“What about the foblins?” Malkyr asked.
“They will be slaughtered,” Bob said grimly. “As was their purpose from the beginning.”
We watched from our hideout as the trained cavalry charged into the sea of foblins. The small creatures fell before them like hay before a farmer, leaving a wide trail of dead bodies in their wake. Half of the foblins tried to break off, screaming, while the other half tried to attack the enemy.
Naturally, the two halves collided. Some of them even started brawling.
The horsemen turned and once again charged into the mass of creatures. Their charge went unopposed, and dozens of foblins died every second, some by sword, some simply trampled by the horses.
I had to clench my fists to stop myself from acting. Foblins were nothing more than fodder. They were not intelligent, could barely even be considered sentient creatures, but they were still my people. The goblin in me roared in protest at the massacre that unfolded in front of me. But I held myself firm. Casualties were unavoidable.
“Finally, they’re here,” Sullivan said with relief a minute later.
The riders had killed half the foblins by the time the pikemen arrived to engage. A thousand foblins had died just to make sure the trap triggered properly.
Bob put two fingers in his mouth and let out a sharp whistle. Motes of authority accompanied the sound, and I could detect the threads of command layered into it.
The foblins turned and ran toward us. The humans pursued, pikemen impaling foblins by the score and riders trampling down those who tried to break away.
“Don’t let them escape into the mists!” I heard one of the enemy officers yell. “Horsemen, cut off their escape.”
The riders broke off and raced ahead, blocking the foblins, while the pikemen boxed them in from behind.
“Now, now!” Sullivan shouted.
I raised my hand to my earring. “Go, go, go!”
As the two lines of guardsmen closed in on the terrified foblins, two attack forces of our own, led by groups of Ogres and followed by hob soldiers, erupted from their hideout like striking snakes. Aided by the AWC’s Rapid Deployment speed bonus, the force executed a pincer strike maneuver. The enemy that had boxed in our foblins suddenly found itself being boxed in return. It had a sort of poetic justice feel.
The city soldiers looked up in alarm at the hordes of monsters. More and more of my troops poured out into the open, thickening our forces’ lines as they spread forth to encircle the enemy.
“It’s a trap!” an enemy officer spluttered. He pointed to the gap where our lines were about to meet. “Horsemen, charge and hold that breach until the footmen escape!”
Sullivan patted me on the shoulder. “That’s your cue, Chief.”
I cracked my neck. “I’m ready.”
We’d planned for this event.
I put a hand on each of our two strongest fighters, Rhyno and Bob, and teleported away.
***
We appeared at the center of the gap. Our two lines were converging fast, but they were too overextended at the moment to block the incoming mounted charge.
A group of horse riders stormed toward our position like a wave of flesh and metal.
Four Ogre Mages and several hob tanks reached us – not enough to form an unbreachable wall.
Or so they thought.
Dark mana crackled around my staff. Bring it on, bitches.
We had several seconds before the riders reached us, plenty of time to work some magic.
I raised a hand and cast Dark Protection. Shimmering blobs of dark force materialized out of thin air around 30 of my nearest troops, bolstering their defenses. Using the power of my full armor set, I cast another spell in rapid succession, and the Ogre Mages around me copied my movements. Five mana shields sprang into existence, thickening the line blocking the exit.
Then I let myself let loose completely. The maniacal grin came on its own as I froze the nearest rider and sent my dagger to claim his life. Not pausing to think, I summoned eight shadow hounds and then hurled a Direball at the closely knit riders. The ball of darkness detonated just as the mastiffs finished materializing. Due to the daylight and the penalty of the Direball spell, I only inflicted minor injuries, but that wasn’t my intent. The leading horses reared in fright at the sudden pain and shadowy monsters that snapped at their heels. Several riders were thrown from their saddles, and the rest halted their charge, trying to take control of their frightened mounts, bringing disarray to the ranks of those who charged behind them. But about a dozen riders pushed on, desperate to unlock the trap we’d sprung on them and allow their friends to escape.
I couldn’t allow that.
With a small exertion of my will, I connected my mana shield with the four Ogres’ shields next to me, empowering them all with my substantial mana reserves.
The horses plowed into us. Hobs and even Ogres were sent flying. The shields wavered and rippled, but they held. We had brought them to a stop.
With their momentum gone, the riders lost most of their advantage. The rest of the army was already closing ranks, converging on the enemy from all sides, letting the surviving foblins escape the field of carnage.
Arrows rained down everywhere, turning guardsmen into pincushions, while the tanks pressed them in, the AWC’s Shield Wall ability allowing them to link up their shields and protect their comrades. The Ogres struck from above, some using oversized maces, others striking with claws made of shadow.
But the victory was far from assured.
Caught off-guard and in disarray, the enemy soldiers suffered wounds and casualties. However, most of them were still on their feet, still fighting, and they were pulling back into formations. Having twice the levels of our average soldiers was not something to take lightly.
I saw a pikeman skewer an Infernal Ogre with a single thrust then throw it off the weapon, crushing three hob rookies. A man in heavy mail was ignoring the dozens of arrows sticking out of his armor and battled five lieutenants on his own. And he was gaining the upper hand.
Still, there was no ignoring numbers. As more of my troops fell, even more came to replace them. Next to me, Rhyno swung his giant mace, sending a rider’s head flying away into the distance like a golf ball. To my surprise, I noticed Bek peeking from underneath the Ogre’s armor to launch a volley of three drilling arrows at another enemy. Bob thrust his hands forward and vines shot out of the ground, entangling three soldiers and holding them as the general hacked them apart with his sword. Yulli’s stream of arrows was easily discernible, as hers were the only ones causing serious damage to the armored enemies.
Then the seven elite squads joined in the fray. Headed by Malkyr, the player-led squads executed a perfect flanking strike, catching isolated pockets of soldiers between them and hacking them to pieces. The seven squads included some of my most veteran soldiers who were around level 25 and the newer troops we’d sent out to hunt oxsaurians, raising their levels to a respectable 12.
Each squad was led by a tank fully clad in thick glassteel armor, stopping attacks of enemies nearly twice their level.
I saw Kyth standing on the shoulders of one such tank, laughing and shooting freezing rays. All around me, killing strokes were mitigated to critical injuries as Shared Pain II came into play, buying time for the healers to move in.
And move in they did. The goblin adepts waded between our forces, easily slipping between the taller hobs and even between Ogres’ legs, throwing heals at wounded soldiers, bringing them back from the brink of death.
I laughed, letting the joy of battle fill me, as I froze and sacrificed one high-level human after another, sending double volleys of drilling arrows everywhere, to the beautifully organized, bloody chaos around me.
Lirian was at my back now, guarded by her two hulking bodyguards, only occasionally getting close enough to an enemy for a strike, but when she did, her otherworldly sword sheared through armor and limb with ease.
We had killed almost half of
the enemies by now, but the remaining fought on desperately. They struggled till the very end, knowing there was no escape for them. For every one we took down, they killed three of us. We were winning, but we were paying a heavy price for it.
We were fully engaged now and outnumbered the enemy by five to one. Half of the army stayed put, getting ready to spring in if necessary, There was simply not enough room for them to engage. But this wasn’t the last surprise we’d prepared.
“Now!” Bob shouted, springing the final part of the trap.
Using the chaos and distraction, the kobold assassins made their move. They rushed in, sliding between the larger soldiers’ legs, using them for cover to launch a coordinated mass sneak attack.
As if someone blew the surrender horn, the battle simply ended. The remaining guardsmen looked around stupidly, discovering two or sometimes three small reptilian creatures standing on their shoulders, daggers deeply embedded in their throats. They were already dead, but it took them a second to realize it.
We’d won.
Then I frowned. Someone was still fighting.
I moved forward, my troops melting to the sides to let me pass as I walked to the center of the battlefield.
A single enemy warrior was still alive. A dwarf, wearing heavy armor and wielding a metal shield and an axe, was fighting four Ogre Mages at once.
“Come at me, you ugly beasties,” the dwarf shouted. Despite his face being streaked with blood, he banged the axe on his plated chest, delivering a taunt that drew some of the nearest hobs to him.
My eyes widened as I realized something. The dwarf was a player. “No, wait–” I started to shout, but it was too late.
The nearby soldiers howled maniacally and threw themselves at him, covering him in a heap of flailing bodies. His impressive armor absorbed a lot of the damage, but it was obvious he was doomed.
That must have been the player Gilroy talked about. And we’d just missed our chance to speak with him.
A pure bright light erupted from the pile of bodies. It itched my skin, and a terrible sense of dread came over me. “Turn back, turn back!” I shouted at my troops. Some of them moved to follow, but most were simply too slow to react.
The light reached a blinding level then detonated. I glimpsed the pile of soldiers as my eyes teared up. They had completely disintegrated. Not even a single corpse remained.
Everyone within a ten-meter radius from the source of the light simply evaporated. And I was standing right at the edge of the destruction. Something was sizzling and smoking at my side. I brought up my arm and stared at the damage. The limb had transformed into a sizzling chunk of blood and gore. Burnt to a crisp.
Light burst hit you for 300 damage (base 200 +50% from light vulnerability).
The goddamn dwarf had hit us with a light-based attack.
The dust of our slain soldiers fell down on us. The light dimmed, and I found myself staring at the grinning level 20 player.
“Hey there, fugly.” The dwarf spoke in a very memorable southern accent. “We finally meet again.”
“Ragnar,” I spat. “You’re the Agent of Light.”
“Wha’ gave me away?” He let out an evil laugh. “Was it tha’ light show, fugly?”
“What are you doing here?” From the corner of my eyes, I saw my forces rallying to attack, and I motioned for them to hold.
“Wha’ else?” His grin broadened. “Came ta kill ya dead, boy, just like I promised. I’m a man of my word.”
Kyth, Aly, and some of the other players came to stand by my side. “Hey kiddo,” the gnomblin said with a smile. “Seems like we started on the wrong foot here.”
“I like my feet just fine where they are,” Ragnar said. He didn’t seem the least bit worried about the overwhelming odds stacked against him.
“You don’t understand, man,” Malkyr said earnestly, lowering his axe. “We’re working together to help trapped players everywhere. You included. We have a secure base we can get everyone into.”
“I understand just fine, boy,” Ragnar answered. “I remember you. You were one of them players that came to save this fugly’s mudhole.” He pointed at me. “I ain’t never forget a face I plan on killin’. Yor on the list now, boy. Better run before I catch ya.”
Hoshisu scowled. “Are you insane? You can’t possibly enjoy living in this new world. The pain alone–”
“I can handle a little bit o’ sufferin’ just fine, girl,” Ragnar said. He drew out a clear crystal scepter from his inventory and pointed it straight at me. “Just gotta’ kill me a goblin, first.” A glow appeared at the heart of the rod.
“Take him!” Bob shouted.
Over a hundred arrows and drilling arrows filled the air. Ragnar’s health bar bottomed out in an instant. His body disappeared, taking the magical rod with him.
Malkyr huffed. “What an asshole.”
25 - Fallout
Novenguard defenders sacrificed! X 6
+232 Faith Points
Vic spoke in my mind, uncaring about the drama that just took place.
Not now, Vic.
Not now, Vic!
he said with a mock sigh.
I stared at the bloody battlefield. The ground was littered with corpses. We’d killed all the enemy forces all right, but we paid a heavy price for it. Close to 300 of my soldiers died in the exchange, not counting the fifteen hundred dead foblins whose corpses created a macabre red carpet. Now was no time for jokes.
“I can’t believe another stranded player could achieve so much power,” Aly said. “And at level 20, no less.”
“Admirable,” Nero agreed.
“What the hell was that spell he used?” Malkyr asked. “He just incinerated two squads in seconds.”
I scrolled through the battle damage notifications.
Ragnar uses Lord of Light Holy Rod special power: Light’s Burst
200 light damage in a 10-meter radius.
“The goddamn asshole uses light magic,” I cursed.
My clan’s Shadow-Touched trait had given us a powerful advantage over our enemies, but it had one serious flaw; we were especially susceptible to light-based attacks, receiving 50 percent extra damage from it. The light rod had just dealt 300 points of damage to everyone inside the AoE. It was enough to even one-shot the level 13 Ogre bosses.
He was right. Looking around, I realized my lowest-level soldiers had reached level 8, and most of the others got a sizeable progression toward the next level as well.
More levels meant more daily energy gain, which was good since I was going to have to spend a lot of EP to resurrect the fallen troops.
“All in all, I’d say it went fairly well,” Bob said calmly.
“If you say so.” The elation I felt in the heat of battle had left me. I winced as I looked around at the corpse-strewn ground. “We lost a lot of foblins.”
“A small price to pay for destroying a fifth of the enemy’s forces,” the general remarked.
“I guess you’re right,” I said. It didn’t escape me that Bob was using ‘Dire Totem’ less and less when he was addressing me. It was about damn time.
“Alright.” I turned toward the border area. “Loot the bodies, I’ll go resurrect–”
That was all I managed to say before reality faded around me, and I opened my eyes to find myself inside a metal chamber.
***
I was trapped! Somehow my enemies had captured m
e and put me inside a metal tube with weird wiring that connected to my arms and temples.
I snarled as a door opened, revealing a human wearing a lab coat.
The man moved back in fright. “Mr. Berman?”
The words shook me up. “I’m … I’m …” I swallowed. “I’m out of NEO?”
The technician bobbed his head, still looking apprehensive. “Yes. It’s morning. Your friend Tal is on his way. You have a busy day ahead of you.”
“No! You brought me out too early. My army is standing out in the open. I have to get back there immediately.”
The technician raised his hands. “I’m not authorized to log you in, Mr. Berman.” He looked at me almost fearfully. “Is it okay if I disconnect you from the capsule now?”
I gritted my teeth “Fine. But be quick, I need to get back in there.”
Tal found me just as I stomped out of the immersion lab. “Whoa! Hey there, bro. Where are you storming off to?”
“Those idiots brought me out too soon,” I hissed. “I have to get back there now. Where is Gary?”
“Dude, it’s six a.m. right now. There’s almost no one here. The briefing is scheduled for seven. They brought you out a little earlier so you’d have time to get ready. I was just coming to see if you were up for some early coffee and pretzels.”
I groaned. “Tal, that extra hour could have been the time I needed to cement my hold over the entire area. I need to get back there. Now. Where’s Gary?” I asked again.
Tal took out his phone and checked the time. “He’s on the way, but he can’t authorize logging you back in without Mr. Emery’s approval. I’ll call his office.”
I stood there tapping my feet as Tal made the call. After several moments of conversation, my friend hung up. “I spoke to his secretary. She was kinda pissed at being called this early. She wouldn’t let me through to him. Said he’ll arrive at the meeting at the appointed time.”
Life Reset: Human Resource (New Era Online Book 4) Page 42