by Pwyll Duggan
I watch the mass of orcs and goblins, looking for the best target. One presents herself as she gives orders. The 100-yard shot in-beds itself in her chest. The mass of goblins and orcs stop in their respective tracks. I choose the tallest orc and shoot. I miss but it's a dense mass of targets. Someone else screams and the tide turns. They break in all directions. The only ones still moving my way are from the Ram, walking unsure up the road.
The orcs and ogres grab anything that can be used as shields, even using snotlings that get too close. Screams and cries of terror from those snotlings only helps my cause, panic telegraphing thru the picket line. I crouch and leap for the thickest tree branch, climbing up the tree for a better vantage point. It also moves me away from anyone running in the woods. Bow away, I try and move from tree to tree, approaching the wall, hugging trunks and branches to get there.
Pandemonium is what I can see as I glance around. Orcs, goblins and masses of snotlings are running along the wall west to get away. Others have forged paths into the woods, ignoring the dangers they contain. The four ogres on the road with their Orc escorts are looking nervously at the area I was in a few minutes ago. New spell time. Palm out again I aim for the middle of the group and trigger Icy Sphere. A tiny icicle flies from my hand, exploding at the point of impact on the road. Ice runs out in all directions, covering everything as it goes. Ogres, orcs, snotling shields and the ground are frozen in a huge radius. The impact point has become amass of jumbled icy splinters, pointing everywhere. They explode outwards, turning into small spears, piercing everything they touch, shattering anything frozen as they go. Bits of frozen Ogres and orcs slide along the frozen ground.
I wait in the tree, sounds of the panicked enemy fading into the forest. I move trees a few times, just to be careful. Staying on the largest tree branches I can, up as high as I can, I wait and rest. Senses straining to hear or see anything leaves me tense and a little jumpy. As it stays quiet for some time I climb down as quietly as I can. I head to the watery and icy road to feed Princess.
With a contented Princess I head to the three catapults and the ram. Too heavy for me to move, and only two catapults are in range for my fireball, the only area of effect spell I can use with my regen'd mana. Plenty of rope in their construction to use as a firestarter. I'll need kindling. Fuck it. I turn and Bright Bolt the huge tree trunk that makes up the ram, wood flying all over. I gather the kindling and wood I just made and make a pile under one of the catapults on the road edge. I hack the ropes off the two others and shave a pile under the one with the kindling. Turning I drop a fireball between the catapults, breaking them and setting them alight. Grabbing a long twig as a match I light its end and set my pile on fire, burning the last catapult. Using a broken ram wheel, I sit by the wall, watching the new fires light up the dark sky, embers trailing up.
And me without marshmallows.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Hunger drives me thru the wall before the fires die down. The need for breakfast and a quick wash to remove all the blood and guts that now cover me.
Most of the village is still up at the wall, behind a line of soldiers standing guard. They cheer as they see me, boosting my ego again. Once again, I got lucky because my enemy underestimated me. I'll take it for now. I raise a hand, quieting the crowd.
"The siege engines are destroyed, all the ogres killed. Orcs and goblins have routed and fled. And another Night One is dead." Silence dominates the crowd. Then they burst out cheering again.
"Go back to bed people - I need to see The Stone." I yell out. Soldiers clear a path for me, escorting me to the temple steps as the crowd very slowly disperses.
On the steps all the girls are waiting. Bunny, Aysun and Rika are all smiling, relief on their faces. Mari looks worried, with Amaya joining her. I toss the empty skin at Mari. "Worked great. Need more." The pull of The Stone drags me in past them. "Sorry - Stone calling me in."
I kneel down as The Stone kicks into life
Operational Power at 01:132:11:43:32
Shielder Container #57824 Present
Soul Refinery #0008 Present, bond detected to #57824
Heartwood Present, bond detected to #57824
ID: Paul Walsh, System: Sol 00548, Sol III
Current Level:11, Battle Mage (S), Fighter
Harvested Spirita Aqua Detected
Prepare for Spirita Aqua Removal.........3...2...1
Stored Pure Spirita Aqua: 300
Genus: Goblinoid
Snotlings: 8 - total 103
Bane IV achieved, boon granted
Goblins: 10 - total 67
Orc: 16 - total 44
Ogre: 10 - total 10
Bane I achieved, boon granted
Genus: Animal Type
Horse 2 - total 2
Genus: Daemon
Daemon via sub-type:
Harpy Immortal: 1
Special Point added.
Spirita Aqua Deposited Value: 1680, plus 300 refined - 1980
Operational Power Now at 01:330:11:41:04
Boon granted, 500 deposit
Boon granted, 1000 deposit
Boon granted, 1500 deposit
Adjusting Shielder Container: Spirita Aqua Deposit: 1680xp
Village Defended: 100xp granted, 100 Spirita Aqua gained
Defense: Siege Engines Destroyed 100xp granted, 100 Spirtia Aqua gained.
Defeated Enemies: Bounty Hunter 100xp
Shielder Container #48354 100xp
Special: Night One Killed (2/3 Zone)
Total Adjustment: 2080 xp added 7650 xp total
Shielder Container leveled to 12.
5 Boons Granted
1 Special Granted
200 Spirita Aqua Refined.
Leveling in 3...2...1
So the two riders where a Bounty Hunter and another Shielder. Damn, somebodies working for the otherside – Samurai or Fairy? I kneel and let the power flow. I'm no longer tired or sore. Maybe a little stronger.
Shielder Container #57824 XP at 7650xp
Level 12 reached - one power point, one special point
Level 12 - Ability Increase or Power Choice? Special?
"Ability, Constitution."
Constitution increased by one.
Level 12 - Special?
Something useful. I want to use the Spirita as well. Convert to leveling my friends?
"Special, use stored Spirita to level non-shield containers at shield container discretion."
Ability Granted - convert refined Spirita to Forced Level advancement on non-shield container. 0.1% chance per Refined Spirita Aqua.
Boon List Complied. 6 Boons available. Convert or use or store?
"Convert to Forced Level Advancement, store."
Forced Level Advancement, 1 charge.
1 boon(s) stored.
Special?
Do it again I guess.
"Special, use stored Spirita to level non-shield containers at shield container discretion."
Ability Granted - convert refined Spirita to Forced Level advancement on non-shield container. Now 0.2% chance per Refined Spirita Aqua.
Boons added.
Special Added.
Operational Power Now at 01:332:11:39:33
#57824 now at: Level 12, Battle Mage, specialist
Fighting 6 Strength 5 Agility 4 Constitution 5
Intellect 3 Reason 3 Spirita 12 Leadership 4
Abilities: Wilderness Survival
Scout
Speed +5%
Regeneration 0.1% per minute
Archer (Fighting +1)
Healing, 15% total health, 6/day
Shatter (x12 power), touch, 1/day
Arcana Spirita
Increased Foci Use
Increased Scroll Use
Staff Specialist. (Fighting +1)
Enchantable Skeletal structure.
Stones Blessing. 3/day, limited based on object size or amount or a 10 foot radius.
Power Strike, 12 second cooldown.
/> Spirita: Icy Sphere (40)
Fireball (30)
Tongue (20)
Enhancement (20)
Delay (20)
Invisibility (20)
Icebolt (10)
Special: Level Advancement on non-shield container, charges 1.
Convert refined Spirita to Forced Level advancement on non-shield container. Now 0.2% chance per Refined Spirita Aqua.
1 Boon(s) Stored
200 Refined Spirita Aqua.
I walk out the front, dropping the quiver on the ground.
"As many as you can Amaya. They worked great." She goes to speak, but stops as I keep walking. At the water barrel on the corner of the building I crouch down, lifting to whole barrel of water. I tip it over my head, the cold water waking me even more. Bloody water and gore splashes to the ground as it flows over me. I crack my neck and head to my house, leaving everyone in my wake. Anti-social am I, yes. Fuck off Yoda. I seriously need to clear out my head.
Walking into the bath area, gear dropped in the previous room. Molly watched me enter, unsure what to do from my mood. She watched me walk thru, so I gave her a little wave. Doesn't help my mood, but she shouldn't be so tense about me now. I sink down on the stool and start scrubbing. Soap bubbles up over my body, that's not my body.
Nothing about me is the same as when I arrived, what 3 or 4 days ago now. It's all blurring. My arms have guns. I can flex. I'm ripped, abs sculpted, six pack stomach. Chest puffed out with enough strength to lift a full 40-gallon drum. That's over 150 kilos without a problem. I didn't even strain on that water barrel. My thighs are thicker. I can jump 10-foot walls without strain. Parkour training would rock now.
Looking into the tub of hot water, the reflection is barely my old 45-year-old self. The face is toned, wrinkles slowly disappearing. Beard is still there, same as the eyes. The eyes are colder, harder. Seems I'm getting RBF - Resting Bitch Face. I look mean without meaning too. I realize I'm still scrubbing, skin going red. Stopping I look down at my reflection again, sighing. I need my own place. A Down time place. Somewhere other than here. Somewhere I can call home. The Grove is calling me on that. Maybe that lake has fish now?
Boxers on I walk into the next room, Bunny sitting cleaning my gear. I pull on socks and grab some linen bandages. I wrap up my legs to the knee, sliding the pants on, making sure they are tight. Boots on next, tightened. I get more linen and wrap my hands and wrists, like a boxer. Skills I have never used, sitting in my head, show me how to do all this. I flex my fingers in their new wraps, making sure it’s both tight and strong.
Bunny is cleaning my gloves and bracers, keeping busy. She steals the odd worried glance at me. Breathing rhythms come to me, calming and centering.
"Sorry Bunny. I'm not in a good mood. Maybe 400 odd snotlings, goblins and orcs got away. I'll meet them today in the woods." Pausing I sigh. "Lots of killing to do." She looks up from cleaning, water in her eyes.
"Stay. You don't have to." She pleads. My face softens, and I look into her watery eyes.
"If I don't, then who?"
She's in my arms, crying before I know it. I stroke her head, shushing as I do so.
"Bunny. I came here as an old man to save the village. It's what I was brought here to do. And it's what I have to do."
She's sobbing into my chest. I let her cry. Her arms slowly run around my chest and she grips me tight. She mumbles into my chest.
"Come back to me please." I push her back a little and wipe her eyes.
"Bunny, I can only try. Just remember I'll be fine. I do want to come back." She nods into my chest. "I need to get dressed, okay?" she nods again, wiping her eyes and sits down, cleaning the cuirass.
Black silk shirt with the split back goes on next, then the gloves. Bracers clasp them down as the click into position. Bunny hands me the cuirass and helps me strap it on. Belt goes tight around the shirt and pants, elven blades sliding into the lower back sheaths. Tassets go down over the thighs, covering some of the belt. Princess sits comfortable on my back. Doll makes the new staff and the bow rest correctly as the pack goes over my side. Staff and sword under the pack, bow to the side. Daggers and knives secreted around my person. Quiver to go on my side when I get back to the temple.
Molly's waiting at my pile of packs and the staff, bundle of rice balls and a steaming jar in her hand. It's still dark as the staff goes across my shoulders, like a yoke of a plow, to hoist the packs. Nodding to the two girls I trot off to the temple.
Lights on in the living quarters leads me to Amaya working away on my arrows. She grins as she sees me, pointing to my full quiver.
"Just doing more, then I will rest." She says without looking up.
"Thanks."
I strap the quiver to its place on my belt and leg and head out. I jog up to the wall and go straight thru to the other side.
Catapults are smoldering as I sidestep the remains of the ram coming through. Nothing is stirring, not even night birds. The odd moth flies by as I move the load on my shoulders and start jogging up the roadway. Jog turns to a slow and steady running pace, not tiring me at all. A few miles in and snotlings and goblins dive for cover along the roadside as I breeze past, fear their main motivation now. I ignore them and continue, counting the mile cairns as I pass them.
At five miles I turn left to the woods, shouldering the load on my left shoulder, arm wrapped around it to balance. Jogging slowly in the grey light, watching for webs, or lost greenskins to head to the Grove. Signs of spiders are all over, webs drifting in the night. They follow the signs of the snotlings and goblins, spears and daggers litter the ground in lots of places. They'll be well fed hairy bastards for a while.
Lantern light shines ahead, figure casually leaning on a tree, eating something. Garrot brushes rice from his leather armor as I approach.
"You're about as quiet as a stampede, like the green horde that was out tonight." He splutters with a mouth full of rice.
"Morning to you too Garrot." He waves and points to a nearby clearing.
"Souls over there Shielder. Nyssa's fixing up your house. Turning into a right home girl she is." I place the load on the ground and with Princess in hand I gather from the pile of dead greenskins.
Garrot's stride matches mine while he chews and talks.
"Sparring then recon today?" two cups appear in his hand and I pour from the jar from my belt into both. Passing me one he drinks and sighs. I answer.
"With the disaster they had last night." He butts in.
"That you caused." I continue
"that I caused, it would be a good idea to see this Cratertown or Mine. See what we can damage today. Put more pressure on them." He's nodding, chewing and drinking. Neat trick.
"Kids will like that." He says solemnly. He brushes more rice off, cup disappearing on his person. "Speed up Walsh, you're slowing us down." He runs off into the now dawn lit green woods. Elves!
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Nyssa's waiting on the far dock as we row over, doing her little happy jig. She's waving in the pre-dawn light and clapping after each wave. I've got the feeling she's excited. "Merryn and I fixed the roof and the King Oak grew the whole house! It was amazing!" She's jumping as I pass my load off to Nir and the others. She's talking faster too. Her enthusiasm is contagious. Gets me smiling.
"We enchanted the bath and the water, got the stoves working and shielded the lab and the study and found chairs for both of us. Needed covers for the bed and I wove more blankets and your heavy pants with the pockets and Merryn taught me more enchanting spells and we got lights and wooden floors. High ceilings so I can move around and storage and a deck up high for you to watch the forest and sit and drink. At least I hope you do that. Gear room off the bedroom and clothes in the other room and big tiled bath with water jets and hot water and tools in the big lab and the library is near the deck and..." I put a hand up to her lips to stop her. It only sort of works as she is still doing her jig. No coffee for her.
"Calm down gorge
ous. Help them with the packs first, okay?" Her eyes, all eight, pop.
"Gorgeous? You think I'm gorgeous?"
"Nyssa, please help them?"
"Okay, sorry, okay." She's way too excited. Kitty appears from somewhere and takes Nyssa's hand and leading her to the packs. She loads them easily and heads off with Kitty and Nir to the town hall. Carrol is bobbing on her hind legs next to me, smile on her face.
"She really likes you."
"Whatever gave you that idea?" Carrol keeps smiling, guiding me slowly towards Merryn's place.
"Merryn said you caused a bit of trouble last night?"
"I am sweet and innocent. I would never do such a thing." Gets me a giggle and a little laugh.
"Really?"
"They tried attacking the Wall. I stopped them. Dropped another Night One as well." Carrol goes quiet.
"That will up the stakes locally, that's for sure. The Ladies will not like that at all." I turn to her, quizzing.
"The Ladies?"
"Ladies of the Night. Night Ones who rule over these areas. They hate uprisings, hire Bounty Hunters and people from the Vy King regions to hunt down problematic persons. Makes for interesting times." I pause and think.
"Do they communicate with each other? A lot maybe?" Carrol laughs at that.
"Hell no. When they are not fighting people like you, they are plotting against each other. Plots within plots. Greed does that to people."
We're at Merryn's place before I notice, and Carrol opens the door to let me in. I am hugged by the Dryad as I enter.
"You made it!" Merryn then quickly straightens her vines and goes prim and proper on me.