a tree.

  Alexia aimed her first arrow, an explosive shot which flew straight and true and blasted against Sulfur’s side.

  It took a chunk of Sulfur’s health but did little to deter him. He didn’t run but paced calmly back towards Christian. The tip of Sulfur’s sword began to glow blue.

  Christian had backed away a good fifteen paces, readying himself for the shot. He gritted his teeth and held his sword Ashana up. He was ready for all the good it would do against the blast.

  Come on then you bastard.

  Sulfur stepped forward and aimed the sword laser at Christian. The tip of the sword was bright and steaming against the cold.

  Then at the last second, Sulfur pivoted, blasting the laser at the unprotected back of the witch. The shot threw her face-first into the ramparts, smashing her into the stone, and she fell like a dead black bird.

  Sulfur turned back to Christian with a cold smile. With two fingers outstretched he performed a small circle with his hand. “I’ve been fighting your kind since I was a child, wanderer.”

  A magical barrier appeared in front of him. Sulfur seemed to have calmed down now as he zoned into the fight.

  This isn’t good, Christian realized.

  Sulfur closed the distance and swung his sword down at Christian. This one Christian had to block. Even blocking it, his HP fell.

  Damage: 20 HP

  Christian’s Health 300/320

  He tasted blood in his mouth

  He is too strong.

  Christian tried to counter, but his blow bounced harmlessly against the barrier.

  A wicked grin was plastered across Sulfur’s lips. “You’re too weak, fool!” He swung again and again at Christian, blows flying in a blur, and all Christian could do was try and get his blade to each one. Christian parried, ducked and struck back, but the barrier deflected his blow. He threw a Frost Bolt and the barrier took it. Arrows from Alexia whizzed by, but they all bounced harmlessly from the barrier’s invisible surface.

  Sulfur focused his attacks on Christian, swing after swing.

  Block, block, block. Christian tried to parry but Sulfur was already countering; the last strike fully with connected with Christian’s side, ripped away a half of his health and sent him sprawling on the snow-sprinkled ground.

  Damage: 150 HP

  Christian’s health: 150/320

  Sulfur stepped towards him to finish it, when another explosive arrow hit his barrier.

  His eyes flicked up to Alexia. “How dare you. You should be on your knees begging for your life.” He sprinted off towards her.

  He’s going to kill them all and make me watch.

  Christian dragged himself up and staggered after Sulfur. Atop the ramparts, the archers were screaming; the Sabretooth was amongst them, wreaking havoc.

  Sulfur ran into Alexia like a battering ram. His first blow connected and sent her flying. “This is what you get for spurning Sark’s mercy!” He hacked at her as she fell, the two powerful blows sending her health deep into the red.

  Sulfur lifted his blade to finish her, sparing a glance for Christian.

  Christian was sprinting towards them as fast as he could. But Sulfur was out of reach.

  I’m too late.

  Then Sulfur’s face contorted in confusion.

  The witch was standing, a sliver of her health left, channeling a powerful Ice Blizzard towards Sulfur. His barrier was blocking the damage, but the strength of it had stayed Sulfur’s blade. Alexia crawled away.

  Christian ran forwards and, with a roar, he attacked Sulfur with reckless abandon. The ice of the witch’s spell surrounding them both with spinning flakes of snow.

  He struck Sulfur again and again. This time Sulfur was slowed by the ice. Christian caught him twice, but Sulfur’s barrier took all the damage. Meanwhile Sulfur’s counters were still catching Christian, slicing away chuck after chunk of his health.

  Notifications rung out; Damage: 30HP, Damage: 40 HP, Christian’s Health: 80/320

  Then, Sulfur dodged Christian’s strike and threw himself forward with a rushing special move. The blow caught Christian straight in the chest. Sulfur’s sword pierced Christian’s armor and slid through him.

  Alexia’s words echoed in his mind. “If you’re under 10% health, all bets are off.”

  Christian looked down to see he was impaled. Sulfur grinned at him from the end of his sword. Despite the pain, Christian lifted his free
hand to grip Sulfur’s blade and managed to smile back.

  He activated his Ice Armor.

  The armor sprung up from his skin, locking Sulfur’s sword through his chest. The spiked helm slammed over Christian’s face.

  With the last of his strength, Christian reeled his head back and performed Yeti Headbutt against Sulfur’s face.

  The move disabled the barrier.

  Sulfur staggered backward, stunned.

  Christian looked down to see half of Sulfur’s sword sticking out of him. His health draining from the blow.

  I’m dying.

  He tried to step forward but fell to his knees. He felt almost out of his own body as he watched Sulfur’s face loom above him. Sulfur grabbed the handle of his sword and Christian had the sensation of being pulled up like a puppet on a string as Sulfur tried to dislodge the blade from his chest. But it was secured in place by the Ice Armor.

  Christian held onto the blade with his free hand, and grimly watched as his health ticked down, the slightest slither of red left.

  I’m going to die.

  A volley of arrows zipped past, Alexia’s arrow rain smashed into Sulfur’s unprotected back and knocked him backwards out of view. Sulfur’s blade was still in Christian’s chest.

  Ice and snow whipped around Christian as he lay on his side, and a notification chimed.

  Cold Stoic Active.

  +5% health regeneration

  +5% damage dealt

  -5% damage received

  Christian’s health went up a tick.

  I won’t die. Not like this.

  He managed to pull Sulfur’s blade out from his chest and used it to stand.

  In one hand he held Ashana, in the another he had Sulfur’s sword.

  Sulfur had recovered from the arrow rain, though the arrows had made it through his armor and were sticking out of him at every angle. He was bleeding from his nose and mouth from the headbutt.

  The blizzard whipped the air around them. Sulfur turned away from Christian and loping into the storm.

  Visibility reduced, Christian hunted through the blizzard for Sulfur, both swords at the ready.

  Sulfur emerged from the ice storm, armed with a dagger.

  Christian managed to block Sulfur’s first swipe while swinging the other sword. The second sword caught Sulfur full in the side, tearing away his health.

  But his enemy ignored it and swung again. This time Christian ducked, pivoting in a circle, and brought Ashana up through the middle as hard as he could.

  He felt Ashana slide through Sulfur’s guts. Christian charged forward, driving Sulfur back towards the witch and Alexia.

  A spell of fire hit Sulfur in the back, and arrow after arrow thudded into him as Christian’s charge pushed him towards his allies.

  Christian stumbled and both slammed into the ground. But he managed to push himself up to his feet first while Sulfur only managed to get to his knees. Christian stood and, with a roar, he pulled Ashana from Sulfur’s middle, leaving the huge man clutching his guts, Sulfur’s health was deep in the red.

  Sulfur had a half smile as he looked down at the mess of himself. Blood dripped from his mouth and through his hands around his middle.

  Sulfur looked up at Christian, his eyes full of hate. “You’ll never beat Sark.”

  “Yes, we will.” Christian let Ashana sing. He swung the blade as hard as he could.

  It glided through Sulfur’s neck, searing through skin, tubes and bone and sent Sulfur’s head spinning off into the snow.

  Sulfur’s mutilated body slumped forward while his heart pumped its last charge out, red against the white blanket of snow.

  Notifications rung out as Christian received a mountain of XP and leveled up once again.

  Level Up!

  Congratulations you are level 12!

  +5 Stat points to distribute.

  Alexia shouted out. “Christian, we’ve got to get out of here.”

  Christian surveyed the scene. The witch had managed to pull Alexia to her feet and had an arm wrapped around her. The sabretooth crashed down from the ramparts, its face covered in the gore of the archers with a number of arrows sticking out from its flank.

  Everyone’s health was at critical.

  Beyond the ramparts there was a flicker of movement. Up high, the fortress was framed by amber streaks of dawn. Then, Christian saw it again: a figure leaping from battlement to battlement. It crashed down as it jumped impossible distances, leaping a few stories down at a time. It was heading towards them.

  It’s Sark. He is coming for us.

  Christian limped towards Sulfur’s head and placed it in his Inventory.

  I promised Tarquen.

  He wrapped his arm under Alexia’s and together they ran stumbled away from the fortress. Alexia passed the witch the portal stones. The witch cracked them open and cast the stones out, marking a wide circle in the snow. Each of the five stones were the size of a fist with a different rune etched into it.

  Beyond, they heard the wail of horn, as more of Sark’s men began to muster beyond the gate.

  “Witch, hurry,” Christian said. “Sark is almost here.”

  The witch began muttering spells, her hands outstretched; the five stones were blackened and broken.

  It has to work. It has to.

  Then one of the stones lit up, glowing blue.

  Christian could see Sark clearly now. He watched as he leapt from a turret, vaulted across to a rampant then jumped thirty feet across to a nearby roof.

  Another one of the portal stones lit up.

  The sabretooth began to growl. The first of the guards poked their heads above the battlement. Alexia shot the man in the head and his skull exploded.

  Another two guards fired arrows at them on the other side, Christian shot a Frost Bolt back. An archer got a shot off; the arrow grazed Christian’s shoulder, knocking him back and taking another slither away from his health.

  The third portal stone lit up.

  Come on.

  Then Christian saw him. Sark was sprinting at them across the main rampart, full pelt, his twin daggers moving like sprinter batons, his legs moving in a blur.

  Shit, shit, shit.

  Christian shot a Frost Bolt at him and Alexia tried her luck, her hands moving fast as she fired arrow after arrow at Sark’s speeding form.

  A fire ball flew towards them from the other side of the rampart; mages had replaced the archers. The sabretooth exploded it with a swipe of its huge paw, then two arrows thudded into its flank and it snarled in pain.

  The gate began to crank up and hundreds of soldiers poured from underneath it.

  “We are sitting ducks,” Christian shouted. “Get us out of here!”

  The witch screamed, white tendrils of mana pouring from both her hands and being sucked towards to the stones.

  The fourth stone lit, but it was too late. Christian watched as Sark leapt from the main battlement towards them. Their whole world slowed down as Sark sailed through the air, his twin daggers extended like the fangs of a cobra in mid-strike.

  Alexia’s arrows trailed behind the path he made. Christian lifted his palm and used the rest of his mana to activate Arctic Gale and blast ice.

  Sark’s eyes were ablaze, his teeth clenched, both daggers ready to cut them to pieces. He was going to land right on top of them.

  Time seemed to stop.

  Beyond, a full volley of arrows was in the air, four balls of fire were trailing towards them leaving tendrils of smoke through the winter’s air. Below, hundreds of guards were pouring out of the main gate towards them.

  It’s over. Christian thought. We’re too late.

  Then the last portal stone sparked up, connecting like tesla coils. A glowing white light shot from each one and just as Sark was about to land, the light curled up in front of them.

  Everything was suddenly bright. The ground fell out from underneath them.

  Christian was pulled into a gut-wrenching fall. He spun through the
air, blinded by the brightness.

  Then he slammed into solid stone.

  31

  Christian opened his eyes; it was painfully bright.

  For a second, he thought that Sark had managed to kill him. But the pain lancing through his side immediately told him he wasn’t newly alive, but that he had survived. He blinked and the ground came into focus.

  He pushed himself up.

  They were in a huge room, like the center of a cathedral, with high windows on each side and grand pillars that soared up into a vaulted ceiling. The portal stones were set out neatly on the polished stone floor.

  Alexia was next to him; he helped her to her feet as the witch and the sabretooth stood too.

  He squinted against the bright light which streamed in through the windows.

  The ground beneath him rocked very slightly like he was on a huge ship.

  “Oh, you’ll get used to that,” Alexia said with a tired smile.

  Up on the wall was a huge sigil of a hammer and sword overlaid engraved into the stone.

  The sigil of the Artificer.

  In his ears a high trumpet sounded.

  Quest: Free the Witch from the Kingdom of the Red Fist: Success!

  Level up!

  Congratulations you are level 13!

  +10 Stat points to distribute.

  New skill unlocked: Ice Weapons

  “We did it,” Christian managed to whisper. His body was a mass of pain.

  “Yeah,” Alexia said. “We did it. This is your uncle’s fortress. Home.”

  “All of you,” the witch said, “come closer to me.”

  The witch held her hands up and green light shot from them. They were all enveloped in a glowing hue of green. Christian felt the throbbing in his ribs ease and watched his health bar replenish.

  “Thank you,” Christian said.

  “We should go and find your uncle,” Alexia said.

  The witch took a deep breath and nodded. Her nostrils had dried blood on them, her skin coated with grime and her hair matted up.