A Player in the Greenwood: A LitRPG Novella

by Galen Wolf

  He thought he had me. "I knew I would have my revenge on you," he sneered. "You fucking toerag. No Ranger ever beats a Cavalier."

  He swung again missed, swung again and hit me. I needed Elfhair to heal me real bad, but she was still supporting Griffin as he fought an enormous number of Horrabians. Then my Tiger jumped on Samwise's back and pushed him into the ground. I took my dagger and stabbed him in the back of the neck in the chink between his helmet and his cuirass. It was an obvious critical hit, and it killed him instantly. I got a surge of XP. I was about three quarters of the way to Level 9.

  The ghost of Samwise shimmered. "I really hate you," he said.

  "Bye bye," I waved with a smile. "Go res and I'll kill you again later."

  Between me Wolf and Tiger, we finished the other Cavaliers then I turned to assist Griffin and Elfhair. There was a hell of a noise from the air above us. I snapped my head to look at the sky. The huge leather winged bats and the scaly raptors were flitting around and I guessed they would start to dive bomb on us and pick us off, but then I saw that they were otherwise engaged. The sky was dark and anything higher up was just silhouette, but I saw that there were huge birds fighting the raptors locking their talons in combat air-to-air. They were Rangers' eagles. And I saw other birds too – huge white owls also taking out the bats. There was full-scale aerial warfare going on. I rushed to Griffin who had just dispatched a cavalier.

  "What the hell are those owls?"

  "The owls of the Wizard's Guild."

  "The Wizards of Vinab? Come to our aid?"

  Griffin nodded grimly. "It's total war now. Although Horrabia has called in all its players – and they will be arriving soon – everybody who hates Horrabia – and that is a bunch of people – is coming to help us. They see it as an opportunity to get vengeance. Normally most players cower in fear of their bullying ways, but this is an opportunity to get a bit of payback."

  As he spoke, a Vinab wizard landed, dropping off two of the Knights Guild who'd had a lift on his owl. The Knights rushed the sorcerers, dispatching demons with white flashes from their holy swords. It was mayhem.

  "Listen Griffin," I said. "I really need to get to the palace."

  "Okay, he said. "I know a way."

  "You don't have to come. I'll go alone."

  Griffin indicated the mass of Horrabians still arriving. "Really?"

  I shrugged.

  "Besides, you haven't met Praxis?"

  "Praxis?"

  "You'll see."

  Elfhair clapped me on the back in a way that was far too buddy and not enough sexy for my liking. She winked. "I'm not going to leave my little ranger pal." She ruffled my hair.

  "Don't."

  Griffin said, "Let's go."

  I left the Tiger and the Wolf as a rearguard blocking the entrance to the alley we'd entered. Griffin led Elfhair and myself through a further narrow alley. This wasn't the way I'd gone with Ahn and Ajora but Griffin seemed to know his way around the city. I guess he'd raided here before.

  When we were clear of the main melee, I whistled and the Tiger and Wolf ran in behind us, still keeping a useful block against any Horrabians who might try to get at us from the rear. I looked up at the sky half expecting the raptors to come down but they were being tackled by the eagles. I heard a huge thump and crash as an owl fell dead onto the roof of one of the buildings up above and to the left. The battle wasn't going all our way. We emerged into Horrabia Square. As if to confirm that the Horrabians were getting some victories I saw two dead eagles as well as remains of Horrabian raptors.

  There, at the far end of the square, the huge polar bear that was Ajora and the massive grizzly that was Ahn were holding their own against a ring of cavaliers, thieves, and a single Horrabian lore master.

  "They need some healing," yelled Elfhair, sprinting across the square, with holy power pouring from her fingers to bathe over the beleaguered Bears.

  We ran towards our guild mates. The rogue Achilles was also there though I could hardly see him. He was stabbing and dancing around his enemies. But there were an awful lot of enemies. At that moment one of the scaly raptors dived like a bomber from the sky and raked Ajora with its claws streaking her white fur crimson.

  It looked like we were massively outnumbered. But then to my left the air shimmered. And five gaudily dressed characters appeared.

  "The fuck?"

  Still running, Griffin laughed. "The Bard's Guild – at least some of them, and the good news is they're on our side."

  Seeing the newcomers, some of the Horrabians broke off to engage them. Two of the bards had their arms around each other's shoulders like a mini barbershop quartet and began to sing while the others formed a circle to protect them. I stopped to watch. Tiger and Wolf stopped beside me as my guards.

  The most beautiful operatic singing began. Griffin was beside me. "What's that they're singing?" I asked

  "That, young Barcud, is the Aria of Death."

  "What's it do?" I blushed. "I get it's got something to do with death."

  "If the bards managed to sing uninterrupted the five minutes, then all enemies who are outdoors who hear the Aria of Death will instantly die. That's why the other bards are protecting them."

  "We should probably protect them too?"

  Griffin nodded. "Let's go."

  With the bear, the tiger and the wolf, I ran across to the circle of bards. Realizing the danger that they posed, lots of Horrabians focused their attacks on them.

  The three bards forming the outer circle began doing various tricks. One was juggling a glowing white sphere. It seemed all the Horrabians who saw it couldn't take their eyes off the sphere and could do nothing else but watch. Another of the bards was tap dancing and as I watched all the Horrabians within five feet of him began to tap dance too mimicking his actions.

  I knew what to do. I selected some Blacktip from my poison pouch and put 10 batches on each of my daggers because I didn't need any fancy poisons for this. I went around and stabbed the tap-dancing Horrabians. When I'd stabbed around five of those I went to those Horrabians who were mesmerized by the juggler, and I killed them too. The XP rush was like drugs, or at least sugar. We were about three minutes into the Aria. The two bards who were singing it were completely transfixed. And I guess they were very vulnerable. We looked around just as two thieves came at them from the darkness. There was a struggle and my Blacktip was no use. Even though I stabbed them, I guess the thieves were immunized against it. The damage I was doing came from my daggers alone. I managed to reduce the strength of one of them – but strength is not the primary stat of the thief and so it wasn't as valuable a type of damage as if I'd been attacking cavaliers.

  And then the Aria reached its peak. With a flourish that broke the heart, the singing bards reached a climax, and then like sacks of potatoes all the Horrabians in the square fell dead. Their raptors dropped from the sky hitting the ground in bloody thuds.

  Above our heads wheeled the magnificent tawny eagles and beautiful snowy owls. Our aerial troops owned the heavens above Horrabia. For now.

  Griffin said, "Don't rest on your laurels. These dead Horrabians," – he pointed at the shimmering ghosts all around the square, "will be resurrecting, and remember this is their home city so they will have bound very close by, and they'll be back in minutes."

  "We need to get into the Red Tower," I said.

  We ran over to Ahn and Ajora and Achilles.

  "Hey! It's the A team!" I grinned.

  Ajora frowned. "What are you talking about?"

  I pointed. "Ajora, Ahn, and Achilles." I laughed out loud at my own wit. No one else did.

  Ahn growled. He was covered in blood although Elfhair had healed him up. I still couldn't quite get used to the bears speaking but I could tell he was troubled. "We need to bail," he said.

  I shook my head. "No way." I really need to get to the Red Tower. We're so close. If we fail this time, they will certainly be ready for us next time. We've got to go now."

&
nbsp; Ajora said, "the kid's got a point."

  Griffin agreed. "It's probably now or never."

  I looked around the square. The ghosts of the Horrabians had disappeared, indicating they were resurrecting somewhere. On the positive side, however, Vinab wizards were setting up defensive rituals across the square and I could see more bards and armored members of the Knight's Guild. There was even a Druid healing our troops.

  "Okay," Ajora said, "let's go."

  Ahn said, "We don't want to give away where we're going. We need to create a distraction. Let them think this is just a raid and we are making a stand at the Square."

  I said, "So who do we need?"

  Ajora pointed at Achilles. "For the traps." Then she indicated Elfhair. "Healing." She smiled. "Then you, little Barcud, because you've got the key. And me – to watch all of your backs and make sure you don't die too quick."

  "I still have misgivings," Ahn said.

  "You always do, boss." Ajora joked.

  "But you give us your permission as Guildmaster?" I asked.

  He gave a big bear shrug. "If Ajora and Elfhair and Achilles are with you – that's probably the best team you could hope for."

  Taking that as permission, I said, "Let's rock!"

  Ajora showed us the way up some side streets so that we would avoid any Horrabian reinforcements coming down the main streets to the Square. She asked me to lose the pets so we didn't draw attention. Sadly I bade farewell to my Tiger and my Wolf. After Ajora, ran Achilles and then Elfhair and then me. We were going along a narrow alley that was not lit at all. On either side shabby slummy houses loomed. Above us burned the blood red Horrabian moon.

  "How far?" I hissed.

  HUD talk or nothing, Ajora messaged. Do you want to bring the whole place down on us?

  Then three black figures leapt down from the rooftops. The moonlight gleamed crimson on their drawn blades. One landed on Elfhair and stabbed her, paralyzing her. Before the thief stabbed her again in the stomach, I saw her vomit and realized she had been poisoned with Vomwort. Then she coughed drily. Riddlewort. I sighed. Classic.

  Another thief tried to engage with Achilles. Achilles flipped back and disappeared in a puff of black smoke. I saw the third thief attack Ajora by surprise, double stabbing her and poisoning her with an unknown poison that caused her to lose her bear form and become human again. I was not aware of the poisons that had been used–but they seemed high level. While Ajora lay prone on the cobbled streets, the dark clad thief bound her legs just as he had done with me the first time I met him. There was no doubt. It was Loki.

  The second thief who had missed Achilles, came at me, but I flipped back and drew him down the street. I was waiting for him and wished I'd poisoned my daggers in sequence. I still had some Blacktip, and then whatever residue was on from previous applications. I stabbed him twice. I could tell he was higher-level than me. He must be about 15 I would say. He might get the better of me in a fight but I was not going to go down easily. With my daggers I did some damage on him and heard the sound effect that indicated I had procced a strength reduction. He got me, but I was able to eat Hale Fruit and smoke my pipes to cure my afflictions before they did any real damage. Then I remembered my net. I always forgot to use my net. I hurled it at him, tangling the thief in its leather strings. As the thief struggled to get free, Achilles emerged from the darkness and reduced the trapped thief to a shimmering ghost.

  "Good teamwork," Achilles said.

  We rushed forward to help Elfhair and Ajora.

  "I'll deal with Loki," snarled Achilles, and he launched himself at the dark figure, sending him careering over and away from Ajora. I saw that Ajora was struggling to get to her feet, but my focus was Elfhair. She looked in a bad way. The thief was attempting to strip her of her possessions. He didn't really have time for that, but I guess habits die hard. Stupid asshole. I stabbed the thief from behind, managing to get in a flurry of blows to reduce his health. He turned to face me and began to dance. I must've had some harlequin on my blade that I'd forgotten about. While he danced I blew smoke from my pipe at Elfhair, and with my Spitting skill spat a healing Hale Fruit at her. This restored a good amount of her health, and from there she was able to heal herself. I turned back to the still dancing thief and finished him quickly.

  That just left Loki.

  When I looked and saw Loki had killed Achilles, but Achilles had damaged him badly. Behind him Ajora resumed her polar bear form and raked Loki's face.

  I heard Elfhair muttering the words of the resurrection spell and guessed she was going to raise Achilles.

  Loki had his back to me while he fought Ajora. I could see that Ajora was doing serious damage to him, but he was also doing damage to her. I only hoped that Elfhair would finish the long-winded resurrection spell and be able to turn to help Ajora.

  In the meantime I ran forward to stab Loki in the back. I hit him with a critical. The right damage at the right moment on top of what Ajora had already done. If felt beautiful, and he shuddered and fell forward, a shimmering ghost form emerging from his corpse.

  I felt the familiar tingle and saw the beautiful blue glow that said I'd leveled.

  YOU HAVE REACHED LEVEL 9

  Loki's ghost snarled at me, "You sniveling sneak. Stabbing someone in the back when they're fighting someone else. That's called teaming – and it's not allowed."

  "Shut your face," Ajora snapped. "You've teamed everyone you could when you thought it would suit you. You're only whining now because you're the one who died."

  But he wasn't looking at her, he was staring at me. His ghostly eyes bored through me. I could see the walls through him but there was no mistaking his hatred. "I've got no more to say to you. I've made all the threats I need to. But believe me I will carry them out."

  "You and whose army?" I sneered. It was something I used to say at school when I was about eight, but it seemed fitting now.

  He shook his head and said, "Me and the Horrabian army, fuckwit. Not that I need any army at all to finish you, you gutter dweller."

  And then his ghost vanished as he went to resurrect somewhere.

  Ajora turned to me. "Come on, little Barcud. Well done for killing Lickass, as I call him. He'll be back soon as he can. With reinforcements. And we have a boss to fight."

  "A boss?"

  Ajora grinned. "You didn't think the NPC king Praxis of Horrabia was just going to let us walk through his palace, did you?"

  She turned and pointed to a huge castle made of red sandstone. There was a drawbridge leading to it guarded by a couple of NPCs in ceremonial armor. From the centre of the structure, a huge red tower rose, piercing the Horrabian sky. "It's that way," she said.

  #

  Level 9

  125hp, 60 mana

  Saves: Dodge 16, Toughness 11, Willpower 1

  Poisons:

  Aconite (forces shape shifters to human form, Willpower saves.)

  Slug (reduces Charisma, Wisdom and Intelligence to 0. Willpower saves.)

  Ranger Skills:

  Forest Teleport - teleport to stone circles within forests , e.g. Old Forest, Black Forest, Mirkwood.

  Brown Owl Companion (flies, can be sent to spy, high stealth)

  Survival:

  Appraise - know an enemy's current health and mana.

  Ore mining - identify and mine common ores, e.g. iron, copper, silver.

  Herbs:

  Sky Balsam (cures Death Cap poisoning)

  Kumquat Fruit (restores 200-300hp)

  7. Lessons to Learn

  Ajora raced with us through the narrow streets of Horrabia until we came out at the great avenue that led up to the Royal Palace.

  We all switched our stealth on, and Elfhair hung back behind one of the big ugly statues so she would be out of sight. I could see two NPC guards up ahead. I signaled that to Ajora via HUD, who replied: There are pairs of guards stationed all along the Avenue, but the really dangerous thing is that there are traps as well. Because we are all branded
as enemies of Horrabia they will go off if we get close. That's where he comes in.

  She pointed at Achilles.

  Achilles pulled down his face mask and gave us a toothy grin: Pleased to help!

  One of his front teeth had a diamond studded in it. Classy.

  Ajora turned to me: You wait here with Elfhair.

  I shook my head: I'm Level 9 now. Didn't you see me get that level?

  I saw it all right. She grinned: You're leveling pretty quick for a chicken head noob. But don't let it go to your head – these guys are much bigger than you.

  Achilles and Ajora stalked forward, hardly visible even with my high spot skill. I saw them dispatch the two guards and then Ajora turned and beckoned Elfhair and me forward.

  We ran across the stone cobbles. And then I heard a shriek high above - a leathery raptor was diving for us.

  They must have got reinforcements, signaled Elfhair.

  And they must have taken down the bulk of the owls and eagles. I ducked out of the way as the swash of wings and the foul breath of the raptor went just above my head. I unslung my Bow of Flame and fired at the raptor, scoring a direct hit, then sent a further flurry of arrows using my Rapid Shot skill.

  How can you fire so fast? Elfhair messaged. Whenever I use a bow, it's just plink-plink, plunk-plunk and nothing much happens.

  I knocked another couple arrows to the bowstring and let fly. These also struck true. A ball of flame enveloped the raptor, and it dropped to the ground.

  We don't have time to waste, messaged Ajora. We rushed forward, and I saw Achilles was already tinkering with a trap that was built into a fountain. When he'd finished, he dusted down his hands on his pants. He messaged: We can't go too fast. It's too dangerous. I need the time to find and sort out these traps.

  Ajora nodded. I was scanning the skies, another arrow my bow, just in case there were more raptors up there. The only flying creatures I could see now above the Palace were two eagles and a bard on a Pegasus: all ours. However, above the rooftops to the south of us where the city square was, I could see lots of aerial flashes and the sounds of heavy combat. The fight was concentrated there, which was a good diversion.