by Pirateaba
Silence. Regrika shifted in her seat. She looked around and suddenly saw a different room. The Gold-rank adventurers from Griffon Hunt were standing up at their table, adjusting their belts, nodding at each other and spreading out. On the opposite side of the room, the Halfseekers were already in position. Jelaqua lifted her two-handed flail, not trying to hide it.
“You don’t like normal food. You lied about killing Brunkr. And you don’t know about white Gnolls like Mrsha, which every Gnoll knows about.”
Erin’s voice was hard and loud. She was walking backwards, back behind a table where two Drakes were getting to their feet. Zel and Ilvriss walked forwards. A sword was in the Wall Lord’s hands. Zel’s claws were open.
“I see. We were discovered.”
Regrika’s voice was very calm. She remained sitting at the table as the Gold-rank adventurers spread around the room and the two Drakes stopped in front of their table. She smiled at Zel Shivertail, and then looked at Erin.
“One question. How did you know I lied about Brunkr? I passed the truth detection spell the Antinium gave me.”
Erin looked at her and shook her head.
“Isn’t it obvious? It wasn’t about the truth crystal. Everyone was looking at that, but I could tell without it. You gave it all away here.”
She tapped her mouth. Regrika blinked.
“What?”
“It was your smile. You smiled like Mrsha does when she’s been naughty. Kids are bad liars. And so are you.”
Erin looked at Regrika. She reached for something lying on a table and came up with a knife and a frying pan. Halrac growled at her.
“Don’t be a fool! Get out of here!”
Erin didn’t move.
“I want to know who killed Brunkr.”
Ilvriss spat. His eyes were on Regrika and his grip was steady on his sword.
“I don’t care about the Gnoll. But justice is justice and I won’t have the law broken by a Named Adventurer. You, Gnoll! Tell me. Why have you been asking about Ryoka Griffin all day? What’s your connection with her?”
Zel shifted. He stared at Regrika and then Ilvriss. He was wary, his stance low.
“Who are you? What are you doing here?”
Silence. The two adventurers looked at each other. Regrika stared at Ikriss. Ikriss nodded. Losing her temper, Revi shouted as she raised a glowing talisman.
“Well? Answer us!”
Regrika exploded backwards in her chair. She rolled out of it and onto her feet as the table shot towards Moore and Seborn. The half-Giant was knocked off his feet by the impact and Seborn dove out of the way.
“Damn it! Attack!”
Ilvriss and Zel charged forwards at once, towards Regrika. Ulrien and Jelaqua leapt forwards at the same moment as the other adventurers leapt backwards. Halrac looked around and shouted.
“Watch out! The Drake—”
Zel turned. Ikriss had vanished in the moment when Regrika moved. Now he reappeared in front of Zel and Ilvriss. Halrac loosed a shot. Zel swiped.
The arrow struck Ikriss in the back of the neck. The claws tore open his face. But the Drake still moved. He placed a hand on Zel’s stomach and one of Ilvriss’ arms and spoke.
“[Lesser Teleport].”
They vanished in a pop of air. Jelaqua swore and she and Ulrien rushed at Regrika. The Gnoll had her massive sword and shield in one hand. She raised it and blocked Jelaqua’s first swing. Ulrien slashed at her from behind with his greatsword. The blow skated off her armored back as Regrika twisted to one side.
“Typhenous, cover us! Revi! Summons! Erin, get clear! Jelaqua—”
Regrika turned. Ulrien swore and attacked.
“[Devastating Slash]!”
His sword changed trajectory mid-cut. It swerved as Regrika lifted her shield to block and shot down, to her unguarded legs. Ulrien swung with all his might, and his blade bit into the Gnoll’s furred leg. And stopped.
The greatsword shuddered to a halt, buried two inches deep into the Gnoll’s leg. Ulrien stared at his blade as the force of his cut travelled back up into his hands. He tried to step back and wrench his sword free from the impact.
“Weak.”
A sword rose. Regrika brought it down. Ulrien raised his bare arm to protect himself. The sword connected with his arm and there was a flash of light. Something—an amulet exploded on Ulrien’s chest. He stumbled back, his arm still intact.
The second sword stroke took off his head. Ulrien’s body stood for a moment, and then the big man’s corpse collapsed forwards. Jelaqua howled as she lashed Regrika from all sides. The Gnoll stood under the barrage, and then turned and struck. Jelaqua choked as the sword stabbed through her stomach and then leapt back.
“Ulrien?”
Halrac stared, the bow and arrow he’d drawn frozen in his hands. Typhenous roared and threw bolts of magic that blasted into the Gnoll—
And did nothing. She stood in the center of the room, raising her arms, laughing. Regrika turned to Erin as the [Innkeeper] stood frozen in the middle of her inn. The Gnoll’s blade ran with blood. She pointed around the room, at the other adventurers. She ended with Erin.
“You are all dead.”
4.30
Blood dripped from Regrika Blackpaw’s sword and onto the ground. Erin couldn’t take her eyes off it.
Ulrien was dead. The brave Gold-rank adventurer and leader of Griffon Hunt lay on the ground, headless. His greatsword was still embedded in Regrika’s leg. The Gnoll didn’t seem concerned by it. She flicked her sword down and knocked the blade loose. As she did, the adventurers attacked.
Halrac howled as he put two arrows to his bow and shot them.
“[Double Shot]!”
The Gnoll turned and raised her shield. An explosion of fire and some kind of acid burst over her shield. Some sprayed across her face. She didn’t flinch. She turned and then caught another blow from Jelaqua on her other side. She was too quick, too strong!
Erin stared at Ulrien as Regrika fought, stepping around his body. He was dead. Just like that. His magical amulet had protected him from one blow, but not two. It felt impossible. He was a Gold-rank adventurer, and he was Ulrien! She had never really talked to him one-on-one, but he was like a rock. Solid. Dependable. He held his team together and never seemed to get worried.
He couldn’t die so easily. That was what she felt. Someone screamed. Revi hurled five talismans and glowing figures rose from the floor. Regrika cut one down and then another before the summoned beings could fully appear. She turned and ran her sword deep into Moore’s abdomen. The half-Giant grunted, and then punched her. The impact made the floor shake.
His fist broke.
Erin stood behind the table where Zel and Ilvriss had disappeared with the Drake [Mage], Ikriss. She stared at Ulrien. He’d been the first to agree to help her when she’d told him and the others what she suspected. Without hesitation. She’d accused a Named Adventurer and he’d asked her to explain herself while the others were exclaiming or asking if she was crazy. And when she asked for help, set the trap up—he’d agreed at once.
He’d said yes, although Revi was throwing a fit and Typhenous said that it would ruin their reputation if Erin were wrong. But Ulrien had looked her in the eye for a few moments and then nodded. That was all. He’d trusted her.
He’d said yes. And now he was dead. Erin looked at him, and then remembered Brunkr. Then she looked up and saw Regrika was laughing. The Gnoll spun, catching a cascade of magical bullets shooting from Typhenous’ fingertips on her shield and then kicked a chair at Halrac.
The [Scout] dodged out of the way as the wood smashed into one of the tables he was taking cover behind. The impact knocked the table back, sending it skidding to the far wall. Erin stared in disbelief. All that from a kicked chair? She was too strong!
“Get away, you idiot!”
Someone seized her shoulder. Revi pulled Erin back as she raised a glowing talisman. She hurled it to the ground and a third figure rose. Three
of the glowing warriors, all String People, took positions between her and Regrika. Two were warriors, one had a staff. They charged the Gnoll as the spectral mage swung his staff and shot shards of ice and earth at the Gnoll.
The spells lashed the Gnoll’s form without effect. She cut down one warrior with a slash as he approached. Her blade cut right through the shield he’d raised and into his head. He vanished in a shower of yellow motes of light. The second stabbed into Regrika’s armored side; his blade skated across the metal without effect.
A spike flail’s head caught Regrika across the back of the head as she swung her shield and scythed through the second summoned warrior. Regrika didn’t stumble, but slashed backwards. Jelaqua sprang back, cursing.
“The hell is that? My flail’s not doing a thing!”
Regrika slashed at Jelaqua and the Selphid backed up, shielded by a rain of spells coming from Typhenous, Revi, and Moore. Bolts of energy splashed across Regrika’s body, a cluster of vines ensnared her legs—she raised her shield and caught a glowing purple orb from Typehnous. Again, the spell was blocked as the orb exploded, sending fragments of light shooting across the room. Where the fragments landed the floor, walls, and furniture burst into flame.
“My spells aren’t working!”
Revi screamed at the others. Typhenous pointed at Regrika with his staff as she advanced on Jelaqua, but her shield was up, blocking his direction. Moore’s vines were entangling her as the half-Giant chanted and pointed his staff, clutching his belly with his other hand, but they barely slowed her.
A flash of movement. Regrika half-turned. Too late. Seborn buried two knives in her shield arm, slashing her exposed black fur. He dodged away as she swung at him, his form blurring into a shadow. His voice was astonished.
“My knives did nothing! Her fur—”
His blades glowed with magic, but they’d left no imprint on Regrika’s arm. She grinned at him, and then turned to block another spell from Typhenous. Jelaqua strode forwards, gritting her teeth and shouting at Seborn.
“I’m Rampaging! Get back!”
The Selphid threw herself forward, her arms and body turning into a blur. She moved too quickly for Erin to follow and lashed with her two-handed flail in every direction, striking, dodging, and striking again.
Erin watched, numb, and saw it was another bad matchup. If Ulrien had died because Regrika was too strong and too well protected somehow, Jelaqua was a victim of the same problem. She rained blows on the Gnoll from every direction. She was like lightning, unpredictable and impossible to block or evade, much less dodge. But Regrika stood in the whirlwind of steel and didn’t fall back. The flail struck her repeatedly and she did not move. The flail did nothing to her. Her body was too strong.
Why?
Her sword rose. This time Halrac shot three arrows in rapid succession into her back. Crackling lightning earthed itself on Regrika’s armor; to no effect. Typhenous’ spell was blocked. Moore’s spray of thorns showed Regrika’s left side and Seborn cut at the same leg Ulrien had struck. A frying pan hit Regrika in the back of the head.
Nothing stopped her. Jelaqua’s blurring arms paused and she raised her flail to block. The sword knocked the flail out of her grip. The Selphid swore and the sword took the top of her head off as she ducked. She fell.
Regrika kicked Jelaqua’s body across the room, catching Seborn and tossing him into a wall. She grinned, and locked eyes with Erin. The knife spun towards her eye and Regrika twisted her head. The blade missed.
She charged across the room, her footsteps like thunder on the floor. The other adventurers shouted, and Erin tried to run. Too slow. Revi raised a glowing fragment of horn and the bloody sword cut her from shoulder to hip. She fell, bloodless. Regrika stood over Erin and grinned. Then she paused. She looked up to the ceiling and spoke one word.
“Master?”
—-
She’d killed two Gold-rank adventurers already. The feeling of killing the third, of slicing the [Summoner] in half, gave Venitra a rush of pleasure. She raised her shield and caught a third spell from the old mage as he screamed curses at her.
He was the only threat. His spells could damage her if not blocked. However, her shield was enchanted and capable of resisting any magic he might use. So long as she kept him in view and didn’t let the others escape, they were helpless. Her analysis of the situation was flawless, she knew.
In battle, Venitra’s mind was cool and calculating. She was not affected by the chaos of combat and she could think with perfect clarify as spells and arrows flew around her. It was her luxury to indulge in emotion, but she was not bound by it.
Three dead, and now the innkeeper. Venitra would take extreme pleasure in this. She raised her sword, heedless of the voices of the other adventurers and the arrow that broke on the back of her head. Her body was made of spelled bone; the [Scout] could not injure her with his enchanted arrows, not while he thought she was made of flesh or warded by magic. Her entire body was armor. In many ways her shield was useless. She was a shield.
Venitra.
A voice, a presence connected to her mind. A revelation from above. Venitra paused. In the heat of battle she looked up.
“Master?”
He spoke to her in a flash of images, a torrent of thought. Thought was far faster than any spell, or the quickest arrow. Her master reached into Venitra’s mind and appraised all that had occurred in the moments between Ijvani removing Zel Shivertail and the other Drake.
I see. I will attend to Ijvani. She is outmatched by far but will keep Shivertail and the Lord of the Wall occupied. You will go after Ryoka.
“Yes, my lord.”
If they were spoken as words, it was only because Venitra felt more comfortable this way. Time had slowed to a crawl in this instantaneous communication between the two. The second arrow the [Scout] had loosed was still in the air, crawling towards Venitra’s right shoulder. They thought and spoke together in the moments between.
Dispose of the Gold-rank adventurers if you are able, but do not waste time on them. Learn from this battle. They are inferior to you, but still a threat. Go after Ryoka Griffin with all haste. Bring me back her head, undamaged. She is in Celum. Trace the spell Ijvani laid on her.
“It will be done, master.”
I will assist you if necessary, but I must focus on Ijvani as well. Lastly, Venitra. You will not kill Erin Solstice. Nor will you allow her to be harmed. That is an order.
“But master!”
Erin Solstice was frozen in front of her, eyes wide, hand raised to ward off a sword blow that would end her. Venitra longed to strike, but she felt her master’s will pressing down on her. She felt his displeasure and reluctantly obeyed. His mental sending faded away in her mind with a final rebuke.
Enough. Go.
The arrow caught Venitra’s shoulder and exploded into shrapnel. Venitra snarled in her guise as Regrika Blackpaw and spun. She walked away from Erin and towards the [Scout] who already had another arrow drawn. The girl would live. For now.
—-
Zel Shivertail fell out of the sky, cursing and still slashing at the Drake [Mage] in front of him. He caught only air. Then he hit the ground.
“Argh!”
The impact knocked the wind out of him and cracked the paving stones he’d landed on. Zel lay there for a second and then rolled upright. He looked around and then up. He should have been dead. If not for his Skills, he probably would have been; he’d fallen from rooftop level onto the ground wearing armor.
But because he did have Skills, he was alive. Zel glanced around and realized he was in Liscor. The dark streets were empty. But where—
“[Grand Fireball].”
He heard the voice from above. Zel turned and saw the blazing glow. He turned and ran.
The explosion kicked him across the street. The heat burnt his scales. Zel shouted in pain and fury as he caught flame. But he lived through it. And he turned to see the Drake with purple scales, staff in hand, stand
ing on the roof of a burning building.
Watching him.
Ikriss raised his staff and Zel sprinted down an alleyway. He felt the ground erupt behind him and heard screaming. From inside the buildings. Dead gods, there were innocent people sleeping inside! But the crazed [Mage] didn’t seem to care. More spells ripped up the street and Zel ran through the alley into another street.
One of the rules for fighting a mage was never to let them see you. And to get close. He hunkered down and heard a sound in the distance. It sounded like…cursing?
He looked up. On the roof of another building he spotted a Drake in expensive armor, looking around as he clung to the tiles with one claw. A bared sword was in the other.
“Ilvriss!”
At the sound of his name, the other Drake looked over and spotted Zel. He dropped to the ground. It was a long fall, but the Drake landed as lightly as a cat. Some kind of protective spell, no doubt. He ran over to the [General], crouched, sword at the ready.
“What the hell happened, Shivertail? That mage teleported us—”
“He’s blasting the street looking for me!”
Zel spoke grimly as he heard more thumps and now more screams. People were waking up. He started as he saw the earth rise at the far end of the street. The paved road ripped upwards and formed a jagged wall of stone.
“He’s trying to box us in.”
Ilvriss hissed, his tail lashing with fury. He twisted at one of the rings on his fingers. It flashed, summoning his bodyguards, no doubt. Zel nodded.
“Or slow us down. Regrika Blackpaw’s back at the inn!”
“I know that! Let the Gold-rank adventurers fight her. I want that traitor dead.”
Zel didn’t argue with that. He looked around the alley, and then raced back down it with Ilvriss behind him. They ran into the next street and Ilvriss cursed.