“How can you tell?”
Chloe pointed at the back of the troll’s leg. Where she had slashed at the skin with her lightning blade, thin lines began to slowly appear. The skin unzipped along the length, achingly slow, as thick red blood began to drop, then pour out. The troll began to noticeably move forward, time beginning to catch up as they heard the slowed-down timbre of the troll’s growls.
“Clear the area,” Chloe shouted, running to meet Ben and Tag at the recess in the wall. Gideon was the last to join, moving out of the way just in time as the troll returned to normal speed, the impact of the attacks from Gideon and Chloe now accumulating as time struggled to catch up with reality.
The backs of the troll’s leg gushed open, blood fountaining out. The troll was pushed forward with an unholy force, its hand slipping on the club that smacked into the wall where Tag and Chloe had been a moment ago. Its head forced hard into the corner and they heard an almighty crack as bone broke.
Chloe watched with gruesome fascination as the troll’s health deteriorated to zero in a second. The final impact with the wall had been enough to end the creature’s life.
Monster defeated: Mountain Troll (Lv 15)
+590 exp
Light washed over Gideon and Ben as they leveled up, celebrating as they hovered in the air.
Tag grinned, standing as if waiting to level up. When nothing happened, he said, “Hey! What? I use myself as live bait, and the wizard and the archer get the points?”
Gideon and Ben laughed, shrugging.
“If it helps, I didn’t get anything either,” Chloe said, bringing up her character sheet to examine how far she might be from level 10.
Bio
Character name: Chloe (click to select a new character name)
Level: 9
Class: Null
Race: Human
Stats
HP: 250/250
MP: 180/180
Stamina: 330/330
Active effects: Null
Attributes
Strength: 22 (+19)
Intelligence: 6 (+13)
Dexterity: 20 (+16)
Endurance: 25 (+18)
Etheric Potential: 9 (+14)
Skills
Languages: Human
Acrobatics: Lv 3
Armed Combat: Lv 1
Cooking: Lv 1
Crafting: Lv 1
Creature Identification: Lv 4
Dark Vision: Lv 4
Dual Wielding: Lv 2
Experimental: Lv 1
Fishing: Lv 1
Herb Identification: Lv 1
Sneak: Lv 4
Swimming: Lv 1
Reckless: Lv 4
Available Points: 0
“Hey! I did get something, though,” Chloe said, noticing a minor increase in her strength and endurance. “Woah. Reckless level 4!”
She heard Tag groan behind her as she pulled up the notification and read about the increase.
Skill increased: Reckless (Lv 4)
Did you really just throw your body over a dwarf like he was a landmine? Can’t say we’ve ever seen that before. Here, have a bonus.
Bonuses: +13 strength, +7 endurance
(NOTE: Increases in skill override any previous bonuses gained from the skill).
“Is anyone else’s AI, like, super sassy with their descriptions? One minute it’s straight-talking, the next minute I feel like my brother caught me stealing his Advent calendar chocolate again.”
“Yeah, I’ve had that a few times,” Ben said, strolling around the room and recovering his arrows. “I think it’s just the AI trying to be funny. Y’know, trying to make sure the game is friendly to kids when they play it.”
“The game’s an 18, Ben,” Gid chipped in. “Who are they trying to impress?”
“That’s not going to stop underage kids from playing,” Ben retorted. “You know that my brother was playing 18s when he’d just turned 11. Yeah, Mum didn’t care what the game was, she just appreciated that it kept him quiet. Didn’t even matter that I had to put up with him pretending to slash me open and jump around every corner when I was getting ready for bed for a week.”
Chloe flicked away her notifications, taking a sip of water from her skin. “Still, maybe that’s another thing to report to Praxis. A bit of consistency goes a long way.” She offered some to Gideon, who accepted gladly.
Ben sat down by the wall, taking a deep breath and wiping the sweat from his brow. “Can you believe we survived that?” He let out a laugh. “What should we merry band of four do next?”
Gideon nodded toward the open door. “In case you’ve forgotten, we’ve still got a mage to catch.”
“Okay,” Chloe said, a determined expression on her face. “But first let’s loot this mother…”
Her voice trailed away as ash flew into the air and the troll began to disintegrate. They all turned and saw Tag’s tiny form appear as the troll’s bulk vanished, leaving behind a neat pile of treasure.
“Er…” Tag said with a guilty smile on his face. “Splitsies?”
Chapter Thirty-One
They tried for some time to walk the tunnels in relative quiet. Chloe was impressed more and more with her Sneak skill, noticing how lightly she trod now compared to the troubles she’d had when entering the goblin cave. With every skill point gained across her specific talents, she felt stronger in a way she didn’t believe possible in the real world.
She wondered what it would be like to take the logic of the game and use it back home. What skills would her brothers and sisters have? Would there be a way to increase her skills in charisma, business, work ethic, and negotiation to catch up with the gods of her own life? Those who were held in much higher regard on their black-suited pedestals?
Her mother and father would be king and queen, of course, atop their thrones, looking down on them all. Her six brothers and sisters would be the lords and ladies of the land, and Chloe the outcast. The jester of the family, working her ass off to reach the stature of the others.
Was it even possible at this point?
“I’m really glad you found your way back to us,” Gideon said, interrupting Chloe from her thoughts. “The others won’t say it, but they missed you, too. We make a good team, don’t you think?”
Chloe smiled. Tag and Ben were a short distance ahead, leading the way with a torch they had stolen off the walls.
“Yeah. Yeah, we do.”
“If you don’t mind my asking, what was it that brought you back to us? Last I understood, you were setting out on a quest solo. Haven’t you got bigger fish to fry than dungeon-looting with us three?”
Chloe nodded. “The funny thing about frying bigger fish is that you need a bigger pan.”
KieraFreya clicked her tongue.
Gideon raised an eyebrow. “What?”
Chloe laughed, turning back to where the shaman’s wisp floated behind them. Inspired by the great magic user, she had tried to wax philosophical but had proven in that moment that intelligence definitely wasn’t one of her strong points.
“Nothing. I guess I just managed to discover that this world is not kind to those who travel alone, especially those of lower levels than the monsters that are out there. I had a choice: should I push through and work my way up in the levels slowly, struggling out there by myself, or should I join three brave adventurers I’ve grown to like and trust, and we can help each other boost our experiences?”
“When you put it like that, it’s a no-brainer.”
“That’s what I’m saying,” Chloe agreed.
“You know you won’t just be joining us, right?”
“What do you mean?” Chloe asked as they ducked beneath a piece of low-hanging rock and veered around a corner.
“I mean, every group needs a leader, Chloe. Every group needs someone to take charge in situations and command the group for the betterment of all. When the three of us played other games, it would usually be me taking charge. The warrior normally takes the brunt of responsibility, ge
tting thick into the heart of battle and guiding the rest of his men—” Chloe shot Gideon a look “and women to victory.”
“Then it can be you again,” Chloe said, placing a hand on Gid’s shoulder. “Just do what you normally do and lead us all to victory, pal.”
Gid smiled, shaking his head. “Not in this body. In case you haven’t noticed, my confidence is gone. I’ve spent years studying the art of the warrior, training in combat, learning strategy of battle and war from the angle of a man with a sword and shield. Now?” He raised his hands in front of his face “Now my power lies with these and, and while I’ll admit this is all pretty cool, I have a long way to go before I can call myself a leader again. Didn’t you see me at the house? With the bears? In the woods with the wolves? What troop is going to follow a clumsy, inexperienced mage into battle?”
“What troop is going to follow a confused girl with little experience in gaming mechanics?”
Gideon studied Chloe with a knowing look on his face.
“What?” she said.
“You don’t even see it, do you?” He nodded at the other two, who were deep in their own conversation. “They already are. Didn’t you hear yourself back there with the troll? You owned it. You gave the orders, and they listened.”
Chloe scoffed. “Yeah, right. It takes a great leader to awaken a troll and shout at people to do stuff.”
Gideon laughed. “No. It takes a great leader to be listened to in the thick of battle and for others to willingly follow. That’s the mark of a great leader. That was what I saw today.”
Chloe thought about it as they journeyed onward. Her, a leader? Ever since she had been dumped into this game, she had felt like nothing more than a clumsy excuse for a player who happened by chance to stumble across a great opportunity.
Now, though?
Now she was being told once again that there was something inside her. The shaman had spoken of greatness within her. Gideon believed in her ability to lead. The shaman had even followed her, trusting Chloe to keep him safe on his first true adventure far away from the village in which he had resided all his life.
Could this be true? Could there really be something inside me that is destined to lead others?
No, KieraFreya contributed.
“Oh, shut up,” Chloe mumbled. When Gideon gave her a look, she added, “Not you, Her.”
Gideon’s eyes found the bracers and he nodded.
When they at last came to a stop, it was at the head of a flight of stairs that led down into a dark, cavernous abyss in which the group could see nothing.
“Eyes up, folks,” Tag muttered. “Boss battle ahead.”
“How do you know?” asked Chloe.
“Ordinarily you’d get the typical battle music,” Tag said. “Y’know, like da-nuh-nuh-nuh-na-na-na...boom. Da-nuh-nuh-nuh-na-na-na...whoosh.”
Gid and Chloe sniggered.
Ben’s face remained stern. “But here you can just...feel it. Can’t you?”
Chloe closed her eyes, and sure enough, she felt...something. Great tension in the air. Pressure. Finality.
“Everyone recovered and fully ready to battle this thing?” Chloe asked, scanning the group. “Gid, how’s your MP?”
“As full as we’re going to get in this timeframe. Ordinarily I’d love to have a few potions for back up for when we make the charge, but unfortunately, this game doesn’t seem to be yielding many of those yet.”
“Where do we find them?” Chloe asked.
“Cities, usually,” Ben replied. “Or sometimes hidden deep in dungeons. My guess, though, is that the mage has looted anything that might be of use to us just on the off-chance that we might follow him.”
Chloe nodded. “And no one here has any idea what the mage is doing traipsing ahead of a group of adventurers through the dungeon?”
The other three shook their heads.
“And no one has any clue of any potential danger that may be lying ahead?”
Another shake.
“And all three of you have lost your tongues and can no longer speak English long enough to answer me with actual words?” Chloe smirked.
Another headshake, this time accompanied by smiles.
“Screw you guys, let’s just get this over with. Hey, Wisp, want to give us some light to see by?”
The wisp vibrated as if excitement had run through its body. It floated ahead, gliding down the stairs and illuminating the way with ghostly pallor.
Chloe and Tag took the front, Tag’s torch adding extra light as the wisp made its way ahead. It paused at the bottom of the stairs. Gideon and Ben prepared themselves as they followed the first two, Ben’s arrows already nocked and ready to fire. Gideon’s hands were in place, ready to create magic should the need arise.
All was deadly silent. Chloe ducked her head, struggling to make out what lay on the floor beneath. The stairs went on and on, winding ever so slightly toward the wisp’s glow. All else beyond the reach of the light was in utter darkness, but the pull and pressure Chloe had felt at the top of the stairs had intensified.
When they were halfway down the stairs, they heard their first sign of movement.
And it was a big one.
“Igne iudicii!” came words bellowed through the darkness, a bright ball of emerald-green fire appearing from nowhere and streaming across the room. The fireball smashed into the stairs, causing them to crack and crumble.
“Run!” Chloe shouted, shoving Tag forward and leaping over the falling rocks as fast as she could. Gideon and Ben leaped after her, managing to make their way over the debris and sprinting the rest of the length of the stairs.
A gentle croak of laughter echoed around the room as darkness resumed.
“Gideon, Purple Blaze, now! Fire into the darkness to find him!”
The pair of them summoned their own fireballs, casting the orbs into the shadows. The balls followed a straight trajectory past huge carved pillars with rustic runes along their height, the light fading as it moved farther away. They revealed nothing more than air and dust until they finally extinguished.
They cast several more balls as quickly as possible. Still nothing.
“Save your MP,” Chloe said, feeling a little breathless.
“What do we do?” Ben whispered, his bow readied and sweeping arcs in the dark.
“Aw, let’s just take the fight to him!” Tag shouted, rallying his war cry as power emanated through the four of them. “Come at me, you filthy—” beep.
To Chloe’s disdain, Tag sprinted into the shadows. His body melted into the darkness, and they could hear his feet stomping around. His hammer made loud whooshing sounds as it sliced through the air. At one point, they saw a gentle glow of something that illuminated Tag and a figure cloaked in black before there was a yell of pain and Tag reappeared in their sphere of light, sliding on his back across the cavern floor.
“Well, that wasn’t fun,” he breathed. “Want to step in and help, people?”
“We really didn’t want to hurt you,” Chloe replied.
“We didn’t really want to make you cry,” Tag sang in a high falsetto. “Man, I loved that song.”
Words were muttered in the darkness.
“Focus!” Chloe said, dragging Tag back to his feet. “Here it comes!”
“Meus mortuus est surge et vivorum DOMINETUR!”
“Anybody here speak Latin?” Tag asked nonchalantly as an eerie glow appeared from the darkness.
Ben fired, the arrows soaring and one of them finding their mark. The mage groaned, turned away its glowing blue eyes, and vanished.
The ghostly glow remained as a steady stream of mist kicked up from the ground. Something crackled, hard things walking across hard things. Chloe recognized that sound instantly, her heart sinking.
“Get ready, guys. Looks like it’s skelly time.”
“I didn’t think you were ready for this skelly.” Ben grinned, already firing at where the skeletons were appearing.
Chloe lit her blade wi
th purple fire, shedding a little more light on the situation. “Wisp, circle and dazzle the skellies. Show us where they are, and we’ll follow.”
Like a dutiful hound, the wisp trailed into the gloom, its weak glow casting a ghoulish glare over the skeletons. There were dozens of them, a whole sea of the dead for as far as Chloe could see.
She nodded at Tag. Tag nodded back.
They sprinted toward the skeletons, weapons raised. Chloe felt alive, reaching the first skeleton and taking it down with a simple hack. It must have been low-level, she mused, unable to concentrate and stand still long enough to utilize Creature Identification.
Another skelly down, then another. Chloe felt a bony hand claw her shoulder and spun, the fetid stench of the skeleton causing her to recoil. Before she could bring her sword back up, the skeleton crumbled into a thousand pieces. Tag winked at Chloe, his hammer back in his hand.
“I got your back, girl.”
“Literally.” Chloe smiled. “But who’s got yours?”
Tag’s face dropped as a pair of skellies put their arms went around his throat. “Help!” he cried as he was dragged backward.
Arrows flew through the air, finding their target in one skeleton’s chest, a little higher than Tag’s shoulder. Another whistling arrow and the next skeleton was no more.
“Maybe shoot a little closer to me next time?” Tag yelled at Ben, who had now climbed a few stairs to gain the advantage of height. “You nearly got me, dumbface!”
Tag shut up as another arrow came straight at him, just nicking the leather on his shoulder before taking down a skeleton that Tag hadn’t noticed coming.
“Concentrate!” Ben grunted, returning to the problems that were closer at hand. Even though he was taking down skellies left, right, and center, they were making headway, surrounding him on all sides. Only Gideon remained with him, pulsing lightning from his hands and sending waves toward the skeletons, toasting them as they fell.
“Way to harness your powers, Gid!” Chloe shouted.
“I gained a level! I can now choose their trajectory,” Gid said between breaths.
“Nice!”
Chloe turned her attention back to the problem at hand and resumed sweeping through the darkness with her purple sword ablaze. She felt energized and wore a huge smile on her face as she took down skeleton after skeleton. The bones piled up around her feet, and she wondered what kind of goodies she would find in these skeletons when it came to looting the bodies.
Collecting The Goddess (Chronicles Of KieraFreya Book 1) Page 22