by E K Baxter
Terra nodded and led them towards the alley entrance. “In case you haven’t notice, Lord Mespar has cast a spell on many of the townsfolk. I’ve managed to avoid his gangs so it doesn’t affect me but I’ll act as if I’m just another of his mindless drones. I’ll walk between you two as though I’m your prisoner. If anyone asks that’s the story we’ll tell.”
Max and Sam nodded and they set off, stepping out of the alley into the brightness of the market square. They soon left it behind and the streets grew quiet again. Terra began to walk with that odd, jerky gait that the others used and she stared straight ahead. It didn’t look quite right and wouldn’t fool anyone who looked closely enough but Max hoped Lord Mespar’s men would be too busy with their own tasks to bother them.
We’re just two mercenaries escorting a prisoner, he thought. Nothing interesting to see. Just go about your day, everyone.
Terra led them into the eastern quarter of the city. Here the houses receded and were replaced instead by large warehouses, many of which had Lord Mespar’s crest on the door. Terra approached one such door and pressed her ear to it, indicating for Max and Sam to be quiet. She listened for a moment and then, satisfied, pushed it open and led the way inside.
Max found himself in a large storeroom with a bare earth floor and thick beams holding up the ceiling. On the ground at his feet was a large dark patch that looked suspiciously like blood. He turned in a circle. The room was empty. Their footfalls echoed loudly in the silence.
“I thought you said it was a weapons store,” Max said.
“It was,” Terra replied. “Stocked to the rafters with weapons—imbued ones mostly. Yesterday, the day after Arlena was arrested, Lord Mespar’s men came and cleared it out.”
“Any idea why?” Sam asked.
Terra shrugged.
“He must be planning something,” Max replied. “Otherwise why would he need so many weapons? Perhaps he’s intent on subduing the people?”
Terra laughed bitterly. “More than they already are? Don’t you think his spell has taken care of that already? No, this must be something else.”
“Well, whatever it is, we’ll think about that later. For now, see if you can find any clues as to what happened to Arlena.”
They spread out, each carefully searching the storeroom. Lord Mespar’s men had been meticulous and left very little behind. Max crossed over to a wooden door that was hanging off its hinges, obscuring the room beyond. As he reached out his hand, the door suddenly burst open and a creature came hurtling out. Before Max could react, it had slammed into him, taking him crashing to the floor. He felt a punch land in this gut and then a head-butt to the nose turned his vision red. His HP dropped by a quarter.
Shit, he thought. Didn’t see that one coming.
He threw all his weight against the creature and managed to roll to one side, heaving it off him and then scrambling to his feet. The creature was about the same size as a dwarf but was wider and more muscular. It had gray skin with rippling muscle underneath, covered only by a loincloth and battered breastplate. It growled at Max, watching him with small black eyes under heavy brow-ridges. It looked like some kind of orc but not a kind that Max had ever seen before.
Checking its stats he saw that it was a level 16 [Mountain Orc]. He didn’t have time to consider this though as it came flying at him, lips pulling back to reveal two huge canines, saliva spraying. Max spun away from its first blow and planted his knife in its ribs as it went past. The knife stuck and was ripped out of his hands. With a curse Max equipped his ax instead, holding it two-handed in front of him like a staff.
Why didn’t I listen to Sam? he thought. Why didn’t I buy some better weapons? At least a shield so I could stand up to this thing!
The creature pivoted, raking its claws towards Max’s face. Max lashed out with the ax and severed the orc’s fingers which landed on the floor with a faint splat. The creature howled in pain and rage, its eyes almost bulging from its head. Its next blow caught Max across the side of the head, sending him staggering and making another hit on his HP.
Sam came wading in, laying about him with his sword. He managed to land a few good hits and the orc staggered back a pace, leaving a gap between itself and Sam. Max took the opportunity to use his range weapon. He equipped his bow and nocked an arrow.
“Get out of the way!” Max bellowed.
He let fly and was rewarded by the arrow sinking deep into the meat of the orc’s arm. It didn’t do much damage though. The orc merely pulled it out, ignoring the gobbets of flesh that came out with it, and tossed the arrow to the ground. It looked around, its eyes fixing on Max then roared and lumbered towards him.
He thought quickly. Attacking it one at a time would do no good. None of them had the firepower to take down a level 16 on their own. They needed to work together. An idea came to him.
“Sam! Terra! Follow my lead and attack when I say so!”
Then, just as the orc was about to reach him, he turned around and legged it. With a bellow of rage, the orc followed. The warehouse wall loomed ahead of him, a dead end. Max skidded to a halt and then spun around, his back to the wall. The orc charged at him. Max’s heart thumped in his chest.
A bit closer. Just a little more...
When the orc was only feet away, so close he could smell its foul breath, Max leapt forward—and dived right between the orc’s legs. It didn’t have time to stop, and its momentum sent it crashing into the hard stone of the warehouse wall. There was an audible crunch and the orc stumbled, shaking its head as if dazed.
Max seized his chance. “Now!” he shouted to the others.
Equipping his spear, he drove it deep into the orc’s body. Sam clubbed it across the back of the head and Terra darted in with two short-swords, hacking and slashing.
The orc bellowed and tried to turn, swiping its great arms at them but now they worked together to keep it penned, not allowing it to bring its great weight and strength to bear. It began to sway on its feet, bleeding from a dozen different wounds. Max stepped close and drove his woodsman’s knife into its eye.
With a last gurgle, it crashed onto its back and died, raising a plume of dust from the warehouse floor.
Max, Sam and Terra leaned on their knees to catch their breath.
“That,” panted Sam. “Was bloody hard work.”
“Aye,” Terra said. “And unexpected. Who would have thought an orc would be hanging around a disused warehouse?”
“Maybe it was guarding something,” Max said. He straightened and, still gripping his knife in case of any other nasty surprises, crept towards the door the orc had emerged from.
He quickly yanked it open, sending it crashing against the wall, and sprang back in case something else came flying out at him. It didn’t. The room beyond was empty. Shafts of sunlight fell through the window, motes of dust floating in it.
Max stepped inside, the others following. The room was small and bare, its only occupant a large black spider sitting in a web in the corner.
“I don’t understand,” Sam said. “There’s nothing here. Why would an orc be guarding an empty room?”
“Unless it’s not empty,” Max said. “Unless it only seems that way.”
He looked around slowly. There had to be something...
His eyes alighted on the spider. It was wrapping something in its web, something that glinted in the sunlight. Something that didn’t look like a spider’s normal prey.
Max crossed to the corner and stared up at the spider. It didn’t have any stats so he guessed it wasn’t an attack creature so he casually reached up and flicked it away. The spider went flying across the room and landed on the floor near Sam’s feet.
Sam screamed, jumping back, and the spider scuttled down a gap in the floor.
“Coward,” Max said.
Sam looked from Max to Terra and back again. “What? I don’t like spiders, okay?”
Max snorted a laugh and turned back to the spider’s web. The thing it had been
spinning sat in the exact center, half-wrapped in silken threads. Max pulled it out and wiped the strands away. Sam and Terra crowded in, the three of them examining the object in Max’s hand.
It was small and round, like a badge. On the front was an insignia that looked like a burning torch. Max turned it over but the back of it was plain.
“I don’t recognize it,” Max said. “Think it means anything?”
Terra frowned. “Not sure. That insignia looks familiar but I couldn’t say what it belongs to.”
“I could,” Sam said. He’d gone very pale and looked a bit sick.
He took a deep breath and then licked his lips. “I recognize that insignia. I’d recognize it anywhere because I’ve seen it so many times. It’s the insignia of my family business. Of the Hopwood’s haulage company.”
Congratulations! You have found your first clue in the quest: Free rebel leader. 500 XP into Ingenuity. This is now level 2.
“Your family must have something to do with Arlena’s capture,” Terra said, frowning suspiciously at Sam. “Maybe Arlena dropped it to try and alert us to who took her.”
“They are not mixed up in this,” Sam said vehemently. “My family would help the resistance, not help Mespar to capture them!”
Max put a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “If Mespar put his control spell on them they might not have had any choice. Either way, this is the clue we needed to find Arlena. You have to take us to where your family’s company operates from.”
Sam glared at him. For a second Max thought his friend would refuse but then he sighed and all the defiance seemed to seep out of him like air from a balloon. He sagged.
“Of course I’ll take you.”
Max squeezed Sam’s shoulder.
Terra looked between the two men, a quizzical expression on her face. “You know, I thought Nazgar was crazy when he said you two could help us but now I’m beginning to see he might have been right. We’ve managed to take down an orc and then you found a clue that the resistance missed. I’m impressed.”
Congratulations! You have won increased respect from Terra. Increased alliance with the resistance. 250 XP into Charisma.
“Careful,” Max said, grinning. “You almost gave us a compliment.”
Terra scowled at him but it looked as though she was trying not to smile. “Okay, Sam, it’s over to you.”
Sam nodded. They made their way out of the warehouse and gathered in the shadows outside.
“This isn’t going to be easy,” Sam said as they all leaned in close. “My family runs the business out of the family estate in the Tapestry Quarter.”
Terra sucked in a breath and Max looked between them, confused.
“What’s wrong? What’s the Tapestry Quarter?”
“It’s right next to Lord Mespar’s palace and likely to be crawling with mercenaries,” Terra explained.
“Ah.”
“Not a problem,” Sam said. “We’ll just fight our way in!”
Terra turned a scathing gaze on Sam. “And how would we get Arlena out of prison if we did that? They’d kill her the moment they knew we were coming!”
Sam looked abashed. “Oh yeah. In that case, maybe we can talk our way in.”
They set off, Sam leading the way. They moved closer to the center of the city and eventually turned a corner to see a swirling filigree archway spanning the street ahead. The metalwork had been molded into a sign that read: Tapestry Quarter. Five mercenaries guarded the gates.
They ducked behind a corner before they were spotted and then peered out. The mercs were all level 10. Sam swore under his breath.
“Don’t worry,” he whispered. “I know another way in.”
He made to leave but Max caught his arm. “No, I think we should take them on.”
“But there are five of them! Aren’t you always the one telling us to be cautious?”
“I know but we need more XP. We only just managed to take down that orc and we don’t have enough potions to keep getting hurt. I’ve realized how sadly lacking my range attacks are and my melee isn’t much better. When we find Arlena I suspect we’re going to have to fight to get her out. We won’t get any second chances. We need to take this opportunity to hone our skills.”
“You’re right,” Terra said. “We were lucky with the orc. We might not be again and I won’t risk Arlena getting hurt because we weren’t good enough. This city needs her too much for that.” She looked at Max. “What do you have in mind?”
Max grinned, feeling some of his old enthusiasm return. His raid squad was starting to form. If they could start to pull together the way his old one had, they had a chance. Max definitely needed to work on his ranged attacks and both Terra and Sam were better at melee attacks anyway. The only one of them with a shield was Sam so he’d have to play the tank and absorb some of the attack whilst he and Terra took down their enemies.
He outlined his plan to the others.
“Let me get this straight,” Sam said. “You want me to attack first and keep them busy so you and Terra can take your time picking them off? Are you mad? I’ll get skewered!”
“No, you won’t,” Max replied. “You’ll use your shield to block their attacks so if you’re careful they won’t even hit you. I’ll be right here, filling them full of arrows.”
“And I’ll be right behind you with these babies,” Terra put in, twirling her two short-swords.
Sam rolled his eyes. “Fine! But if I get killed I swear I will haunt the both of you.”
Together they stepped out of their hiding place. They’d only gone a few steps when they entered the mercenaries’ attack zone and the five men looked up, weapons gripped.
“Who the hell are you?” one of them shouted.
“Charge!” Sam yelled, swinging his sword and holding his shield tight against his body.
Terra ran after him, blades flashing, but Max hung back, equipping his bow and nocking an arrow to the string. Sam crashed into the mercenaries with an audible thump and chaos erupted: the ringing of metal against metal, the grunt and huff of breath, the thump of boots on stone. Max lost sight of Sam and Terra in the melee. All he saw was a tangle of bodies, limbs and flailing weapons.
Max swore under his breath. How was he supposed to shoot the enemy if he couldn’t get a clear sight?
Sam gave an almighty bellow and a ripple went through the crowd as he shoved the mercenaries bodily back with his shield. A gap opened. Terra darted in, her short-swords flashing and one of the mercenaries staggered back with blood spurting from his neck. Max seized his chance. He took aim and let fly. He was close enough that his arrow couldn’t miss. It thudded into one man’s shoulder and he staggered back. Sam closed with him, driving his sword into the man’s belly. He fell to the ground and lay still.
A mercenary threw himself at Sam’s back, sword raised double-handed over his head, ready to chop down at Sam whilst his attention was diverted.
“Watch out!” Max shouted.
He loosed another arrow, this one slamming into the man’s chest, knocking him off balance so his swing missed Sam and struck the ground instead. Sam swung around and bashed the man in the face with his shield then Terra followed up, putting a blade through the mercenary’s heart.
Only three remained. One of them plucked something from his belt and flung it at Terra. As it hurtled end-over-end through the air, Max realized it was a throwing ax. Terra hadn’t seen it and she’d be unable to avoid it in time. Then suddenly Sam was there, throwing himself in front of Terra. The ax struck his shield with a ‘thunk’ and stuck fast.
“Thanks,” Terra gasped.
She yanked the throwing ax from Sam’s shield and hurled it back at her attacker. It buried itself in the man’s forehead and he dropped like a stone. Seeing his comrades down, one of the mercenaries gave a blood-curdling howl of rage and ran at Max, sword held high, spittle flying from his mouth. A shot of adrenaline surged through Max’s veins. Fear? Or excitement? He wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he had to m
ake this arrow count. If he missed, he was dead.
He resisted the urge to run as the mercenary hurtled towards him. He forced his arm to remain steady as he took aim and sighted along the arrow shaft. Five paces, four, three...
Max released the arrow.
It shot out like a bullet, flying straight and true, right into the man’s eye and exiting the back of his skull. The man ran on for a couple more paces, not realizing he was dead, before he collapsed into a heap right at Max’s feet. Max didn’t have time to celebrate. He whirled to see Terra and Sam engaged in combat with the last attacker. The mercenary fought ferociously as Terra and Sam slashed and hacked at him. Max drew another arrow and nocked it.
“Out of the way!” he bellowed to his friends.
They responded immediately, throwing themselves to the ground. Max let fly. The arrow sprouted from the man’s eye and he toppled backwards.
Terra and Sam climbed to their feet. Sam was covered in gore, the insignia on his shield all but invisible through the blood that coated it.
He grinned, looking slightly crazed. “That was fun!”
“We weren’t supposed to be enjoying ourselves,” Terra said in an admonishing tone. “This exercise was about gaining the skills needed to free Arlena.”
Sam shrugged. “Sure but it was still fun.”
Terra grinned. “Sure was.”
They quickly looted the bodies.
Item: Ranger Longbow. + 20 to ranged attacks. Ability: will shoot imbued arrows.
Item: Battered brooch.
Max turned the brooch over in his hands. It was old and rusty but had a sturdy pin on the other side. He pocketed it.
“What do you want that old thing for?” Terra asked.
“You never know when things like this might come in handy.”
“Well I reckon a decent sword would come in handier than that old piece of rubbish.”
Max shrugged. He picked up a pair of thick leather bracers that were better quality than the ones he already had and strapped them to his forearms. Time to test out his new weapon. He pulled out the longbow and nocked an arrow. He’d used imbued arrows in other games and hoped the concept was similar here.
