by Baron Sord
The frustrated Orken grunted behind me, trudging after me. Yeah, he was hurt, but he was going faster than I was.
I kept crawling.
I grumbled, “I’m not waiting around for you to kill me, buddy.” I tried to go faster, but it hurt too damn much. This wasn’t working. I stopped and rolled onto my back and grabbed one of my throwing knives from my belt with my left hand. Threw it at the Orken.
It clanged off his plate armor and fell into the grass, lost. I threw a second knife. Missed. My right shoulder sung a painful melody even though I wasn’t using it. I winced and grit my teeth.
“Fuuuuuuuck.” I was in so much pain it was ridiculous.
The Orken limped toward me. If he threw his cleaver at me, he wouldn’t miss. He’d cut me in half.
I dug my boot heels into the ground and pushed myself backward, trying to slide away in the dirt. It was useless, but I kept going.
The big Orken surged forward, using the momentum to lift his blade up high with both arms.
Here it comes.
His eyes fired red with hatred.
Any second now…
WHAM!
Out of nowhere, a glowing green grizzly bear plowed into the Orken and knocked him down. The Orken’s blade went flying as he wrestled with the grizzly. The bear was huge. Outweighed the Orken by at least 500 pounds. The Orken was on his back. The grizzly ripped away chest plates of armor with huge bear claws. The Orken punched the grizzly in the side of the head. The grizzly shook it off and planted a heavy paw on the thing’s face, shoving its head into the ground before sinking teeth deep into the Orken’s neck. Black blood sprayed in a high arc as the bear tore the Orken’s throat out. It came away in a stretchy wad of stringy black muscle tissue and ragged flesh.
Black blood dripped from the grizzly’s gory maw as it glared at me. Its eyes shone a hungry green.
I was ready to piss myself.
The Orken died! You earned 400 XP!
Guess I got some reward for the lightning strike that had hobbled the Orken. Now I could celebrate my death as the grizzly ripped my guts out. Everybody knew human tasted better than Orken.
I wasn’t going without a fight. I lay my saber across my chest and pulled my gauntlets off so I could switch the Thunder Ring to my left hand. Pain stabbed my right clavicle as I did so. I ignored it and worked on the ring. It didn’t wanna come off. I tugged hard. The pain in my right shoulder shouted louder. I didn’t listen. If I could get the ring on my left hand, I might have just enough mana to make one lightning-charged stab at the grizzly.
Maybe scare it off. If I was lucky.
It was my only shot.
The bear padded toward me, snorting and sniffing the air, catching my delicious scent, no doubt.
I got the ring on my left index finger. Grabbed my sword off my chest, raised the blade. I hissed, “I hope you like the taste of 10,000 volts, fuckface.”
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978:> Don’t kill your old man.
KingFarthurT:> Dad?
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978:> Who do you think it is? Your Aunt Petunia?
KingFarthurT:> Are you the bear?
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978:> I’m not the tooth fairy, dumbass.
“Is that really you?” I asked out loud.
The bear snorted and waved its head up and down in big motions.
“I guess you can’t talk when you’re a bear?
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978:> You’re a genius kid. No wonder you went into bar tending.
“Hey,” I chuckled. “What can I say? School wasn’t my thing.”
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978:> Enough jibber-jabbering. We need to get back to the fight. Your friends are taking a beating. I don’t know how much longer they can hold out.
“My shoulder is broken. I can’t do shit, Dad.”
The bear ambled over to me and lowered its head, sniffing at my shoulder. The thing’s face was huge. It could’ve easily clamped its jaws down around my skull and swung me around like a rag doll if it wanted to. It looked so damn real, it was hard to believe it was actually my dad. I was scared shitless, but I went with it.
“You fucking stink, Dad,” I chuckled, trying to push back the nerves I felt having a live bear this close to my face.
The bear knocked its snout into the side of my head. Not hard, but it nearly rang my bell.
“Easy,” I groaned. “Your nose is made of rock.”
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978:> Hold still, you big baby.
“Okay, okay.”
The bear started blowing its hot rank breath on my shoulder. My shoulder started to warm, then glowed green. The pain started to fade. The green light grew brighter and brighter.
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978 cast Mother’s Mend on you. Your right clavicle has mended itself. Regain 25% of your Heath and Stamina.
I watched my Health bar climb: 30%. 35. 40. 50.
My Stamina followed, marching right up to 60% before stopping.
The green glow quickly faded away, but the bear’s eyes still beamed green in the night darkness.
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978:> It’s the best I can do. I’m running out of mana.
“I’ll take it,” I chuckled. The bear backed off and I circled my right arm experimentally. The pain was gone. “Wow, thanks, Dad.”
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978:> Any time.
“Mother’s Mend, huh? You wear dresses when nobody’s around too?”
The grizzly growled low, flashing teeth and drilling me with its smoking green eyes.
I chuckled and rubbed the side of his huge furry head, thumping the thick muscled neck with my palm. “You can wear dresses,” I snickered. “Who am I to judge?”
A shrill scream stabbed the quiet night.
Layna.
I jumped to my feet and ran around the base of the mana cannon. From where I was, I couldn’t see Layna’s position up on the far side of the ridge. I sprinted as fast as I could across the darkened grass valley, praying I didn’t trip over any rocks hidden in the grass by moon shadows. At least it wasn’t pitch black with the moon high overhead.
Dad the Bear galloped beside me, easily matching my pace. He leaped suddenly into the air and a swirl of green magical energy spun around him at high speed as he transformed from a bear into the familiar human form of my dad.
“Ran out of mana,” he huffed as we continued to run.
As we rounded the ridge, Layna screamed again. Up on the steep rocky hillside, the giant Ogren Ghoul was busy swatting her around like a gorilla hitting a baby. Layna had her sword out, but she was taking a beating. She dove over a big boulder lying in the hillside. The clumsy ghoul slammed into the boulder, swinging both arms around it, grabbing at her. One huge meathook hand snagged her by the elbow and shook her hard. Black energy pulsed down the length of its rotting arm and bled over Layna in a black wave.
I winced as I watched, trying to run faster.
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978:> She just lost three levels.
KingFarthurT:> How do you know?
We were both running so hard, we didn’t have the wind to talk out loud.
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978:> I linked up with her when we landed in the valley before the sun went down. Didn’t you?
KingFarthurT:> I… no.
I ran as hard as I could, angling toward the tip of the ridge. I was going to run right up it toward Layna. Straight line. Shortest distance between two points. Had to get to her before the Ogren Ghoul sucked any more life out of her.
Layna stabbed the ghoul in the forearm, but it wouldn’t let go.
The black energy pulsed again and again.
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978:> Four more levels.
To my left, the gang of remaining monsters circled around Ty and Qoorie had dwindled to 6 Dark Orken and 2 Dark Skeletons. Not good odds. Worse, they’d managed to separate Ty and Q. They were fighting 4 attackers apiece, growling and bounding around like crazy, trying to avoid being hit as the mobs circled around them and closed ranks, cutting off their maneuve
ring room and any chance of escape.
We were getting slaughtered.
KingFarthurT:> You go help Ty and Q. I’ll help Layna.
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978:> Are you sure?
KingFarthurT:> Yeah. They’re outnumbered.
Walter_Simon_Byrne_1978:> Okay. Good luck.
KingFarthurT:> You too.
I stumbled up the long slope of the ridge, trying to get to Layna. Dad ran straight toward Ty and Qoorie.
We never should’ve done this.
Fucking Jason.
Sent us on a fool’s errand.
A suicide mission.
Had he done it on purpose? Was he trying to teach me a lesson? I didn’t have time to think about it.
Not wanting to slow or lose sight of Layna, I hurdled over a big rock in my path. My Stamina had already dropped to 50%. At this rate I wouldn’t have any left by the time I caught up to the ghoul.
Layna stabbed the ghoul right through the bottom of its jaw. Her sword blade burned golden bright as it shot from the top of the cursed creature’s head.
The giant ghoul finally released its soul-sucking grip on Layna.
She yanked her sword out. Black blood coated the blade and clung to the point, stretching from the thing’s chin in a gooey string until she whipped the blade through a smooth circle. Then she took a step back, breathing hard, watching the ghoul carefully.
Thank goodness it was dead. Nothing could survive a massive frontal lobotomy like that.
Relieved, I slowed to a steady jog.
But the Ogren Ghoul still stood, its head tipped down, its chin sagging against its chest. It wavered forward and back a few times until—
WHAM!
Blinding fast, it threw a huge fist into Layna, knocking her flying.
She landed in a heap 15 feet away.
“Oh, shit,” I hissed and started sprinting again as the huge ghoul lumbered toward her.
Down in the valley, Qoorie suddenly screamed, “Noooo!”
My eyes searched the battlefield for her.
Dad was chopping away at an Orken with his double-bladed war axe. My eyes found Qoorie next. She leapt through the air, flying over the flat arc of a Dark Skeleton’s wicked blade. When she landed, she ran toward…
Ty.
He clawed away at the two Orken in front of him.
But a 3rd Orken held one of his rear legs from behind, stretching it out awkwardly and twisting Ty’s long tiger torso to an extreme degree, like it was trying to break his back.
CRACK!
A fourth Orken’s heavy cleaver swung down and chopped Ty’s rear leg clean off.
Ty bellowed out a tortured squeal of pain, clawing frantically.
“Oh Jesus,” I muttered. My stomach threatened to heave.
Layna screeched.
I wanted to drop to my knees and sob for Ty’s sake, but I kept running.
Meanwhile, the Ogren Ghoul was smashing away at Layna as she rolled and tumbled on the ground, trying to avoid getting crushed under the monster’s massive hammering hands.
Still thinking about Ty, I was suddenly torn.
Dad and Qoorie charged the Orken hacking away at Ty. They were 50 yards away. Layna was only 30.
I couldn’t help both of them.
I had to chose one.
I ran as fast as I could.
—: Chapter 17 :—
I sent all my remaining mana down my sword arm as I ran up the back of a boulder and launched myself through the air.
I soared.
It seemed like forever.
The battle went silent.
My heart thudded in my ears.
My Mana dropped 25% as my saber reached full charge.
I aimed the point of it straight down and—
KROOM!
Speared the blade right through the top of the Ogren Ghoul’s head as I flew by, releasing the hilt as I went. I landed hard and rolled. The impact of the hard landing took 10% of my Health, but at least I didn’t break anything.
Blue-white fire jetted out of the Ogren’s ears and shot out the eyes. Blue lightning crackled inside its chest.
Critical Hit! You lanced the Ogren Ghoul in the brain case!
Level up! Your Surprise Attack skill is now level 3.
You unlocked a new skill: Backstab. Level 1. Stab ’em in the back and they won’t live to stab you back. Increase your Intelligence and/or Accuracy to improve your chance of success.
You earned 1 point of Luck for your heroics!
Still buried a foot deep, my saber stuck out the top of its head. Smoke curled out and swirled around the hilt.
“Is it dead?”
“I don’t know,” Layna moaned in a whisper.
Like a falling oak tree, the Ogren tipped slowly forward and slammed into the ground.
You helped slay the Ogren Ghoul!
You earned 3500 XP!
“Are you okay?” I asked, kneeling by Layna’s side.
She looked woozy. “I lost 7 levels.”
“I know. But are you okay?”
She nodded weakly. “Yeah. Feel tired. Most of my stamina is gone. And my mana.”
“Mine too.”
“And I think I might be cursed.”
Fabulous. I examined her to see how bad off she was.
Layna
Human | Female | Hunter
Level: 21
===============
Health | Stamina: (205)* | (225)*
Mana | Mind: 202 | 1320
===============
At the moment, with the exception of Mind, her stats were all down by 85%. She was weaker than I was. No wonder she was so wiped out.
“Layna, you need to rest.”
“Yeah,” she sighed. “You’re probably right.”
“Noooooooo!” Qoorie screamed again.
Down below, she and Dad were engaged with the remaining 6 Orken and 2 Skeletons. They hadn’t made any progress stopping them.
Ty lay on the ground motionless.
An Orken hovered over him, hacking away with its sword.
Ty’s body only moved in reaction to the sword blows, bouncing lifelessly after each strike.
KingFarthurT:> Ty! Ty, are you okay, buddy? Ty! Tyyyyyyyy!!!!
I glared at Layna, mad at her for no reason. “He’s dead.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks. “I know,” she mumbled.
“Fuck!” I was furious. I ran over to the dead Ogren and dragged my sword out of its skull with both hands. Greasy black blood coated the blade. I ignored it and ran down the hillside, fired by my rage.
I focused all my attention on my Stalking skill, staying as silent as I could. I picked my way across the dark grass and came right up behind the Orken hacking away at Ty. My blade slipped right through a gap in the armor around its spine.
Critical Hit! You severed a portion of the Orken’s spinal cord!
It went down on its knees but didn’t die.
I activated Snake Strike with the last of my stamina and hacked it to pieces.
You earned 1000 XP!
A skeleton clattered toward me, leading with its rusty blade. I threw mine up at an angle to parry as another Orken came at me from the opposite side. He was still a few yards away, but I only had one sword to block with and it was busy with the skeleton.
A dark blur flashed to my left and Layna surged past me, cutting into the charging Orken with a whirlwind of sword slashes so fast I couldn’t see them.
I turned to concentrate on the skeleton, barely dodging another swing from its jagged blade. It caught me right across the left bicep and chopped off 10% of my health.
The sound of Dad and Qoorie exchanging strikes with the rest of our enemies barely registered in my brain.
I kept fighting.
My skeleton went down.
You earned 500 XP!
Then another Orken and another.
You earned 800 XP!
You earned 700 XP!
Finally, after going through hell, w
e had the advantage.
Dad, Qoorie, Layna, and I circled around the 2 remaining Dark Orken. They were all battered and exhausted. Their blades no longer glowed red with mana charges. They were spent. But they could easily still kill us.
Not today.
We all attacked them at once, cutting them down.
Finally, it was over.
You earned 900 XP!
You earned 800 XP!
Level up! Your Basic Swordplay skill is now level 3.
Level up! You unlocked: POWER ATTACK: Snake Strike. Level 2. Cost: 90 Stamina. Duration: 10 seconds. Effect: +20 Speed, +10 Accuracy, and +10 damage per attack. 2x Attacks per Second. 15% chance of scoring a Critical Hit with each attack.
I didn’t bother to read my status updates.
So much for bringing the Dark Orken back to Jason’s Stronghold to await trial. They were all dead.
Qoorie rushed over to Ty.
His body was a mess of red wounds. Seeing the stump where his rear leg had been made me want to vomit.
She curled around him, cradling his head and licking his wounds with her big cat tongue.
His tongue lolled out and he stared at nothing. The starry night sky glittered in his empty eyes.
He was gone.
“No, no, no, no,” Qoorie wept. “Ty.” She stroked his head with her paw. “My Ty. Don’t go. Don’t you go…”
It’s just a game, I thought. A game. A stupid game. All fake. Every bit of it fake, fake, fake. I felt myself start to shake all over.
A warm hand squeezed my wrist.
Layna.
I glared at her.
Fake fucking fake.