He sent a mental will do, and swam off, as I swam towards Thunder Foot. He had been under water a minute or so longer then I had, and his fighting was getting weak. Not to mention the Serpent had wrapped around him completely and was squeezing the air and life out him by the second. Time was running short as I swam the ten feet to my comrade. We locked eyes and I could see the panic setting in, he was at his limit. I began kicking and punching the serpent, but I couldn’t get any momentum in the water. If the serpent felt my blows, it didn’t show.
Thunder Foot’s eyes rolled up in his head and the last of his air bubbled up towards the surface. Time was out, I had to act now. An idea came to me, I hoped it worked, and I reached out grabbing the serpent on both sides of its horned head. It snapped at me and bit into my left hand. It hurt but I ignored the pain, as my already lowered HP dropped another few points down to half, and used the bite as a hold, grabbing it with my free hand, then with a thought I activated Flame and fire erupted from my hands, immediately expunged by the water surrounding it, but my plan worked. The fire and water exploded into steam and the serpent roared in pain as its mouth and head instantly burned form the super-heated water surrounding it. The heat dissipated quickly in the water, but the snake was in the center and his head burned and it’s body convulsed, relaxing its grip.
The monster loosened its body from the pain and I pulled Thunder Foot free, immediately swimming with all my strength to pull us to the surface, my own air was dangerously low, and I needed to breath, now. We were only ten feet below the surface, but it felt miles away. Every foot felt like a thousand, my lungs burned, and my arms and legs were leaden, Thunder Foot grew heavier with each passing moment. Then, as if just appearing, we breached the surface like a whale, gasping and heaving, sucking in that sweet, sweet oxygen.
Thunder Foot began coughing as we surfaced, thankfully he hadn’t fully passed out, but as much water came out as air went in. To my right I saw Freak swimming back to shore, Patty clinging to him like his life depended on it, which it did. I sent my cat a mental good kitty, I’ll get you a treat later. He responded with a tired growl, not even turning his head as he paddled back to shore. I grinned, hefted Thunder Foot in a lifeguard carry, and began swimming back to shore.
“Am I dead?” Thunder Foot croaked.
“Nope… but you look like shit.” I wheezed, between strokes.
We shared a chuckle on our swim back.
“I think we should have some kind of water guard.” Thunder Foot said, nonchalantly.
I dunked him underwater for a second, and he spluttered water, coughing and choking for a moment.
“What… was that?” I asked, finally getting my feet and setting Thunder foot’s feet on the ground as well. Now we were able to stand and walk out, back in the waist high water.
“Nothing, didn’t say nothing.” He replied.
We put our arms around each other’s shoulder for support and stumbled back to camp. Once we hit the beach, we crashed to the ground sitting and catching our breath.
“Yeah, a water guard is a good idea.” I said.
Freak came up and licked me on the face, Patty sitting a few feet away catching his breath as well. The rest of the crew was swarming the beach, weapons in fists, each trying to look everywhere at once for a threat. My Danger Sense had gone away so we were safe, for the moment.
“Relax a bit you guys, the monsters gone for now. Let’s get guard duty set up and have dinner. I’m starving.” I said. “Hey, Cunning Wolf, is that venison done yet or what? If it’s not, I swear I’m going to eat your old ass!”
Laughter burst out around me, even the old man laughing, as he ran over when the attack started.
“Come on, let’s eat you bunch of whippersnappers.” Cunning Wolf laughed.
All of us gathered around the fire, except for those on guard. We decided three guards per shift, and three shifts for the night. I was exempt, per unanimous vote, the crew saying I had a bunch of other shit to do. They were right, so I didn’t argue.
Lightning Fist, Silent Mouse, and Shadow Bear volunteered for the first shift, so that was taken care of easily. We decided to have two on the wall, each patrolling back and forth, and one at the water’s edge, patrolling as well, each pass, meeting up with another guard at the wall. This way, each of the three guards would be in view and talking distance with each other, every minute or so.
The venison was surprisingly good, Cunning Wolf had found tubers and other vegetables by the water’s edge and had made those as well. Whether or not hunger had anything to do with it didn’t matter, the food was gone in minutes. Silence reigned around the camp. The only sounds were those of eating, the wind blowing, the fire burning, and the lapping of water along the shoreline.
After dinner, most of us retired for the night, except for Cunning Wolf, Billy, and me. We sat in companionable silence, each lost in our own thoughts, listening to the crackling of the fire, every once in awhile one of us putting in a log to feed it. I used the time to check my messages, which I had been ignoring since earlier. I accessed the first.
EXPERIENCE ASSESSED… 403 EXPERIENCE GAINED… WESLEY ‘FREAK’ WRATH, 1451 EXPERIENCE GAINED… EXTRA EXPERIENCE ASSIGNED FOR SAVING CREW MEMBERS…
I closed the window and pulled up the next screen.
NAME – Wesley ‘Freak’ Wrath – Familiar
PET CLASS – Battle Tiger – Purple – Legendary
LEVEL – 3
EXPERIENCE – 1958/2500
HIT POINTS – 30/30
WEAPONS – Claws x 4, Bite x 1
SKILLS – Furry Armored Hide (Level – 2), Furious Roar (Level – 1)
ARMOR – Furry Armored Hide
There is one main animal companion to the Jack-of-all-Trades, the Familiar. The class only allows up to three animal companions and the Familiar is the first of the three. By receiving a portion of his master’s experience, the Familiar will level up and gain skills of its own alongside its master. Leveling will increase communication between Familiar and master over longer distances and with greater clarity.
1 POINT AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION… NOT ENOUGH POINTS AVAILABLE FOR UPGRADE…
Nice, Freak was getting close to leveling, he’d be there before me at this rate, I thought closing the window and moving on.
NAME – Lawrence ‘Law” Wrath
RACE – Half Human
ALIGNMENT – Neutral Good
CLASS – Jack of all Trades
TITLES EARNED – War Shaman, Master Sculptor
EXPERIENCE – 1681/2500
LEVEL – 3
HIT POINTS – 37/37
MAGIC POINTS – 37/37
FEATURES
HEIGHT – 6’5”, WEIGHT – 275 LBS, HAIR COLOR – Black, EYE COLOR – Amber, SKIN COLOR – Bronze
ATTRIBUTES
STRENGTH – 7
DEXTERITY – 7
CONSTITUTION – 7
INTELLIGENCE – 7
WISDOM – 7
CHARISMA – 7
COMPANIONS
Fiancé – Moon Flower – INFORMATION NOT AVAILABLE
Brother-in-Arms – Sir William O’ Conghaile (Billy) – Level 2 – EXP –
Brother-in-Arms – Sir Patrick O’ Conghaile (Patty) – Level 2 – EXP –
ANIMAL COMPANIONS
Familiar – Westley ‘Freak’ Wrath – Level 3 – EXP – 1958/2500
Mount – Winston ‘Triumph’ Wrath – INFORMATION NOT AVAILABLE
I moved on to next screen, deep in thought.
WAR SHAMAN
TRIBES – THE PEOPLE, THE JICARILLA, TUATHA DE DANAAN
ELITE WARRIORS – Moon Flower, William O’ Conghaile, Patrick O’ Conghaile, Chieftess Screaming Eagle, Thunder Foot, Ice Blossom, Lightning Fist, Night Star, Silent Mouse, Shadow Bear, Dancing Lion, Stone Fox, Dusk, Dawn
SHAMAN – Cunning Wolf (Element-Earth/God-Wolf)
NORMAL MEMBERS – 32 WORKER/WARRIORS, 92(86/6) BUILDER/WARRIORS
BASES – The Springs, Cave
rn of the Wind
RESOURCES COLLECTED – Wood-Abundant, Metals-Iron/Gold/Silver/Tin-Abundant, Food-Abundant, Animals-Horses x 18
VEHICLES
WSS Enterprise – Earth and Fire Attack Riverboat – Durability – 1000/1000
I closed the last screen, I didn’t realize I couldn’t see my other companion’s information, it makes sense, but man it would have been nice if I could see it, just knowing what Moon Flower and Winston were doing, it would go a long way to easing my mental state. At least they were still in my War Shaman and info screens, that meant they were alive. That eased my mind somewhat.
This had only taken a few minutes and as I closed my last screen, I looked around at my two companions. They noticed my scrutiny and looked back quizzically at me, I nodded to myself and made my decision. Since, I had their attention anyway it seemed an apropos time to discuss my new plan.
“Today’s mishap proved a few things to me. First of all, things could easily have gone the other way and the three of us, including Freak, could have died.” I paused, letting it sink in, before continuing. “I’ve decided to implement Navy Seal training.”
Both men looked at me blankly, then looked at each blankly, Billy took the lead with a nod from Cunning Wolf.
“I know what a Navy is, and I know what a seal is. But, I’ve no idea, and I’m pretty fucking sure Cunning Wolf has no fucking idea either, what a Navy Seal is.” He said bluntly.
“Oh, you both are going to love this.” I said, grinning like a shark at the pair.
“Fuck me, is that look a good thing?” Billy said to Cunning Wolf.
“To use your expression, fuck no.” The old man responded.
My laughter echoed into the night.
TRACK 31 – HOLD THE LINE – TOTO
MOON FLOWER
We had to move quickly. Now that the Chief was outed as a monster, the Nirumbee, who were only hours behind before, would probably be moving even faster now that the Skin-walker was heading to join their ranks. I began issuing orders as I exited the tent, my party and the guards in my wake.
“You guard’s, get your shit together and get it together right now!” I snapped, knocking the guards out of their stupor. “Get all the tribe’s folk together here now. I need to talk to everyone. No messing around, hurry up, go!” I commanded.
A chorus of yes ma’am, and raggedy salutes, then they all took off running.
“Dancing Lion, Stone Fox, get the riders separated into their teams and get working on the walls right away. You have plenty of material. I want them tall, thick, and sturdy, and a proper gate.” I said.
“Yes, First Rider.” They chorused and took off calling out orders as they went.
“What about us sister?” Ice Blossom asked, gesturing to her and Night Star.
“I need you two to gather all the knives, hatchets, and spears from the Riders, and whatever else is in this village that can be used as a weapon. I’m also talking about stones, rocks, whatever can be thrown off the wall.” I instructed them.
The two took off at a run. It was at that time that the guards began returning with the tribe’s men and women in tow. I waited a few minutes until everyone arrived. They all just barely fit in the area in front of the great yurt. There were almost five hundred people here, all that was left of the Crow tribe. All the old, young, infirm, and women. The Crow did not allow their women to become fighters. All the male warriors had fallen to the Nirumbee, except for the dead Chiefs guard. Well, it was what it was, life didn’t give you a perfect situation. If these people wanted to survive, they would have to fight.
The last of the guards appeared and then approached me, letting me know all the people were gathered. I thanked him and then looked around at the crowd of people. A sea of tired and defeated faces looked back. Word of the Chief being a monster, had gotten around and with it, the last vestiges of hope these people had clung to. I wasn’t the speaker my fiancé was, or that my father had been. It didn’t matter, I would either sway these people, or we would all die. All eyes were on me, the crowd was silent, it was time.
“People of the Crow, I am Moon Flower, daughter of the late Chief Running Hawk of The People of The Springs.” I paused, as rumors ran through the crowd at word of my father’s passing. I waited till it subsided before continuing. “Yes, the great Chief Running Hawk is gone, mourn him but do not despair, for he died a warrior and hero. He gave his life, so I could, so we could live. He helped defeat an army of the ones who caused The Great Suffering.” Murmurs ran through the crowd, I continued. “Yes, the rumors you heard were true, we know the cause of The Great Suffering. It is invaders from across the seas and over the mountains. They are the reason our people died in droves and we have defeated them!”
“That’s all well and good but what about the Nirumbee!” A voice called out, others in the crowd echoing the cry. “Yeah! What about them! They killed my husband! They killed my Son!” More and more cries rang out.
“We have already killed hundreds of the goblin Nirumbee!” I yelled over the cries of the crowd. They quieted down, and I continued. “We defeated them with walls much smaller than your own, with numbers much less than yours. Even now my Riders are strengthening your walls and gathering materials to fight. We can kill these Nirumbee, with your help we can defeat them all.”
“What about Chief Crow’s Feet?” Someone asked.
“He died long ago and was replaced by a Skin-walker. He died a hero, not many can fight off a Skin-walker. When we found out we attacked and wounded it, and it fled.” I paused as murmurs ran through the crowd again.
“What can we do? They killed all the warriors!” A female voice cried out.
“You can throw stones, you can fire a bow.” I responded. “We can break these monsters on the walls of The Crow, with your help we can avenge all your fallen tribesmen. With your help we can eradicate these vermin Nirumbee.” I cried, drawing my sword and causing it to burst into flame to accentuate my point. “We are blessed by the gods and goddesses. They are with me, are you?”
Voices rang out, not quite cheers, but screams letting out all the fear, rage, and anger they had been hoarding. Their yells echoing throughout the village and reverberating off the walls. Good, their fight wasn’t gone, just buried. But, now like an unearthed spring, it welled up and began to overflow. They were with me.
The hours went by and the preparation went down to the last moment, but we had accomplished a lot in the four hours of time we had. The walls had been reinforced and made into a proper defensive berm. The Jicarilla Riders had built firing position into the sides to help defend against the goblin’s arrows. We had placed rocks and tons of stone-tipped arrows at equidistant positions around the walls. The weapons my sisters had collected had been distributed to the most able-bodied defenders, while my Riders kept their bows and Cavalry Sabers. The arrows even being stone tipped, were better than nothing.
Every single tribe’s man, woman, and child that could fire an arrow, throw a stone, or help in any way was on the wall. We would break them on our berm or we would die, it was all or nothing as Law would say. It was times like this I missed him, times when I felt like I would never see him again. I shook away the maudlin thoughts and focused on the now.
The Riders were finishing the last portion of the gate, when cries of alarm sounded out around us. The sun was just starting to set, and torches were being lit all around the village walls. The Nirumbee came into view, backlit by the setting sun, giving the monsters a bigger countenance and a bloody red tint to them. The Skin-walker walked at their head, his wounds still visible in the fading light. Good, the monster was still hurt. That would play in our favor, it would know we could hurt it.
The monster army stopped a hundred feet out, there were so many of the goblins, I couldn’t believe it. There were so many of them, thousands of the little bastards. We would hold we had to. The Skin-walker strode forward his army walking with him, he roared, and the monsters shrieked in anticipation.
“Kill them all!” He screamed.
The Nirumbee rushed forward, a light brown and green wave, flowing up the hill and toward our newly fortified walls. Lucky for us, they rushed the village all on one side, en masse, giving us perfect targets to shoot at, you could hardly miss.
“Fire at will!” I yelled. “Get all fighters on this side, except a skeleton force now!”
Orders rang out and arrows fired into the incoming mass of goblins. Almost all of our arrows hit their marks and the monsters died by the score, we could hardly miss, but it didn’t seem to put a dent in their ranks. All to soon, they first of them were at the walls.
“Stones now!” Dancing Lion cried out.
This is where the tribe’s folk did their part. Hundreds upon hundreds of head sized rocks were flung down and out into the swarming mob of monsters. Each rock crushing or maiming a goblin. They died by the hundreds, and soon the bodies were piling up below, halfway up our walls, blood, gore, and viscera, painting the ground in all directions.
The Nirumbee were crazed and blood thirsty, any other living being would have broken and fled from the death and destruction we wrought upon them as they attacked our walls. I was disgusted and awestruck at the same time. Throughout it all the Skin-walker stood back and watched his monstrous army throw itself at our walls over, and over again, to the same bloody result.
We fought nonstop, all throughout the night. Kids no more than three or four years of age, brought water and more stones and arrows. Arrows flew until we were out, stones were thrown until there were no more. The bodies had piled high enough that the Nirumbee could fight us hand to hand. The moon had risen, and the sun had long since disappeared.
“Riders hold the line! Crow Guardsmen prove your worth!” I Shouted.
I Am Gamer II Page 18