by Paul Bellow
I took a deep breath, trying to control my temper as he crossed the path and looked up at one of the monstrous hives.
How does he think he’ll get it down? Why is he so reckless?
If he failed, I’d have a good laugh. Until then, he could make a fool of himself. Benji climbed over the bench and sat down next to me.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” he said.
“Me too,” I said.
We both watched as Eric attempted to climb one of the humongous trees. He had made it up about ten feet from the ground when I heard a buzzing noise down the path.
I whipped my head around, focusing on the source.
“Do you hear that?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Benji said. “A lot of small bees or…”
“One giant one,” I said, finishing his sentence.
I stood, preparing to cast a spell if needed.
“You better get down here,” I shouted.
“Coming,” Eric said from in the tree.
“We need your muscle too, Benji,” I said.
He hopped out of the cart and drew his mace.
Two five foot long bees buzzed down the trail toward us.
“I don’t think they’re happy with you, Eric,” I said.
Still standing in the cart, I cast my trusty Golden Bolts spell with enough mana for six projectiles. Would it kill one?
As I went through the motions and mumbled arcane words, Eric ran up with his sword drawn. Benji followed close behind.
I got the spell off before they reached the bees.
Your Golden Bolts MAUL the giant bee for 24 damage!
You have [36/48] mana remaining.
The giant bee is dead!
“Be careful with those,” Eric shouted as he ran. “You nearly hit me.”
“Can you take care of the other one by yourself?” I asked.
“I’m doing my best,” he said, running around the bee I’d killed.
Eric swung his sword, backed up, then stabbed again.
The bee swung around then stung Eric in the arm.
Crap. He needs some back up magic.
I cast another six Golden Bolts.
Your Golden Bolts MAUL the giant bee for 21 damage!
You have [24/48] mana remaining.
The giant bee is dead!
* * *
Combat is Over!
You receive 800 xp split between 2 party members.
You get 400 xp
You have a -10% OOC penalty
You get 360 xp
You have 5,055 xp
You need 2,445 for level three Mage
“Everyone okay?” I asked, glancing around.
“Fine here,” Benji replied.
“He got me,” Eric gasped. “I think it’s poison again.”
“What is it with you and poison?” I asked as I climbed out of the cart. “At least we have a cure this time.”
I pulled out one of the three cure poison potions then walked over and gave it to Eric. He gulped it down.
“Can’t we ever get a break?” he asked. “This…realm…is so tough.”
I nodded emphatically.
“We should keep going,” I said. “We don’t have much daylight left.”
“Not that there’s much light in the forest during the day,” Benji noted.
I walked back to the wagon and climbed in, taking the reins. After the other two climbed aboard, I maneuvered around the dead bees.
We rode another half-mile in silence until three gnolls stepped out of the woods on the path ahead. Terrified, the mule stopped.
“It’s time to rumble,” Eric said as he jumped to the ground.
Benji followed him as I stood to get a good view. A few armored hyenas stood by a couple of the gnoll warriors.
“What’s the plan?” Benji asked.
“I can take out a hyena or two myself,” I said. “Benji, can you get the others?”
“Yes,” he said. “And the gnolls?”
“Leave them to me,” Eric said, blade drawn.
The hyenas howled then rushed toward us. All the gnoll warriors hung back. If they were sizing us up, we needed to put on a good show.
I cast six Golden Bolts at the lead hyena.
Too much?
Your Golden Bolts WOUND the hyena for 18 damage!
You have [12/48] mana remaining.
The hyena is dead!
Should I try fewer bolts next time? Mana is going fast.
Benji bolted forward with his mace lifted in the air. He screamed and brought it down as a nasty-looking hyena reached him.
The feral creature yelped then fell to the ground lifeless. We’ve got this, I confidently thought as I surveyed the battlefield.
Eric kept running toward the three gnoll warriors. The two remaining hyenas rushed toward Benji. I cast three Golden Bolts to help him.
Your Golden Bolts HIT the hyena for 9 damage!
You have [6/48] mana remaining.
I should’ve remembered to get my bow fixed back in the city.
Benji dispatched the wounded hyena I’d hit. He then ran toward the last one. I shot three more Golden Bolts toward it for an assist.
Your Golden Bolts INJURE the hyena for 12 damage!
You have [0/48] mana remaining.
The hyena is dead!
We still have three gnoll warriors to deal with, and my mana is gone.
Can we defeat all of them? Or have we taken on too much?
Eric reached the tall, dog-like creatures and went to town with his weapon. My heart raced faster as they fought each other.
Their long, pointy spears looked deadly.
“Benji, go help him,” I shouted.
“On it, boss,” he yelled then ran toward the battle.
I reached into my large sack and grabbed the last potion of mana restoration. My body tingled as I felt energized.
You feel rejuvenated.
You have [48/48] mana remaining.
“Your mother was a dead goat,” Eric screamed as he slashed.
I smiled despite the gravity of the situation. Memories of gaming with him flew through my mind as I cast another volley of Golden Bolts.
Before I got the spell off, one of the gnolls fell.
I still cast anyway.
Your Golden Bolts MAUL the gnoll for 23 damage!
You have [36/48] mana remaining.
The gnoll is dead!
More mana gone, but we need to win this battle.
“Watch out,” I yelled.
The last two gnolls moved around Eric on either side. One attacked, hitting Eric in the side with the spear.
Benji reached them as Eric screamed in pain. Our priest used his somewhat blunt weapon to kill a gnoll.
As it fell to the ground, the last one took off running.
“Get him,” I yelled, but it was too late.
Combat is Over!
You get 2400 xp divided by two party members.
You get 1,200 xp
You have 6,255 xp
You need 1,245 xp for level three mage.
Eric clutched the wound in his side.
“I’m losing a lot of blood,” he said. “But at least I’m not poisoned.”
We so needed a proper tank for battles.
“Here’s another healing potion,” I said as I handed him a vial.
“There might be more of them in the woods waiting for us,” Benji said. “We should wait and regroup.”
“Agreed,” I said.
Eric tossed the empty vial to the ground.
“Don’t litter in the forest, please,” I said.
“We can sell the empty bottle,” Benji said as he picked it up. “I’ll hang on to it if you don’t mind. Never know when it might come in handy.”
“Knock yourself out,” I said then smiled, proud of our accomplishment. “Not bad for our first major encounter.”
“We could’ve done better,” Eric said.
I nodded, agreeing with him.
> “We might need to rethink our strategy,” I said. “My mana went quick.”
“Hold on,” Benji said. “We have a strategy?”
I smiled, liking our priest even more.
“We should go back to Fishguard and stock up on potions,” I said.
Eric shook his head.
“That’ll give the gnolls too much time,” he said. “We need to surprise and take out the entire scouting party. If we don’t, they’ll infest the area in no time.”
“He’s right,” Benji said. “As much as I hate to say it.”
“I’m not sure,” I said.
“New plan,” Eric said. “You two hide the wagon while I scout ahead and see if I can kill the one who ran from us. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”
“That’s too dangerous,” I said.
“Don’t ever tell me the odds,” he said.
I rolled my eyes. He grinned then turned and sprinted after the fleeing gnoll.
Would he catch him running in that armor?
“Do you mind if I loot the bodies?” Benji asked. “Gnoll spears can be sold back in Fishguard. They’re not worth a lot, but every bit helps.”
“You’re the most helpful priest I’ve ever met, Benji.”
He smiled then turned and stumbled off. While he stripped the bodies of their belongings, I returned to the cart and mule.
With a bit of effort, I managed to get them off the main path. Benji walked over as I finished up. Sweat poured down his face.
“Find anything else of value?” I asked.
“No,” he said, shaking his head.
I leaned against a tree next to the path.
Benji stood nearby, watching the trees.
“We need to be ready for anything,” I said.
He nodded, not saying a word.
Together, we waited for Eric.
11
Master Gong and a Strange Note
ERIC
I picked up the gnoll’s path as I ran through the thick trees. Small limbs brushed against me, and I enjoyed using my legs.
The gnoll changed direction, heading south—parallel with the main path. I kept my distance, ready to kill him if necessary. Bugs slammed into my face as I ran, but I didn’t stop.
The gnoll howled.
Had it seen me? Was it summoning help?
Questions piled up in my mind as the trees thinned out. I slowed down. At the edge of a clearing, I stopped, hidden.
The gnoll I’d been chasing stumbled toward a tent on the far side. Another gnoll barked at him in a language I didn’t understand.
Great. Should I go back? Try to take them out myself?
I took a deep breath, not wanting my emotions to control my decisions.
I watched as the larger gnoll walked to a lit bonfire filled with logs and sticks. The wounded gnoll limped to a nearby tent and slipped inside.
Only two of them?
Maybe the quest is simpler than we thought. Then again, games love to mix things up when players thought they had it all figured out.
Was this one of those times?
While I could likely take on both at full health, I was down to eleven points. Not taking one of the healing potions would make killing them both more difficult.
I kept breathing deeply.
Be calm. You got this. Wait...I’m a rogue. Time for a backstab?
I grinned as my gaming experience kicked in. The reality of everything made it easy to forget I was simply inside a virtual game. As I watched, the gnoll leader stuck his staff in the fire.
Red embers shot into the air, turning to black ash and spreading. After so long acting like the tank in our group, it would be nice to use some of my rogue skills.
Can I pull it off in time?
I brushed all doubts aside and unsheathed my sword. One hit would take out the leader, leaving the other wounded gnoll. Would I get all the experience points for the kills?
Sneaking in daylight through a clearing wouldn’t be easy, but the rewards outweighed the risks in my mind. All the better if I got all the experience points for the solo encounter.
I moved from tree to tree on the edge of the clearing, getting closer to the gnoll by the fire. He stared into the flames as if mesmerized.
Could he cast spells? I wondered as I crept forward.
When I reached the closest spot, no more than twenty feet away, I stopped behind a thick tree. He continued staring into the fire. I scanned the clearing one more time for any signs of life.
Nothing. Time to do this. Now or never.
I stepped out then stumbled backward as the wounded gnoll and two others came out of the tent. Their leader looked up and barked unknown commands while pointing at the forest.
My pulse quickened as I gripped the hilt of my trusty sword. The other three gnolls headed into the woods. I needed to kill the leader before going to warn the others.
Or would the creatures go somewhere else?
After they wandered into the thick trees on the other side of the clearing, I stepped out with my sword drawn. I’ve only got one shot to pull this off correctly—gotta make it count.
With each step, my heart pounded faster.
The gnoll leader stared down at the flickering flames of the fire as I got closer. At fifteen feet away, I ran toward him with my sword pointed out.
He never saw it coming.
Critical hit!
Your backstab attack DECIMATES the Gnoll Scout Leader for 35 damage!
The Gnoll Scout Leader is dead!
You get +600 experience points.
You have 4,965 xp
You need 35 xp for level three rogue.
I grinned, flush with excitement, as the gnoll fell to the ground.
So close yet so far away.
At least I got the xp for myself.
I wanted to loot the leader’s body, but Benji and Sarah might need my help. They could hold their own against three gnolls with one wounded, but I needed to help my group as much as possible.
Without a second thought, I took off across the clearing with my sword still out. The gnolls stood no chance if I came across them. I ran in between the tall trees—their branches whipping me.
I wondered why the gnoll quest hadn’t completed.
Did that mean we had more to kill? I kept my eyes open as I ran back toward the cart and the others.
Would they be okay?
Death could mean any number of things. We still didn’t know the stakes in the game. Character probably respawned, but I didn’t want to be separated from Sarah so soon.
After a few minutes of running, I found Benji and Sarah standing next to each other on the main path through the forest. Both looked up as I stopped, catching my breath.
“I’ve got good news and bad news,” I said.
“What’s the bad news?” Sarah asked.
“The quest isn’t over yet.”
“I could’ve told you that,” she said.
“What’s the good news?” Benji asked.
“I killed the gnoll leader with a backstab,” I said.
The memory of the moment flashed in my mind as I smiled.
“Good job, boss,” Benji said.
I glanced up. Foliage blocked most of the sky.
“We only have a few hours of daylight left,” I said. “We should hunt the gnolls and finish this here and now.”
“Any loot on the leader?” Benji asked.
“I came back to get you two before checking,” I said. “Speaking of which, I could use some healing.”
Benji stepped forward and moved his arms, his long sleeves once again hiding his hands from view.
A soft, blue light sent warmth through my body.
You feel better!
You have [31/31] health remaining.
“Great,” I said. “Let’s get back to the clearing I found and check their camp out more closely. Maybe we’ll find some clues.”
“I love clues,” Benji said.
“You didn’t see any other gnolls
?” Sarah asked.
“A few of them went back into the woods. I thought they were coming her. That’s why I came back right away. We should leave the wagon here and go back to the clearing.”
I motioned for them to follow then headed back off the path. As we walked through the woods, I half expected to be ambushed. Gnolls could be conniving and dangerous at times.
When we reached the edge of the clearing, I stopped and held up a hand. The fire had burned down and was almost extinguished completely, but I wanted to make sure.
“I don’t see anyone,” I said in a low voice. “Benji, loot the leader’s body. Sarah and I will check the tents.”
Benji nodded then stepped into the clearing. I followed Sarah to the tents—ready for something to rush out at us—but nothing came out.
We stopped at the nearest one.
“You ready?” she asked.
I nodded, sword still gripped in my right hand. She opened the flap in front of the tent. I stepped through, quickly scanning the interior.
“Clear,” I said, lowering my weapon.
Sarah joined me inside the cramped, dark area.
“This must be all their supplies,” she said, looking around.
Piles of rope sat on the ground, surrounded by wooden boxes.
“We should take it all and sell it in the city,” I said. “That helps us and takes it away from the gnolls.”
She nodded.
“Could end up being quite a bit of gold,” she said.
Benji whistled outside the tent.
“You guys better get out here,” he shouted. “We have company.”
Sword in hand, I rushed past Sarah then exited the tent.
I saw six gnoll warriors standing on the far side of the clearing. Four hyenas in spiked leather armor stood next to them, growling like they hadn’t eaten in days. They all stared in our direction.
“Battle positions,” I yelled, hoping the others knew what I meant.
Without waiting for confirmation, I screamed ferociously and rushed forward with my sword raised. I had to protect our spellcaster. An actual tank in our party would’ve been better, but we had to make do.
