Saying our goodbyes, and with tears in the eyes of the parents, they bid us all farewell.
Pointing his arm forward away from the fortress, Kazzrak yells, “Onwards! To victory!”
He rushes off into the forest to our laughter, although the NPCs don't really get the joke.
Ezekial: You sure you're going the right way there, mate?
Kazzrak: Ha! I checked beforehand this time.
Ezekial: You sure? As the crow flies? Or the moth? You know we are going to Tarnstead, right?
Kazzrak: Of course, I even double… Damn.
We all burst out laughing again as Kazzrak corrects his course by a good fifteen degrees, now heading due east according to my map.
“Well, might as well travel a bit quicker than the pleasant stroll we are currently going at,” Ifalna says, breaking into a quick jog.
We all follow her lead and take off into the forest.
A few minutes into our trek, Kazzrak sends the message I have been waiting for.
Kazzrak: Well, I found the first monster! Come and check this guy out before I whack-a-mole it.
Dosan: Oh! Don't kill it yet. I want to see!
Kazzrak: In that case, I'll get started, then. Hurry up, toots. ;)
The rustling I have been hearing for a good half a minute in the forest ahead of us turns out to be Kazzrak flopping around. He’s trying to miss all four bladed forelimbs of a praying mantis on steroids and isn't making much headway with his usual tactic. Catching one limb on his axe, he blocks two limbs with his shield as he leaps over the top of the last blade.
This pushes the mantis up and back, slightly off balance. Breaking off contact, Kazzrak then slices through the two limbs on its right side with one swipe. Interestingly, the mantis’s health went down a quarter after losing two limbs.
Grace: Would you like roasted mantis? I hear they are a very high protein source.
Ezekial: Um, I'm going to pass right now. Maybe another time?
Halvard: But you are of the kenku race, are you not, Ezekial? I’ve heard stories of their insect and grub five-course meals with a particularly rare giant poached grub as the main course. Are giant grubs not your favourite meal?
Ifalna: Ha! Phrasing! How about it, Ezekial, you do love yourself some giant grubs, don't you? I could swear you were thinking about one just the other day…
Looking up to the sky and sighing, Ezekial uses stealth and disappears before reappearing in the shadows behind the mantis and striking it multiple times over with his daggers.
Halvard: What? Was it something I said? Do you not like speaking of your heritage and your kind's love of gorging themselves on the long, wriggly goodness filled with copious amounts of protein?
Ifalna: Omg… Phrasing! That's just…
Halvard, Knax and Ezekial are the only ones not laughing now. While we are trying to calm down, Ezekial virtually destroys the rear end of the mantis with his daggers.
It doesn't last long under his onslaught, and soon enough the level 25 scything mantis has gone the way of the dodo. I wonder if we can get anything off it that is usable after being so mangled?
Dosan: Jeez, you certainly did a number on its backside. I guess that S&M just couldn't live up to your expectations.
Ifalna: Oh god, stop, please, my sides, I can't… Phrasing!
Twirling his daggers in both hands, Ezekial stares at us calmly before smiling abruptly and sheathing them.
Ezekial: Whilst I haven't had the cuisine you are talking about, Halvard, I have tasted other sources of protein very similar in variety to what you describe. So I believe I can adequately say I may very well enjoy some poached grub. This beak is made for swallowing whole, after all.
Ifalna falls over backward with a cackle as she struggles to breathe. I'm sure she'll be fine; she can just heal herself if she really needs it. The rest of us just shake our heads and giggle, much to Halvard’s and Knax's confusion.
Seeing the looks on their faces, I put my hand on Knax's shoulders with a smile and say, “Knax, some things you will understand later on in life. There will come a time when everything will come together in your head.”
Howling even louder, several green flashes mingle with the white, dousing Ifalna thoroughly and quite a bit to get her breathing under control.
Reaching down to touch the scything mantis, Ezekial loots it, then goes about skinning it.
Ezekial: It dropped some crafting materials for alchemy, some cracked chitin for armour and a single scythe blade that I guess can be made into a weapon.
Kazzrak: Ah, sweet, sweet loot. Well, let's tally-ho with some gung-ho!
Dosan: That's what the fat man in the red suit said to the last ho…
Sybaal: Alright, alright, focus, people. Damn, why am I the one saying that? Let's go. We have places to be and people to see.
With that said, Ifalna finally controls herself, and off we trot to the next unwary victim of our levelling as we make our way to the town of Tarnstead. We all spend the next six hours clearing mob after mob on our way, never really stopping except to skin them afterwards.
We fall into quite a profitable routine during this time. Everyone fans out except the casters and Eloise to tank. When we find any wandering mobs, we then hightail it back to Eloise, who taunts them off the runners so the casters can down them. Eloise in her golem form keeps a fast walking pace, even as she tanks the ones we bring her.
She is definitely going to be an amazing tank one day, as her skills are shaping up nicely.
Quite a bit of banter passes between everyone as we grow closer together. The NPCs are able to relax now that their parents aren't watching over everything they do. Everyone is now a lot more relaxed, especially seeing as our quest log has virtually nothing in it. We are just moseying on through the forest, all the while slaughtering beasts and monstrosities that only exist here or in people’s imaginations.
Well, possibly even another planet or realm, if they even exist.
As I'm sending violet-coloured fireballs into the group of mobs we have collected, the gravity of the situation hits me. This is a major difference between the real world and the game world, as the game actively encourages us to slaughter everything in our path. I had seen this in the previous version, but most of the time we didn't interact with the NPCs with such a close emotional quality.
Sometimes it doesn't feel like this is actually a game. I just can't seem to differentiate between the real world and this world, with the emotional connections I am forming with everyone, especially Grace. I'm sure any therapist would love to get their hands on me. Having feelings for NPCs is sure to send me into a psych ward back in the real world.
After several hours of clearing our way towards Tarnstead, we have only made it around halfway. It is at this point that I finally notice the looks that Eloise, Knax and Kendak are sharing.
“What's up, guys?” Peering at them more intently, I notice the slowness to their movements and the shuffling of their feet.
“Well, we didn't want to say anything, but you all seem to have boundless energy and stamina,” Knax says softly, not looking up at me. “And we don't want to slow you guys down, but we really need to take a break, eat something, and recover our stamina.”
That's when I notice their icons and how their stamina has plummeted while their health and mana are staying topped up. Huh, guess that is something I'll have to take into consideration in the future. I don't think I'd ever seen them eat, but to be frank, I've really not paid as much attention to them as I probably should have.
We had just kept going and going and then would log out, which I suppose is when they would rest and eat to recuperate. Guess that makes me an inconsiderate ass, then.
Sybaal: Everyone head back into the main group. We will be taking a break to rest and relax for a bit.
Kazzrak: Rest? I have plenty of stamina, buddy. Why stop?
Ifalna: I was wondering when someone would say something. Have you noticed anyone else's stamina, Kazzrak?
Dosan: Oh goody, I'll bring mine too.
Ezekial: I'll stop looting for a bit and come help AOE everything down.
Eloise: Just how many are you bringing?
Kazzrak: I think everyone might want to get ready with their mass targeting spells and you with your taunts, Eloise… It's going to get hairy for you in a moment. I have a really big one for you…
Ifalna: ROFL! Phrasing!
Grace: I also have a… train… of enemies that I am bringing back with me.
Lurra: There are some really ugly beasts with lots of teeth on my tail. They look hungry.
Karma: Hehe, there are several big ones following me too. Can't wait for them to catch up so I can sink my teeth into them.
Kazzrak: Karma! Ha!
Halvard: I will stand firm with you when I return.
Ifalna: Lol, Halvard! Focus, guys. I can't believe I'm saying that right now.
Kazzrak: Eloise, are you ready to pick up anything that peels off from the main group?
Eloise: Of course. I've been ready this whole time. I could just use a quiet moment of peace after this group.
Sybaal: Well, after this group, we will have a break. Kazzrak?
Kazzrak: Almost there.
Ifalna: Everyone form up.
Multiple rumbling sounds come from all directions except for behind me as everyone returns at once with their train of trailing mobs behind them. There have to be over eighty monsters being collected in the clearing that we have stopped at. Beasts and insects of various sizes and shapes crowd around the clearing, fighting with each other as much as with us.
Kazzrak, Karma, Eloise and Halvard stand in front of everyone else, keeping all of the monsters’ attention at the front of the group focused on them. Kazzrak is dodging, weaving and slicing. Karma stands in place like a bulwark, spewing a torrent of fire. Eloise holds her ground, smashing her enlarged boulders for fists into anything that gets close. Halvard swings his massive hammer like a horizontal pendulum, cleaving monsters out of the way with each swipe.
Lurra, Adelram, Dosan's three tainted felorians, and his plasma wolf stand between the tanks, laying into the monsters with abandon with claws and weapons.
Dosan's plasma wolf is having an absolute free-for-all, as nothing can touch him with his incorporeal form, whereas he can still do bucketloads of damage. Adelram, with his shadowy form, possesses one of the larger beasts and follows behind the plasma wolf, making the beast lay into its brethren with tooth and claw.
Grace flies in circles above the clearing, sending multiple blasts of fire to explode into the thicket of mobs, just like I'm doing.
The rest of us sort of clump behind them, using them as shields and flinging all the ranged spells we have at them.
Kendak buffs us all with speed and increased defence while debuffing the mobs with mass quicksand to slow them. In between that and healing the melee, he sends blades of air into the mobs, cutting deep gashes into anything they touch. The little goblin is grinning like a madman the entire time, and I'd be a hypocrite if I said I didn't have a similar grin plastered to my own face.
Knax similarly sends out an almost nonstop stream of Frost Spears and Fireballs into strategically chosen targets who are close to death’s door or those who need to be slowed. I can't wait to see what this little guy can do for us in the future. The potential and willingness to learn he has is what I have seen in very few people in the real world. This guy is going to shake this world up, that's for sure.
We really need to find him an AOE attack and some defensive buffs like any good mage has at higher levels. Hopefully Tarnstead has some that we can buy so that we can all be more versatile in our roles.
Ifalna and Sorrel are sending out heals and shields, keeping everyone topped up. Occasionally, I see a bright flash of light splashing on certain enemies that are about to strike one of the tanks. One flash is from Ifalna, dealing damage, while the other flash is from Sorrel, blinding and paralysing a mob for a moment before it’s cut down.
“More, more, more! Mwahaha!” Jena looks to be focusing on healing the tainted and throwing out plasma bolts willy-nilly, laughing gleefully in a slightly chilling way.
Dosan is sending bolt after bolt of magic from his wand into the mass, just the same as his last minion Lord Varim, who has his own magic.
Standing beside me, Ezekial is sending shaft after shaft into various critical, unprotected areas of the monsters. Sometimes he even shoots a clawed hand or a razor-sharp scythe blade from a praying mantis, knocking the limb back and giving the melee an opening to strike.
That is some bloody good shooting, if you ask me.
With all the damage we are putting out, the battle is over almost before it even began. We really are a raid that is built for dealing massive amounts of damage to multiple enemies, with the tanks and heals to match.
Finding something to fight that will give us a challenge may just be seriously overpowered in its own right. At which point, I'm sure Dosan is going to whinge, whine and groan at us to let him take it. Sigh.
Once everything is downed, Ezekial begins the long process of looting and skinning everything he can while the rest of us sit down on the soft grass of the clearing.
“Ahhhhh.” Eloise sighs as she transforms back into her nymph form. She lies back on the grass in the sun while munching on some fruit. “Sooo much better.”
Halvard, Lurra, Knax and Kendak all pull some jerky and fruit out of their bags and go to town on them as they sit down. Within seconds they are reaching into their bags for seconds. I can see all their stamina bars are refilling semi quickly.
Noticing our inquisitive looks, Knax grins, pulling a heap of jerky out of his bag and throwing it at each of us. “Here, try some. This is wolf jerky.”
Catching the couple of pieces of jerky thrown at me, I take a decent chunk of one, and my mouth waters as the various flavours explode on my tongue. A little stringy, but delicious nonetheless. I notice a buff appear called Sated, which increases my stamina regeneration for thirty minutes.
Nice, we can get perks with food here too. I had completely forgotten about the buffs that food can give us.
“We are going to need to stock up on lots of food,” mumbles Kazzrak around a mouthful of jerky.
Nodding, Dosan says, “It's so delicious!”
“And gives a stamina buff too. We are going to need to try lots and lots of food here and see what buffs we can get,” Ifalna says after swallowing a particularly large piece.
“Mmm, jerky.” Ezekial sighs as he steals some of Dosan's and pops it in his mouth.
“You wouldn't have enough for us too, would you?” asks Grace, sidling up to Knax, which doesn't really work with her massive bulk. The other familiars are crowding around, just as eager to get some of the wonderfully satisfying jerky, as they can smell the delicious aroma.
“Alright, alright!” Knax throws out a handful to each of them, where it disappears into each of their gullets. Even Sorrel and Jena, who are tiny, gobble it up quickly.
Grace smacks her jaws together a few times and runs her tongue over her teeth, making moaning sounds of pleasure, as do the other familiars.
Guess they like jerky, then.
Lying back on the grass myself, I close my eyes and enjoy the warmth of the sun. The peaceful tranquillity and atmosphere create a warm hazy feeling within me, and I start to drift off to sleep.
The next thing I know, a warm body is pressed against my side comfortably. Opening my eyes groggily, I look at Grace, who is curled up around me in the sun. The others are in various states of sleep around the clearing as well.
Noticing the time, I see that it is 14:38. Whilst I definitely feel refreshed, I should probably log out and take care of my real body, then jump back in. Closing my eyes again, I log out, surrounded by the safety of my friends and familiar.
9
Getting up off the bed, I have
a pressing need, which I hop, skip, and jump my way towards the bathroom to accomplish. Finally relieved, I walk out into the main room to see the others sitting on the bar stools at the kitchen counter. Massive amounts of food are arranged haphazardly around them. Taking a disposable plate, I fill it up and sit down next to Blake.
“We totally annihilated that whole group,” Fuzzy is saying around a mouthful of food.
Guess some habits die hard, eh?
“I was just thinking that we are a really overpowered group. We have nineteen sentient beings in our ten-man raid. It's almost like cheating, but in a good way,” I agree, biting into a bun filled with pulled pork and apple sauce.
“I'm not sure, but I believe that as I level, I will be able to summon more than a single bonded creature. I can probably have two right now, but we just need to find a trainer or something. We need to figure out how to learn new spells,” comments Blake.
Dream Stream Reality: Publisher's Pack Books 1-2: (A LitRPG Adventure) Page 41
