by Tom Gallier
Chapter 44
"Son of a bitch!" Killum screamed, and sat straight up.
He looked around wild-eyed, body shaking like a leaf. The battle-mage was back in Gyevikxus's lair, on the dragon's "bed" in the middle of his treasure hoard. Fergus, Asha, Rand, and Tiana had all designated respawn sites in those caverns, but all in hidden corners.
Nausea overwhelmed him, and then he rolled onto all fours to empty his guts.
"How long was I in there?"
It felt like he'd spent a lifetime in Purgatory, but for some reason one hour popped into his head. Just one hour? His soul disagreed.
"Note to self, don't let Lord Kathro kill me with his lightning bolts again."
Oddly, he was back in his spawn tunic. His Bound objects all lay at his feet: the Dragon's Lair Helm and Wolfsheart Spear. He quirked a brow at the spear, since he wasn't carrying it when he died. It was good to know all of his Bound objects would come back to his respawn site, even if he had them stashed elsewhere.
He pulled up his stats.
Current status:
Name: Killum
Race: Human (European)
Class: Battle-mage (Novice)
Level: 17 (82% to next level)
Alignment: -4 Dark
Health: 100/100
Strength: 100/100
Endurance: 50/50
Agility: 50
Mana: 675
Skills: (Click to View/Hide)
Social:
Bartering (Lvl 2).
Fighting:
Swordsmanship (Lvl 7).
Spearman (Lvl 2).
Hand-to-Hand (Lvl 3).
Survivor Skills:
Foraging (Lvl 3).
Spellcasting:
Simple fire.
Fireballs.
Spell of Disorientation.
Spell of Temporary blindness.
Healing. A Gift Spell. Cost is 1 to a 100 Mana, depending on the severity of the healing. Spell is able to replace a severed limb, but it will leave the mage weak for over an hour. It can be Gifted to another spellcaster without losing it yourself.
Farsee. Allows mage to zoom in on anything in line of sight. Costs 1 mana per use.
Gatecrasher. Smash a door down. Smash a gate to smithereens. Gain access to a castle or a treasure room. Costs 50+ mana per use
Spell of Magical Sight
Beastmaster:
Equestrian (Lvl 1).
Dragon rider (Lvl 3).
Possessions: (Click to View/Hide)
Weapons: N/A
Armor: N/A
Magical:
Dragon's Lair Helm. A Bound Object. Control the dragon Gyevikxus. The Dragon Gyevikxus is yours to command. He will serve you loyally and obediently. This helm is also Gyevikxus' lair, and he will enter or leave whenever you speak his name.
Wolfsheart Spear. A Bound Object. Always strikes the heart!
Money/Shekels: 0 gold, 0 silver, 0 copper shekels
Wardrobe:
Spawn tunic (Cotton)
Warrior's Leathers (Black). Soft leather shirt (long sleeved), trousers, lace up boots.
Player Kills: 5
Deaths: 2 (83/90 days)
"Wow. Everything restored back to a hundred percent. And that new mana default number is sweet."
He willed his Warrior's Leathers up, and he was instantly dressed for battle. Losing his Power Sword, Ring of Lightning, and armor was more than a little irritating. Now he had to get back to Warlord's Castle as quick as possible without his most powerful weapons.
He scowled at his Possessions. Everything left behind after his death was off the list. Hopefully, he could get them all back.
Killum placed the Dragon's Lair Helm on his head. "Gyevikxus."
The dragon appeared before him and looked around. He slanted an amused look at Killum. "Got yourself killed, didn't you?"
"It's not funny."
"Humor is in the eye of the beholder."
Killum glowered at him. "You're a real comedian. Laugh at this."
Gye dropped to his belly, looking very suspicious. The battle-mage liked the dragon, but smiled with wicked glee nonetheless.
"My untimely death has caused many problems. First, my friends were left behind to fight Lord Kathro and his horde alone. Secondly, it stripped me of all armor and weapons." He made a show of looking around. "Your treasure is splendid, but do you also collect enchanted weapons and armor?"
Gyevikxus recoiled and hissed at him, a little flame escaping. "This treasure is mine! I granted you and your thieving friends a small portion." He looked at Killum's waist, where his bulging purse should be. "If you lost it then that is your problem, not mine."
"All of my problems are your problems, Gye." He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "I ask again. Do you collect and hoard magical weapons and armor? I need them to defeat Lord Kathro and save my friends. You like Asha, Tiana, Rand, and Fergus, too."
"Well, I like Tiana." Gye looked away and growled. His growl made the ground tremble. Then after a quick glance at Killum, the dragon extended a wing and brushed coins and jewelry off some gleaming blue armor. "That is the dragon-scale armor of a Dragon Knight. It protects against fire, and to an extent bolts of energy like Lord Kathro throws. But he can still kill you with them, so be wary."
He gestured with his wing, and the armor vanished. A second later it appeared on Killum. The enchanted cuirass fit perfectly.
Congratulations! You have been given a Bound Object Dragon Knight's Scale Armor! Protects from fire and to a lesser degree energy bolts. It is extremely good protection against mundane blades and missile weapons.
"Thank you, Gye, I accept your generous gift," he said. "What about weapons?"
The dragon's wing went back to the same pile of treasure, dug deeper, and pulled out a pair of blue dragon scale bracers. With a simple gesture he sent them to Killum's forearms.
Congratulations! You have been given a Bound Object Dragon Knight's Bracers! The left bracer protects with an energy shield, while the right bracer shoots energy bolts.
"Thanks! One's a shield and the other a weapon?" He admired them a second. "Is the shield stronger than Asha's?"
He lifted his right arm, curled his hand into a fist, and pointed it at the closest wall. Gye held up a taloned front hand to stop him.
"First, do not test them in here. You might bring the cave down on both of us," Gye said. "But the bracers are the primary weapon of a dragon knight. The left bracer is a shield, and the right throws energy bolts. Both are at least the equal of your little girlfriend's spells."
"Asha's not my girlfriend."
"Mmm-huh. Right," Gye said. The dragon quickly crossed to the other side of the vast cavern and dug out a sword on a wide belt. He also pulled out a white surcoat with a black dragon emblazon. In a flash they were on Killum, too. The battle-mage sighed with the pleasure of that sword's weight on his hip.
Killum pulled the sword with a flourish.
Congratulations! You have been given a Bound Object Dragon Knight's Battle Sword and Dagger! They can pierce or slice into dragon scale, and mundane armor as well.
"Those blades will slice through dragon scale, so mundane armor is nothing to them," Gye said. "They are meant to fight other dragon knights in the same armor you are wearing."
"Good. We've wasted too much time here," the battle-mage said.
Gye bowed down, the saddle reappeared, and Killum climbed up into the saddle. The dragon turned and raced down the tunnel, and burst out of the lair to soar straight out over the forest. Killum gasped, and a tingle ran down his spine.
"I will never get tired of that. You are like riding a cruise missile."
"I don't know what a cruise missile is, but I'll take it as a compliment."
Gye turned northward, flying faster than Killum would've thought possible. Warlord's Castle was high up in the pass before them. At that very moment his friends were probably fighting for their lives.
"How long will it take you to fly back to the castle?"
<
br /> "An hour, give or take ten minutes," Gye said. "It'll depend on which direction the wind is blowing and how hard."
"Try harder," he said. "My friends need me. I can feel it in my bones."
Chapter 45
Dmitry slowly backed up the stairs, fighting every step of the way. He was starting to tire, but so was Asha. They stared daggers at each other.
"Surrender, Dmitry," Asha said. "I'll take that crystal off your face and free you from Lord Kathro's control."
"What makes you think I want to be free?"
"That's the crystal talking."
He surged down at her. Asha fell back a step and braced herself. The dwarf minotaur reversed direction and raced up to the next level. She cursed and followed.
"How does he move so fast with such short legs?"
The shaman waited for her at the top of the stairs. Killum's Power Sword held over his head, he grinned down a challenge. She clenched her teeth, dark eyes narrowing.
"You are such a fool," she muttered, and hit him with a thunderbolt. "Ha! Caught you with your guard down."
The little shaman flew violently backwards to slam into a wall. She charged the rest of the way up the stairs as he staggered in a daze. The sorceress knew she only had seconds to take him down, and thought she'd won.
Wild, high-pitched battle cries erupted to either side as she advanced on Dmitry. She froze, head whipping back and forth.
"Kobolds?"
Four foot tall monsters attacked from both directions. They were skinny, with faces halfway between reptilian and canine, with long floppy ears. Some were green like goblins, while others brown, but all were vicious little bastards. The sorceress found herself besieged by them, while Dmitry quickly recovered his wits.
It was all Asha could do to keep the little hellions at bay, her twin swords flashing in every direction. She kicked, punched, head-butted, as well as sliced and diced. And then Dmitry waded in swinging the Power Sword.
The mini-minotaur drove Asha back, but killed a kobold or two with every stroke. He was killing more of them than her. Dmitry, with the help of the kobolds, pushed her back to the brink of the stairs. And then he cried out in victory and charged.
"Nope," Asha said, dropping to her back. Her bent legs caught the pint-sized shaman in the belly. His momentum forced him to continue forward. She bent her legs to her chest, absorbing the impact, and then deftly flipped him over and down the stairs. "Idiot!"
She rolled to her knees, before sweeping the floor around her with a leg. That took down three kobolds that she dispatched with her keen blades. Surging to her feet, she cleared an area around her before turning her back to the wall and scanning the situation.
That level of the castle had a corridor circling around the outer wall, with a corridor going straight to the other side as well. Both stairs were visible from her location, but she didn't see or hear Rand.
How did he get past all of these kobolds?
Dmitry came running back up the stairs. She made her decision before he came into view. Asha feigned right, and leapt to the left using her Levitate spell. She flew over the heads of that gaggle of kobolds, and then hit the floor running.
"Rand, where are you?" she shouted.
She rounded the corner to see an empty corridor ahead. Now windows designed more for defense, and archers, provided the only light. The opposite wall had two doors, both of which were open. Kobolds poured out of the first door before she reached it, with kobolds and Dmitry following to block that avenue of escape.
The new group of kobolds fell back instead of attacking. She thought that odd, but it was also keeping her from levitating over them. On purpose? There was no way for them to know she could do that.
Asha stopped in front of the door. She panted as she looked to her front and rear. Far too many little monsters for her to fight alone.
"Rand, you little dork! Where are you? I need help."
A grunt drew her eyes to the door, and inside.
Rand. Dwarf warrior (Lvl 19). -1 Dark. PK: 5.
The sorceress's jaw dropped when she saw Rand. His arms were bound to his sides, and he was hanging by his ankles as he struggled. The dwarf's helmet and battle-axe lay on the floor beneath him.
"Rand! What hap – Ooff!"
Dmitry didn't allow her to finish, and plowed into Asha head-first. Her head hit the floor hard, before he finished her off with a fist to the chin. Darkness pulled her down.
There was no way to know how long she was out, but it couldn't have been more than a few seconds. It was still too long to lie helpless at her enemy's feet. Asha's weapons were stripped away, including both her Shield Ring and Killum's Ring of Lightning. The kobolds piled her talismans, weapons, and purses next to Rand's stuff. They already had a rope hanging next to him to hang her.
"I defeated you, elf," Dmitry said, looking so proud. "I am the superior warrior and spellcaster."
Asha glared up at him. She was on her knees, with five kobolds hanging on to keep her down. The fifth one held a knife to her throat and kept her from even struggling. Three deaths in seven days would not bode well for her future in that realm.
"You are weak and pathetic, and only won with the help of dozens of others," she sneered. "I'll make a deal, Dmitry. Let Rand and I go, and I'll remove that crystal and free you as well."
"String her up," he said.
A kobold approached with a rope. She assumed they planned to bind her arms to her sides like they did to Rand. And then she'd be lifted up, flipped upside down, and the hanging rope would be tied around her ankles.
"Are you doing all right, Rand?"
"Oh, I'm fucking dandy," he gasped out. He struggled mightily for a second. "Never been better."
Dmitry smirked as he stepped closer. "It's heartwarming to see you are such good friends. I'm sure you'll enjoy hanging out with each other until Lord Kathro has time to deal with you."
The sorceress's blood ran cold. She was about to be hung like a side of beef. It wouldn't be long before Lord Kathro arrived to put one of those subjugating crystals on her. And then she'd begin a life of magically-induced servitude. She might even be forced to fight and kill her friends.
Or I can struggle so hard the kobold slits my throat.
Three deaths was bad, but she'd be back in the fight within five minutes. Despite it being her third death, Asha sucked in a deep breath and prepared herself for the shock of being killed. But the kobold with the rope arrived. Her arms were forced straight down her sides, and the knife-wielding kobold stepped back.
Asha didn't hesitate.
"Die!"
She went to one knee, grabbed the closest object to hand – Rand's helmet – and surged to her feet. At the same time she swung that heavy helmet with all of her rage and strength. It rung like a bell when she slapped it across Dmitry's face. The shaman dropped like a rock, while she cleared an area around her and Rand.
Snatching up her swords, she cut the rope holding the dwarf warrior up, before cutting the ropes binding his arms. While Rand struggled out of the ropes and rearmed, she attacked the kobolds.
"Bind!"
Half of them froze. Asha attacked the others, driving them toward the door. Really, her goal was to defend the door and keep them inside so she and Rand could finish them off. Far too many of them escaped for that to work, so she concentrated on slaughter. Between them, Asha and Rand killed two dozen kobolds.
"Ugh, the stench of death in close quarters is horrendous," she said. Noticing Dmitry starting to stir. "Be wary. He's a shaman, but I want to pry that crystal off of him."
"Will he help us once free?"
"I don't know, but I'm going to give him that chance."
Rand knelt on Dmitry's chest, pressing his battle-axe to the dwarf minotaur's throat. The shaman seemed torn. He didn't want to die, but he also didn't want that crystal removed. Asha knelt with his head clamped between her thighs, and used a dagger to dig at the edge of the glowing yellow crystal.
"It's bonded t
o his skin like it's a part of him."
She was getting a lot of blood, reminding her that head wounds were the worse bleeders. All of that blood made her want to stop, but then she'd have to kill Dmitry. In any other realm of that Game, she'd kill him without a second thought. But that world was different, and there were terrible consequences to being killed.
"Just cut it out," Rand said. "He'll be free even if it leaves an enormous scar."
"No!" the shaman cried, struggling so fiercely Rand's axe penetrated his skin.
Asha thrust the dagger in, and then sliced a circle around it. Even then, it wasn't easy to pry that evil talisman out. It was almost like it was fused to his skull. Dmitry buckled and fought them, but he froze the instant the crystal came free.
"Are you okay?" Asha asked, holding the bloody crystal in her hand.
