“Are you sure? I have …” I pause to think. So far I have no funds whatsoever, a bow she gave me and nine extra Clubs. The thought of clubs reminds me of fighting off the crows and the stone I gained from the last one. The Singular item? Is learning to make my own arrows worth that?
“I had a few Clubs I could trade for a lesson,” I offer hopefully.
She laughs. “Please.” She waves me off. “Don’t insult me. Besides, you’ll be fine. Each of these ten will give you ten more arrows. You will be well-equipped for awhile. Do you know how to shoot?”
“Not yet.”
“Well that’s another skill I won’t teach you for free. If you can’t teach yourself, you can come back when you can make it worth my while. You can teach yourself but it will take longer. It’s not impossible. But you will succeed far better if you seek out a town, more training and the supplies you need.”
I nod. She’s right. I need to keep pushing forward. She walks me to the door.
As we reach the threshold, Gemma grows suddenly serious. “Now that you have a true weapon, you are now equipped as a Guardian of Camlan. Do you promise to do your duty to protect and guard the land.”
Quest Offered: Guardian of Camlan
Description: Guard this land from enemies without and traitors within
Reward: Unknown
Well, that’s … vague. And completely unhelpful. I mean, I guess that sounds okay, but, like … what the heck, developers?
“I accept,” I respond, matching her solemnity.
She nods.
“Can you point me to the path through the forest?” I ask.
Gemma points to the left, past the well, past her vegetable garden. “There. You’ll see it. There is only one path through this forest. You’ll find yourself on the other side in no time. If you continue on the path through the forest, you will find a river. That river will lead you to Allynton where you can continue toward your purpose.”
“A river? Is there any quicker way, by chance? Do you have a map I can check?”
She shakes her head. “I have done all I can do for you. Allynton is the best destination for you to find what you need. The innkeeper Charlie there will guide you in your next step.”
“Thank you!” I let out a long breath of relief. She’s been so helpful. “Thank you so much.”
She rolls her eyes and closes the door with me still standing on the step.
Chapter 15
Marmaduke is still snoring.
I can’t believe I was afraid of him. I laugh a little to myself and head toward the path. I equip my bow and arrow and silently pray that whatever I meet in the forest is large enough and slow enough to let me learn how to shoot it.
I had forgotten how dismal Foyle Forest is. Gemma’s clearing is sunny and bright, with just a hint of tree shade around the edges. Only a few steps in, however, and the forest feels like it’s creeping up around me, growing as close as it can, cutting off all of the rest of the world. Just keeping my eyes on the narrow dirt path under my feet is a challenge. Instinctively, I slow my steps, listening to the nature sounds around me, watching each carefully placed step, on guard against the next wild boar or other creature that might pop up.
That caution can only get me so far, though. With my head down, watching where I step, I walk straight into a giant spiderweb that has grown across the path.
“Argh!”
I hate spiders. I hate them. I hate the stickiness of the web and the uncertainty of how the little monsters will move and … ugh. I feel them on me. My arms and neck and head. It feels like I have spiders crawling all over me. I start to panic, to hyperventilate. How do I get rid of them? Agh! Gross gross gross. Are they poisonous? Can they kill me?
[- 6 HP]
[- 4 HP]
[- 7 HP]
They’re biting me! I can’t even see them and they’re biting me.
[- 4 HP]
[- 5 HP]
For a split second I consider exiting the game just to rid myself of the nightmare. But that thought also reminds me that I’m in a game. It’s just a game.
[- 3 HP]
[- 5 HP]
It’s not real. They’re not really on me. I will myself to calm down and take a few steps forward so I have completely broken free of the web. I still feel them on my skin and scalp but at least there do not seem to be any new ones.
[- 3 HP]
[- 5 HP]
There’s nothing else to do but keep brushing them off and keep going. I don’t have any way to kill them without also hitting myself.
[- 5 HP].
Goddamn but there’s a lot of them.
I haven’t started my walk down the forest path yet when I hear a long scream coming from ahead of me.
I pause in my spider-discarding.
[- 4 HP]
Another long scream. This one sounds distinctly female. Someone is in trouble. An NPC? Or another player?
I begin running through the forest with far less caution than before, brushing away the last of the spiders as I go.
Two more screams. Shorter this time, and sounds like they’re coming from two different people. I hurry my run, keeping my bow equipped. As I run I try to check my stats. I only manage to note that my health has dropped by about 30% before I run into a tree.
Damn it. That’s the last time I try to move quickly and read at the same time.
The girl screams again, much closer now and ahead to my right. I get up and start running again, dusting myself off as I move. I start to see the faint light of the edge of the forest.
A deep roar bellows.
I slow down to approach whatever is happening without being seen.
Quest Completed: Explore Foyle Forest
Achievement Unlocked: First Explorer of Foyle Forest
Reward: +100 Fame, +90 XP
I wave away the rest of the message and focus on the scene in front of me. The trees on the edge of the forest are still thick enough to hide me, but sparse enough to give me a clear view of the river. The river Gemma mentioned, lined on either side with giant boulders and, on the shore closest to me, two enormous River Trolls, each Level Twenty-Five.
These may even be the same ones I successfully avoided before. I’ve gained a few levels since then, but not nearly enough to justify taking on two of them on my own. Especially since I don’t even know how to use my weapon yet.
But, then again, it’s a ranged weapon. Maybe I can get off a few practice shots from here before they see me.
I still haven’t seen the source of the screams, but the trolls are focused on a spot between boulders, their backs to me.
The troll on the right jerks back as though hit, and in that small moment I catch a glimpse of two players cornered between the boulders. Their names hover above their heads in blue—Balderdash13 and Anim8ted.
I recognize the names from the leaderboard. Amim8ted is the same level as me and Balderdash13 just below. I think they both still have their weapons but judging from the way the trolls have captured them, they may not for much longer.
Quest discovered: To the Rescue!
Description: Your fellow travelers need your help! Fulfill your duty as Guardian, rescue the players from their troll attackers and save their lives.
Reward: +200 XP, +50 Fame
Until the game offered it, it hadn’t occurred to me that I actually have an option not to help Amim8ted and Balderdash13. I suppose I could just let them suffer. Two fewer competitors in this Challenge if they can’t get themselves out of it.
But, then, if they do still have their weapons, maybe the three of us can take the trolls down together. If I don’t get involved I may find myself trying to do the same thing by myself after they die, or getting caught trying to sneak by.
Balderdash13 screams.
“Yes,” I whisper, accepting the quest.
Now to figure out how to actually accomplish it.
The troll on the left backs away enough for me to get a better look at Amim8ted and Ba
lderdash13. She still has her sword but is swinging it wildly and not hitting anything. He doesn’t have any weapon to speak of. I triple-check my inventory, just in case I have some kind of …oh, I don’t know. Holy hand grenade or something I’ve forgotten about. No such luck. I’ve got to try to defeat two Level Twenty-Five River Trolls with a Club, a Small Dagger and a bow and arrow I have yet to learn how to use.
Wonderful.
I take a deep breath and aim my arrow. I can get off a shot and, in the not terribly likely event that I actually hit something, I will still be hidden behind the tree. I aim for the troll on the left, closest to Balderdash13. Since she still has a weapon, getting her free and safe seems like the best way to get this done as quickly as possible.
I search for the most vulnerable spot to aim my arrow. The trolls’ backs are wide and make for a large target, but they’re hard and as rough and impenetrable as the boulders they live between. Most of their legs and feet sport the same rugged surface.
That leaves me the relatively more penetrable skin of the neck, or maybe just behind the knees. Two tiny, moving targets. Two small, minuscule chances to maybe startle and pause the troll. Not even really hurt it.
But what are my choices?
I take a deep breath and hold it, trying to steady my hand. I aim for the softer skin behind his knee and let the arrow fly.
Chapter 16
It falls harmlessly into the dirt five feet short of the target.
Okay. Again.
I breathe deep, aim and shoot, more quickly this time. It hits—not exactly the target, but embeds in the heavy calf muscle of the River Troll. But that rock-hard skin protects the creature. As soon as he moves, the arrow falls to the ground.
I duck behind the tree before the troll can turn all the way around. I imagine that arrow hit to be about as deadly as a bug bite would be to me. Annoying, but nothing more.
I wait a moment as I hear him shuffling back around, and then move out from hiding to nock another arrow. This one hits its mark: the bellow of rage from the troll sends me hiding behind the tree more quickly this time. I hear him stomping around in pain. Does he pull out the arrow? Does Balderdash13 take her chance to attack him with her sword? I can’t tell. I can’t see anything from behind this tree. I have no way of knowing if I’m wasting more time or if the battle is progressing.
Attention! You have unlocked Active Skill: Stealth Level 1
Description: You’ve begun to learn the skill of remaining unseen by your enemies. Practice often to improve.
Reward: +40 XP
Attention: You have unlocked Active Skill: Archery Level 1
Description: You’ve begun the difficult path of archery, but the foundation of the skill is there.
Reward: +40 XP
I can’t hide forever. I already decided when I started the Challenge that I need to go big. No more playing it safe. I nock another arrow and step out from behind the tree to find the injured troll looking right in my direction.
I panic and let loose the arrow without aiming. It bounces harmlessly off the boulder way to the troll’s left. Shit shit shit. The troll roars and starts limping toward me. This movement shocks me out of my panic and I realize I am faster than he is. As long as I can stay out of his reach, and out of the entrapment of the boulders, I can maybe stay safe.
I run through the trees along the edge of the forest, farther back, away from the river, away from the other players. I make as much noise as possible so the troll can follow me, but I glance back over and over to make sure he’s still following. After only a minute I feel comfortable enough with the distance between us to turn to study him. His front is just as rough and armored as his back. More so, actually, since his kneecaps are probably much too hard to drive an arrow into. My only chance, from this angle at least, is a throat shot. He is too close again, though, bellowing at me and reaching with his stubby, sausage fingers. I turn and run again, trying to nock an arrow as I go. This is never going to work. I’m moving much too much and haven’t practiced enough to get a good head shot.
My fingers slip. The arrow falls. Shit.
Balderdash13 screams again from somewhere behind my troll. This one sounding even more desperate than before. I grab the arrow, nock it again and let off my shot, but I’m too distracted. Too unprepared. It sails wide to his right as the troll continues to lumber toward me. The arrow is still lodged in his leg, but his limp is less noticeable. He’s getting faster.
“No,” I say under my breath. I dive back into the forest’s edge and weave between the trees where he can’t easily follow and circle back toward where Anim8ted and Balderdash13 are hopefully battling their own troll.
I pause briefly behind a tree to shoot again. This time, my arrow at least grazes the creature’s cheek. Closer. Maybe I’ll finally kill him with arrow number ninety-two.
Ahead of me I catch a glimpse of what I had left behind. Balderdash13 has regained control of her sword and I note a few slash marks on the other troll’s arms and legs. Not many hit points down though. Anim8ted is weaponless, but seems safer as Balderdash13 beats back the troll. He is waving his hands about and I wonder if he’s attempting some magical spell. Whatever he’s doing, it doesn’t seem to be very effective.
I glance behind me, trying to gauge if I have time for a shot. My weaving between trees keeps the monster from following too closely but he still knows right where I am. I take some steps backwards as I ready an arrow. I’ve got to hit him this time. There’s no any room for error.
With my next step backward I trip over a small fallen tree and land hard on my back. The wind is knocked from me and I have trouble catching my breath.
[- 55 HP]
The troll hasn’t stopped his barreling toward me and is soon almost on top of me. My hands grasp the bow—I can do this without any breath in me, right?—and I take aim. At this range, I can’t miss. But the angle to his head is difficult.
I notice his bulging belly hangs over the waist band of his loincloth. He’s soft there, vulnerable. And I’m close enough to hit it.
The arrow lets loose and hits its mark.
The troll doubles over in pain, and it’s lost a good 15% of its health points. It has fully stopped its attack, for the moment, which gives me time to scramble to my feet. That was a good hit, but not significant enough for me to let down my guard.
From another twenty feet away, I can’t reach the soft underbelly so I shoot again at its throat and miss. The arrow bounces harmlessly off the troll’s rock-hard shoulder. But he still seems to be writhing in pain and slow to follow so I take my chance and hurry to help the other two players. Both are still attired in their homespun pants and shirt, but Anim8ted sports a new dark green cloak and Balderdash13 seems a little top heavy with just a helmet and no other armor. Anim8ted has been knocked to the ground but continues to try to fight off the troll. His left arm seems to be useless, cradled against his side. Balderdash13 has lost her weapon and resorts to throwing stones at the troll. Only one in five or six even hit.
I fire an arrow at this troll, taking an extra beat to be sure I am aiming properly. The metal tip embeds itself in the creature’s neck.
Achievement: You have Unlocked Archery Level 2
Description: Your aim is improving, though it’s still not great.
Reward: +70 XP, +5% chance of accurate aim
Oh, thank god. That hit was good, but not great. Enough to pause him for a second. Long enough to let Anim8ted scramble to his feet, still attempting to cast with one hand. I pull out one of my extra Clubs.
“Anim8ted,” I call to him.
He glances at me in surprise, hesitant to take his eyes off the troll. I wave the Club at him and mime tossing it to him. He gets the message quickly, nods, and readies to catch it. Fortunately, my underhand throwing aim is better than my bow and arrow aim, and the weapon sails directly to him. He immediately equips it and readies for attack. A range weapon might be safer for him than this new melee option, but he is certain to
do more damage this way.
“Behind you!” Anim8ted warns.
I hear the first troll bearing down on me like a train, before I can even turn around to look. I turn and let off a quick shot that hits his chest without inflicting more than a few points of damage and quickly ready another arrow as I turn and run. This time, I follow the line of the river, praying I don’t meet another troll, but knowing I can hide behind the boulders just as well as I can the trees.
The first big boulder I find, I duck behind, get an arrow ready, and shoot at the troll who has focused on me. My aim is getting better—this arrow hits him in the neck and knocks off a significant chunk of his health.
Thank god. A couple more shots like that and I will have taken him down. All this running and hiding will eventually wear me out, I imagine. Game health is different than real life health, but I haven’t put enough points into my Stamina to be able to do this forever. From where I am still standing I let off another arrow. This one lodges in the neck as well, but lower down. Not bad. I start to feel real hope for the first time since I entered the battle. I might actually be able to finish off a Level 25 River Troll.
A low growl sounds not far behind me. The sound of rock grinding against rock, with an undercurrent of malice.
Chapter 17
Before I even have a chance to turn, a huge hand has knocked me against the boulder, bruising my entire right side. I drop my bow.
[-100 HP]
Damn, their camouflage is effective. What I had taken for a boulder was actually another River Troll. A quick look tells me this one is Level 23. Better, but only barely.
Not that it matters, since I’m down 40% on my health, am far too close to draw an arrow and have another enraged troll just behind me. I equip my Small Dagger in one hand and a Club in the other. This is the best I can do at such close range.
The new troll reaches for me but I bat at its fingers with the Club.
He tries again. This time I swing with my dagger. I miss, but he flinches for just a moment. I can hear the other troll approaching from behind the boulder I am cornered against.
Quest for Camlan_A LitRPG Adventure Page 8
