by Jackson Bale
I---bend---my---legs---and---raise---my---shield,---coiling---my---muscles,---tensing---them,---my---large---scales---scraping---apart---at---each---other.
He---had---taught---me...
And---like---a---coiled---snake,---I---extend---my---legs,---my---shield---ripping---forward---with---the---weight---of---my---entire---body.
That---fighting...
“[Shield---Bash]!”
Is---about---your---opponent---not---being---able---to---withstand---your---defense!
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM*
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Darrow’s---black---shield,---created---from---the---scales---of---the---dungeon---boss---Lacerta,---rips---forward,---the---air---whistling---behind---it,---impacts---the---giant---tree---branch---being---used---as---a---weapon.---The---branch---shatters---completely,---not---slowing---the---shield---down---one---bit.---The---skill---enhanced---shield---continues---forward,---impacting---the---minotaur’s---hands,---bending---and---breaking---them---as---though---they---were---made---of---twigs.---And---even---then,---his---shield---barely---slows,---going---forward---still,---slamming---into---the---minotaur’s---chest.
The---sound---of---bone---cracking---is---heard---as---the---chest---indents---before---physics---seems---to---take---over---and---the---six---hundred---pound---minotaur---goes---flying---into---another---group---of---them,---knocking---them---down,---possibly---breaking---something---in---the---process.
Quickly---regaining---his---footing,---Darrow---takes---a---moment---to---look---around---the---battlefield,---finding---that---his---people---are---battling---the---minotaurs---well.
His---group---specifically,---the---‘Heavy---Infantry’,---are---leading---the---majority---of---the---assault.---As---he---had---taught---them,---they---are---absorbing---the---hits---from---the---minotaurs---with---their---shield---while---attacking---them---if---they---get---distracted---by---Threm’---group.---Her---group,---the---‘Fighters’,---are---striking---hard---and---running---back---behind---his---heavies,---slowly---whittling---them---down.---Which---is---what---Thoric---had---ordered---them---to---do.---To---avoid---killing---them---as---he---wants---them---to---join---him.
If---it---was---anyone---else---who---asked---him---to---fight---an---enemy---and---not---kill,---he---would---have---told---them---off.---Because---in---the---end,---he---was---sure---some---of---his---people---would---be---dead---through---the---fight.
But---Darrow---holds---immense---respect---for---the---commander,---so---he---had---followed---the---plan.---And---to---his---surprise,---nobody---had---been---killed.---Hurt,---yes.---Some---of---his---heavies---had---been---idiotic---enough---to---attempt---to---block---with---their---body---but---the---commander---had---implemented---several---contingencies.---The---first---would---be---a---quick---replacement---heavy---to---fight---the---minotaur.---If---all---are---busy,---then---one---of---the---[Lieutenants]---would---take---over.---If---they---are---busy---or---not---in---the---area,---then---the---flock---will---descend---and---end---the---minotaur’s---life.
Darrow---glances---up,---watching---as---the---enormous---birds---circle---the---battlefield,---waiting---to---be---directed---with---but---a---thought.
And---so---far,---they---have---swarmed---with---impeccable---timing,---killing---two---minotaurs.---Two---of---ninety.
But---what---is---more---impressive---is---that---the---commander---is---keeping---track---of---the---entire---army---while---fighting---the---enemy---[Chieftain].
Darrow---looks---to---the---side,---eyes---gazing---towards---a---location---seemingly---devoid---of---trees.---His---mouth---opens---in---confusion.---It---takes---several---moments---for---him---to---understand---the---situation,---and---another---moment---to---close---his---mouth.
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Standing---on---a---tree,---Tella---watches---the---fight---between---Thoric---and---the---enemy---[Chieftain]---unfold.---And---while---it---unfolds,---she---was---tasked---with---relaying---orders---to---the---army---that---Thoric---yells---to---her.
And---for---the---life---of---her,---she---can’t---even---remember---what---orders---she---had---relayed.---Because---right---now,---at---this---moment,---she---is---dripping---wet.
A---chill---goes---down---her---spine,---extending---to---her---tail.
The---whole---fight---had---been…---intoxicating.---Many---a---time---through---the---fight,---she---had---almost---fallen---off---the---branch---she---is---sitting---on,---and---only---through---luck---was---she---able---to---keep---her---body---in---control.
“Would---you---fucking---give---up!?”---Thoric---yells,---spinning---his---staff---in---his---hand,---casually---walking---in---circles---around---the---[Chieftain].
It---takes---a---long---moment---and---a---bit---of---effort---before---she---removes---her---gaze---from---Thoric---and---lands---it---on---the---[Chieftain].
A---Level---31---[Chieftain].---Strong,---big,---and---powerful---would---be---words---to---describe---him---before---the---fight.
But---now,---the---[Chieftain]---stands---naked.---Completely---and---utterly---naked.---All---of---the---[Chieftain]’s---fur---and---clothing---had---been---completely---cut---off---by---the---razor---discs---dangerously---spinning---and---circling---the---[Chieftain]’s---body.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”---the---[Chieftain]---yells---and---attempts---to---stand,---but---falls---quickly.---Both---leg---tendons---have---been---severed,---immobilizing---him.
But---Thoric---rolls---his---eyes,---shaking---his---head.---“Seriously.---You've---lost.---Stop---being---stupid---and---give---up.---You---can't---win.”
The---[Chieftain]---attempts---to---stand,---falling---again---before---roaring---in---anger.
“Surrender!”---Thoric---yells,---his---voice---echoing---loudly---in---the---clearing,---getting---the---attention---of---both---sides---of---the---battle.
“NOOOOOOOO!---I---FIGHT!”---yells---the---[Chieftain]
Thoric---frowns,---eyes---growing---calm---and---sad,---a---look---Tella---had---never---seen---before.---A---look---of---seeming---disappointment.
*Sigh*
“Then---die.”
At---those---words,---the---discs---accelerate---towards---the---[Chieftain],---ripping---into---flesh,---cutting---and---slashing.---The---[Chieftain]---roars---in---pain,---blood---splattering---the---hair---covered---ground.---His---roars---of---pain---get---louder---and---louder,---the---battlefield---quickly---going---silent,---overtaken---by---the---[Chieftain]’s---screams.---A---moment---passes---and---the---screaming---stops,---the---[Chieftain]---dead---and---his---corpse---completely---mutilated---while---the---area---is---coated---with---his---blood.
Thoric---turns---to---the---battlefield,---to---his---audience.
“Your---leader---is---dead.---You---are---mine!”---he---yells---before---turning---around---and---ordering---one---of---his---birds---to---land,---allowing---him---to---mount---it---and---take---flight.
As---the---[Hero]---leaves,---silence---continues---for---several---moments,---only---broken---by---a---loud---moan,---followed---by---a---crash.
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Looking---up,---Janie---hears---the---wingbeats---of---Thoric’s---minion,---expecting---to---find---another---injured---Gajen---she---needs---to---heal.---Instead,---she---finds---Thoric---landing---with---a---sad---expression---on---his---face.---The---fact---that---he---is---here---and---not---directing---the---army---can---only---mean---that---the---battle---had---ended.
He---lands---and---dismounts---before---giving---me---a---troubled---look.
“What---happened?”---I---ask,---unsure---what---else---to---say.---To---her,---he---looked---like---he---was---defeated.
He---sighs.
“The---battle…---did---not---go---as---planned,”---he---says---softly,---moving---next---to---her---and---grabbing---a---piece---of---cooked---meat.
But---he’s---a---[Hero].---Heroes---never---lose.---Or---maybe-
--one---of---the---[Liughtenants]---had---died.---He’s---grieving.
“So…---who---died?”---she---asks,---thinking---on---the---possibility.
Threm---seems---too---capable---to---die,---especially---considering---her---new---class.---Darrow---is---probably---just---as---hard---to---kill.---Lilly---is---a---possibility,---but---so---is---Tella.---Though---he---might---be---crying---if---it---was---her---considering---he---might---have---stronger---feelings---for---her…
“The---stupid---enemy---[Chieftain]---did,”---he---exclaims---before---ripping---into---the---meat---as---though---it---had---insulted---him.
“Do---not---mourn---your---enemy,”---a---voice---calls---out---behind---her.---Quickly---looking---back,---she---finds---Zorren---sitting,---gazing---at---the---[Hero].---He---had---been---tasked---with---protecting---her.---Not---that---anything---happened---in---the---meantime.
“I’m---not---mourning---his---ass!---I’m---upset---that---I---had---to---kill---him,”---he---yells---out,---partially---chewed---food---still---in---his---mouth.---”He---was---supposed---to---give---up---and---join---me.---He---would---have---been---a---leader---of---my---minotaur---group.”
Jessa---raises---an---eyebrow,---“But---what---about---Grognak?”---she---asks.
Thoric---stops---and---starts---coughing,---a---piece---of---food---coming---out---of---his---mouth---in---the---process.
“Hell---no.---I---don't---care---that---the---idiot---somehow---got---a---class---upgrade---to---[Squire].---What---is---he---going---to---be?---A---[Knight]?---I---mean---sure,---he---gained---two---points---of---intelligence,---but---that---just---means---he---is---less---stupid.---Still---stupid---though.
“But---he---at---least---tries.”---she---voices.
Thoric---snorts,---”You---mean---that---time---he---tried---to---copy---Threm---as---she---practices---her---forms?---He---tripped---and---fell---into---the---fire,---burning---himself.”---Thoric---shakes---his---head,---“That's---why---I---gave---him---to---Marcia.---She---seems---like---she---can---use---him---for---labor.”
The---[Hero]---takes---a---deep---breath---and---looks---at---the---surrounding---area.---Already---the---stumps---of---trees---for---their---forward---base---are---starting---to---grow---back.---By---the---time---his---army---and---the---new---recruits---return,---they---will---need---to---trim---the---trees---down---again.---And---then,---if---there---is---time,---travel---to---where---the---females---of---this---new---tribe---are---and---have---them---join---him---as---well.
“Anyways,---I'm---going---to---fly---and---try---to---scout---the---other---side---of---the---dungeon.---Hopefully,---I---can---find---a---couple---more---tribes---to---add---to---my---army.”---Thoric---says---before---mounting---his---bird---and---waving---away---at---Janie.
She---frowns---and---looks---towards---the---direction---of---where---the---battle---had---taken---place,---expecting---a---lot---of---work---for---her---when---they---arrive.
A---sad---smile---forms---on---her---lips---as---a---thought---passes---through---her---mind.
At---least---this---time---I---won't---have---anyone---die---in---my---arms
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Pissed.---It's---been---a---while---since---I---have---been---pissed---off.---Why---couldn’t---he---just---give---up?---Why---the---hell---is---the---leader---so---goddam---aggressive.---Is---it---because---he---is---stupid?---Possibly,---but---that---should---make---it---easier---for---me---to---manipulate---them.---A---ten-minute---battle---took---an---entire---hour.---It---should---have---been---easy.---But---it---wasn't---because---the---[Chieftain]---seemed---to---have---unending---morale…
Fuck.---Could---it---have---been---a---skill?---Did---I---just---waste---my---time---removing---all---of---his---fur---for---nothing?
...
“Damn.---That's---probably---it.---I’m---such---an---idiot.”
Funny---how---my---confidence---has---a---tendency---to---backfire.---Here---I---am,---making---complicated---plans---to---overtake---a---small---army---of---minotaurs---with---a---priority---to---obtain---the---leader’s---loyalty,---but---I---failed.---I’m---not---used---to---failing.---My---plans---are---always---on---point.---Here,---the---rules---are---similar,---but---I---forgot---the---defining---feature---of---this---world.---A---feature---that---is---excessively---new---to---me…
Now---that---I---think---about---it,---a---world---with---game-like---mechanics---is---something---completely---new---to---me.---It---would---be---understandable---that---I---would---not---be---able---to---fully---implement---the---system---into---my---own---plans.---Especially---considering---I---can't---actually---figure---out---what---skills---another---person---has.
I---mean,---I---could---guess,---but---I’m---lacking---a---immense---amount---of---information.
“Huh…---did---I---just---make---myself---feel---better?”
The---wind---buffets---my---face,---a---nice---breeze---considering---the---humid---air.
“Yup…---apparently,---I---did.”
I---shake---my---head,---a---goofy---smile---forming---on---my---face.
“Well,---let's---see---If---I---can---really---make---myself---feel---better.”
Status
Level---Up---x---1
You---are---now---a---Level---50---[Necromancer]
New---Skill---Awarded:---[Corrosive---Fog]
[Corrosive---Fog]
Create---a---concentrated---acidic---fog---that---destroys---flesh---but---leaves---bones---untouched.
Level---Up---x---2
You---are---now---a---Level---41---[Noble]
New---skill---awarded:---[Stable---Posture]
Error.---Skill---mastery---exceeded.---Upgrading---Skill.
[Stable---Posture]---is---enhanced---to---[Stabilizing---Presence]
[Stabilizing---Presence]
Your---presence---alone---brings---confidence---to---your---allies,---greatly---increasing---allied---morale---while---reducing---the---strength---of---negative---mental---effects.---Range---scales---with---Soul.---Strength---scales---with---Willpower.
Thoric---Elum
Level---50---[Necromancer]
Level---37---[Hero]
Level---41---[Noble]
Level---34---[Enchanter]
Raise---Undead
Advanced---Analyse
Skeletal---Renewal
Enhanced---Undead
Bone---Telekinesis.
Advanced---Mana---Sense
Enchant
Enhanced---Structural---Enchantments.
Undead---Eyes
Undead---enrage
Lightless---Undead
Minor---Undead---Modification
Create---Skeletal---Guardian
Split---Concentration
Converging---Mana
Enhanced---Trainer
Create---Skeletal---Warrior
Minor---Mana---Efficiency---Enchanting
Stabilizing---Presence.
Corrosive---fog
Strength
23
Dexterity
37
Stamina
32
Perception
246
Endurance
14
Vitality
227
Mana
1018
M/regen
3.9
Affinity
13
Intelligence
490
Willpower
3047
Soul
4143
“Aw---fuck.---Really?---Damnit.”