by Jason Cheek
“Keep them off my back!” Julie demanded to her people as a magic scroll appeared in her hands. With a flick of her wrists, she’d unrolled the scroll and began to read. Seeing the level 200 scroll in play, Councilor Fulrin drove his people in a last ditch effort to overwhelm the Chaos Storm officers guarding her back. I couldn’t hear what all was being said, but neither side held anything back as the three surviving officers pulled out every special attack, skill, and magic ability that they had to hold the line for a little bit longer.
While I wasn’t willing to attack Julie directly and risk having her stop the cast, I did my best to help the Battle Priests where I could by passing out Regenerations, Light’s Blessings, and Holy Shields. Still, it wasn’t quite enough. Even though they outnumbered the enemy, it was a close fight since the Battle Priests were weaker in comparison to the players. While Councilor Fulrin was level fifty, the rest of his people were only in the low forties. With every Chaos Storm officer being level 42 and a nightmare start, the level gap between them was almost too much for them to overcome even with the incredible level of healing their squad brought to the table. I did manage to get a couple Frost blasts into Julie’s defenders, but the angle was nearly impossible for me to consistently tag any of them with on a consistent basis.
When the time on my HUD showed a minute had passed by without the Battle Priests reaching their target, I knew that they’d missed their shot. As if proving my point, a pillar of flame as large around as Julie suddenly shot into the air. Instantly, the sky above the city turned blood-red as the magic began to gather into a massive ball of flames. It looked to be around fifteen thousand feet up. As it slowly grew to the size of the city, the sounds of fighting died down on the balcony as the last newfar protecting Julie fell to the Battle Priests’ blades and spears.
The look of anguish on Councilor Fulrin’s face said it all as he gazed up to the humongous fiery orb that began plunging back to earth. I yelled at him to ignore the meteor and finish Cristiane off instead, but he couldn’t stop staring up at his impending death. Unfortunately, the Councilor entirely missed my warning as Julie began forming a massive ball of lightning in her armored hands.
With a growl, I began hammering her back with alternating shots of Enhanced Shadow Bolts and Flurry Blasts. It took three hits just to get through the Enhanced Holy Shield that was protecting her back. It didn’t matter, I laid into her with everything I had, duel-casting all the way. By the sixth double-shot, I could see the black corruption of my Dark magic eating away at the pale skin of her face as she shot me a nasty glare while the ball of energy grew in size in her hands.
While the dark magic was visibly more effective, the Frost magic was having the most affect as it doubled the time it took for her casts to complete. I’d knocked her hit points down to below half, when the massive lightning ball shot out of her hands at Councilor Fulrin and his troopers. There was a split second of horror when he realized what had happened, before a blinding explosion of energy momentarily lit up the balcony. When the glare lessened to where I could see again, I saw Julie hacking at the downed body with her saber with her health back to nearly a hundred percent.
Swearing under my breath, I decided it was time for me to get out of dodge as I took a last look up at the fiery orb plunging towards the city. Thinking back to my skydiving classes, I roughly estimated there was two to three minutes before the meteor would hit. That was if the terminal velocity of The World matched the Earths. I’d wanted to save the Battle Priests, but I sadly didn’t see that happening. With that thought, I had my pets form a defensive circle around me as I cast another line of Magnify Damage to the exit. Following the spell with another series of Corpse Explosions, I began moving out, when the world exploded around me.
It was more an energy blast than a normal explosion. My muscles automatically constricted in agony while my body was tossed into the air like a rag doll. Whatever hit me had passed through my Holy Shield, Bone Shield, and Mage Armor like a hot knife through butter. The air was knocked out of my lungs as I hit the ground hard, while lines of lightning rippled over my body like some cheesy special effects from an eighties movie.
Thankfully, it only lasted for a few seconds before the effects petered out. A quick look showed me that I’d only taken minor damage with no additional “Stun” component, which was due, no doubt, to my high elemental resistance. Although, it took a little longer for the bands of energy to disappear from my undead pets, they hadn’t taken any damage from the actual spell. The only bad result was that their muscles had remained locked up until the effects of the blast had run its course. A problem I’d need to take into consideration for future combat situations.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” I heard Julie’s voice angrily demand. Quickly, I commanded my undead pets to lie still as my ex-girlfriend came striding over to me from where she’d leapt down from the balcony above. As my eyes focused on her, I saw she now had an energy shield dancing over her skin. The effect looked something similar to the Frozen Armor spell for the Sorceress in a Diablo game. I kept that in the back of my mind as I watched her approach.
“I’m not done with you yet.” Julie spat angrily. As if to highlight her point, she blasted me with a Chain Lightning spell. “I didn’t just nuke myself and my people so you could escape the fun.”
She laughed cruelly as the bolt of energy shot between me and my undead pets while I bellowed in agony. This time, the spell’s effect was much more powerful, since it didn’t have to go through any of my magic shields. While the attack hurt, once again its effects were drastically reduced from my high resistance as no stun affect came over me. Coming to a stop next to me, Julie brutally flipped me over with the toe of her steel boot.
“Finally, after all of those years of never winning, I’m going to beat you at your own game.” She crowed, looking down at me triumphantly. “Once my scroll annihilates Telrain, your entire NPC army will be finished.”
Got any last words to say for my twitch fans?” Julie asked, making the gesture for the video to zoom in on my face.
Behind her, the fiery meteor filled the sky. In one way, it was actually quite beautiful, I thought. Almost like having a front row seat to the end of the world. I couldn’t help the victorious smile that came to my lips as I released a Frost Nova. “Too easy,” I thought, springing to my feet. I was just swinging back my Vicious Executioner's Axe of Cruelty, when the ice block around Julie shattered as her sword pierced the gap between my Cuirass and my shoulder poleyns.
In response, I swung my Dark Blade of Lord Kayden at her face as I twisted around and used the hand axe to force her saber from my body. Instead of having my slash connect, the electrical field around her body absorbed the blow as a jolt of lightning from her shield shot through my body. As I stumbled back in surprise, she blasted me off my feet with a lightning bolt through the chest.
“Pretty nifty trick, huh, Jay? I guess you didn’t think I’d be ready for that Frost Nova trick of yours.” She mockingly called out to me as my body flopped to a stop. “I bet you’ve got some unused stat points you wished you’d used before facing me.”
“Not really,” I called back to her as I rolled to a stop. Ignoring the bloody gashes on my face from where my own weapons had cut me, I hit her with dual Flurry blasts as I ordered my remaining pets to attack. Seeing the surprised look on her face, I gave her a shit eating grin as I blasted her again. “Yeah, that’s right, Babe. It doesn’t look like your stun is working against me.”
Julie’s guttural shriek of frustration was abruptly cut off as eight zombies suddenly dogpiled her to the ground. I didn’t follow up my attack. Instead, I hurriedly buffed myself with Holy Shield, Mage Armor, and Ice Barrier. While that sounded like the poorer choice to pick, especially with the Vicious Executioner's Axe of Cruelty I had in my hand, I didn’t trust my ex-girlfriend not to have something extra special tucked up her sleeve. As the Ice Barrier popped in place around me, an electrical explosion materialized tha
t blasted my pets away from her in a flash of light.
Bloody scratches covered her face as Julie rose to her feet radiating hate. Finishing up a cast of Regeneration on myself, I began hammering her with everything I had as my zombies’ bodies continued to spasm on the ground. Ignoring my attacks, my ex began casting her own Shields and HOTs as I hit her with an Identify and called for my manifested pets.
Within seconds, I knew what I faced. Luckily for me, she’d already used up a major portion of her mana fighting the Battle Priests from earlier. Sounds like an odd thing to focus on, but outlasting her was the only hope I had at this point, at least, until the meteor hit. How else was a level 35 player supposed to take on a level 44 player? That’s when the plan hit me. If I wasn’t going to be able to make my escape, then let me at least be able to honor the promise I’d given to Councilor Walt.
A thick ribbon of lightning crashed through my shields and blew me over the wooden stage, which announced that Julie was finished rebuffing herself. The power she was pushing out was insane, I thought, as I slid to a stop and rose into a crouch. I was just peeking over the stage, when an ear piercing roar announced Kitano’s entrance into the fight, as he came crashing down on Julie. I then saw Shadow Fang dart forward to strike her as well, while at the same time, I commanded my zombies to follow me and sprinted for the doors to the keep.
Instead of hearing victorious sounds from my pets’ attacks, an agonized whimper came from behind me as both Shadow Fang and Kitano’s icons instantly disappeared from my HUD. Looking back over my shoulder as I yanked one-side of the double doors open, I saw Julie stepping out of Kitano’s massive corpse with her saber in hand. She looked like she’d bathed in his blood as she glared at me from across the courtyard.
“We’re dead either way.” Julie called out in an ugly tone. “But, I’m still going to have the pleasure of killing your low level ass before I die.”
“Not if I can help it.” I shouted back, before racing inside the keep.
Thankfully, the stairwell up was easy enough to find, being that it was at the end of the entrance’s hallway. Quickly, I raced up its wide steps looking for the balcony level with my battered zombies at my back. I found the archway leading to the balcony three levels up. Racing outside, I immediately sent each of my zombies scurrying to gather up the dead Battle Priests, making sure Councilor Fulrin and the group he’d made his last stand with were recovered.
Interesting enough, there were corpses of newfar everywhere. It looked like the inner keep had emptied out all their guards to assist, which had probably been what had overwhelmed the majority of the Battle Priests. As soon as my pets had scooped up the corpses, I sent them hurling down the balcony to race out the city. Hurling might have been too kind of a description as my pets began face planting into the ground with their loads. Not that it hurt them in the least as they leaped to their feet and raced off.
Looking up at the fiery orb, it was so close now that I swore I could reach out and touch it. I had no idea if my pets would make it out of the city in time, but it was the only chance those honorable men and women had at a second chance at life. I was just refreshing all of my spells, when I heard Julie’s disgusted voice ring out behind me.
“Goddammit, Jay! Stop running away like a little pussy and die like a real man!”
“Yeah, because that makes all kinds of sense.” I spat back at her. “You could just as easily stop being such a nasty ho, but that’s not going-.” I grunted as a bolt of pure lightning cut me off. My crossed weapons took the brunt of the impact, but the blast still knocked me off my feet and into the railing at the end of the balcony as lightning rippled up and down my body.
“Shut your freaking mouth, Jay!” Julie shrieked, advancing on me like death incarnate. “There’s nowhere for you to go.” She began blasting me with a lightning bolt with each step she took towards me as I writhed in agony from the constant attacks. “There are no more pets you can sick after me.” She relentlessly berated me as ribbons of electricity snaked over my body and shot into my mouth. “No more NPCs to fight your battles.”
It felt like my eyes were boiling in their sockets as my body was wracked with nonstop pain. And here, I’d always thought that Luke Skywalker was just being a major crybaby like normal when he faced-off against the Emperor. Unfortunately, now I knew the real story … it hurt like freaking hell! As my ex-girlfriend came to a stop above me, I cursed under my breath as I spat on her boots.
“I didn’t quite catch that.” Julie sneered down at me. “You want to say that again for everyone to hear?”
“Sure thing,” I said, pushing myself up into a sitting position. Looking up at the fiery orb that was seconds away from exploding over our heads, I couldn’t help the victorious smile that came to my lips. Surprisingly enough, in that moment, I saw Royal Investigator Lamkin outlined against the top of the keep looking up at the sky in horror. As if feeling the weight of my gaze, Rani looked down at me as our eyes met. In that split-second, I swear she mouthed “Fuck my life!”
Looking away, I activated the Talisman of Yeenoktu and met my ex-girlfriend’s hate-filled eyes. “Sorry, you lose again, Julie!”
“Argh!” A wordless shriek came from Julie’s lips as she lunged at me to bury the point of her saber into my chest. Instead of punching through my body, the blade literally stopped when it reached my skin. Not believing her eyes, Julie tried three more times with the same result. Stepping back away from me, she looked down at me in shocked disbelief.
“That can’t be possible.” She said in a hoarse whisper. “There’s no such thing as a Divine Shield in this game”
“I think the word you’re looking for is, Insta-bubble.” I said, sheathing the Dark Blade of Lord Kayden and securing the Vicious Executioner's Axe of Cruelty to my belt, before triggering my Fortifying Charm of the Defender as I climbed to my feet.
The Divine Shield that she was referring to was a Paladin spell from the World of Warcraft. It granted the Paladin eight seconds of immunity from all types of damage and looked like a golden bubble. Unlike the Talisman of Yeenoktu’s which had a one week lockout, the Divine Shield could be triggered every five minutes, which made it seem overpowered at the time. Of course, the forums were filled with player rants about how unfair the special ability was. Whatever, that was never a problem for me.
“Enjoy your twenty-four hour time-out.” I called out, smiling at the priceless look of horror that came over her face a split-second before the world exploded into flames around us.
***
“By the dark!" Neristhana swore out loud as she looked up into the sky at the terrifying sight, while her hands clenched into fists. Next to her, Neysa threw her head back and let out a sorrowful howl, while all around them, newfar and the people of The World alike stopped what they were doing as they fearfully watched the massive fiery ball taking shape over the city. The orb seethed and boiled like a living thing as it grew in size from the shaft of magic shooting up into the heavens from the center of the city.
Lord Ironwolf had warned them that this was going to happen, but knowing it and seeing it were two completely different things. Even so, it still grated on her nerves that there was nothing she could do to protect him from the incoming devastating attack.
“Sub-Leaders … Team Leaders!” Assault Leader Thomas’ voice cracked like a whip in raid chat. “Gather up your troops and move out!”
That seemed to break the trance which they were all in as Assault Leader Dell’s voice began bellowing out a steady stream of commands and even calling out individual trooper’s names as needed. Within moments, order had been restored as the newly minted Sub and Team Leaders began getting their people on the move. The organization that Assault Leader Dell had managed to bring to the various forces under his command in just one night seemed like magic as the troopers split into two separate groups. One headed northeast down the King’s road to Palnisdale, while the other headed directly north through the temperate forest to the way point that
had been worked out the night before.
It wasn’t as sharply carried out as the newly created Kayden Troopers’ movements, but it was impressive nonetheless with only a night of preparation. Though, it made a certain kind of sense on one level. General Dell had worked with most of these soldiers his entire life. He knew how they thought, how they were trained, and knew the commands needed to get them moving the way he wanted. The old veteran fitted into his current leadership position like a well-worn glove. A good omen for their future of their fledgling empire.
Neristhana saw the other newfar that had bound themselves to her Lord moving out. Already, the majority of the Devil Dogs were at the front of the column headed north, while the newest group of newfar they’d just met were just beginning to head off into the forest. A few, she noticed, were looking back at them questioningly, trying to figure out what was going on. Only Thomas, Kenzie, and the original group of newfar remained behind as Neristhana nodded to Ulia, Keela, Rayne, Brenna, Neysa, and Helgath.
“We need to move out.” Thomas snapped, as he nervously glanced up at the fiery orb growing in the sky.
“We won’t leave Lord Ironwolf behind,” Neristhana stated in no uncertain terms. To emphasize her point, she crossed her arms over her chest and faced the newfar commander with her fellow companions at her back. Exasperated, Thomas growled in frustration.
“That’s not the freaking plan!” Thomas raged at the group of them, while Sarka, Yun, Tinyr, and Unalia shifted uncomfortably next to him, obviously not willing to leave either.