by Dean Henegar
Ty fell to the ground, tears rolling down his cheeks. Yendys became concerned; had she made him sad by revealing what she had?
“Oh no, Ty! I didn’t mean to make you upset, I’m so sorry!” Yendys said, kneeling next to Ty, but he waved it off. With a sniffle, he composed himself again.
“This had nothing to do with you, Yendys,” Ty said, indicating his tear streaked face. “The AI just unlocked all my memories it was repairing. I know them all again. I have a wife, three sons, a half-dozen grandkids, and even a slew of great grandkids!” Ty said, a smile on his tear streak face as everyone watched him bask in his newfound memories. Yendys grew concerned again as his expression changed to one of sadness. “I’ve missed so much of their lives . . .” Ty sobbed and sat down, covering his face with his hands. The rest of the group wasn’t sure how to react and all looked concerned. Kathala had even begun to cry herself. After a few moments, Ty composed himself again.
“Sorry for that. So much to process at once, and I didn’t mean to drop this on you guys. You’re just here to have fun and play a game, not listen to a weeping old man,” Ty apologized. Kathala ran over to Ty and hugged the big half-orc.
“You have nothing to apologize for, Ty. Thank you for sharing that with us. If you need some time to yourself, we can go quest on our own for a bit,” Kathala suggested
Yendys looked around and noticed there was not a dry eye among them . . . save for Crunchy; he was a kind hearted, yet stoic unicorn beetle.
“No, thank you all, but I’m ready to roll out. I’ll be able to leave the game soon and Raytak still needs help. He’s in much worse shape than I was, and by completing our quest . . . who knows, maybe that will help him recover his memories quicker. You know those Army guys can never find their own way out of problem. They always need to call in the Marine Corps!” Ty said with a grin as the party moved on.
Their path set, and with a new determination Yendys and the party moved quickly. She was happy the group was able to play a fun game and at the same time have the unusual chance to really help another person recover from a serious medical condition.
“Wow, I’m so going to make an epic saga about this! Coolest thing ever to happen in a game and me, a skald class, gets to see it all unfold!” Nitor exclaimed as the group marched on.
Yendys was pleased the group was in higher spirits and kept up a friendly banter as they traveled north on the main road without stopping. Not having any npcs in the group really sped up the travel time. After a while, signs of civilization began to appear. Where the road had been damaged and full of potholes, now it was repaired. She spotted several farms in the distance, but most looked abandoned. One farm near the road had the front door torn off its hinges and ominous bloodstains on the walls.
“Uhhh, should we check that out?” Yendys asked.
“Looks like something bad is happening here, but we are on a time sensitive quest. We can’t afford to get sidetracked,” Jacoby added.
Yendys wanted to explore the possible new questline but knew that it would have to wait. After a few miles the farms began to show signs of life, and the farmers working in their fields shot nervous looks over their shoulders at the party as they traveled past. One family went so far as to call out in alarm and run into their farmhouse. The sound of a barricade being moved against the door was heard as they passed.
“These people are on edge. Something is happening here. I would suggest we don’t stop in town and just pass on through unless anyone needs some supplies,” Ty advised.
“I agree. As much as I’d like to know what’s going on, I think we need to keep on task and head to Bharga,” Jacoby added.
They soon passed a signpost proclaiming the town was named Holdfast. The town appeared well kept and was protected by a stout wooden palisade surrounding it with watchtowers at each of the four gates. Guards in leather armor and wielding crossbows were stationed in the towers. Two more were posted at the open gate the group was approaching.
“Hold, state your business in town,” one of the guards commanded. They looked capable, but Yendys could sense the nervousness and fear in their eyes.
“We’re just passing through on our way east. Can you tell us if the road east leads to the transition point?” Jacoby asked. The guard looked a bit relieved that they weren’t hostile and answered.
“You’re correct. If you travel east for quite a way you will eventually get to the transition point. We haven’t sent any patrols that way in a long time so I can’t tell you of what dangers you may face on the road, other than there is a band of ogres nearby that live on the Goreaxe Peak mountain. So far, they haven’t bothered us, but you never can tell with ogres. Watch yourselves. Someone or something has been attacking the outlying farms and we haven’t seen any traders make it to town in a while,” the guard warned.
“We can usually take care of ourselves pretty well and would gladly stay to help if we weren’t on such an urgent mission. I don’t know if you were aware, but the new town of Hayden’s Knoll has been founded on the plateau at the southern mountains. The Imperium has also set up patrols on the roads nearby and guard the transition point to the south. Should you need assistance, ask there. Mayor Delling of Hayden’s Knoll will also be glad to trade with you and is a fair man,” Jacoby added. Yendys hoped that they were able to help out Delling by opening a dialogue between the two towns.
“I will pass on your information the magistrate. Thank you for showing concern for our problems. I suspect that once the problems are solved the two towns can trade together, especially if the roads further south are being protected by soldiers,” the guard said while waving the party through.
The town itself was a simple affair. There were several shops and even two different inns. The barracks had a lot of activity as guards and townspeople came and went. The inns also seemed to do a good business, but the people appeared subdued and frightened. The gate on the east side of town was opened and guarded just like the southern gate. They could see that the gates to the west and north were barred, and the guards posted in the towers there were alert for any danger.
The road to the east revealed a scene like the one on their journey north. The few farms near the town were occupied, but the further they traveled the more abandoned the area became. After several miles the road became unkempt once again and tall brush grew to the sides of the road.
Crunchy scampered about the group as they traveled, moving from person to person, hoping for a bit of food. Despite their earlier conflict, Yendys noticed that the barbarian Smashem seemed to have taken a liking to her beetle and shared whatever rations he had handy.
“Yendys, does your beetle ever stop eating?” Smashem asked as Crunchy finished off the last of the jerky that the barbarian had been sharing with him. Crunchy looked at Smashem expectantly, then went to root about the side of the road while the party traveled, occasionally finding a bug or some other thing he determined was edible.
“Nope. If you feed him, he’ll keep eating. Unicorn beetles are always hungry . . . probably because they’re so magical and stuff. They need to keep up their strength so they can show the world their mystical awesomeness.” Yendys assured the group.
Smashem shook his head at the comment and prepared to reply when they were interrupted by a cracking sound and a squeal of pain from Crunchy. Yendys looked over to where the beetle was foraging at the side of the road and saw a huge bird. The bird had rushed out from where it was hidden in the tall grass and used its beak to crack into Crunchy’s shell. The bird placed its foot against Crunchy, holding him down with its powerful claws while it dipped its head into the cracked shell, pulling up a chunk of greyish beetle flesh as Crunchy continued to squeal in pain.
Terror Bird, Level 7.
“No, leave Crunchy alone!” Yendys yelled as she flung a ball of destructive nature energy toward the terror bird. The spell singed its feathered side, and it rushed off, disappearing into the tall brush before the rest of the party could react.
; “Form a circle, keep an eye toward the brush, look for movement,” Ty ordered. Yendys joined the others as the party circled with Kathala activating a healing aura and Nitor starting to chant. Crunchy’s wound slowly healed as the damage was repaired by Kathala’s spell. Ty held a throwing axe in hand, waiting for the moment to strike while Jacoby equipped his new sword and shield, standing by to protect the casters. Yendys began to summon creatures as distractions to the birds; soon, her summoned dogs popped into existence around the party.
“Get ready to eat some birds, doggos!” Yendys told her summoned pets.
The grass around them shuddered as four terror birds emerged. Two of the birds streaked for the summoned dogs, who were too slow to react in time. The other two both headed toward Ty. The group reacted faster than normal, their speed buffed by Nitor’s chant. A jarring dissonance rang out as Nitor shouted an ancient name during his chant. Yendys remembered him saying that his new names of power magic created a damaging blast of energy, in this case severing the head of one of the birds attacking Ty. After using the word of power, Nitor stumbled and stopped chanting. Yendys recognized the symptoms of channeling too much power, a danger that spell casters had to be aware of and one that apparently affected skalds and their abilities as well.
Yendys cast Nature’s Wrath at the birds as fast as she could while by her side, Ty threw his axe at the first bird to appear. Unfortunately for him, it was one of the birds attacking her summoned dogs. The bird was damaged down to half health but still had time to thrust its beak into the summoned animal. The dog died in a burst of green light as the terror bird ran back into the brush, squawking angrily.
“That’s right, stupid birds, my summoned animals aren’t made out of meat, no easy lunch for you!” Yendys shouted after the fleeing bird. She watched as Ty drew the larger axe off his back but was too late to stop the bird attacking him. The bird slashed with a talon-tipped foot and simultaneously took a chunk out of his shoulder with its beak. Ty’s health dropped by a quarter and she noticed a movement debuff from his shredded leg appear over his name as well as a bleed effect occurring from his wounded shoulder.
With a roar of anger and pain, Ty swung his axe, scoring a critical strike against the bird’s side. The bird was knocked to the ground and stunned for three seconds. The others finished off the injured bird; between Jacoby’s sword and Smashem’s hammer, the bird was reduced to bloody pulp. The party reset and waited for another attack. The tall grass that had hidden the birds so well betrayed their next attack. The grass swayed as the two birds charged toward the party. With time to spare, Yendys cast her entangling vines spell in the path of the terror birds. As they emerged from tall grass, the vines grasped and damaged them. The bird’s momentum was enough to prevent them from stopping completely but slowing them was enough.
Melee weapons, spells, and the summoned animals made short work of the tangled birds. Yendys and the rest of the group paused to catch their breath as she watched experience point notifications pile up after the short, violent fight. The birds dropped no loot other than two huge eggs which the party agreed to give to the hungry Crunchy. Her poor beetle clicked in frustration as much of the egg dripped to the ground as his mandibles crushed them. His mouth was not designed to eat such delicate food, she would have to help him next time.
“Sorry about that, Crunchy. If we kill some more mean birds, I’ll make sure to cook the egg for you first,” Yendys said, patting the unicorn beetle on his shell.
“Forget that. If we find more, I want the world’s largest omelet,” Smashem said. Crunchy turned and stared at Smashem.
“I was planning to share,” Smashem told the staring bug, who seemed mollified and trotted along with the party.
“Does he understand us?” Smashem asked.
“It’s not uncommon for animal companions to increase their intelligence as they level. Their bond with their owner may also play a part in their understanding the speech of party members grouped up with their owner,” Nitor added with a grin. He had shared with the group that one of his skald abilities caused the AI to grant him knowledge of most simple in-game lore.
“Crazy bug is spying on me now, probably planning on how to steal my food,” Smashem grumbled quietly as the party continued down the neglected road that led to the eastern transition point. Crunchy fell in beside the grumbling Smashem, who, even in his complaints, patted the beetle with affection.
The tall grass soon gave way to rolling hills and rocky terrain, denying any easy ambushes from predators. The terror birds appeared to stay in the terrain covered by the concealing grass. In the distance on the right side of the road, Yendys spotted a mountain, unusual in that it was all by itself and not part of a range.
“That must be the Goreaxe peak we heard about in town. I hope the ogres are feeling friendly today,” Jacoby stated.
“At least we don’t have to worry about giant ambushing chickens. There’s no place for something to hide in this terrain,” Nitor quipped.
“Don’t be so sure. I can see several good ambush sites along the road. There’s no tall grass, but some of these gullies in the terrain could hide a small army,” Ty added.
As soon as the words left his mouth, a roar of pain and anger was heard nearby, off the road to their right. The air rang with the clash of weapons and strange shrieks of pain that sounded like they came from children pierced through the sounds of combat.
“Woah, normally I’d say we keep on the quest, but that sounded strangely like a kid,” Kathala said.
“I agree, let’s check it out. I won’t stand by if kids are being hurt . . . even in a game,” Ty added as the party hustled off the road. The sounds grew louder, and another fierce roar was heard, only to be suddenly cut off in a gurgle. After climbing up a rocky incline, they found themselves on the edge of a gully with a perfect view down onto the fight they had been hearing. Below them, an old ogre fought wildly, awkwardly trying to wield a large club in one hand. Its other arm hung useless, pin-cushioned with arrows. The body of a second ogre lay beside the first; this one, a large female ogre, had no weapons and had been killed by dozens of arrow hits, including several to her throat.
Cowering behind the old ogre were two of what looked to be ogre children. They two “children” were already six feet tall, but they had the gangly, uncoordinated movements of seven-year-olds. Both ogre children were injured as well, each having taken several arrows. Their health hovered around twenty-five percent while the old ogre was down to ten percent, and Yendys noticed a bleeding effect from all the arrows was slowly draining him.
Facing off against the ogres were a half-dozen elves. Four of the elves closed in on the old ogre, each of the elves wielding a curved scimitar in one hand and a wicked dagger in the other. Empty quivers left no question as to who had shot the many arrows imbedded in the ogres. The two elves in the back held bows, and it looked to her that they were trying to get a shot in at the children. The elven archers had only a few arrows left in their quivers; ogres took a lot of effort to kill, apparently. The old ogre moved again, placing himself between the children and the archers’ line of sight. One of the elven archers looked up and shouted a warning to the others as she spotted our party on the rise. One of the scimitar-wielding elves stepped back from the ogre and addressed the party.
“Stand back, good people. These evil ogres are a blight to the area. We’ll take care of the problem, just stay out of the way,” the elf said. Yendys could feel the arrogance oozing from him.
“What kind of threat can children be to you? Why are you attacking this bunch? They’re obviously not warriors,” Kathala said, anger flashed on her face.
“We have no quarrel with you people. Just keep on your way and stay out of business that isn’t your own,” the elf commanded.
“These elves seem like the bad guys to me, not the ogres . . . at least not this time,” Jacoby whispered to the group.
“I agree. These elves are a little bloodthirsty for my taste if they want to ki
ll kids . . . even ogre kids. I can’t stand by and let it happen,” Kathala added.
“I agree. We’ll stop them peacefully if we can, if not get ready for a fight,” Ty advised and stepped forward to address the elves. For their part, the ogres stood their ground staring at the interaction between the party and the elves.
“These ogres seem a bit different. Their eyes have the gleam of intelligence, not the dull-witted look I’ve seen on other ogres in the game,” Nitor whispered to the others as Ty spoke to the elves.
“Hold your blades and arrows. We cannot allow children and the elderly to be harmed, regardless of their race. Killing the defenseless is dishonorable and I had heard the elves were an honorable people,” Ty argued.
“Hah, I would expect you to take their side, half breed. Begone, or face the consequences,” the elf said with a sneer.
“Half breed?” Ty asked incredulously. “What are you, some kind of crazy racist elves or something?” the former Marine asked angrily.
“Get em,” Jacoby ordered.
The party sprang into action. Yendys cast her entanglement spell against the archers as Jacoby and Ty charged the melee elves. Smashem and Crunchy moved to place themselves between the elves and the ogre children, shielding them from harm. Kathala activated her healing aura and began to fire off direct heal spells at the injured ogre children. Nitor began his chant and Yendys could feel the defensive buff covering the party. The chanting aura always felt like a slight breeze to her when it took effect. She watched as this particular chant provided the team with additional protection from missiles, which was a wise choice for their current situation. As she cast a Nature’s Wrath spell at the archers, Nitor readied his crossbow. The party had long ago shared their strengths and weaknesses with each other, and she knew Nitor had trouble doing anything other than shooting once he concentrated on a chant.