by Atlas Kane
“I thought so too. Alright,” he said, finalizing his first choice. “Let’s see what upgrade the pig will get.”
Secondary Weapon System - Blast Staff
1 Available Upgrade Point
Burst Clip: With the addition of a sequence of quick-release batteries, your blast staff will be able to charge up a total of 20 Mana bullets. Each bullet takes five minutes to recharge, and cannot be modified by Intelligence Attribute. Each bullet causes 25% less damage than base.
Recharge Booster: With the addition of a secondary charging unit, your blast staff will be able to recharge much faster. All specialized attacks and basic Mana bullet recharges in 50% of normal time. Continues to compound with Intelligence Attribute.
“Ah, hell yeah! Pablo, you reading this?” Cade shouted, standing up and gaping at the information displaying on his UVS.
Pablo shook his head in disappointment. “Caderick, I know your first instinct is to—”
“Nab the fucking machine gun, yeah!”
“But you must consider the potential of the Recharge Booster. I think it represents—”
Again, Cade cut him off. “Not a chance, buddy. Sorry, but what is the purpose of living again if I can’t drop a level gain on making Mr. McGregor into a damn machine gun? It just doesn’t make sense!”
Pablo slumped back against his stone, giving up on the argument. “It will have a very high burst damage output, I’ll give you that.”
Cade finalized his choices then examined his upgraded weapon.
Mr. McGregor Blast-Axe Level 8
Primary Weapon System - Battle Axe
Base Damage - 110% of Max Damage
Damage Type - Slashing
Attack Speed - Medium
Mods: Razor’s Edge, Herculean Hammer, Mana Spear, Ratcheting Reach, Impact Rod
Elemental Augmentation: Windtorn
Secondary Weapon System - Blast Staff
Base Damage - 110% of Max Damage
Damage Type - Ether Blast
Attack Speed - Instant
Recharge Rate: 10 seconds (Intelligence score 21)
Mods: Slug Shot, Double Tap, Explosive Shot, Armor Piercing, Burst Clip
Elemental Augmentation: Windtorn
“Come on, Pablo. Think about it this way. You did talk me into adding more Intelligence than I would have. That lowered my recharge rate from 14 to 10 seconds. Next level I will get the Recharge Booster, I promise,” he finished, hoping to cheer up the demon.
Pablo turned to him, a single scaled brow arcing. “You’d better. Until then, do you have any further inquiries for me? I just love giving advice that’s ignored.”
“Wanna go test out the Burst Clip?”
The demon sighed, and his form dissipated as his breath rushed out.
Examining his weapon, he saw a strip of clear crystals had been added to the shaft. The one at the very bottom slowly pulsed an ether-blue, as if it were recharging. Oh well, I’ll have something to look forward to this afternoon then.
Before he went about the rest of his business, Cade brought up his Character Sheet to survey his improvements. He was impressed.
Name: Cade
Level: 8
Strength: 18
Constitution: 19
Dexterity: 20
Intelligence: 21
Wisdom: 15
Charisma: 25
Traits: Lycan Metabolism, Nilgathi Fervor, Alpha’s Fitness, Eel’s Bite, Ape’s Aptitude, Hale as the Horde, Orthoptera Core
Skills: Culling the Pack, Wyrm’s Wrath, Alpha’s Call, Electric Touch, Earthen Assault, Spider’s Kiss, Locust Leap
The girls will be happy. What will Satemi say about my axe now that it can go fully auto? he thought, imagining the look on the warrior’s face.
His imagination was stopped dead in its tracks as a rage-filled roar split the air.
Cade was sprinting through Camp Casmeer, headed toward the sound. Others followed behind him and some simply moved to find shelter. The hell is this thing? Another amalgamation?
As he turned a corner, Cade caught sight of Ronden standing face to face with Dan. The lycan tilted back his head and opened his mouth wide. Fangs gleamed in the midday sun, and an answering roar exploded from the wolf man. This time, the roar had a more wild, canine pitch to it, but was similarly powerful.
Coming to a stop before the two giants, Cade screamed, “What are you two on about? Scaring the village half to death?”
Ronden turned enthusiastically and promptly ignored Cade’s question. “What do you think, Cade? Be honest now. Who has the greatest battle cry?”
Dan swung his head as well, intent on hearing their chosen judge’s answer, and then a wall of heady fumes struck Cade full on in the face.
The bright signature of honey and the paint-stripping burn of alcohol assaulted Cade’s senses as the two huge men panted at him from unknown exertions. “You two dumbasses are drunk? It’s not even noon yet!”
“To drink under the kind eyes of the sun is an act of worship!” Ronden responded, half offended and half inspired by his own ridiculous claim.
Dan felt it necessary to defend their cause as well and held up his hands. “I know of no such custom, but, I do think if you join us, Cade, you’ll agree it is quite pleasant.”
A moment of tension hung between the three, the villagers looking on in shock and dismay. Then Cade laughed at the absurdity of it all. The two juggernauts were encouraged and joined him. As Cade was wiping tears from his eyes, trying to collect himself, Ronden sobered enough to ask once more, “So who was the loudest, do you suppose?”
“Oh, you are both equally loud and obnoxious, I promise you,” Cade responded.
When he looked up and saw the look of disappointment on his two friends’ faces, he knew something had to be done about it.
“Surely, there is something else you can compete over?” Cade questioned, thinking of an appropriate solution.
Dan turned to his opponent and suggested, “Maybe we should fight? I am not very steady on my feet, but I do think I could beat you. Unless you are immune to lightning.”
Ronden scoffed at the suggestion and gave the wolf man a shove in his muscular chest. “Not a chance. I could crush you with a single strike of my hammer. I wouldn’t even have to use a skill!”
The two began huffing and puffing, and as Ronden unclasped his great weapon, Dan flung down his hands, the soul weapon claws extending in a flash.
“No! Nope! You can’t do any of that,” Cade said, pushing between them. “You’re both too valuable to the village and too dumb to be trusted not to kill one another.”
Offended, the men turned on Cade, looks of outrage forming on their features. “We aren’t—” they began in unison, but Satemi, having come out of nowhere, slapped first Ronden and then Dan on the sides of their thick heads.
“Yes, you are. What little wits you had, you’ve drunk away. And I’m sure you didn’t think how much of the villagers’ store of mead you’d wasted on your premature reverie?” she asked them, staring them down without any fear or concern.
The men towered over her, Ronden double her weight and Dan well over a foot taller. It would have been an amusing sight if it hadn’t also been a little terrifying.
But their resolve crumbled in a heartbeat, the warrior woman too firm in her conviction to deny. “Sorry, Satemi, but Dan said he was taller, and it’s true, so I had to show him how much stronger I was. We started with the mead, and both finished it equally, and then we tried roaring. How else am I supposed to prove I’m stronger?” Ronden pleaded, his words producing an authentic tear that rolled out of the corner of one of his eyes.
Satemi folded her arms and put on her commander’s face.
Oh boy! I think these two will regret this when she’s done with them, Cade mused, falling back to stand near Minda.
Finally, Satemi nodded, as if making a decision. “We’ll have an official competition. Three events. Winner of two out of those three takes the prize.” T
urning to those standing in a wide circle around them all, she added, “And anyone can join. Who knows? Maybe if someone else beats these two idiots, they’ll realize that size isn’t everything in a fight.”
Then she strode away, irritation still evident on her features. Before she disappeared, leaving the crowd and the two disgruntled champions to themselves, she shouted, “Games begin at two hours past noon! I suggest you two switch to water!”
9
Closer to Banter than Bickering
Satemi had claimed a portion of the earthen ramp that wound up towards Camp Casmeer from the cave that held the Town Interface.
The blockade Cade had helped the woman build so many weeks ago were now substantial defenses. What had begun as palisades had been interwoven with the dryad vines taken from the first level of the dungeon. After Minda had enchanted them, they’d grown into knotted walls of dense wood. When they’d finished growing, the villagers had fashioned platforms that defenders could stand on, hiding their upper bodies behind the structures, and of course, ladders that led up.
When viewing Camp Casmeer from below, the staggered walls were quite impressive. Just as Satemi had foreseen so long ago, an invading army would have to fight to get around each of the fortifications, ruining their chances at a headlong assault.
To make things more difficult, the first of two large gates was now under construction.
When finished, each gate would need to be overrun or knocked down to bypass. The chances of any force doing so seemed slim.
Between each wall was a thirty to forty-foot-wide patch of grass. Satemi claimed one for the competition, and after claiming several workers, had denied anyone else to see what she was about.
A few hours later, and the almost-sober Dan and Ronden were feeling more than a little embarrassed about their position. The rest of the villagers had forgiven them entirely, however, and only looked forward to seeing the two giants compete in whatever contests Satemi had designed for them.
A crowd had gathered by the time Minda gave the go ahead, Satemi signaling her from behind the fortification. Everyone milled forward, curious to see what had been arranged.
When Cade moved in after most had made their way into the makeshift arena, he noticed a few things at once. One was a pool of water, still a little muddy from having freshly been dug. A handful of waterskins rested nearby, and a few workers panted beside it, worn out from having carried the water all the way from the pool. It must have taken more than half a dozen trips by the looks of it, and they all seemed a little grumpy.
Across the way, and attached to two posts buried in the ground, was a large target. A few spears rested against it. And along the back of the fortification itself, between the three ladders, were several stones of varying sizes. Next to each stood a stump half buried in the ground. The top of each was hollowed out slightly, giving them the concave surface of a shallow cup.
Okay, I think I get what’s going on here, Cade thought, rubbing his chin. But what is up with the pool of water?
Satemi stepped before the crowd, hands up and a smile plastered to her face. “Thanks for coming everyone to the very first Casmeer Games! Two of our contestants have already announced themselves. Do we have any other takers?”
After a short pause, Vrin raised his hand, along with a handful of other hunters and fighters. Tessra, of all the possible contenders, practically sprinted forward, her eyes wild with excitement.
Gemma and Ketzal stood shoulder to shoulder, a look that shouted hell no written plainly on their brows. Cade considered joining when Minda called out. “I’m in!”
Grinning, Satemi waited a few more moments before saying aloud, “Okay, so competing today we have Ronden, Dan, Minda, Vrin, Shoorna, Bremen, Holtha, Tessra, and myself!”
Ronden’s eyebrows betrayed a bit of surprise, but he soon recovered himself.
Satemi continued. “Since I wish to participate, I must ask for a master of ceremonies as well as a judge. Any volunteers?”
Cha raised her hand, stepping out from a knot of villagers. “I’ll be the judge. If this nonsense must take up so much of our precious time, I will be responsible for deciding who wins.”
The next shock of the afternoon came when Ketzal cleared her throat and asked, “May I be the master of ceremonies? And by that, I assume you mean who calls out each contest and the rules?”
When her position was secured, Satemi crossed to the demoness and spoke for a time in her ear. It was clear Ketzal was both nervous and very excited. How much she’s grown since I first met her. She used to be afraid of speaking and now she’s going to announce a public event!
Filing away that information for later, and promising himself he’d encourage her when they next had a moment alone, Cade asked the one question that seemed unanswered. “What are the stakes? What does the winner receive? Or what of the losers?”
The grin that spread over Satemi’s features made Cade glad he hadn’t volunteered. “The first-place winner, or winners if it comes out that way, will earn a special dish from the cooks tonight as well as honored seating in the Town Hall for every meeting. The latter privilege won’t expire until the next Casmeer Games are held.”
She paused for effect and surveyed the crowd around her. For the hundredth time, Cade admired her social prowess. Satemi wasn’t the social butterfly that Minda was, didn’t have the disarming grace of Ketzal, but she could command a crowd of strangers to pull a badgalmander’s taint hair if she wanted them to.
She was a general.
After the perfect pause, Satemi finished. “The losers, however, will not only have to clean up the arena, bury the boulders and fill the pit, but each loser will owe the winner a single task of their choosing. If the stakes are too high, say so now. If any of you is afraid of losing, you are permitted to back out.”
Dan and Ronden exchanged looks, the comment obviously aimed toward them. After shaking their heads, the other contestants did as well. Only one, a short and stocky woman named Holtha, backed out. She was one of the most interesting-looking villagers. A beastkin whose features most closely resembled a toad’s, she backed away into the crowd, grateful for the chance to back down.
At last, Satemi summoned Pablo and spoke to Ketzal and the demon for an extended period of time. When she was done, the warrior crossed to stand beside Ronden.
Ketzal blushed, magenta flooding her purple cheeks in an adorable display of humility. But soon she’d mastered her embarrassment, and announced the first competition.
“The first task is as simple and as old as time itself. It is a contest to see who can hold their breath the longest. To ensure none of the contestants cheat, you’ll be required to plunge your head in the pool of water. Whoever remains below the surface longest, wins,” she explained, gesturing to the tepid pool beside her.
Dan sighed, staring in mute terror at the muddy water. Ronden didn’t look much better. Poor bastards probably thought they’d be arm wrestling or tossing logs. Good luck, boys, Cade muttered in his mind. He didn’t envy their position, not even a little.
A moment later, and the group of athletes were kneeling before the pool, their asses high in the air. It was an awkward posture to say the least, and more than a few of the gathered crowd were giggling.
Ronden’s cheeks were flushed a deep crimson, but Dan wore a look so fierce it looked like he was preparing to maul the puddle.
“Begin!” Ketzal shouted, her arm lifting in the air.
Splashes followed, and everyone waited for the inevitable gasps that would follow.
Watching Ketzal, Cade noted that she too had an article of woven clothing. She wore a flowing skirt over her greaves, the crude leather armor discarded. A thread of wind moved through her hair, and sunlight glinted off the curve of her elegant horns.
How do you like that? Cade mused. At first I thought they were weird, then I found them a little sexy, and now I think she just wouldn’t be the same without them. I never knew I’d been one for a woman with a tail and
upscale horns.
She caught him gazing at her and smiled, lifting one of her eyebrows a fraction of an inch. Yeah, girl! I fucking see you.
An explosion of water broke the tension and Ronden gasped for air. He fell back to his back and panted shamelessly. “Did I get close?” he asked.
Nobody answered, just let the giant look for himself. Soon after, Dan sputtered up. His own emergence from the pool was a good deal more graceful, and a cascade of contestants failing followed. Minda next, then Vrin, Shoorna, and Bremen simultaneously.
Water dripped from the heads and shoulders of the defeated contestants. They all exchanged looks of mild amusement, but then everyone focused back on the single villager whose head was still plunged into the murk.
It was Tessra.
Her tail twitched rhythmically from side to side and a small trickle of bubbles floated to the surface. The squirrel woman’s curvaceous behind was proudly on display, and Cade noticed that she was gently bobbing her head in beat with her tail swishing. Rather than laugh, he coughed into his fist. Ketzal got the hint and moved over to pat the winner on the shoulder.
Tessra emerged, her big eyes blinking about the water. “How did I do?” she asked at once.
“Tessra wins the first challenge!” Ketzal declared in what Cade was coming to know as her announcer voice.
The squirrel woman sprinted in place for a second, her feet thrumming the turf below her. The sheer speed of her celebratory dance convinced Cade that if there’d been a foot race, she might have won that too. “I win! Oh, that is something. I never win contests, though, this is the first I’ve ever competed in. I won!”
Dan grinned wide as he watched the woman fall into dance. He wasn’t the only one. It was nice to see how many of the Camp Casmeer villagers appreciated the joy of one of their own.