“Well, if we run into Jara, I have a gift for her.”
“So do I,” Smith said. The great ape-man swung his war hammer.
They continued walking until they came to an open cavern that was glowing in a light green color that seemed to be generated by the moss growing on the rocks. An underground river that flowed slowly, but with obvious power, blocked their path. They could not see a bridge or a boat.
“I can hear falls of some kind,” Dale said.
“Me, too.” Smith walked to the edge of the water and jumped back. “There’s something in there!”
Dale put Gingko away as he watched two creatures rise above the water.
...........................
Nicor
Level 9
A shape-shifting water spirit.
Attack style: Various, depends upon shape taken.
Weapons: Varies.
Magic: Dangerous.
Tech: None, but can replicate tech.
Wiki: Lore Quests Strengths Weaknesses Range Drops
...........................
Nokken
Level 8
A shape-shifting water spirit.
Attack style: Various, depends upon shape taken.
Weapons: Varies.
Magic: Dangerous.
Tech: None, but can replicate tech.
Wiki: Lore Quests Strengths Weaknesses Range Drops
...........................
The two water spirits rose above the river. They rode beasts.
Can Ni Ma, Grass Mud Horse, Level 6, Battle Pets.
“Why do you disturb us?” one of the spirits said.
“Crap,” Dale said.
“What do you see?” Smith asked.
“It’s Amy and Emi,” Dale said. “I mean, it’s not them, but it looks like them. You?”
“I can’t say,” Smith said. He sounded scared. Fear was something Dale had never heard in his voice before.
“Come to me, Dale,” the creature that looked like Amy said. “I want to love you forever.”
“Yes, embrace her,” the second beast said. Its voice wasn’t as close to Emi’s voice as the first creature’s voice was a mimic of Amy. Dale felt a chill. The second spirit moved at Smith, while the first continued towards him.
He imbued an arrow and took a step backward. He let the arrow fly and jumped to the right.
The Amy-creature screamed and rode her beast at Dale. She lifted a sword. Dale switched weapons and raised his shield and sword. She flew by him, striking his shield, while Dale tried unsuccessfully to slice at the spirit. His sword went right through her, not causing any damage, at least none Dale could detect. He was going to need to rely on magic.
The mud horse reeled and turned, the spirit began its second charge.
Dale threw his shield at the charging beast.
The adder caused the mud horse to rear, and it threw its rider. It brought its hooves down onto the snake. The snake struck the horse, and the horse stuck the snake, until they both died.
The Amy-beast cackled like a witch.
“Do you have any more snake shields, Dale?”
“How do you know my name?” Dale took a step back.
“I know many things about you, Dale. How you stood back and watched your true love be killed. You’re a coward. I know how everyone you love betrays you. Even now, you know that Smith will betray you. Your life is ending here, and you’ll die alone. Here, in my world, where there is no escape.”
“Dale, don’t listen to anything they say to you,” Smith shouted.
But Dale didn’t pay attention to him. His mind was clouded with doubt and fear.
“Come to me, Dale,” the spirit said. “I’ll make you a mighty warrior, with me, together, Dale, together we can rule my world here. No more pain, Dale. No more betrayal. No more anguish.”
Dale took a step back.
The spirit changed into Brian Daniels. “Hello Dale,” it said.
“Go away. I don’t believe you.”
“It doesn’t matter what you believe, Dale. I’m here to tell you what a fool you are. Everyone you trust betrays you. You trusted me. I was your best friend. You believed in me. I was like a brother, and yet I stabbed you in the back.” The creature laughed. Its laughter was loud and deep and the sound echoed off the walls of the cavern.
“No, I don’t believe—”
“Your belief has nothing to do with it, Dale.” The Spirit changed again. It looked like Yingtai now. “You remember me, Dale?”
Dale fought in his mind; he wanted to start a fire spell, but he couldn’t concentrate. The spirit continued to mock him.
“I am Yingtai, Dale. You helped me kill your one, true love. You helped me kill the Princess Talargo. You helped me get the jewel. You’re a traitor too, Dale. And worthless. A coward—”
“STOP!” Dale channeled his anger into a Fire Magic Spell.
Logi Fire Magic worked up to full power, and when it had reached its peak, Dale sent a Fireball at the spirit.
The fire exploded.
He watched the spirit change into shapes.
Amy.
Yingtai.
Jara.
His mother.
His father.
Smith.
Brian.
Virginia.
Again, it turned into a vision of Amy.
She cried out to him. “I love you, Dale. Save me. Help me.”
The spirit melted into the rocks and mud.
+3000XP
Killed: Nicor, water spirit, Level 9
Dropped: Water Magic Book
Dropped: Water Lore Book
Dropped: 3 carat Tanzanite gemstone, finest quality
Dropped: Spirit Fish: Capable of revealing enemies hidden in water
Dropped: 100 bars of gold
Congratulations! You have reached Level 10
...........................
Dale turned to see Private Smith on his knees.
He was in his personal avatar.
He had his head bent over.
The spirit being walked up to him and touched him on the head and then reached down and picked up the war hammer.
It lifted the hammer above Smith.
“NO!”
Dale pulled out his longbow and fired an arrow.
The arrow went through the spirit and did no damage.
“Smith!” Dale ran towards him. “Get up, fight!”
Smith stood. The spirit was speaking to him, but Dale couldn’t hear what was being said.
The spirit handed Smith his war hammer, and he changed back into the great ape. He walked towards Dale.
“No! Smith, it’s me!”
“Fuck you, Dad!”
“No!” Dale stopped running and tried to think of something to do. Smith walked toward him, slowly, but methodically. The spirit still looked like Emi to Dale, but he couldn’t hear what she was speaking to Smith.
Dale quickly read the Water Magic Book.
+500XP
+10% Water Magic Skill
Congratulations: You have opened the Lotan tree: Water Baptism Healing
Dale began to pour his remaining mana into the enchantment spell under the Lotan tree, the Baptism enchantment. He didn’t know everything about the enchantment, but he knew it was a healing power, and it certainly couldn’t make anything worse. He took several steps back, speaking to Smith as he backed away from him.
“Smith, it’s me, Dale.”
Smith continued moving towards him. He lifted the war hammer. He lunged towards Dale. He was struck by the Lotan enchantment that Dale threw at him. Smith screamed. He dropped his war hammer, and fell to the ground.
The spirit began laughing. “You’ve killed your only friend. You’re a betrayer, a back stabbing hater, a fool. You’ve become what you hate the most.”
“No…”
Dale fell to his knees. He couldn’t take anymore.
But Smith stirred.
He changed back into his
personal avatar and smiled at Dale. “She’s lying,” he whispered.
Dale worked up a Fire Magic Spell and released it at the spirit creature.
+2500XP
Killed: Nokken, a water spirit, level 8
Dropped: Water Magic Book
Dropped: 3 carat Emerald, finest quality
Dropped: Fire Magic Book
Dropped: Ice Knife, Level 10 assassins weapon
Dropped: Defense against lies potion
“Jesus, Smith. I thought I’d lost you. I thought you were going to kill me.”
“Dangerous spirits…” Smith said, he still seemed dazed, confused, and defeated.
CHAPTER SEVENTY
In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.
~ Sun Tzu
How can I say I’d go back? What good would regret do me? Life is always forward.
~ Corporal Dale Brown
...........................
Dale and Smith sat in the mud.
Dale read his new books on magic and they both drank healing potions and feasted to restore their health.
“How do we get across the river?” Smith asked.
“I say we try the grizzly bear mount,” Dale answered.
“I don’t have a grizzly bear mount,” Smith said.
“I’ll cross first; then I’ll transfer it to you.”
“You can do that? From across the river?” Smith didn’t sound sure.
“Why not?”
“Well, it’s worth a try.”
“I have a spirit fish, hold on a second,” Dale said. He place the fish into the water and a prompt told him that the water was free of danger.
“Handy fish,” Smith said.
Dale retrieved the fish and then rode across the river on his bear. After crossing he transferred the mount to Smith.
“That was easy,” Smith said. “I guess I need a bear.”
“Everyone needs a grizzly bear. It’s like a law.” Dale laughed.
Smith joined him, and when he stopped laughing, he said, “I’m sorry—”
“Don’t…” Dale looked at his friend. “It’s over. They were only using our—”
Dale dove to the ground, an arrow glanced off of his dragonling armor, an arrow struck Smith in the shoulder.
“Hell! Move to cover,” Dale shouted. He grabbed Smith and half-drug him to an outcropping of rocks.
“What happened?” Smith asked.
“It’s Jara and Yingtai!”
“In here? In an instance? A dungeon? How? That’s not fair,” Smith said.
“I don’t think fair has anything to do with it.” Dale began working up a healing enchantment, and when it was ready, he pulled the arrow out of Smith’s shoulder and then sent the healing magic at him. Smith shuddered but in moments he was back to 100%. They were pinned behind a large rock.
“Now what?” Smith asked.
“Time to be heroes, I guess,” Dale answered.
...........................
Yingtai looked at Jara. “Do you think it’s really them?”
“I think so; they are hardly in my worst nightmares.” Jara gave Yingtai a dirty look.
“Maybe they should be…” Yingtai looked down at the rock where Dale and Smith were positioned. “We can’t get them from here.”
“I can see that,” the Princess said. “Maybe we can coax them out?”
“Anything is worth a try. What do you suggest?”
The Princess thought about it for a minute. “I have a plan.”
...........................
Dale worked up a Fire Magic spell to be prepared for an attack, then he heard Yingtai speak.
“Dale, help me,” she said. “Jara is gone. She took the jewel. I was forced, Dale. Forced, I’m sorry. I’m not a bad person, help me.”
Dale didn’t believe her, but he stuck his head slightly outside the edge of the rock.
Yingtai was lying on the ground. She was slowly crawling on her belly, bleeding. Her health was below 10%. “Dale please, please help me. I’ll help you get out of here, this chamber, this nightmare dungeon. It’s a trap here. The Princess betrayed me. She took the jewel. She’s evil. Please, Dale, help me.”
Dale looked at Smith, who shook his head, no.
Dale peeked out behind the rock again. Yingtai wasn’t in her undead form. She had stopped moving. She looked like a little girl, and her health was down to 8%.
“Please, Dale. Don’t let me die here. Please. Help me.” She dropped her head into her arms.
Dale looked for Jara.
“Where’s the Princess?” he asked.
“She betrayed me. She left with the jewel. Please, Dale, I’ll help you find her. I’m sorry.”
“She’s lying,” Smith said.
“But she’s been hit; she’s at 7% now. She’s dying,” Dale said.
“Let her, then.” Smith tapped Dale on the shoulder and whispered to him. “She’s a decoy, a ploy. Dale, don’t be fooled. Send me out there, while I approach her, Jara will reveal herself.”
“You think so?” Dale whispered back.
“Yes, this is weak-ass play. They are dicking with your emotions,” Smith said.
“Okay,” Dale said. “Let’s do it, but I’ll go out there.”
“No, Dale, think about it. I have my hammer; you have Fire Magic. Let me go, I’ll attack Yingtai, you wait until Jara does something, and then you hit her with Fire.”
Dale closed his eyes and thought. His emotions told him to go out there, to be the one that risked death, but his mind told him that Smith was right. “Okay.”
...........................
Jara watched from a distance. She had hoped that Dale would insist on being the brave one. No matter. She readied her magic, an Ice Magic spell.
Tork-Buzlaq, the glacier spell that slowed down an enemy.
As Smith got close to Yingtai, she fired her spell. His movement slowed, and he became an easy target.
Yingtai spun onto her back and drank a healing potion, enough to get her out of immediate danger. She stood.
Jara watched Dale as he fired a Fire Magic Spell at her, a Logi spell. She wasn’t aware of how high he’d leveled or his concentration on Fire Magic, and she had to duck behind a pillar of stone.
...........................
Dale saw Jara move. His Fire Magic spell exploded at the base of the stone she was hiding behind. She’d be pinned behind cover for a few moments. He turned his attention back to Smith and Yingtai.
He watched as Smith’s head was removed from his body.
“NO!” Dale was pouring all this mana into a healing enchantment, but stopped when reality hit; Smith was dead. He was alone. No spell could put his head back on his body. His anger rose, and he rushed Yingtai.
She was on her knees, her health below 10%. Smith had damaged her with his hammer before she caught him off guard with a katana. The sword was still in her hand, covered with blood, but she wasn’t lifting it off the ground.
“Jara…” Yingtai looked over her shoulder.
There were still flames burning where she was expecting Jara to be. Smith didn’t hesitate for a moment; he was still at a full sprint when he drove the rapier up through her throat into her brain. “Fuck you, traitor!”
An arrow struck Dale in the thigh, but his dragonling armor stopped most of its force and power. He rolled several times to get behind a small rock that provided cover.
He looked at the spot where Yingtai and Smith had been. It was empty. No drops, she wasn’t an NPC, a thought he’d hoped for a moment might be true, that maybe she wasn’t really a cruel, cold, lying traitor. At least Jara had not pretended to be part of them from the start; she’d been picked up on the way, in a dungeon. Yingtai is the one that had saved her, so of course, they’d been working together from the start. He thought of Amy again, his anger rose, but he remembered the mission.
The jewel.
Because Yingtai would have dropped it if she had it in her possess
ion, that meant Jara had it, so she and Dale were the last two standing.
“You treacherous bitch,” Dale shouted. “I’m going to kill you.”
...........................
Dale worked on another Fire Magic spell.
He was committed to pouring his mana into DPS attacks; he’d take a healing potion if he survived.
“You aren’t going to survive this, Dale,” Jara said. She was behind a column of stone, Dale’s last spell had died out, and she was approaching him.
“I’m going to kill you,” Dale said.
“No, Dale, you aren’t. I’m more powerful. I’m less injured, and I haven’t watched all my friends die. I don’t have your weaknesses.”
Dale didn’t want her in his head. He stuck his head out from the edge of the rock and saw that Jara was walking toward him. He counted down the last few seconds of his Fire Magic spell warm up. Four, three, two, one.
He stood and fired at Jara.
She launched an Ice Magic Spell.
The chamber exploded. A series of flashes, bright orange and yellow light, lit the room. Dale hid his eyes; he was temporarily blinded. When he opened them again, he was lying on the ground. His head hurt, and his muscles ached.
He searched for Jara.
She was also sitting on the ground, rubbing her head; the explosions had knocked her down as well.
Dale stood and approached her.
She got up and fired an arrow at him. It wasn’t imbued, merely a tech arrow, and Dale dodged it. He missed having his adder shield, in the future, he’d carry a spare. He raised a longsword and walked towards Jara with the weapon on his shoulder. His mana had been depleted in the explosion; he had to assume Jara was in the same position, if not, she’d easily kill him.
Jara put away her bow and brought out a sword. It was an elven sword, not as long or as heavy as Dale’s, but she was skilled, Dale was sure of that, he’d seen her fight. She walked forward three steps and then set her feet firmly on the ground, putting herself into a defensive stance.
Don’t let your anger work to her advantage.
Dale had observed how cunning and deceptive Princess Jara was, how she used other people, how she manipulated and lied. He slowed his pace towards her.
Sword fights are typically over in less than a minute, sometimes they might last two or three minutes, with equally matched fighters, but the reality was that throwing a sword around was incredibly exhausting, and one slip in your opponents favor would mean a wound. Even a simple wound in a sword fight would usually mean death because of the advantage it immediately gave to the opponent. There would be no second chances in a fight with Jara; neither of them was going to be able to create a healing enchantment. There was no one else providing a diversion. There was no cover, and nowhere to run.
Nagant Wars: A LitRPG Novel (Nagant Wars Series Book 1) Page 41