Striker, a skill for the use of melee weapons such as swords and spears.
The sound of a bird overhead. For some reason, it did not sound like any bird Matteo had heard before. No point in chasing a runaway thought. He had to make the idea return to him.
Sharpshooter, for ranged weapons and guns.
It sounded like a screech, but almost hidden beneath that was a roar?
Shadowfiend, for those who prefer a stealthier approach.
Matteo looked up. A part of his memory jolted, but he was still recalling the information about the various skills. For the next skill, he remembered all the minute details, since it was something he had been thinking long and hard about.
Reasoner, a skill that allows people to use the pacifist route, since their conversations get them through the game. It increases the charisma of players, allowing them better knowledge of the world around them. If they have a conversation with another player for long enough, then they are able to extract one piece of vital information about the opponent. The special move of the skill, God Talk, allows the player to summon a god to have a conversation with them, using the god to exchange ideas and come to a peaceful resolution. Conversations with the god cannot last for more than fifteen minutes.
Something brushed against the crown of a nearby tree. Was that the wind?
Bloodhound was meant for players who preferred to sense players, objects, and creatures nearby and lay traps.
Realizing that he needed to make a choice, Matteo continued to go through the information in his head. Even if there was something out there, it would not be good to panic at the moment.
Magemancer allows players to expertly cast spells.
Matteo felt his heart slowing its rhythm. That was good. At least for now.
Finally, there is the Gladiator class.
Taking a deep breath and pushing away the idea that there might be hidden figures in the shadows, Matteo focused his hearing. He wanted to listen to that sound again. There was something oddly familiar about it.
The stillness of the forest amplified every other noise. Matteo could hear himself swallowing, and the sound was so loud, he thought it was capable of alerting anyone even a mile away.
Screech and roar above the forest.
That was no bird. Matteo recognized the sound. The pounding of his heart returned. Except this time, it felt as though the organ wanted to burst out of its chest and flee into the forest. He didn’t want to make a move. The owner of the screech-roar had eyesight that was so sharp, it could pick out a rabbit moving from as far as eight miles.
Instead, Matteo called out to the person closest to him. Alonzo. The only advantage he had was that of sound. While the entity above him had spectacular vision, the same couldn’t be said about its auditory reception. Yet, Matteo didn’t want to accidentally be so loud as to give away his position.
Using a “psst” sound, followed by his name, Matteo called out to Alonzo. The sleeping man did not react, not even with a twitch. On the second try, Alonzo merely stirred. Most rustling of leaves, as though the entity above was repeatedly trying to rattle the top of the trees.
A flash of inspiration presented itself to Matteo. He stopped calling out to his companion. Instead, he merely listened, while focusing on the canopy of trees.
Movement of the branches, but it came from a tree further away from Matteo. Not yet. Another shifting in the canopy. Once again, not on any of the trees near him.
Then, it happened. Leaves rustled directly above him. The entity had passed him by. Taking the opportunity, he pushed himself forward, kicked Alonzo’s feet, and retreated into the shadows.
The sleeping man sat up with a start, his knife in his hands.
“Alonzo,” hissed Matteo. “No time to think. Lie back down.”
The reaction was instant. Alonzo was back into his sleeping position so fast, it made Matteo wonder if the man had even woken up.
Another screech-roar.
“What is that?” asked Alonzo.
“A Griffin,” said Matteo. It seemed as though the creature was circling around their position, but it hadn’t pinpointed exactly where they were.
“What the hell is a Griffin doing here?” asked Alonzo, shock evident in his voice. “That’s a level six creature.”
“Something is terribly wrong,” said Matteo. “First a Minotaur and now a Griffin. These creatures are not meant for this realm. Midgard should have more Goblins and Draugr.”
“You are right, Sir Godlike. I haven’t seen beginner level creatures at all. Do you think the Shockers have used them to level up? Maybe that’s how Kabaka gained so much experience, as well.”
The Griffin brushed against a nearby tree’s crown with such force that it began to rain leaves and branches.
The sound woke Shaury and Kabaka.
“Get back down,” whispered Matteo loudly.
The fact that Alonzo was always ready to obey a suggestion was perhaps why he had reacted so quickly. In the case of Shaury and Kabaka, the reaction was delayed. They definitely understood the urgency of the request, but they could not react in time.
A giant winged creature crashed through the roof of the forest, destroying leaves and branches along the way. Its passage created a giant hole in the canopy, allowing faint early morning light to filter through. The beast floated in the rays of illumination, a creature both majestic and frightening. It had wings the length of three adult humans. The head and the front legs resembled those of an eagle, but the body, from the belly to the hind legs and all the way to the creature’s tail, was that of a lion. Each time the creature beat its wings, gusts of wind would blow debris in the direction of Matteo and the gang.
The Griffin landed on the ground with a thud, its wings spread wide in one last display of size before folding toward its body. It did not move, not did it attack. The creature did not have to do anything at that point. It was clearly comfortable in its power and was confident about its battle prowess. It seemed to Matteo that the creature was standing there as a dare.
The Griffin was issuing a challenge, as if it wanted to give Matteo and his team a handicap.
“Oh, bloody hell,” said Kenji, who was now on his feet.
A staring competition. At least, that was what it felt like for Matteo. As long as no one made a move, the Griffin would wait patiently. He wondered what it must be like for the creature to look down on easy prey. It might be wondering whether it should just finish the job, or toy around with its meal. Nothing like breakfast and some entertainment.
“Everyone,” said Matteo and it seemed to him as though the Griffin had subtly turned its head to face him. “That right there is worth two thousand points.”
“That’s what is going on in your mind?” asked Kenji incredulously.
Information flashed into Matteo’s mind and he shared it out loud. “Griffin. Its ability to fly gives it plenty of advantage. The beak and claws are both used to attack. But do not underestimate its tail, which has the strength to lift a human—except Kabaka, since he is pretty heavy. Don’t try to trick it when it is looking at you. It can see things with clarity even from miles away.”
A purring sound emanated from deep within the Griffin’s chest. It was sending a warning.
“Its weakness is the top of its head. But you need to pierce the skin deeply. Probably from a ranged weapon or maybe like—”
“A knife,” interjected Alonzo. “Please, don’t look at me. I am holding my blade behind my back. And I am not sure if that thing can read expressions or not, but I don’t want to take the risk.”
“We need to create a party,” said Kabaka.
No one had the time to respond. Letting out a screech-roar, the beast shot forward, its speed staggeringly fast. Matteo saw its claws rear in front of it, waiting to shred its prey into bits.
The claws reached Matteo.
Kabaka reached him faster. With a shout that seemed like a war cry, Kabaka threw a punch at the claws. The attack connected, but apart
from staggering the beast, it did nothing to stop its flight. Matteo took the opportunity to duck, but his reaction was futile.
The Griffin stopped suddenly and spread its wings in an attempt to strike anyone nearby. It was a clever move, and it worked. One of its wings clipped Shaury, sending her flying backwards. She bounced against a rock and came crashing down on the forest floor.
Alonzo made his way toward Matteo.
“Get to Shaury,” Matteo yelled.
“Kenji, go heal her,” Kabaka’s voice boomed.
There was no response. The Griffin lifted up into the air, the beat of its wings sending a small shockwave of air. When Matteo gave a quick glance toward his team, he noticed Kenji running to the trees.
“Kenji,” shouted Matteo. The boy looked back with fear in his eyes. That alone was enough to reveal his intentions. Matteo couldn’t blame the boy. He wasn’t old enough to fight large beasts. “Run, Kenji. Get out of here.”
At least one of them would live.
From right underneath the Griffin, Kabaka delivered another punch, this time to one of its hind legs. He seemed to have done something, since the beast screech-roared and flew backwards. Kabaka was now in the beast's sights.
Rather than attack him directly, the creature lifted a large piece of log with its tail and hurled it at Kabaka, who reacted quickly and delivered a punch. The log split into two from the force of the attack, but that small moment of distraction was all the Griffin needed. Its head shot forward and, in a flash of golden sparks, Kabaka was thrown backwards. He crashed into a tree, but landed on the forest floor in a crouch.
Matteo checked Kabaka’s health. 1250/1550. He faced the Griffin.
It was just in time. The beast repeated its previous attack, but this time, it was headed for Matteo. The beak closed in and Matteo tried ducking once again. The bottom of the creature’s lower beak ploughed into Matteo’s back, and he found himself skidding along the forest floor.
Instantly, Matteo tried to get to his feet. One should not lie still when facing an opponent such as a Griffin, which was both smart and quick. When he was on his feet, he saw the beak heading toward him again.
A piece of branch bounced harmlessly against its body and the Griffin turned to see Shaury on her feet. It roared and changed direction.
Its tail sailed through the air like a whip, wrapping around Matteo’s waist. Even though it was distracted, it hadn’t forgotten its original target. The Griffin tried to pull.
Kabaka arrived in time, wrapping his hands around the tail and pulling the beast. The Griffin came to a sudden halt. Another screech-roar erupted from its beak, but this time, there was a hint of annoyance.
Its wing twitched. Once again, it understood where its opponents were positioned. Even though it had focused on Kabaka, it wanted to inflict as much damage as possible. It wanted to use its wings to attack again.
The wing shot out, but Alonzo had already pushed Shaury out of the way. The strike hit him square in the chest. Matteo watched the knife slip from the man’s grasp as he was thrown from the impact.
The Griffin pulled on its tail. Both Kabaka and Matteo were dragged forward slightly, but the bigger man was too strong for the Griffin’s pull. Instead, the beast opened its beak, ready to strike again. Again, it tried tugging at its tail.
This time, Kabaka let go. The beast tripped backwards and crashed into the stream, loosening its hold on Matteo.
Taking advantage of the freedom he now had, Matteo grabbed a nearby rock and hurled it at the now exposed head of the Griffin. The beast lifted its head in time, but the rock found a spot on the beak, close to its eyes, and bounced off. The creature shook its head, as though some material found its way into its eye.
Matteo saw Alonzo struggling to get on his feet. The man needed some elixir real fast. At least the beast wasn’t focused on him, which was a small comfort since Matteo had no idea where the leaf-cones were. Well, one leaf-cone, since three had been used to revive Kabaka.
The Griffin was on its feet, another threat escaping its beak. Shaury stood with a rock in her hand, and Matteo could see that she was ready to fight till the very end. Kabaka stood in an attack pose, as though planning to grapple the beast.
“Somebody needs to get to Alonzo,” shouted Matteo, attracting the attention of the beast.
That was when Kenji burst out of the trees, a single leaf-cone held in his hand like a guiding torch. He was headed straight for Alonzo.
The Griffin switched its attention to the boy. Shaury launched her rock, which struck the creature's chest. The beast gave her a brief glance before turning back to the running Kenji. While the distraction was small, it was enough to allow the boy to reach Alonzo and offer him the leaf-cone.
Then, the beast wrapped its tail around one half of the log it had thrown at Kabaka earlier and flicked it in the air. The piece of wood sailed over the Griffin’s body in an arc. At first, it seemed as though the attack was a desperate move, a vain attempt by the beast to try to do anything. As the log headed toward the ground, however, Matteo realized that the beast had a terrifying accuracy.
“Kenji,” shouted Shaury, realizing the same thing. “Look out.”
The boy looked up in time to see the log headed straight for him. He leaped to the side, away from Alonzo, but the log struck his arm nonetheless. Kenji was sent spinning through the air before landing hard. When he recovered, he looked at the empty leaf-cone in his hand.
Alonzo did not have the opportunity to take even a small sip of the elixir.
“Guys,” said Kenji meekly. “I don’t have any more elixir.”
The Griffin screech-roared and launched itself toward Kenji. It had found an easy prey, and there was nothing that would come between it and its kill. The beak was wide open, ready to finish off Kenji with just one attack.
Once again, Kabaka leaped in front, his hands clasping the beak. The Griffin came to a sudden stop, pushing Kabaka a few feet backwards. The man didn’t let go. Instead, he wrapped his hands around the hook of the beak, and soon enough the Griffin tried to pull away, only to find itself held firmly by the big man. Every now and then, Kabaka would slide forward with the force of the Griffin’s pull, but he never let go.
“Finish it off,” shouted Kabaka, lifting one hand and bringing it down on the beak. The move caused no harm, but Matteo could see that it dazed the beast for a few seconds.
Matteo thought back to the battle. What could anyone do against the beast? Trying to reach on top of the creature was easier said than done. It was a devastating opponent. Quick. Smart. Relentless.
The creature did not stop struggling. Matteo wondered why it was not adopting a new tactic. Why wasn’t the creature thrashing about, or using its wings? Why was it still trying to pry its beak free from Kabaka’s grasp?
Then, Matteo noticed Kabaka’s ingenuity. Each knock the man delivered to the beak, the beast would stagger for a few seconds. Somehow, the big man had figured out how long the stagger effect lasted, and he kept repeatedly pummeling the Griffin each time the beast recovered.
It was a solid plan. “Check life Kabaka,” said Matteo.
The damage suffered by Kabaka during his initial collision with the beak had taken its toll. His health had dropped from 1250 to 750. Nearly 500 points of damage from a single hit.
That was when Matteo noticed something else.
Kabaka’s health continued to drop.
720.
700.
680.
The man was slowly losing health as he wrestled with the beast. Which meant that the initial strike had taken fewer health points from the man, but he had been losing health the whole while.
“Everyone,” Kabaka yelled, “form a party.”
No one spoke. Shaury was looking around for a weapon. She spotted Alonzo’s knife and picked it up. With a fury in her eyes, she headed toward the Griffin.
“No, Shaury,” shouted Matteo. “Can you confidently make that jump on top of its head?”
T
he question stopped the woman. She looked at the beast, hesitated, and then finally shook her head. When she glanced at Kabaka, there was a look of pure desperation flooded her eyes. She was watching her friend die and there was nothing she could do about it.
All they had to do was lower the beast. Find a way to bring it to its knees.
Matteo blinked twice.
To its knees.
What had happened when Kabaka had struck the hind leg of the beast? Matteo forced his mind to ignore the plight of his friend and focus on the memory. It hadn’t fallen to the ground. No, that was not it. It had lost its balance.
“Shaury,” shouted Matteo. “Invite everyone to the party. Start with Kenji.”
It seemed no one responded. Shaury looked at Matteo with a perplexed expression. Kenji had a desperate look in his eyes. Alonzo was slowly getting to his feet.
“Shaury, now,” roared Kabaka as he dropped another strike on the beak.
“Party invite,” shouted Shaury. “Kenji.”
Kenji looked like he was on the verge of panic. Alonzo walked to him and placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder. It was as though electricity had passed through the arm. Kenji jolted out of his thoughts, looking straight up at Alonzo.
“Come on, Kenji,” said Alonzo.
The boy pursed his lips.
Matteo looked at Kabaka’s health. It was down to 380. “We don’t have much time, Kenji. It’s now or never.”
“Invite,” shouted the young boy, his eyes filled with tears, “accepted.”
So, that’s how one accepts an invite. Matteo was now ready. “Shaury, keep going.”
“Party invite. Kabaka.”
“Invite accepted,” said Kabaka through clenched teeth.
“Kenji,” Matteo heard Alonzo say. “The canteen. When we left Boss’s group, I stole the canteen from his duffel bag and filled it with the elixir. Do you know where it is?”
This time, Kenji did not spend time looking around in shock. He got to his feet and sprinted toward the stream.
Kabaka’s health had dropped to 280.
“Shaury,” said Matteo. The woman looked at him. “When I yell go, run for the hind legs. Hit it with all your might. Take the left. I’ll take the right. You understand?”
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