“Five thousand you said?”
Armelia: Chapter 35
So, there I was, standing in front of the MoDA Citadel once again, my purse significantly lighter than it had been, but with good company.
“The Ministry of Druidic Affairs,” Gilbert said as he disembarked from his astral horse, which disappeared as soon as he was clear of it, “how quaint. Are they friends of ours?”
“Quite the opposite,” I replied, “that’s why we’re here.”
Summoned Miss Fluffy-Scaleskin.
“You don’t mean to attack the Druidic Citadel, do you?” Gilbert asked with an amused huff, “Well, you’re far more insane than I gave you credit for.”
“Yeah, well, rejection’s never really been something I’ve been good at handling.”
Equipped Armelia’s Long Bow.
“This can only end well…” Gilbert trailed off as we marched toward the gates with Shadow-Stal and Fluffy in close tow, “Nobody’s hired me for some time, so I apologise if it takes me some getting used to before I start throwing people around.”
“As long as we go down fighting, I don’t mind.” I lied in an attempt to sound far braver than I actually was, “But let’s do our best to stay alive, eh?”
“That’s all I can promise.”
The gates glowed and opened as they had before, but instead of revealing the interior of the beautiful Citadel, we were shown an army of what looked like at least a hundred druids.
“Be gone!” one of the druids roared from where he stood, “Or we will be forced to cleanse your filth from this plane.”
I didn’t bother trying to defend my position or convince them that I was cured, no, instead I fired an arrow at the nearest of the bastards.
Critical Hit!
Armelia Fireheart has attacked the druids of the Ministry of Druidic Affairs.
69x Level 15 Warrior Druids, HP: 4000/4000.
12x Level 11 Druid Healers, HP: 3000/3000.
5x Level 20 Master Druids, HP: 10000/10000.
“That’s… slightly more than I was expecting.” I muttered to myself as the druids piled towards Gilbert and I, before growing a wicked grin and dropping to a knee, “Good thing I have backup.”
Used Amulet of the Mage.
The druids, clearly confused by the sudden appearance of a large force of heavily armed, grey robe-wearing mages, froze in place and struggled to figure out what they were going to do.
“Good to see you again,” Joliv said, having appeared right next to me, “ready for a fight?”
“Indeed I am.”
Armelia: Chapter 36
We were at a standstill, even the bloody-thirsty Shadow-Stal and Fluffy were simply marching along the frontline of my sizeable force.
Mages staring down druids.
Druids preparing all kinds of defensive magic.
The tension was palpable.
And then I loosed another arrow.
Critical Hit!
It really kicked off from there.
Fluffy leaped into action, slithering across the battlefield and launching herself at the nearest of the druids, crushing him with her immense weight in an instant while Shadow-Stal went to work trampling a long line of the enemy force.
The druids weren’t going down without a fight though, and within seconds there were dozens coating themselves in Oak Flesh, while many of the others went for the more offensive route and charged with a variety of nature-based attacked.
My mages were a tough lot though, and as I loosed another Critical Hit! scoring arrow they went to work carving through their frontlines using magic and blade alike.
“Watch this!” Gilbert shouted excitedly before charging the druids and launching a blast of air at them that sent a good twenty of their number flying through the air while others who caught the immediate brunt of the attack were flattened down into the earth in a mess of blood and mud.
Thinking the wizard was done, I went to take a shot at another druid, but was interrupted by Gilbert shooting up into the air and sending a massive whip of fire through another section of their force.
It looked like we were going to have an easy victory, though that was before one of the more powerful druids turned himself into a rhinoceros that was a solid five times bigger than it should’ve been and started charging through my ranks, tossing them about with ease as another druid turned herself into a roaring bear comparable in size to the rhino.
“That’s less than ideal…” I muttered as I slipped my bow over my back and watched the large beasts hammer their way toward me.
Unequipped Armelia’s Long Bow.
Equipped Sparky McStabby-Stab.
It took me a moment to get the spell I was after, which turned out to be long enough to allow the rhino to get close enough to take a swing at me with his mighty horn.
I got lucky though, and managed to dive out of the way with just enough time to see the huge creature smash through the trees behind me, which allowed me to cast my spell.
Thinking there would be some sort of delay, I stupidly turned to face the bear and, in my moment of error, split the earth, sending the larger-than-life bear tumbling down into the fissure I’d created with an ungodly roar that turned into a very human scream.
“Oops…” I said before realising that I hadn’t cast the spell at the right enemy, “Ah, cra-”
I was interrupted by Gilbert leaping over my head and blasting the rhino with bolts of lightning mixed in with huge spikes of ice.
“Watch your back!” Gilbert laughed as I charged headlong toward the thick of the battle, my sword raised up beside my head, ready to swing.
The mages were leaving bloody bodies every which way, but the druids were spearing and crushing the mages like they were little more than bugs.
Miss Fluffy-Scaleskin levelled up!
Miss Fluffy-Scaleskin is now Level 14!
I didn’t bother trying to figure out where my pets were in the battle, and instead went to work carving and slashing as many of the nature-loving twats that got in my way as possible.
They were too good at blocking my attacks though, both by over utilising their hardened Oak Flesh and by sprouting walls of wood in between me and them before I could get an actual hit in.
In a fit of rage, despite the difficulty in the heat of battle, I managed to cast one of my other new spells, wrapping up a few of the druids in enchanted vines and leaving them open to vicious attacks.
Critical Hit!
+1 Singlehanded Blade Skill.
Progress: 39/100.
+10 XP.
Progress: 7965/8000.
My attack didn’t actually manage to kill anyone, but I did cleave off one of the bastard’s arms, which proved to be about as effective in luring in the battle-crazed Fluffy as crack cocaine.
A mage to my left saved my arse as a druid in wolf form tried to take a bite out of me and instead ended up catching the mage’s blade, coating me a thick spray of blood.
“C’mon!” I roared, “Let me kill something!”
It probably wasn’t the healthiest thing for me to want, you know, cutting people to pieces, but it had nothing to do with any kind of pent-up emotional crap, and everything to do with the fact that I felt like I was missing out.
And then it happened.
Master Druid cast Astral Arrow.
Chest wounded.
425 damage inflicted.
-60 bleeding damage per minute.
HP: 7575/8000.
I hadn’t even seen that first bolt before it had ripped through my chest and out through my back, nor did I see the follow-up attack that another of the druids had sent in my direction.
Warrior Druid cast Torrent of Spines.
Head wounded.
Chest injured.
275 damage inflicted.
-15 bleeding damage per minute.
-10 crushing damage per minute.
HP: 7300/8000.
Suddenly my vision was filled with blood and the sound of my
heartbeat was pounding in my ears, drowning out everything else.
I wasn’t about to go down though, and before one of the druids could swing his mighty axe at me, I drove him through with my sword, spraying those behind him in a fine coat of blood, though they didn’t notice, no, they were far more interested in killing each other.
Critical Hit!
With one attacker out of the way, I waded deeper into the battle, occasionally blocked a sword that had been swung my way, or deflecting an overzealous druid’s attempt at casting another arrow at me, and only stopped myself once I’d reached near the centre, where I came face-to-face with a druid in a green-furred wolf form.
“Come on then,” I goaded, desperately trying to block out the fact I was about ten seconds from getting hit with a hefty lot of damage, “give it a try.”
The wolf didn’t need to be told twice, launching at me with his mouth wide open without taking any regard for his safety, allowing me to strike hard and fast with my sword as I dropped to a knee and rolled under him.
With a fresh wound, the beast turned to face me, unaware of the fact that I’d started running towards him at full speed, leaving him completely open to my heavy swing that split him along the side.
Critical Hit!
+1 Singlehanded Blade Skill.
Progress: 40/100.
+10 XP.
Progress: 7975/8000.
-75 bleeding damage.
-10 crushing damage.
HP: 7215/8000.
I went to start healing, but saw that I hadn’t quite finished off the wolf yet, “Make the right choice ‘ere,” I said as he turned to face me with a newfound fire in his eyes, “don’t attack.”
He wasn’t listening though, but not without reason.
Whether it was due to run-of-the-mill hubris or simply because the edges of my vision were nothing but dark shades of red I don’t know, all I know is that when that wolf was brought back up to full health and doubled in size by a nearby healer I couldn’t help but feel a sense of panic.
So much panic, in fact, that I didn’t even react when the creature launched itself at me a second time and caught me in his newly enlarged mouth and started shaking me around like a ragdoll.
Warrior Druid used bite.
Stomach wounded.
550 damage inflicted.
-40 bleeding damage per minute.
-20 crushing damage per minute.
HP: 6665/8000.
After having no small amount of fun tossing me about, the wolf flung me off into a crowd of nearby druids and mages who, with my surprising addition to the mix, stopped fighting long enough for me to get to my feet.
I needed to be healed, ASAFP, but it didn’t look like I was about to run into a friendly healer any time soon, so instead I was left to continue trying to fight my way through the crowd.
Miss Fluffy-Scaleskin levelled up!
Miss Fluffy-Scaleskin is now Level 15!
-75 bleeding damage.
-10 crushing damage.
HP: 6580/8000.
With no small amount of difficulty, I deflected an attack from a druid with thorn-covered arms, reversed his assault, and cleaved his head from his shoulders just in time to see a mage shank him from behind with one of her lightning-wrapped daggers.
Critical Hit!
-40 bleeding damage.
-20 crushing damage.
HP: 6520/8000.
Thinking I could take a moment to heal myself, I started to get ready, and, as a result, failed to see that the wolf had found me again.
The growling monster didn’t even give me a second to react, charging me and crushing me underfoot while I tried and failed to roll out of the way.
Warrior Druid used trample.
Right leg injured.
Left leg injured.
375 damage inflicted.
-60 crushing damage per minute.
HP: 6145/8000.
“That…” I groaned as I got up to my feet, “That was a dick move.”
I was as good as screwed, even before the stampeding wolf reared his head and spun back to face me over the bodies of mage and druid alike that he’d either crushed or simply knocked to the ground with his attack.
The damage to my legs prevented any sort of rolling, jumping, or running, and the rest of my injuries had made my attacks with my sword slower and substantially weaker.
And then I got an idea.
Unequipped Sparky McStabby-Stab.
Equipped Armelia’s Long Bow.
It was a bold move considering it removed any chance of blocking an axe attack, but it was the only one I had.
The wolf started to charge.
I dropped to a knee.
The wolf snarled.
I nocked an arrow.
The wolf was mere feet of me.
I let the feathers go and watched the arrow fly.
Critical Hit!
The beast didn’t have a chance, and as my arrow tore through his nose and out the back of his head, he had little to do but grow a sort of confused expression, before stumbling and tumbling across the battlefield as he returned to his actual form, which landed at my feet with a pitiful thud.
Unequipped Armelia’s Long Bow.
Equipped Sparky McStabby-Stab.
-75 bleeding damage.
-10 crushing damage.
HP: 6060/8000.
“Shit.” I cursed under my breath as I watched my health tick down and another axe-wielding druid come running towards me, “Just give me a second, would you?”
But a second he would not give me, and I was forced to defend his attack from my kneeled position, which proved to be surprisingly effective.
“I just need a moment to-”
-40 bleeding damage.
-20 crushing damage.
HP: 6000/8000.
“God-fucking-damn it!” I growled before breaking the lock the druid and I were stuck in and using the benefit of surprise to cleave him at his mid-section.
Critical Hit!
+1 Singlehanded Blade Skill.
Progress: 41/100.
+10 XP.
Progress: 7985/8000.
The druid, who had clearly been weakened by other attacks, split into two clean pieces as a couple of rogue arrows managed to find his back.
-60 crushing damage.
HP: 5940/8000.
“It’s okay, it’s okay…” I muttered to myself as I tried to find the strength to place the powerful sigil, “You’ve just gotta-”
“Look out!” Gilbert called out too late.
Gilbert the Wit cast Godly Fire Breath.
5250 damage inflicted.
-220 burning damage per second.
HP: 940/8000.
“No, no, no.” I said as I struggled to get up off my face and saw a druid preparing some kind of green ball of energy through the smoke, “Get up!”
-220 burning damage.
HP: 720/8000.
I managed to lift up my sword in time to deflect the bushy, vine blast the druid had sent in my direction, but the power of the spell was enough to throw me off balance, causing me to land flat on my back.
-75 bleeding damage.
-10 crushing damage.
HP: 635/8000.
-220 burning damage.
HP: 415/8000.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I roared as my body refused to respond to my orders, but all the swearing in the world wasn’t going to save me.
-220 burning damage.
HP: 195/8000.
I’d done gone ahead and done it.
I’d gotten myself killed.
You have fallen.
Kylia: Chapter 6
I have no idea how long I sat in the Rig Room chucking a hissy fit about how stupid I’d been, thinking I’d be able to survive something as intense as that without at least some player backup, but it would’ve had to have been at least ten minutes before I heard a knocking at my front door.
Surprisingly, my body showed no sign that I�
�d been gaming for a good few hours. There were no creaking or cracking bones, no weakness in my muscles, or even something as innocuous as sore eyes.
By all counts I was more or less right as rain.
I rationalised that it was just one of the many benefits of finally pulling my life back together as I reached the door and opened it, catching Griegs off-guard as he went to knock again on the no longer available piece of wood.
“Can I help you?” I asked with a little half-smile, taking note of the fact that he was in his more casual black cargo pants and t-shirt combo, which left me wondering if I was about to be subjected to yet another simple social visit.
“Just checking up on you,” Griegs replied, confirming my suspicions as he rested his hand on the grip of his thigh-holstered pistol, “no one complained about any strange smells, so I figured you’d died.”
“Very funny.” I replied dryly before slowly shutting the door in his face, “Well, this has been great, let’s do it again next week.”
Griegs, in typical Griegs fashion, rolled his eyes and smiled, “You mind if I come in for a bit? Maybe have a cuppa?”
I hesitated for a moment, for the sole purpose of annoying Griegs, then shrugged and opened the door again, “Sure, why not?”
“Thanks,” came his less-than-impressed reply as he walked passed me and toward the kitchen, “you been keeping yourself busy?”
“As busy as I can be,” I replied after closing the door and following after him, “how about you? Foil any dastardly terrorist plots lately?”
“Wouldn’t be at liberty to tell you even if I did.”
“That’s a no then?”
“Yeah,” Griegs laughed, “that’s a no.”
I gave him a smile as I rounded the kitchen counter and turned on the kettle, “You got anything particular in mind?”
“As long as it doesn’t knock me out, I’m happy.” Griegs said before walking over to the living room and taking a seat, “You vacuumed.”
“I did.”
“Looks good.”
I chuckled at that after pulling down two cups and setting them down on the counter, “I’d hope so, it took me forever. Did you know there’s a setting that makes it brush the carpet?”
“I did, have since I was about six.”
“Show off,” I jabbed light-heartedly as the kettle finished boiling the water, “you have a habit of showing up when I least want you here, you know that?”
Legends of Tarthirious: The Complete Collection Page 65