“Taking a second!” Talis yelled after spitting out an empty vial. She stopped attacking so she could step back.
"Switch!" I called out as Taren and I stepped up to take her place.
The Centaur pulled out another stamina potion and when she had it firmly between her teeth she nodded and I called out "Switch" again.
Even though it was just for a few seconds Taren was heavily damaged and it took everything I had to avoid dying myself.
Aeria ran out of magic before she finished healing us and we had to wait for her to recover.
Before she did it was David's turn to switch. We did better this time. Taren focused on bashing the Whatsits away rather than actually attacking them and I hit them with a few Bounce assisted kicks.
When we switched back we saw that Aeria had been given her own potion, this one blue, and she too had it clenched between her teeth like a cigar.
With her brow furrowed she placed a hand on each of us, healing both of us at the same time.
"I'm. Out!" Aeria said around the vial, frustration evident in her voice. "Don't get hurt!"
Now, fully healed we took over for Mervin. This time I stepped in front of Taren and, with my hands, blasted the Nilum with a channelled Bounce spell.
I managed to keep them away but used a good chunk my magic to do so.
Mervin came back in front and we fell back.
I learned several very important things from this battle. A) We still sweat. B) Apocrine sweat glands (or maybe bacteria) don't exist here. C) I can smell the fear sweat coming from the Centaurs. D) It was a sure bet we were all going to die.
That was unacceptable.
I know the data packet said we would respawn, that death wasn't permadeath. But it still hurt. And for all we know that was a lie. You couldn't trust the Overseers, not on anything.
Also, David, Talis and Mervin would definitely die.
If I were smarter, like Three, I would have given serious consideration to running for my life and leaving the others to die. Three would have debated the merits of self sacrifice and versus the likelihood of personal survival. He would of done this as soon as he learned that the Nilum were zerging.
Of course, he probably would have disregarded all that and stayed to fight anyway.
Five wouldn't run. Four wouldn't leave others behind. Two would if her staying wouldn't make a difference, unless they were friends.
However, they would have made this decision at the beginning of the battle. Not with the smell of blood and fear already in the air. And I was only just now debating whether to run or not.
Sometimes, I wished I was one of those people who thought about all the little details in life. Details like "the future" or "potential consequences".
Then the Snicksnacks started showing up.
There weren't that many of them. And they bit, snapped and even killed a few of the Whatsits that didn't get out of the way fast enough. But they were there, they were coming and they were going to kill us all.
"Nope," I said.
I pulled back from the fighting and summoned my Soul Tome. I used it to bat one Whatsit away before opening it and flipping through the pages as fast as I could.
“What are you doing?”Tahaniria yelled, stabbing her own starter blade at a closing creature.
They were getting through the melee fighters more and more to the point where even the casters had to fight directly.
“Upping my survival odds!” I called back and then started humming I will survive.
"Ruin!" Aeria shouted, "Don't you dare!"
I found what I was looking for and quickly invested all my accumulated essence into what I needed.
"Do what?" I said innocently and started singing the lyrics under my breath.
"Whatever you're planning!"
"Too late!"
That done, I tossed the book into the air where it folded in itself.
“Well, guys! It's been fun! I hope you all survive!” I said, cheerfully, then I turned around and ran the opposite direction.
“What?!” Aeria yelled and a few of the others said less than polite things about me.
I ignored them and kept running, feeling out my newly awakened ability as I did so. Ghost Fire wasn't a spell but a natural ability, like my heightened senses or my ability to transform. There was no shape to it, nothing I had to figure out. It was just there, another instinct I didn’t know I had, until I needed it.
I pooled my magic into my hands and flexed my fingers. I thought about ripping, tearing and shredding my enemies. As I did, silvery white fire shot with shadows, enveloped my hands.
The Ghost Fire felt like a cool wind blowing through my fingers while the sparks of a campfire nipped at the skin. Wind that was somehow thick and almost solid. Like when you put your hand out of the window of a speeding car.
When I judged I was far enough I skidded to a stop and ran back the way I came. I ran as fast as I could, pushing myself. Knowing that the faster I ran the higher the likelihood of my survival.
When I was twenty feet away from the group I saw that just a handful of seconds without me helping defend had taken its toll.
Vicious was saying on his feet, barely evading the creatures as he healed the Centaurs. Aeria’s left arm was bleeding but instead of healing herself she focused on keeping the others alive.
And there seemed to be even more of the little monsters than there had been before.
I sang aloud as muscles and magic drove me forward. My Bounce spell on my heels and my claws tearing up the ground as I passed the others.
I leapt right over the head of Mervin the Centaur, snatching the stamina potion out of his mouth while singing "... you think I'd lay down and die? Oh no, not I, I will survive!" and stuffed the potion into my mouth.
I came down rending and slashing into the mass of Nilum. With the steady burn of my Ghost Fire I tore into them, not to kill but to maim and to cripple. To damage and to hurt.
My claws lashed out so fast they were a blur, aiming for eyes and legs, incapacitating and slowing them down.
I went through them, rolling, dodging, shoving and kicking out with my Bounce spell until I reached the other side. Then I just kept running, telling myself not to look back.
Just keep running, just keep running. Running, running, running - ah! No! I looked back! Oh, wow.
“Welp." I put on a burst of speed as I saw a little less than half of the swarm chasing me. "Aggro achieved.”
I was extremely fortunate I hadn't attracted any Snickersnacks. I didn’t think I could outrun those. Though, the idea that I could out run a surging wave of zerging Whatsits may have been a bit optimistic.
They're not fast, but if they're mobs that don't lose aggro, then that meant they were relentless.
I cut right, running off the road and into the trees, hoping it would slow them down. I made a long loop, circling back and aiming for the road.
When I eventually found the road, after what felt like half an hour later but was probably just two minutes, I was wishing I had another one of those stamina potions because the one I just stolen was almost gone.
I looked back wearily, seeing the mass of Whatsits a ways behind me. I could see the others were still fighting. Still in a slow retreat down the road as I led my personal monster train away from them.
When the vial was empty I tossed it in my bag and summoned my book. I put what little I had earned from my open ended kamikaze run into endurance.
My stats were now at:
Name: Ruin The Heartless
Race: Savage Kin (Midian Wood Elf)
Class: Force Mage (Rank: Basic. Level 4)
Level: 1
Body:
Strength - 2.9
Speed - 3.2
Agility - 4.0
Dexterity - 3.7
Endurance - 3.1
Vitality:
Resistance - 2.0
Regeneration - 2.0
Spirit:
Spark - 2.0
Regenerat
ion - 3.3
"I will survive, hey, hey!"
Yes, I was still singing, because everyone knows that the best way to get a song out of your head is to finish it.
At first I happily kited and killed as many as I could until I ran out of magic. Then I did it again. And again.
And after doing this several times I had to eventually stop and conserve my energy.
I ran on, substituting my lack of speed and endurance with my Bounce spell. The result was that I sort of skipped down the road with a herd of Whatsits trailing along like I was some demonic LSD inspired pied piper.
Well, I had heard that skipping is the most energy efficient form of locomotion. Of course, that may of been an internet rumour. But when have I ever let “facts” or “logic” dictate my actions?
When I exhausted my magic I jogged down the road normally until my magic recovered enough for me to resume my magical skipping.
While still singing.
To, you know, keep me motivated.
The problem was, even though I was recovering magic, I was still getting tired.
Soon it was all I could do to stay at the head of the pack.
I’m not sure how long this went on, but all too soon my breath shortened to broken gasps, my eyes blured, my heart pounded and there was a strange rushing sound in my ears.
But I still sang, because saving my breath for actual breathing would of been what was expected of me. And my elementary school teacher always said to exceed expectations.
"It took all the... strength I had… not to fall apart… Kept trying… hard to… mend the... pieces... of… of… wait… how's that… how's… that go?"
I forgot the lyrics so I just started making them up and trying to fit them in with the tune.
And I did so, very badly.
“Gods I'm so tired… hey. Hey, game gods… a little help… here. A little help… would be… so sweet. I would totally… consider… converting… from… a…. Buddhist/Wiccan/Taoist/Humanist/Transhumanist/Listen to Jesus Not The Christian Culture/Jedi philosophy.” I gasped out in a long breath. Then when I had a somewhat recovered I continued. “To whoever… whomever… whatever… helps me out first. Potential convert! Right here!"
“You there! Halt!” A voice called out.
"Huuuuhhna?" I looked up, blinking blearily at a whole pack (Herd? Pride?) of Centaurs. All armed and armored. All staring at me and the Whatsits behind me.
“Wow… nice timing,” I said, my voice quiet and raspy, then at a louder volume I said, “David, Talis and Mervin… they're all are back there. Past the zerg of… Whatsits. They're fighting a bigger swarm. Hey… got any… water? Because that would be... super.”
An equine Centaur at the front of the, let's say herd, wore chainmail and carried a spear. He seemed to be in charge and he sent a large portion of the herd, of the lupine or canine variety, around the pack at my heels to help the others.
“Excuse me… pardon me...outta my way. Exhausted Elf coming through.” I stumbled forward a few more feet before falling face down in a sweaty mumbling heap.
I decided to just close my eyes and lay in the nice cool stone road a while. Hey, wasn’t this a dirt road earlier? When did it turn to stone? Not that I was complaining. Or coherent for that matter.
Someone gently rolled me onto my back and pressed a corked potion into my hands. I squinted at it until they uncorked it for me.
I closed my eyes again as I drank, hoping it wasn't some poison or a knockout potion.
Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible monster about to eat your face. A lesson I learned from life.
Also, Harry Dresden.
“Or was it a demon. Instead of monster…” I murmured.
“What was that?” The voice belonged to someone doing me the great service of helping to not pass out.
I started doing the opening theme music to the Twilight Zone. "Do do dodo do do dodo…”
“Um, I think… he's broken.” The voice, a female voice said.
I decided I should probably open my eyes and when I did, I saw the girl who nearly got me killed.
“Ha!” I greeted her.
“Um…” she greeted back.
“Hey, at least it's not the other Twilight. Sparkly emos are the last thing we need.”
She stared.
“Not important. What's your name again? Also, a little help?”
“Oh! I, uh.” She helped me to my feet and watched me sway for a few seconds before deciding I probably wouldn't face plant. "Sorry. I'm 24333-02. Crystaliza. Sorry about… almost killing you all.”
I took a deep breath and steadied myself. The potion I had been sipping on was almost gone. A stamina potion, if the taste and quick energy recovery was anything to go by. I downed the rest before handing the vial back to her.
“Don't worry. Be happy. I surv… I mean I'm alive! It's all good.” She looked relieved until I frowned and said, "Of course, that's just me. Everyone else could be dead."
When I saw her stricken expression I hurried to reassure her, “Don't worry! I'm sure the data packet didn't lie when it said we'd respawn and... oh hell, you're crying now. Why do people always cry when I try to comfort them! Hey! It's all good! I got loads of experience! And you got to ride a Centaur! And squeeze his pecks. Wasn't that fun! Wow. I am terrible at this. Um… wanna hug?”
Tears still flowed down her cheeks but she smiled a little so…
Wow. That. Is a very large. Very wide. Very muscular. Very much glowering at me Centaur handing her a handkerchief.
“Thanks Billy.” She took it, wiped her eyes and sniffled a little before handing it back.
Billy used his expression to explain to me, in no uncertain terms, that he could and would, stomp me into Forest Elf pudding if I made her cry again.
He looked like someone had taken Arnold Schwarzenegger from that ancient Terminator movie and shoved him into a Clydesdale.
“If he bothers you again," his cold, deep voice rumbled down to me like an avalanche, "let me know, and I will escort him to another location and explain to him, in great detail, why he should not upset a lady. I will then convey his apologies to you for his actions. As well as for his sudden departure, to a far off providence, where no one will ever see him again.”
I goggled at the Centaur and said, “Eeep...”
He turned his gaze back to Crystaliza and the adoring smile that bloomed across his face transformed his entire countenance from hulking "me smash problem until it problem no more" into… well. Still intimidating but not actively menacing.
“Oh, Billy is just a big softy. " Crystaliza smiled adoringly back him. "He wouldn't hurt you for making me upset.”
Billy the Centaur smiled at me, his big blocky teeth conveying the exact opposite.
I looked back at the girl. "Seriously. He's like a well spoken Punisher. But… nice.”
She scowled at me. "He is not a Punisher. He's a protector."
Billy frowned. "A Punisher?”
While she explained about Punishers, Overseers, the Outside and the Grey Hell to him, I slowly backed away.
I turned around to look at the front line to where the Centaurs were doing their best impressions of being murderous windmills of death as they massacred every Whatsit in sight.
Looking at the soldiers, and these were definitely soldiers, I saw that while Talis, David and Mervin didn't wear armor, these Centaurs did. Some were in leather and others were in chainmail or even plate.
There were none of the, ah, alternately designed chest pieces for the females that were so common in fantasy style games. These were all realistically designed.
I also noticed more varieties.
There were the equine, feline and lupine I was already familiar with and what I was sure were a few canines because of the variety of fur colors, patterns and types.
There was also one I was sure was part komodo dragon.
I walked up to the equine Centaur with the fanci
est looking helmet who I assumed was the one in charge.
“John! You, Marcy, and Cindy pick up the… what do the Fallen call the... Right, the Whatsit eyes. Make sure to pick up anything else they drop. John! Don't mix up your personal items with the confiscated items this time. Everyone else! Move out!”
He started forward, taking the lead and I followed alongside him. His eyes flicked to me but he didn't say anything.
He radiated the authority figure vibe so strongly I had to shove down the first few thoughts that came to mind.
I just knew they would be things that made him unreasonably angry. And I wanted him reasonable.
“Hello! Sorry for the trouble we caused. Thank you for helping us because we do appreciate it and will do our best not to cause any more trouble but to do so it would help if I could ask you a few questions?” I spoke all in a rush, hoping to avoid any rage reactions.
His response was a sidelong look which I decided to take as encouragement so I said, “I am 24601-01, Ruin. Nice to meet you.”
He was silent for a moment before saying, “I am Captain Alexander Hoe.”
I twitched. "Captain Hoe?”
“Yes.”
"Ah… good. I mean, good to meet you." My voice was a little tight and slightly higher than it should be. "Any other… military… in your family?”
“I have a nephew who is a Private.”
“A… Private… Hoe…”
“And my father has reached the rank of Major in a city farther north.
“Major… Hoe…”
“Yes.” He looked at me, concerned. "Are you alright? You seem to be turning red. Are you having some sort of fit?”
“Just… a condition of… being a… Subadult…”
I couldn’t hold back any longer. I burst out laughing, startling Captain Hoe so much he stopped, which made everyone else stop.
I bent over laughing, crumpling in on myself as I flopped onto the ground. Everyone watched as I lay on my back, arms around my stomach and legs kicking in the air.
“What's going on?” I heard the voice of Aeria before she entered my field of vision a little while later. "What's wrong with him!"
“Is he in shock, uncle?” asked another Centaur. "I heard shock can do funny things to people. Is that why he's laughing?"
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