The Slayer

by Darren Hultberg Jr

  I dashed in, holding nevermore at my side as I ran. The dragon didn’t seem to notice my charge…. Perhaps I would have to make him feel it instead. On my HUD, a series of new skills appeared, skills granted to me through the bond. I raised my blade, activating one of the skills as I began my assault.

  Mage blade

  Infuse your sword with Aether, empowering your next strike with magical energy

  My sword glowed a brilliant blue as Razyr’s Aether infused into the weapon’s blade. I slammed it down into the dragon’s neck, creating a pulse of magickal energy that elicited a roar of pain from the mighty beast. It snapped its jaw at me in protest, but a timely shadowshift placed me safely on the creature’s opposite side.

  Sensing my movement, the dragon countered with a swift tail whip, knocking away a barbarian that chopped away at its flank. The tail came at me too fast, leaving my no time to dodge, so I did the only thing I could…. I dived underneath the dragon.

  The beast roared in anger as it awkwardly tried to remove me from its underbelly. I rolled and danced away, narrowly avoiding a pair of vicious swipes. Suddenly, a pair of shadowblasts slammed into the beast, re-directing its attention back to the warlocks. The dragon’s soft underbelly hovered inches above my head… this was my chance.

  I scrolled through my repertoire of skills until something caught my eye, another bond-skill. I gripped nevermore in both hands, pointing the blade at the dragon’s belly. Four translucent blades materialized at my side, replicas of nevermore that rotated around me, feeding off Razyr’s Aether. The blades steadied alongside my own as I leveled it against the dragon. “Eat this you bastard…. Blade Flurry!”

  I plunged nevermore into the dragon’s gullet, drawing a roar of anguish from the scaly beast. The translucent blades followed, slamming into the dragon as if each of them was wielded by a mighty unseen warrior. I pressed and twisted, forcing the swords into the creature’s gullet. I wasn’t going to let everyone burn… No, this dragon would feel my wrath!

  Ashmurgar pulled away from the blade, pouncing back and nearly taking my arm off in the process. I grinned, resetting into proper battle stance as my translucent blades began to fade. I’d done it. The dragon was….

  My heart dropped. Seventy-seven percent of the creature’s HP remained. The coursing of power, the thrill of battle, it had led me to believe that I’d done some real damage to the beast…. But no. Even bonded with Razyr, I was still nothing to this beautiful, terrifying creature.

  Ashmurgar roared, gripping at the sword wound in its underbelly. I had done something to this beast after all. I made it angry.

  With a mighty beat of its wings, the dragon knocked away any players that continued to pursue it. The beast no longer held any interest in them. It was coming for me.

  I steeled myself as the dragon charged in. The fear was gone. Now all that was left was a sobering realization that I was most certainly dead to rights.

  My vision blurred as thick, visceral claws crashed into my chest, tearing through my armor and driving me into the ground. Another swipe came, sending me skidding across the dirt and grass. My health reticle blinked furiously, warning me that my health was nearly drained, and in just two strikes! I tried to rise to a knee then immediately fell off balance and collapsed onto my back. Damnit all my body felt broken.

  Razyr’s voice echoed in my mind. “Zander, get up! Get up quickly! It’s coming!”

  “I.. I am going…” I was having the damnedest time trying to form my words, my thoughts jumbled after my head had bounced off the unforgiving ground. Something towered over me, casting a shadow that made it even harder to see in my dazed state. The dragon had come to finish me off. Bastard… At least id given the others a chance to escape. They better have taken it…

  Horns blared in the distance. Loud and imposing, the noise momentarily captured the beast’s attention. Those fools, I told them to run!

  The ground began to tremble, though not from the stomps of the mighty wyrm. No, this was a steady vibration likely caused by the stampeding… of horses.

  The dragon roared then leapt away, charging to meet its new foes. Cresting over the horizon was a line of men and women on horseback, sprites gliding through the air above them. Weapons raised, the group charged in all the while shouting words of challenge at the fire-breathing beast. Who were these people… and why didn’t they suffer from the fear?

  I removed a glove and wiped at my eyes, straining to focus on the approaching riders. One of them bore a flag attached to a long polearm, a bright red flag with a golden dragon at its center… It was the Drakengard.

  I surveyed the group as my sight returned. One man rode out in front of the others, a flute pressed tightly to his lips. His cheeks reddened as he forced out a triumphant tune, a tune that forced back the tide of dragonfear that had washed over the battlefield. That man must’ve been the guild’s bard.

  A second man strode ahead of the others, signaling the bard to fall back as he took charge of the force. Despite the distance between us I could still make out the man’s piercing green eyes and long golden hair that blew in the wind. A pair of swords rested on either hip as he rode, and above him a small red dragon familiar glided through the air. This man… I’d seen him somewhere before.

  Arden

  Lvl 20 Duelist

  Yes, I had seen him once before back in Karrihdan! He was man who had arrived at the city alone… and if my memory served me right he was quite smug about his arrival. I guess that didn’t matter now… if I was lucky he’d be the one saving my life today!

  Arden charged at the dragon, rallying the other members of the Drakengard to his sides. Most of the men brandished spears or other polearms, though a few spellcasters dropped back with their steeds to prepare spells.

  The wave of men on horseback crashed into the dragon, skewering it in several spots with their weapons and causing the beast to recoil in pain. The wyrm responded with a lashing of its tail, knocking one of the men from his horses, then released a spout of dragonfire, scorching another.

  Arden pulled back and circled the dragon, a look of determination on his face. He yanked on the horse’s reigns, steering it towards the dragon’s right side before leaping off his horse and onto the beast itself!

  The duelist balanced atop the scaly beast, drawing a sword in each hand as he prepared to strike. Stupid fool, he had leapt on top of a dragon in nothing but red cloth armor!

  Arden didn’t seem concerned as he plunged his twin blades into the dragon’s back. The creature roared, then gave its body a shake in an attempt to throw the duelist off. Arden’s familiar swooped in, grabbing the man by the shoulder and steadying him atop the beast. Once righted, Arden went back on the assault.

  I watched in awe as others began to pour onto the battlefield, players that had been once been afflicted by the dragon’s fear were coming to the Drakengard’s aid… the bard! He’d broken the aura of dragonfear!

  Hilda ran by, giving me a quick glance to affirm that I was alive then dashed in, familiar blade in hand. Behind me, I felt a pair of hands hoist me back to my feet.

  “They’re doing it.” Brenton said as he brushed a clump of dirt off my face before offering me a rune of healing. “They’re actually doing it.”

  The two of us stood completely awestruck as we watched the battle unfold. Over fifty players had joined the fight, pelting the beast with spells, polearms and sword strikes. The dragon tried to veer away, but a trio of guardians pulled its aggression with a booming shieldmaster’s challenge. It’s HP began to drop rapidly, first to fifty percent, then forty. The creature panicked as it’s shimmering crimson scales began to crack under the weight of a hundred blows.

  Still quite damaged, I elected to pull out my bow. Even though I’d already mixed it up with the beast, I did not intend to sit back and watch. Eagleshot glowed with a soft blue hue as I held it in my grasp. It was a beautiful weapon, a reminder of the bond our group had forged back in the caves. I pulled the bow string back w
ithout an arrow, creating a thin beam of light in my grasp. With a quick release, I launched an arrow of light into the fray, landing a shot just above the creature’s thick forearm.

  The weapon felt natural in my hands, so I began to increase my frequency of shots. Soon I was launching a steady stream of light arrows into the creature’s side, though remaining careful as to not hit one of the other players nearby.

  The dragon’s HP dropped to a critical level as now nearly seventy-five players had joined in on the assault. The beast began to flap its mighty wings… it was looking to flee!

  “Aim for the wings!” Arden yelled, before stabbing into the hole he had carved into the dragon’s back. A hail of arrows and fiery spells showered the dragon’s sinewy wings, preventing the beast from rising off the ground. The dragon lashed out, knocking away players as it fought to escape the relentless attack. Suddenly, Arden dashed across the creature’s back, using his familiar to maintain balance as scaled the neck and perched himself atop the dragon’s head. He yelled something indiscernible, perhaps the name of a skill, then plunged both blades through the skull.

  The dragon bellowed a mighty roar, releasing a final torrent of dragonfire into the empty sky. Then, the beast collapsed to the ground, dead.

  Reward notifications began to appear in everyone’s HUD. Players began to cheer, breaking out into joyous celebration as they realized the beast had fallen. Several men scooped up Arden and hoisted him into the air. I may have risked my life to let the others escape, but he had slain the beast. He was the hero today.

  “You did well.” Razyr said as our bond ended and he re-materialized as a drake on my shoulder. He must’ve sensed my disappointment. “You fought with valor.”

  I nodded. “We did… but he did better.” I pointed to the duelist. “And if that’s any indication of the competition we’ll face in Airrigar… well, partner, we have some serious work to do.”

  31

  The ashmeadows had grown solemn.

  We’d slain Ashmurgar, a raid effort of nearly a hundred players that had proven quite deadly. Now, many laid dead in the fields… Lives taken by the tyrant of the ashmeadows. I didn’t know any of them personally, but fighting for your life beside someone… well, it brought you together. An unspoken bond.

  Unfortunately, there was little time to mourn. That battle was behind us now… and ahead, Airrigar.

  The lot of us marched towards the city, trudging through the blistering heat put off by those strange glowing lizards. Nearly a hundred players led by the mighty Drakengard… we were certainly a sight to be seen.

  I leaned back on Zephyr, enjoying his steady trot as we moved along near the center of the procession. Finally having a moment to breath, I pulled up the notification that had been blinking in the corner of my vision.

  Congratulations!

  You have slain Ashmurgar, Scourge of the Ashmeadows!

  Your name will be spoken in legends!

  A slight grin spread across my face. Legend… I liked the way that sounded.

  Reward:

  1,500 exp.

  1 pristine dragon scale (red)

  Exchange this dragon scale with any master smith in return for a unique piece of dragon scale armor.

  Not bad, especially if that piece of armor ended up being as good as it sounded.

  You have reached level 17

  -You have 2 attribute points to allocate

  -You have 1 skill point to allocate

  Damn, level 17! I felt like my power had increased quite rapidly given the amount of time we’d spent in Aetheria, but Arden was a clear indication that I wasn’t the best. Not even close. Still, I wouldn’t let that fact deter me. Airrigar was approaching fast, and I had a tournament to win… and a king to kill.

  With a moment of peace, I pulled up my character sheet and allocated my points.

  Name: Zander Darkblade

  Class: Slayer

  Familiar: Razyr (Valor Sprite)

  Lvl: 17

  HP: 320/ 320

  Mana: 220/ 220

  Exp: 1200/ 1700

  Str: 22 (+3 item bonus)

  Dex: 22 (+3 item bonus)

  Int: 32 (+15 boon) (+3 item bonus)

  Con: 17

  Wis: 10

  Cha: 13

  Faction: Ravenflight

  Elite Skills:

  Shadowshift II

  Skills:

  Mark of the Slayer

  Lunging Strike III

  Double Strike II

  Blade of the Slayer (Bonded weapon: Nevermore)

  Forge from Shadow

  Illusionary Strike II

  Kinetic Strike

  Death’s embrace

  Shadow Snare

  Dark Gravity

  Bond skills:

  Mage blade

  Blade Fury

  Shield of Valor

  Inventory

  Gear

  Head: Darkleather Cowl

  Chest: Elvish Field Plate

  Arms: Darkleather Gloves

  Legs: Darkleather boots

  Equip 1: Cloak of the Raven (+3 dex +3 int)

  Equip 2: Giant’s Belt (+3 strength)

  Weapons

  Main hand: Nevermore

  Off hand:-

  Ranged: Eagleshot

  Items

  X1 Torches

  Flint & Steel

  X1 Tide rod

  X1 Pristine Dragon scale

  My grin widened. I had added a few new skills to my repertoire, something that had been delayed due to some time spent out of my mind in the hive.

  I willed away the translucent menu in front of me as Hilda strode up to my side. She still hadn’t re-armored herself, choosing instead to rely on her agility in battle. I wasn’t completely sold on the idea, but she’d proven effective thus far, so I reserved judgement. At her side, her familiar Ivan glided in the breeze.

  “That was quite a display you put on back there.” She said, shooting me a grin that I found nearly irresistible.

  I chuckled. “I’m not sure we were watching the same battle. You must be-“

  “Oh, don’t be so modest!” Ivan squawked, interrupting me. “The lady guardian and I both saw what you did! You nearly got yourself killed saving those rather foul warlocks. Quite exemplary!”

  Razyr climbed onto my shoulder, his scaly face stretched into a wide grin. “Bonded in strength!” He growled, his voice beaming with pride.

  “Yes indeed, young one.” Ivan replied, his voice chipper. “You’ve have grown strong. It appears you’ve progressed through your forms quite excellently.”

  I cocked an eyebrow. Ivan seemed a bit more talkative now than he had before... perhaps this was the chance to learn a bit more. I took a deep breath, then In the most regal tone I could muster (it seemed the only way to talk to the bird), I went ahead and asked… “Just how many forms are there?”

  Ivan ruffled his feathers then drew in a long breath as if he was preparing to give a speech. He remained tight-beaked a lot of the time, though when he did speak he was quite long-winded to say the least. “You see, dear slayer, we sprites are manifestations of the world energy, Aether. When we form a bond with a person, we take a solitary form, normally referred to as base form. In battle, we can manifest ourselves into the form a weapon, such as I did with the lady guardian. That we call blade form. And of course, in the event that one’s bond is strong enough, we can manifest into the form of pure Aether and lend to the masters our strength, such as you and young Razyr displayed. That is what we call bond form.”

  “Bond form…” I muttered. “Is that the form of the azure wardens?”

  Ivan rolled his avian eyes. “Heavens no, though it is a piece of it. The power of the wardens is accessed through a three -way bond between a man, his familiar, and the Aether itself. It is a bit difficult to explain, but when you see the power of a warden, you will know…”

  I struggled to piece it all together in my head. “So, one must bond their familiar and the Aether… th
en what in the world is mana?” I absently pointed to the translucent mana reticle in my field of vision, even though the others couldn’t see it.

  Ivan scoffed. “As you’ve likely already learned, Aether is the lifeblood of this world; it’s the source of growth and magick. It permeates everything, even if one cannot see it. Some of that Aether resides in your body, Zander. In fact, it resides in all of us. The problem is, Aether can be quite volatile. Taking in pure Aether could very well melt your insides! Therefore, your bodies process the Aether into a usable source of energy we call mana. In turn, you can use it to elevate your capabilities, oft referred to as using skills, or access magicks that would otherwise be impossible to use. And better yet, those with greater cognitive abilities possess greater pools of mana with which to use.”

  “I see.” I replied dryly, unable to come up with a more thoughtful response as my brain hurried to process all of the information. Luckily, Razyr shifted to my opposite shoulder and beamed at his familial counterpart.

  “Zander and I are going to bring back the wardens!” He growled. Sometimes that drake came off like an excited child… one of his many endearing qualities. Ivan merely rolled his eyes.

  “By yourself?” He squawked. “Why, I don’t think any of the wardens had just a single familiar.”

  My head snapped back in Ivan’s direction, nearly throwing Razyr from his perch. “Wait… they had more than one familiar?”

  Ivan looked at me as if I’d glossed over some sort of obvious fact. “Why, of course. My first master wielded the powers of six, including myself.”

  Damnit all, the power of six familiars? I could hardly imagine… I felt strong with merely one!

  As we continued I gave Ivan a firm nod of appreciation. Finally, he was beginning to share some of the knowledge he possessed… knowledge that could prove to be quite useful. “You keep mentioning that you were once a familiar to one of the wardens…. What happened?”