Despite the numbers, I counted on not only my bow and magic but also Scar to make all the difference. While I launched a few arrows and Spells, his incredible size combined with the wicked mane of keen-edged spikes around his neck should induce a state of panic among our enemies. According to both Kyrah and Agna, nothing like him had been seen in… forever, it seemed, and I anticipated that his unexpected appearance on our little battlefield might induce a bit of ‘shock and awe.’ Although that was yet another odd phase my mind had conjured up, it seemed completely appropriate, so I didn’t let it bother me too much.
Once everyone was ready, I drew a bead on the Sentinel we decided to take captive. Kyrah identified the silver cord around his arm as some indicator of rank, and with nothing else to differentiate between our foes, that little detail made him the lucky potential survivor by default. Agna had been unfortunate enough to demonstrate how effectively an arrow to the shoulder could disable an opponent, and our new ‘friend’ received one just like it to open up the fight.
The Bow of Impact delivered the shaft with an incredible force, knocking him to the ground in a jumbled heap. As I lined up for another shot, Scar leapt out from the brush by my side, surging forward towards his own target. Agna was already taking her first swipe at one of the Sentinels when I let my arrow loose, and while my second victim fell to the ground with two Swarm shafts jutting out from his body, I saw Kyrah facing off against yet another of our enemies. Things seemed to be well in hand when a black-clad figure burst forth from one of the tents. The tall man wore a mask of unrestrained fury as he bore down on Kyrah, clearly incensed over our attack. A hard lump formed in my throat when a set of long talons extended from his fingertips, easily identifying our new foe as one of the Nér-vrogan.
Kyrah’s fight was already one that would test the limits of her abilities; with the Nér-vrogan’s power stacked against her, she stood no chance. I had no idea how he’d managed to avoid my Detect Life Spell, but I simply couldn’t allow him to join forces with that Sentinel. There was little time for me to react; fortunately, not only had Scar already dispatched his opponent, but he’d also seen the Nér-vrogan enter the battle. Even before I was able to pivot towards the new threat, Scar surged forward with a ferocious growl, slamming his bulk against the Nér-vrogan’s side and driving him to the ground.
As they rolled away from each other, the Nér-vrogan rose to his feet with cat-like grace. Assuming he’d been uninjured by Scar’s attack, I looked on in absolute shock when his hand strayed towards the tattered armor that had borne the brunt of Scar’s blow. While the Nér-vrogan stared in confusion at his blood-stained fingers, I took advantage of his inattention as I sought to finish him.
Although it didn’t throw him to the ground, the Nér-vrogan staggered when my Ignore Armor infused arrow struck the center of his chest, but the bastard still wouldn’t die. Releasing a slow breath as I took aim again, I fired once more, sending my shaft straight into his eye. There was no way for him to survive that blow, and he fell to the ground, adding his corpse to the increasing number of Sentinel bodies littering the campsite.
I quickly scanned the battlefield once I’d dispatched the Nér-vrogan, but all that was left was a lone Sentinel, already nearly dead under Kyrah and Agna’s combined assault. With combat at an end, Scar returned to my side as I walked towards our prisoner. I didn’t bother to inspect his wound before jamming my knee into his back, pinning the Sentinel’s body to the ground as I bound his hands securely. Luckily for him, when I flipped him over, I discovered that the Sentinel had apparently been unconscious the whole time. After cutting away both his weapons and armor, I left him in only his small clothes as I turned my attention towards the Nér-vrogan’s corpse.
That asshole Leshel had pretty much called me a liar when I’d claimed to have been the one who’d killed Vistaal. I was still a bit pissed off about that, and the fact that his so-called ‘scouts’ hadn’t warned us there was a fucking Nér-vrogan with the Sentinels did absolutely nothing to improve my mood. I decided that if the bastard needed some proof, then I’d give it to him—both of my own abilities and his scout’s incompetence.
Drawing my dagger, I sawed through the Nér-vrogan’s neck before wrapping his severed head in a pair of Sentinel’s cloaks. Then I stuffed the entire mess in my pack, intending to shove it right up Leshel’s… nose the next time I saw him.
“What?” I snapped at Agna and Kyrah when I caught them staring at me.
“Nothing,” Agna replied hastily, backing away a pace as she did.
“It’s a present for that idiot, Leshel,” I explained as I wiped the blood from my hands.
“Is that really, umm… necessary?” Kyrah was obviously put off by my actions.
“I don’t know, is it?” I didn’t even try to hide my annoyance. “You think he’ll believe we killed a second Nér-vrogan without any evidence?”
She glanced away without responding, and I let the matter drop as I headed off to search the camp for anything either useful or valuable. In addition to a few coin purses I scavenged from the bodies, the Sentinels’ armor and weapons were certainly both of those, and Kyrah and Agna were able to find suitable upgrades of each for themselves. I thought that the Nér-vrogan might have possessed something even better, but even though his equipment was certainly high-quality, none of it was enchanted. Apparently, they trusted in their resistance to shield themselves from damage—not a completely unwarranted belief. Since I wasn’t about to drag a half-naked man through the woods for several days, I woke our prisoner after I’d found some plain clothes to replace his armor.
“Don’t move,” I cautioned as his eyes fluttered open. “You’re restrained, but I won’t hesitate to hurt you if you try anything foolish.”
As the man’s vision began to focus on his surroundings again, he took in the corpse of the Nér-vrogan on the ground in front of him. Although no ‘Lord,’ he’d certainly been a powerful master, and I understood why our prisoner’s head began to shake in disbelief.
“Yes, we killed that monster,” I drew his attention back to me, funneling my rage into a display that shaded his face with scattered patches of green light. “He’s not the first, nor will he be the last—I’m going to put an end to those you follow once and for all.”
He had no response for my declaration, only continuing to stare mutely as his empty gaze shifted between me and the body of his former commander. I guess the shock was understandable; believing your masters to be immortal only to discover one dead at your feet was probably a bit much to absorb.
“We’re going to be leaving soon,” his blank eyes turned back towards me again. “But I’m going to heal this and let you put some clothes on before we go.”
I sure as hell wasn’t going to dress this asshole; he’d have to figure out how to do that with his hands bound all by himself. The only accommodation I would allow was to mend his wound; the rest would be on him.
After patching up similar injuries on both Kyrah and Agna, playing medic in this way was becoming a bit mundane, so I only gave him a moment to brace himself before I wrenched the arrow free from his flesh. A spark of life returned to his eyes as the pain blossomed in his shoulder, and even though I was tempted to let it linger for a while, I resisted the impulse and cast Cure Minor Wounds, putting an end to his suffering. The prisoner’s mouth dropped open as he witnessed the faint blue light emanating from my hand, and I smiled in amusement when he continued to gape.
“Get dressed.” I tossed the clothes we’d gathered on the ground beside him when I was done. “We’re heading out as soon as you’re ready.”
‘Ashíel?’ Scar’s plaintive tone immediately caught my attention.
What is it, sweetie?
When did I start calling him that?
‘I… Um, need to eat,’ his apparent discomfort with that very ordinary act baffled me until I realized exactly what his intended meal was. Dreya had been surprisingly forthcoming in sharing not only her secrets, but many of Bane�
��s as well, and it only took a few seconds for me to understand his particular need.
One of the Sentinels or the Nér-vrogan? Was my only question.
‘The Nér-vrogans’ unique physiology makes them unsuitable for me.’
I didn’t really need or want to know that.
Go ahead; we’ll wait. I figured it shouldn’t take too long.
Thankfully, he chose a corpse near the edge of the forest, and with both Kyrah and Agna watching the Sentinel closely as he struggled to dress himself, they took no note of Scar’s departure. While they were distracted, I took the opportunity to deal with the damn blinking light in the corner of my vision.
Experience gained – You have gained 550 XP.
Experience gained – You have gained 550 XP.
You have gained a level! – You have earned sufficient experience to advance to level 27.
You have gained three Attribute points. Two of your points have been automatically assigned to CON and CHA. You may assign the remaining point to any other Attribute as you see fit.
Up until that point, all the ‘progress’ that I’d made had been invisible to me. By the time I’d seen my own sheet for the first time, I was already level 26, and all my decisions had apparently been made for me. Although I had been looking forward to actually making those choices for myself, I wasn’t prepared for how exciting the experience was. After spending my entire life in the shadow of others, the opportunity to chart my own future even in just this small way was incredibly empowering.
With only a single point to assign, I dithered for a while, going back forth between my various options. In the end, with the war against the Nér-vrogan about to commence and so much combat looming on the horizon ahead of me, I chose to add that lone point to Strength, hopefully boosting my chances of survival. As soon as that was done, the last few messages displayed in front of me, ending the tale of our victory.
Experience gained – You have gained 550 XP.
…
Experience gained – You have gained 550 XP.
Experience gained – You have gained 1650 XP.
Quest, Exterminator, Advancing – Capturing the Sentinel and killing his Nér-vrogan master are definite milestones, should you reach Leshel with both your captive and proof of your victory, you just may succeed.
That little extra message was a surprise, of course, one I wasn’t very happy to receive. I didn’t appreciate its almost taunting tone and liked the hint of menace in its warning even less. As pissed off as I was, I almost closed the window before looking over my newly updated sheet. Thankfully, I remembered before my gaze drifted in that direction, and the snarky note vanished as I opened up the page.
ASHÍEL DAE
Half-Elven/Sintári Female
Titles: Princess, Sintári, Demi-Goddess, Unbound
Level – 27
305,425/321,200
Health - 300/300 Aura - 570/570 Endurance - 300/300
Sintári – Sintári interact with their surroundings in unusual ways. The effects of these interactions can be unpredictable.
Class – Unbound (Unique) – There are no restrictions on what skills The Unbound may acquire. Without boundaries, your potential is virtually limitless.
Specialization – N/A
Mastery – N/A
STR – 27
CON – 30
DEX – 32
INT – 27
WIS – 27
CHA – 31
Abilities
Ignore Armor – Your next arrow will ignore a portion of the target’s armor. Cost – 20 Aura – 23%
Stun – Your next arrow has a chance to stun its target on hit. Cost – 20 Aura – 20%
Swarm – Your next arrow duplicates itself in flight. Cost – 20 Endurance and 20 Aura – 24%
Flurry – Perform three rapid strikes with a bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance – 23%
Parry – Chance for your blades to block next melee attack targeted at you. Cost – 20 Endurance – 20%
Hilt Bash – Stun your opponent with a successful hilt strike from your bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance – 22%
Blind – Your next arrow has a chance to inflict blindness on a successful hit. Cost – 30 Aura – 20%
Detect Life – Determine if any living beings are within the radius of this Spell. Cost – 20 Aura – 29%
Detect Trap – Locate hidden snares within the bounds of this magic. Area of effect increases with proficiency. Cost – 30 Aura – 20%
Backstab – Launch a surprise attack from behind your foe. Cost – 40 Endurance – 20%
Sintári Abilities
Control – Effect varies, applies to all Sintári Abilities – 18%
Spells
Create Trap – Place a magical trap upon an area. Size, type and trigger of traps is determined by your proficiency. Cost – 40 Aura – 27%
Elemental Arrow – Your next arrow is imbued with elemental energy and causes additional elemental damage accordingly. Cost – 30 Aura – 25%
Blaze – Launch a flaming orb at your foe, which may ignite any combustible materials in its path. Cost – 20 Aura – 23%
Bolt – Release a Bolt of pure Lightning at your target(s). Cost – 40 Aura – 22%
Find Weakness – Highlights vulnerable points on the target. Modifier – Intelligence. Cost – 80 Aura – 20%
Cure Minor Wounds – Cure small wounds and injuries. Cost – 40 Aura – 24%
Bless – Imbue an object with a holy aura. Cost – 40 Aura – 20%
Reflection – Repels missiles fired at the subject of this Spell, sending them back at your enemy. May be cast on self or ally. Cost – 60 Aura – 28%
Skills
Bow – 36%
Critical Hit – 19%
Blades – 27%
Long Sword – 20%
Broad Sword – 20%
Short Sword – 32%
Dagger – 27%
Critical Hit – 31%
Mace – 20%
Two-Handed – 41%
Pole Arms – 20%
Staff – 20%
Spear – 20%
Critical Hit – 20%
Armor– 39%
Heavy Armor – 20%
Medium Armor – 52%
Light Armor – 20%
Shield – 20%
Perception – 47%
Environmental – 38%
Identify Enemy – 37%
Identify Person – 25%
Combat Dodge – 29%
Subterfuge – 43%
Stealth – 45%
Find Trap – 20%
Disarm Trap – 20%
Set Trap – 27%
Manipulation – 31%
Persuade – 38%
Barter – 27%
Survival – 29%
Tracking – 32%
Identify Creature (Beasts) – 24%
Skinning – 23%
Field Dress – 25%
Alchemy – 20%
Herbalism – 20%
Potion Craft – 20%
Lore – 12%
Identify Magical Item – 16%
I hadn’t peeked at the information there for quite some time, and in addition to being surprised at all the advancements that I’d made, I was also somewhat disappointed with myself.
Dreya had told me how difficult it had been for her to remember all her talents. The concept of that seemed really strange to me at the time. I mean, how could someone actually forget what abilities they possessed? Yet I’d done just that, ignoring some of my own Abilities when there’d been plenty of opportunities to work on them—I had to do better.
Find Weakness was too valuable for me to continue to overlook, and I needed to remember to cast it before a fight. I didn’t know if Bless would help against the Nér-vrogan, but since neither Agna nor Kyrah bore enchanted weapons, it might not be a bad idea to apply it to their blades whenever I could. Although I hadn’t had many opportunities to work on my Blade Skills, I’d been relying on only a few of my
Bow talents—another oversight I also had to correct. My supply of healing potions was decent, but if I ever wanted to replenish them, I’d have to start working on my Alchemy too. It was a lot to juggle, and I understood just how difficult it might be to not only keep track of everything but also find the time to practice so many different Abilities.
When I closed the UI and my eyes refocused on my surroundings, I saw Kyrah still monitoring our prisoner. Agna had apparently gotten tired watching him struggle to put on his own clothes and was helping him slip a tunic over his head. Without untying his hands, the garment simply draped over his torso, but at least he had something to wear. Since he already had his pants and boots in place, I gave him a rough shove forward as we began our long march back to Leshel’s fortress.
Scar caught up to us shortly after, and with the help of my mini-map, we were able to easily retrace our steps, winding up back at the same campsite we’d used the night before. Seeking to correct my earlier oversight, I began my new nightly routine by scanning the area with Detect Trap before laying my own snares around us. With everything secure, I searched the ground for any useful herbs to add to the small collection I’d gathered along the way before packing them up for later use. Once we’d all had a chance to organize things, I stepped next to Kyrah, and she looked on in curiosity as I drew her sword from its sheath.
“This won’t be permanent,” I cautioned her. “And I’m not sure how much good it will do against the Nér-vrogan, but I’m going to Bless your blade.”
Her eyes went wide as the metal glowed softly for a moment before returning to its normal state, and she continued to stare at it as I moved to repeat the Spell on Agna’s weapon.
“I should do this at least once a day.” Agna nodded in acknowledgment but never tore her gaze from my hands as I cast the magic once again. “Remind me, in case I forget.”
“What are you?” The prisoner hadn’t uttered a single word the entire day, but having witnessed me cast my Spells, chose that moment to speak up.
Second Skin: Wayward: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 7) Page 19