by Rick Scar
“Ghrr…” Horgh was tilting his head left and right in confusion, watching the stranger leaving, “Stop! Walk here.”
The expression on Lekhor’s face resembled a smile. There was no way one could tell the meaning of it, but the way he was waving his pick hammer implied friendliness. RAVen smirked, and turned around. He didn’t know what good could come out of talking to the monster, except learning something about the location.
“What your name, stranger?”
“White RAVen.”
“Rav-aghr-ah. Ghrr. Me, Lekhor. You beat small beard too?”
“Sometimes.” prevaricated the young man, “So, what are you guarding?”
“Monster snoops here around, small, but nimble. Bad for work, attack sudden. Me guard.”
“Hmm, can I help Lekhor?” said the rogue, smiling deviously.
“Ghrr… You weak, stranger, but me like you say we strong warriors. You not die first fight, we fight together.”
“Brave Warrior Help Defend.
Help the horgh to protect his fellow miners until the end of the shift.
Reward: +23000 XP
+30 gold
+6.5 lb Marts ore
+4.5 lb Emerald stone
Accept? Yes/No.”
“I’m in! It’s an honor to fight side by side with a mighty horgh!”
Will was truly glad, when the opportunity presented itself, but he wasn’t really going to participate. The plan was to look busy during the fight, maybe place a couple hits in the very end, to gain more XP. The only flaw with this plan was that the game might not approve of Will’s inaction.
Two hours after Will accepted the quest, the monster appeared. It was thin, and looked like a mosquito with two long cords for wings.
“Blood runner: level ???
Health: ???”
“Time to go viral.” said Will, and entered stealth.
Record video.
“Beware, weak stranger! Beware cord and needle sting!” cried Lekhor, and attacked the parasite.
By needle sting he obviously meant the proboscis (the word, apparently, lacking in Horgh vocabulary). The mosquito was nimble indeed, and fast too. It was using its cords to push off the ground, and to swiftly change its body orientation; its moves were sudden and unpredictable. Those things on its back were particularly handy, when the gnat tried to get behind the horgh. But Lekhor was no rookie himself—he saw that maneuver a mile away. He rolled over to the side, and swung his tool, nailing one of the cords to the ground.
Bloodrunner shrieked, and yanked its bloody limb. RAVen seized the chance, and threw his dagger, aiming for the back of mosquito’s head. It was Will’s lucky day—the five second stun followed the attack, but, since the monster was way higher level than RAVen, these five turned into one. This one second was enough for Lekhor to smash the monster over the head with his pick hammer. That blow to the head was lethal—Bloodrunner collapsed and started shaking its flattened head. In the meantime, the dagger returned to Will, and he attacked the monster from the back. The damage from RAVen was too small compared to Lekhor’s heavy attacks, so it physically couldn’t trigger aggro. RAVen was successfully evading the attacks from wounded monster. He even pulled Twilight Walker, hiding in horgh’s own shadow. Eight minutes later, the Bloodrunner was dead.
Chapter 19. A new place for Leveling
It was fast. He sighed heavily, remembering how long he had been fighting with 40 level rats. Nobody could help him there. Even if the locals had had a warrior, much like Lekhor, whom you could have recruited, it would have been impossible because there had been plenty of them to find a suitable applicant. But he managed on his own.
“Level Up…
Level Up…
Level Up…
Congratulations! You have killed a monster 50+ levels above you.
Awarded the title: David and Goliath V level.
+8Strength
+9 Stamina”
“Awarded the title: The Irrepressible for killing high level monsters.
Got the rare skill Giant Aura
Description:
Passive (Apprentice). The mysterious aura proceeds from you. Monsters, your level and below, will not attack you if you do not attack them.”
This fight, won only because of the horgh, presented two levels and a good passive to RAVen. He got from the message that the Monster was nearly 85 level. It did not scare a novice rogue but made him think about mobs gradation on the floors.
The lowest level he had seen was 40, and what was the limit even if a non-elite boss was above 80? He would get the answer, when he saw the figure of his gate.
Having scattered the awarded points of characteristics, he enclosed a skill point in Dodge, then he cleaned out that corpse and continued to expect the enemy.
“Gr-rkh. Your not coward person. My respect you.” The horgh approached and tapped the rogue on his shoulder while he was nearly to fall down.
“Great, so you're some crazy genius. I don't stand a chance, nice son of the tribe. Your pick-axe bears death to any enemy.”
“Gr-ro-ho-ho”,- after these words Lekhor hurled the pick-axe on his shoulder, putting on airs, struck his great abs with his left paw. – “My like you speech! I to invite your in the tribe house.”
“You’ve won the affections of the horgh with flattery and behavior in the fight.
Current relationship with the Horghs Tribe 14/100 – neutral.”
“Surely. I’ll pay a call on you one day. I'm definitely coming by Where is it situated?”
“Three thousands steps to walk right there. And the guard showed the mountains far away.”
Time passed, bloody runners went one by one every two-three hours. Seven hours later workers began to leave the mine. They were chatting, laughing,
“Gr-rkh, Lekhor! Yours is still alive. Well-done! How much enemy to die?” asked the horgh, that was without a pick-axe but he had a dagger and a sword.
It must have been the second frontier of guard. But why does one have a pick-axe, meanwhile, the other has proper arms? Hmm … May be that one is important, isn’t he?
“Only four, Gikhor. Was not enough for me for warm-up “, - He sighed sadly then continued, “look who helped to hang out”, Horgh pointed out RAVen, “He said his name White the RAVen, he’s brave but weak as child. ”
“Gr-rkh, him to help your. He’s really frail.” After examining the thief from his legs to the head, that one growled out “It’s high time to home, Lekhor.”
Without stopping near them, Gikhor moved in the direction, shown earlier by the guard.
“Farewell, White RAVen if yours can come tomorrow, I’ll wait. I like listen your words about my tribe great. And here it is my to promise award.” Having said this, Lekhor took some pieces of ore from miners, gave them to RAVen, and followed his brethren, bringing up the rear.
“Oh my dear cute friend. I’ll be here, of course, heh”- whispered Will, smiling.
He came in the cave, had a look at the awarded levels and the items found at mosquito like monsters.
“I'll definitely be here.”
“Name: White RAVen
Level 39”
Chapter 20. The First Guard
He had only three gold, stomach acid - six phialae, - and two eyes from dead bodies of bloody runners. He was thinking what to do with these reagents and how much they would cost, so he left them. There was a space in the inventory so he did not throw them away, he would sell them in the village –was his decision. While he was investigating his PREY he heard a beep of a message.
“Your auction lot was purchased. Your money, less the commission, was tied to your account due to the lack of storage.
As soon as the storage is available, the system will automatically send your money into your chest.”
“Well. It’s high time. I’m not going to rent a room. Money is worth saving. Why hasn’t Pak written back yet?”
“Hi! Horror. Any good news? If the price confuses you, just tell it.
P.S. So f
ar as I recall, you told you were familiar with the person who is good at video cutting. Can you send his contacts?”
After solving the problems, RAVen, being in the cave, left the game. He had no affairs there.
There was tasty aroma of home-made pastries in the apartment. Due to preparing for the game and the game he could not eat healthily.
He looked skinny but his eye went on burning. He was not going to give up.
“Hello! How are you doing?” – His mouth watered making speech slurred and imprecise.
“Much better than you.” - Leah looked well rested and quiet.
“I’m glad for you. Honestly. And if you insist on changing the the subject, when will you finish cooking?” Will looked with greedy eyes through the oven window.
“Oh, you sly fella! I’m not gonna change the subject. On contrary I’ve got something to share.” - Leah was looking at him gloomy with arms a-kimbo.
“Surely. But before chatting, answer me when my food will be ready.”
“Oh…” - The girl shook her head, - “Just a bit later.”
After having dinner and listening to his sis about her coming back to the hostel next day, Will began looking through online forums. The most popular subject was “Found First Guard!”
The guy, being interested, followed the link.
“Hi, everybody! I’m not a member of any clan. I’m an ordinary gamer. My nick is Lost in Time. Yesterday I leveled in the swamp; many guys know where it is exactly. This location is for 8-12 level players. Well I was busy killing drownings and leeches, suddenly I saw an incredibly huge serpent. It was crawling slowly 100 feet from me. It was really weird. As long as I don’t know. I got its name.”
“Wild Serpent Nabaugh
(Guard): Level 35”
Then Lots of weird stuff happened. It’d better to see on your own. Please visit.
Will clicked the link, as it had been asked, and was entered to the ten second video. He got interested what had been shot there when he saw nearly a thousand comments.
Having clicked on the icon, he saw that incredibly long serpent. That one was crawling aside from the gamer, suddenly it declined and turned out to be a local leechlike monster. The name was changed too.
“Swamp Leech: Level 9
Health: 750”
“How will they seek it?” - Will was puzzled. The Boss could change his appearance. It was just the first floor. The second popular subject, created before, was titled “Who’s that gamer?”
For his speedy rise lots of people got interested, so this subject moved to the second place in the links search. There was total rubbish in the comments. Even every second stated he had seen him and could show the place of the rating leader’s leveling if three gold were deposited into the account.
Will did not know how people were gullible to pay bit he did not … them
“Good luck to the idiot who takes that deal!”
Reading the comments, he understood there were tons of them…
Chapter 21 . Crimson Runner
The next morning greeted Will with an empty apartment without tempting aromas from the kitchen. He found a message in the capsule.
“ Bro, I know you keep disappearing into this thing . I ask you to eat healthily. I’ll try to be back every couple of weeks.
P.S. Better find a girlfriend, who will cook for you . Good Luck”
“All right then, We don’t need money. Well, it’s high time to level up! Haha.”
When RAVen got into the game, there was hard work in the mine. He headed for the door and met the dear horgh, standing with his pick-axe on his shoulder as yesterday.
“I am particularly pleased to greet the best miners and warriors of the Horghs Tribe! When you got here?”
“Gr-rh! Frail brave RAVen. Hello yours.” – The horgh was smiling ear to ear. – “Our Squad here since the morning. I to kill two running monsters. Have time to warm the corpse. Can help or you go on your own?”
“Of course, I can help you,” – the merry rogue gave the horgh a pat on the shoulder.
“Gr-rh,” the horgh reacted, in turn, in similar fashion.
“You can no longer get a task connected with helping a horgh. Now tasks on help a horgh are not available. So taking part in the battle will bring experience according to your damage.”
Having read the message , Will closed it and understood 5 % from a 80+level monster is much better than nothing. He did not know how long the horghs were going to work in the tunnels, but he didn’t want to miss a chance.
All in all, RAVen did the same as the day before: poked enemies from their backs, dodged to escape being struck, and used Twilight Walker when it was necessary. Easy enough, except I needed total concentration.
The monster was waving his harnesses so Will had a chance to be hit. He used active skills not to waste time, knowing rising skill would have more advantages.
In one of the battles he lost his concentration so a bloody runner hooked with one of the harnesses. Health went down to 3 %. Hence he leapt to safety, hiding in the shallow. He was terribly lack of healing ability and potions. All he could do was to eat the bread that was in his inventory.
While he was sitting aside, Lekhor finished off the enemy, cutting off his head with the pickaxe. From it blood was dripping right on the ground. As soon as the battle came up to the end, regeneration accelerated recuperating.
He was having a word with the guard as the next victim ran up to them. Without being ashamed Will was holed up behind Lekhor’s back watching the new enemy. The only thing, that be allowed to see by the identification skill, was the name. He was too weak to get whole information. But the name was quite enough to understand that the guard would not be able to cope with the foe.
“Crimson Runner (Baron)
Level ???
Health ???”
“It’s high time to get aid in the form of the sword,” thought Will. He yelled to get by for a couple of minutes to Lekhor and rushed into the mines.
Chapter 22. Soul Cry
Will broke into the mining site and hardly smashed into Gikhor, standing in the center of the tunnel with his crossed arms over his chest.
“White Rave? What yours forgot here?” – This horgh was not glad that Lekhor had let the intruder come into the mine.
“You see, Lekhor needs your help. Urgently! The Crimson Runner stormed out and I think …” No sooner did I say it, than Gikhor pulled away in a hurry with an appearing unexpectedly sword in his hand.
“So be it.” Will shrugged his shoulders and followed him, being afraid of missing a chance to get something for killing a “Baron” high level monster.
When RAVen ran out he saw a strange picture. Both of the horghs with weapons directed to each other were going in circles slowly.
“What are they doing? And where is the monster?”
Will watched carefully searching for the Crimson Runner, It's like he had just disappeared. Meanwhile, the warriors were confronted. Then there was a burst of sparks from the weapons, and they bounced off each other. Their speed was rather high. There was metal scraping and sparks over the mine. The guy could hardly watch the opponents. For a moment he had this feeling like there was somebody behind Lekhor. It was a hardly noticed shadow, that looked like of whom, who had ran away, as he thought.
“Is he controlling him? Some useful information but how it can help now…”
RAVen understood it was impossible to take part in the fight. He remembered the description of one of his previous skills…
“Soul Cry.
Unique skill.
Active (Apprentice).
Produces a wave to attack enemies in your vicinity. Causes piercing damage and ignores all armor.
Damage: 350-400
Attack range: 33 feet
Sets the effect Dismay. Affected target can’t move.
Duration: 30 seconds
Energy required: 250
Cooldown: 2 days.”
He was hesitating fo
r a moment if it was worth to interfere but he thought he should not have lost the place for leveling so darted into the side of the horghs. They both were injured. The left arm of Gikhor was hanging like a whip, as for Lekhor, he was limping with his right foot. All this was displayed in Will’s head without his volition. He understood it was too risky but in the case of potential winning he could have a considerable reward.
“Soul Cry!”
A wave of air from the rogue swept over Lekhor and turned into a barely visible mouth.
“F-f-s-s-s…” Crimson Runner looked like he had been scalded by something, and he was getting visible behind the horgh. Having shaken a bit, he came to himself and stared Will. It was a fair example of how the difference between levels cut down the skill characteristic.
“Twilight Walker!” He was getting hazy when the cords of the monster flied in the direction of the guy.
A cold shiver ran down the guy’s back and a practical idea appeared in his head . “Damn it! It looks like I won’t get one more level today…”
While he was considering about it, Gikhor stood in the way of Crimson Runner, understanding the cause of that appearing monster had been the rogue.
“Gr-rha!” His sword cut the pedipalpus (cords) , without changing the trajectory, pegged at the enemy’s head. That one dodged a blow; their fight became unavailable for the guy.
By that time they both were beat and were standing in front of each other, the recovered guard joined the horgh. They narrowed the monster, forcing against the rock where the mines’ location was. There were moving more slowly than early. Will had eyes on them from the safe distance then he had an idea and he tried not to miss a moment.
When he was giving Lekhor a hand he noticed a peculiarity of mosquito like monsters. If their life is nearly 0%, a proboscis began jerking a bit that meant blood lust for regaining strength. The rogue was watching it carefully, making a shot.
Beats of the horghs broke down the enemy, who tried to escape several times. His thin proboscis was trembling and twigging in searching for blood. The RAVen’s mistake was that he had not thought over that moment, as for Crimson Runner – his potential food had known his weak point. When the monster was making an effort to start towards the guy, when Lekhor appeared on his way and plunged his pickaxe into the enemy’s left hip. RAVen, relying upon GAMER’s Luck GOD, used the skill at gunpoint, trying to hit the runner’s head. A negligibly small piece of luck or the monster’s life 1-2% worked out, but he jolted and slipped to his side.
