by Phoenix Grey
Azure was pleased by how effortlessly the skill seemed to be leveling up. It gave him hope that he'd make it past novice level faster than he'd anticipated. Enchanting definitely seemed to be one of the better types of magic to know.
One thing Azure noticed as he drew closer to his destination was that the area was represented on his map by a wide circle. He dismounted Flicker and left her to graze as he approached the edge of the circle. Not wanting to be taken unaware again, and knowing that enemies were close, even if he couldn't see them, Azure activated Stealth as he walked through the forest, listening carefully for any signs of enemy activity.
While he had expected the gnolls to be moving through the forest, perhaps circling the village, Azure was surprised to find the first one standing against a tree. Looking like a sentinel, the half-hyena half-man was sporting a chainmail tunic and holding a club. Azure hid behind a tree several yards away and activated Analyze.
Level 11 Gnoll Guard.
Discovering that it was weaker than him, he took a few moments to formulate a plan. The whole point of the quest was for Azure to use his new Volatile Bolt spell, but his Mana was already less than half of what it had been this morning. He'd need every last bit to get back to Squall's End unless he planned to eat more Blue Mushrooms. The thought wasn't appealing, but he did want to test out his new spell at least once.
Maybe not on this one...
Azure knew that there were other gnolls nearby. Causing a commotion with a spell he couldn't predict the results of might draw more gnolls upon him. If they were all level 11 or higher, he could be in trouble.
Activating Stealth again, Azure disappeared into the forest, sneaking around behind the gnoll. Carefully, he drew his Black Dagger. Taking slow, silent steps, he moved until he was just behind the tree. His heartbeat accelerated as he grew closer, but he remained calm and collected. As soon as Azure was in place, he struck, coming in quickly from the side to slit the gnoll's throat without causing a scene. The creature's black eyes widened in shock. It gurgled on its own blood, dropping the club to clutch at its neck. A hiss escaped its lips, and Azure thought to bring his hand over the gnoll's mouth to silence it until he saw the row of razor-sharp teeth. The creature did not descend soundlessly, but it also wasn't terribly loud in its throes of death. Delivering a few more quick stabs to its neck was enough to silence the gnoll forever.
Defeated Level 11 Gnoll Guard. 77XP rewarded.
I wonder what it was guarding, Azure thought as he cleaned the blood from his dagger before re-sheathing it.
Blessedly, there seemed to be no mystery as to what he could take. Azure knelt beside the body and stripped it as quickly as possible, keeping a wary eye on the forest around him.
You have received the following items:
Gnollish Club
Attack: +4-28
Magic Damage: +1
Vitality: +6
Intelligence: +6
Strength: +1
Agility: +4
Dexterity: +2
Charisma: +4
Luck: +3
Type: One-Handed Weapon
Durability: 23/25
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 2.0 kg
Traits: +1% resistance to Magic, +1 resistance to Disease, +1% resistance to Poison, +1% resistance to Bleeding
Requirements: Level 10
Roamer's Chainmail Tunic
Defense: +12
Vitality: +6
Intelligence: +4
Strength: +8
Agility: +6
Dexterity: +6
Charisma: +5
Luck: +2
Type: Heavy Armor
Durability: 19/21
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 11.0 kg
Traits: +1% resistance to Magic, +1 resistance to Disease, +1% resistance to Poison, +1% resistance to Bleeding
Requirements: Level 10
“Oh holy shit,” Azure whispered under his breath.
With little care about the noise is caused, he took off his Bronze Cuirass and equipped the Roamer's Chainmail Tunic instead. Despite the heaviness of the armor, there was an ease of movement to it that he hadn’t had with the cuirass. It was a marked improvement.
Next, he turned his attention to the Gnollish Club. While it didn’t look anywhere near as cool as his Bergen’s Glaive, the weapon’s stat boosts made it worth switching. Grudgingly, Azure placed his Bergen’s Glaive in his Bag of Holding to give the club a try instead. If he didn’t like it, he could always switch back.
Before standing, Azure said a silent prayer that he hadn’t rushed in to attack the gnoll. With the stat boosts that its armor and weapon had provided, it would have had the advantage. Now, he should be on equal or better footing than any enemy he might encounter in the area.
Since switching out his armor and weapon hadn’t drawn any enemies to him, Azure figured they must be decently spaced out. He Stealthed himself and continued to explore the area, encountering the next gnoll about fifteen yards away.
This one was on the move, though it didn’t appear to be going anywhere fast. In its hand was a small stick. The weapon looked piddly, and Azure couldn’t tell if it was for bludgeoning or if it was some type of wand. It certainly seemed too small to do any physical damage, even with force applied behind it. Stealthed, Azure hid behind a tree to Analyze the gnoll.
Level 6 Gnoll Guard.
An easy kill. He decided to try out his new club, rolling around the corner for a frontal assault. The gnoll's ears perked up, and it took a step back as it cackled so loud that the sound echoed throughout the forest. A warning call to the others that danger was near. Several birds flew from the trees, seeking shelter from the noise.
The hunk of wood in Azure's hand felt strange. It was thin stick against thicker stick as the two enemies squared off. Pointing its weapon at Azure, the gnoll guard began to chatter. A shower of sparks erupted from the end of its stick, spraying straight out at Azure and hitting him in the chest.
Citical hit! Level 6 Gnoll Guard delivers 40 damage and drains 10 points from your Stamina.
Well, that was interesting. The pain of the spell was but a sting, as if a crackle of electricity had hit Azure's skin and sucked out a bit of his energy.
He wouldn't allow the gnoll to use the wand again.
Raising his club, Azure tried to smash it down on the gnoll's head, but the creature ducked to the side, barely missing being hit. Then it turned to run. Even with the Agility boost from his new armor and weapon, Azure couldn't hope to catch up. It felt like the Cheoksum thug chasing him, but in reverse. He was just too slow.
After a few yards, Azure stopped, watching the gnoll as it weaved through the forest, cackling loudly, disappearing behind a cluster of trees only to reappear seconds later a bit further away, then disappear again. Azure drew his bow, but it was no use. The gnoll was too fast for him to get a good aim. It didn't stop running until backup had arrived.
Two more gnolls emerged from the forest, though they didn't approach. The three gnolls stood together a good twenty yards away, the two new recruits holding clubs made of a lighter colored wood than the one in Azure's hand. He expected them to charge him now that they had grouped up, but they simply stood there, staring at him, waiting.
Activating Analyze brought up information on the two new foes.
Level 6 Gnoll Guard.
Level 5 Gnoll Guard.
Nothing challenging. Why weren't they approaching, though? They obviously saw him.
At this distance, Azure had a clear shot, but he'd need to be quick. There was no time to zoom as he raised his bow. Sensing the danger, the gnolls darted to the side, but not before Azure was able to strike the one in the middle holding a club. The gnoll had already been on the move, so Azure's arrow sunk in its shoulder, missing the mark it had aimed for. Still, it was enough to make the creature give p
ause, and that was enough for him to down it with a second arrow.
Defeated Level 6 Gnoll Guard. 42XP rewarded.
The other two gnolls didn't regroup. Azure stood for a short eternity with his bow drawn, listening to the soft cackles nearby and the sounds of the forest. He didn't dare drop his guard, holding his draw until his arms began to ache. The danger was near, but it wasn't approaching. In truth, he wasn't really sure what was going on.
Slowly, he lowered his bow and crept toward his kill. Eyes ever on the forest, Azure lowered himself only enough to grab the club out of the gnoll's hand.
You have received the following item:
Club
Attack: +4-28
Type: One-Handed Weapon
Durability: 27/27
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 5.0 kg
Azure placed the club in his Bag of Holding and activated Stealth to slip into the shadows. Even though most of the enemies seemed weak, he still felt in danger from the sheer number of them. It didn't help that they had magic.
Now that the gnolls were aware of his presence, the forest was alight with the sounds of soft cackling. If not for recognizing the vocalizations, Azure might have been fooled into thinking that the forest was full of noisy birds.
Two down, eight to go.
Looking at the ground, he noticed a set of footprints. It was time to use yet another skill he hadn't touched in a while. Tracking.
Azure followed the set of prints to a gnoll hiding behind a large boulder seemingly set out of place in the middle of the dense forest. It was the one with the wand, crouched down, peering over the rock in the wrong direction. Using the same technique he had with the first gnoll, Azure sneaked in behind the creature with his Black Dagger and slit its throat before it had time to turn and see him.
Critical Hit! Defeated Level 6 Gnoll Guard. 42XP rewarded.
He couldn't wait to get his hands on the wand and discover its power. It was the first he had ever seen in The Realm. But as soon as the gnoll's life had expired, the wand crumbled to dust in its hand.
Azure scowled, wondering what he was supposed to do now. This particular gnoll wasn't wearing any armor, nor did it have additional weapons.
He sighed as he looked down at his Loot Automizer Pendant, knowing that he'd have to use it if he wanted any kind of reward for the kill. Standing a slight bit shorter than Azure, the body was too big for him to stuff into his Bag of Holding. Well, he could probably try, but it hardly seemed worth the effort.
Grabbing the pendant, he pointed it at the gnoll. Its body began to glitter a soft shade of brown, and particles of its fur and skin and flesh began to disappear, leaving behind an oblong brown orb. Azure picked it up, and it morphed in his hand, taking on the shape of a long, snake-like object.
You have received the following item:
Gnoll Spine
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 0.2 kg
Uses: Crafting.
Interesting.
He thought to backtrack and dissect the other corpses for their spines, but that would be time-consuming and probably wasn't the smartest idea when he was still surrounded by enemies. Hopefully, he'd be able to find his way back to all of his kills once the quest was complete.
Stealthing himself yet again, Azure followed the sound of soft cackling until he reached the third gnoll that had split off. It seemed to be on the lookout for its buddies, its head moving from side to side as it wandered about scanning the forest. Azure took it down with an arrow to the neck.
Critical Hit! Defeated Level 5 Gnoll Guard. 35XP rewarded.
With the original group of gnolls dispatched, Azure felt a lot more secure traversing the forest.
You have received the following item:
Club
Attack: +4-28
Type: One-Handed Weapon
Durability: 12/27
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 5.0 kg
Again, he considered taking the spine, but the red circle was still prominent on his map. Other enemies lurked nearby, and they needed to be dealt with first.
He felt he had a pretty good system down. Stealth, track, hunt. The gnolls may be fast, but they weren't careful to cover their footprints. After meandering through the forest for a bit, he'd run into a set of prints, then follow them to the next target.
The very next gnoll that Azure ran into was level 12. This one carried a short spear. Standing sentinel in front of a tree, Azure used his sneak and slit method. Unfortunately, things didn't go as smoothly as before. The gnoll detected him when he was slipping around the tree. It moved back, causing Azure to miss the killing cut, though he still nicked the gnoll on the throat. Turning to face its attacker, the gnoll brandished its spear, thrusting it forward. Azure dodged, twisting his body in a standing roll and jamming the blade of his Black Dagger hilt-deep into the side of the gnoll's neck with a quick backhanded stroke. It dropped its weapon to clutch at the wound, taking a few steps back before falling to its knees.
Defeated Level 12 Gnoll Guard. 84XP rewarded.
The weapon that the gnoll had been carrying was nothing impressive.
You have received the following item:
Rusty Short Spear
Attack: +1-5
Type: Two-Handed Weapon
Durability: 12/32
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 5.0 kg
Hopefully, the short spear held the same value as its longer counterpart. Whatever the case, coin was coin.
Rinse and repeat for the next four gnolls. Azure was able to gain 224XP and the following items.
Rusty Mace
Attack: +2-6
Type: One-Handed Weapon
Durability: 1/13
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 1.6 kg
Rusty Mace
Attack: +2-6
Type: One-Handed Weapon
Durability: 13/13
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 1.6 kg
Rusty Longsword
Attack: +2-6
Type: Two-Handed Weapon
Durability: 12/28
Item Class: Common
Quality: Poor
Weight: 7.5 kg
One of the gnolls was wielding another disappearing wand. Azure decided to use his Loot Randomizer Pendant on it just to see if he'd get anything different this time. The same glittering shroud washed over the gnoll's body, though it disintegrated into a much smaller orb. Picking it up, the brown of the sphere washed away, revealing several small bones.
You have received the following item:
Gnoll Phalanges
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 0.1 kg
Uses: Crafting.
Azure rolled the bones in his hand. These particular phalanges appeared to be fingers. Then again, he hadn't taken much time to examine the gnolls' anatomy, so they could be foot bones instead. Now he wondered if the rest of the gnolls' skeletons were salvageable as well.
He could ponder it once the job was done. There was still one more gnoll to kill.
Finding the last of the bunch was a bit more challenging. Azure wandered around for nearly an hour before locating it, almost convinced that the gnoll didn't exist if not for the fact that the big red circle was still displayed on his map. Shouldn't it have narrowed down to pinpoint his final target?
This particular gnoll was roving about, apparently oblivious to the fact that all of its kin had been slain. Azure activated Analyze to get a measure of its strength.
Level 7 Gnoll Guard.
Easy.
Now that the forest was cleared of all the threats except for
this one, it was time to try out his new spell. Doing his best to remain hidden behind a tree, Azure pointed his finger at the gnoll like a gun, closing one eye to aim. The feeling that surged through him was completely unexpected. It was like a rush, the liquid inside of him surging from every part of his body and cultimating at his fingertip. A spray of water jetted forward so strong that Azure had to grip his casting hand with the other just to stay steady.
The spell slammed the gnoll's body into a tree behind it, the trunk cracking from the impact. A pained expression took over the creature's face as it opened its maw and gasped for air, sliding down the tree and into an enormous puddle of water once the spray had stopped.
Azure's mouth fell agape as he took in the change of terrain. It looked like the area had been flooded. Water stood a good several inches high all around the gnoll.
The creature used the mace it had been holding to help pull itself to its feet. Azure wasn't about to give it time to get reoriented, though. He drew his bow and took a few strides forward, stopping at the edge of the water before loosing. The arrow caught the gnoll in the chest, and it slumped back down against the tree.
Defeated Level 7 Gnoll Guard. 49XP rewarded.
Azure shouldered his bow and took a few moments to stare down at his hand, wondering what other surprises the Volatile Bolt spell would produce. Not having any clue what was coming until he cast it could be problematic. He quickly decided that it would be a spell he would use sparingly.