There came the first and then the second explosion which didn't even deafen me this time though some bad consequences emerged at once. Nobody died, damn!
I looked at the three of the rippers. The robber Gram stretched his neck and drank some potion, having replenished his health. Palg wasn’t damaged either, and there was a slightly seen transparent dome around him. Gretham was now coughing up blood and his health was in the red sector.
I can’t lose my chance to do at least him. I imagined a broad energy cord and directed it right to the wound of the two-legged. The wave of dark violet energy hit the body of the ripper. He arched his body several times and died.
150 points of experience gained!
“Damn you, bastard!” Gram roared and took out two blades. “Now we gonna chop you.”
“You will pay for the death of my subordinate,” Palg said arrogantly. “I would have been able to sell him some day.”
"Come out, there's no point in hiding," the robber said, and I decided to show myself to them and to come closer at the same time. They might not react to the death energy charge, and I can finish them with an explosive ball. "Wow, holy shit! What an ugly one. Maybe we should capture this dead? Will your leader be pleased?"
“Maybe you are right,” Palg nodded and they both started to act and so did I
I stretched two cords and while the death energy was rushing to the rippers I managed to throw a ball at them. One death arrow threw Palg away making numerous cracks in his energy shield while the second one greatly damaged Gram forcing him to cough up blood.
The ball which I had thrown made the two-legged surprise greatly. And when Palg covered his head, crossing his arms, then Gram just grinned and made some swift sweeps with the blades.
The balls shattered into several pieces without even exploding, but I had no time to get surprised. I came up close to the robber and knocked him down on the ground piercing him with two spiker claws at once.
Gram twisted his face and spat blood at me, I returned the favor and finished him clenching my jaws. What disgusting stuff, I even shuddered. Palg looked at me, narrowed his eyes and folded his arms in front of him.
"I see you are strong enough despite your level and quite reasonable. Maybe we can agree?"
“What do you want to agree with me about, two-legged?” I asked this ripper and seeing his twisted face I understood that my speech was still poorly developed.
“You don’t attack me anymore and I can give you gold or something else as a reward. I don’t happen to know what the dead need.”
"Gold is good, but…" I wanted to go on and tell him about his life, but the senior slave trader seemed not to be going to negotiate anything with me. He snatched a thin blade and stabbed my shell several times.
I thought it would be painful, and even shut my eyes, but it wouldn’t. I was watching in surprise the blood running from the wounds with death energy streaming alongside. Wow, but his stabs took half of my lives from me.
“Well, if you can’t be finished by this, try that,” he unrolled the scroll and threw a fireball at me.
I almost managed to dodge and the ball hit the tree behind me. The blast wave threw me to the side and set fire to my paw. This time it was painful, and I managed to put out the fire only with the blood of the dead robber.
The health strip painted orange. Well, we won’t spare the remaining trumps then. I stretched two energy cords at once to Palg, aiming one to the gradually disappearing cracks in his shield and the other one to the body of the senior slave trader.
The dark violet energy slammed into the barrier which burst with deafening pop whereas the other death arrow dug into Palg forcing him to scream. However, my attacks took away only half of the ripper’s health.
“Catch your present,” I said in my broken language of Reynea inhabitants and threw the last explosive ball at him, that he caught.
“No-o-o!!!” Palg shouted realizing what he has just caught, but he didn’t have time to throw it away. A deafening explosion scared off some winged creatures flying above and tore the slave trader’s head off parallelly biting off some of my health, lowering it down to the red sector.
150 points of experience gained!
180 points of experience gained!
Taking a deep sigh, I headed to the captives. I felt somewhat weak, it seemed I guessed right about the death energy: the less I have it the weaker I become. I came up to the robber and the dark violet energy rushed to me from his body.
Thanks to the ability “Accumulation” the maximum possible amount of energy is collected!
Use the collected energy to empty the reserve or increase the available reserves!
Accumulated Energy: Death
Number of available charges: 7
I immediately felt alive. Well, almost alive. Not bad to have so much energy in the body of a single robber. Well, I’ll develop the ability with the help of experience, since I have gained much of it. At the same time, I’ll see how it is done.
The ability “Accumulation” up! Current Level: 3!
Number of available charges: 8
Ok, I see. Now another hundred. It was strange, but nothing happened this time. Why so? Do I need more experience for the next level? I tried to put in another hundred and that was it.
The ability “Accumulation” up! Current Level: 4!
The number of available charges didn't increase this time. It's alright, I will no longer spend experience points on the abilities, I'd better develop the stats. Having absorbed the energy out of the second killed ripper I fully replenished the number of charges.
“I didn’t want to kill you,” the girl said looking to the side. “But I understand your death is my fault.”
“Hm… I would say you finished me after all,” I grinned recalling the girl’s body using the staff, trying to heal me. “But I am not angry with you.”
The ability of the “The Language of the inhabitants of Reynea” up! Current Level: 3!
“Hey, beetle, since you speak our language and haven’t killed us yet, maybe you release us then?” I heard the dwarf’s gruff voice.
"I guess you are right. That's what I came for." I nodded and tried to break the chain, but in vain.
This metal thing paid no attention to all my efforts. However, my brain is developed much better than all the other parts, so I had a wonderful idea.
I stretched the energy cord to the bracelet on the girl's wrist and send the death energy. The artifact only darkened a little, so I had to do it twice more before it got broken at last, though the death energy hit the girl as well.
She pressed her hand to her and was hissing with pain, but later she used some spell and her health restored again.
I did the same with the dwarf and he didn't even wink when his health lowered down after my using four charges. He refused to be treated by the healer and took a bottle with transparent orange substance out of his spatial pocket, opened it and immediately took a couple of big sips. Grunting with pleasure the dwarf wiped away a tear and spoke.
“A strong damn thing, but it’s good!” The mountain master stretched a bit and looked at me. “Well, beetle, since you have rescued us let’s get acquainted.”
Chapter 50
The meeting. The task. Coming back to the cave
Having restored the death energy thanks to the last body of the ripper I finally felt better. Though I still could feel some kind or weariness it seemed I just had to get back to my original form and use another type of energy.
The ability “Simple manipulation of energy” up! Current Level: 5!
Wow, I seemed to have increased the ability of manipulation and haven’t noticed it even. Well, now I need to talk to the two-legged.
“My name is Tes Sel Er,” I introduced myself, though I knew they could see it above me. Why on earth did I do that? I have no idea, but it seemed right to me.
"A strange name," the dwarf scratched his beard. "It reminds me of something, but I can't figure out what.
Well, it's ok. I am Grolm, I used to be a blacksmith in the mountain kingdom of Monteria, but I had argued with the king, and was banished.
No matter how shameful it is to admit it, I got drunk after that and followed my nose. Well, not exactly, rather say I crawled, and my nose was not a good guide for me. So, the robber caught me with his artifacts, damn them all."
“Why can’t I see your level?” I asked the question that interested me greatly.
“I hit my head several times falling from the rock and kinda forgot a bit about the level and some of my skills, so I’ll have to remember it all anew,” the dwarf waved his hand.
“So, what is your name then?” I addressed the girl.
“Alyona, and it was our squad that caused you so many problems,” the girl said sadly.
“Why do you have “Almyona” written above your head then?”
“This is my nickname… I mean my name in this world. In the other world I was called differently,” she explained.
“In the other world?” I didn’t understand it.
“All the wanderers come to us from the other world. This is the thing I remember for sure,” the dwarf said. “Didn’t you know it?”
“I didn’t.”
“Well, it’s ok. Now you know.” The dwarf grinned and took another couple of sips from his bottle.
“Take your name then, it sounds much better,” I said.
“But…” the girl wanted to explain that the names might be used by other players, but she didn’t know how to do it. More of it, one can’t change the name during the game without admins permission. Sending everything to hell, she opened the character’s menu and pressed her name. To her great surprise she saw a message before her eyes:
Do you want to change your name?
Yes/No?
The girl agreed to herself and entered her name. It wasn't a surprise that the name had already been taken. That time she didn't want to choose anything extra, but now she wasn't against thinking a bit of a little addition. She made a decision at last.
Alyona Light, Healer of Equilibrium, level 48
That was strange. She never heard that NPC let a player change his name, but this was even better.
“What does Healer of Equilibrium mean?”
“I’d like to know it as well,” the girl sighed. “This is some kind of unique class and now I have the task to determine my way and opportunities. That is why I can’t answer your question. Hmm…Sel Er, let me call you this way, did you happen to see my staff?”
“I did. Mohr has it now. “I answered remembering the awaken zombie healer.
“Can I get it back somehow?” Alyona asked with hope in her eyes.
"I think you can, but first I need your help," I said thinking of using the strength of the two-legged, for I wouldn't be able to drag the bodies to the cave.
Oh, how could I have forgotten! I didn’t even search in their spatial pockets, though I didn’t have space in mine. That’s a problem. I should have put the experience points not in the accumulation, but in the spatial pocket. I won’t waste the remaining points. I’ll do it another way.
"I need to drag these bodies to my squad. I will also need to be escorted sometime after that. I also need to get some supplies, mushrooms, moss for instance and something like this." I said and saw a message above.
You offer the task “Helping Sel Er with the loot”!
The goal: Gather mushrooms, moss, fruit, berries and any other supplies you think necessary for the tired beetle.
Extra goal: Help Sel Er carry the supplies to the beetle squad.
Waiting for answer…
The task accepted
You offer the task “Helping Sel Er to carry the bodies!”
The goal: Help the tired beetle carry the bodies of the slave traders to the squad, waiting in the cave.
Waiting for answer…
The task accepted
“We’ll do it now,” the dwarf winked to the girl. “Come with me, it will be easier together.”
“Lets’ go,” Alyona answered and added in a low voice. “I didn’t know NPC could fulfill each other’s tasks.”
After seeing the retreating two-legged I came up to the slave-traders at last. First, I searched Gretham's body. Fifty golden pieces, a belt and the boots of a slave trader.
Then I checked Gram. Almost a hundred of gold pieces, ninety-seven to be exact, a short mercenary's blade, robber's leather jacket. From Palg I got some more interesting things.
Two hundred and fifty gold pieces, the ring of health, the barrier ring, a crumpled letter. Now I became rich since I now have four hundred forty-five golden pieces. Now I can hire Derergon's squad. So, what is this letter?
I carefully unfolded the crumpled sheet and saw even lines of curls. Hm… so what is it? I couldn’t figure out. All I had to do was to wait for my released two-legged.
They caught me playing with a pile of golden pieces trying to hold it all and then lowering onto the ground one by one. This simple activity was surprisingly relaxing.
“Here, look, we have gathered much,” the dwarf put the body of a deer, then a whole basket of mushrooms with that one, smashed by the wolf earlier. I just wanted to try this kind of mushrooms.
“I have some too,” the girl showed two wooden buckets full of apples and strawberries.
"Great! Everything looks quite appetizing," I nodded. "Now we have to get to the cave. By the way, Alyona, you can help me carry these things since I have no space left in my spatial pocket."
“Yes, sure,” the girl agreed as she went on getting surprised how alive the NPC were in this world. They didn’t seem to be just programme dolls.
“Let’s go then,” I said and hoisted the robber’s body over me.
“Just a moment, “the dwarf stretched his body, threw the baskets into the spatial pocket and grabbed the bodies of two robbers at once holding the body of the deer as well. “And you, girl, don’t have strength enough, so you carry the apples,” he grinned and followed me.
Chapter 51
More mature squad. The keeper of the wood. The elf’s team.
The light started to penetrate the grey mist of the barrier, preventing the dungeon inhabitants from going out, but Sel Er still didn't appear. Derergon started to worry.
On the one hand he knew that karkant will not die easily, he will rebirth, but on the other hand, he didn't want any of his men to die. Yes, he already considered Sel Er as his comrade.
Mulf has already brought the little lads, which seemed to be very interesting ones. Calling them little was difficult, especially after looking into their eyes.
Many of them were older than some members of the squad. Mulf got strangely attached to Rahra, w was one of the Seniors. Apparently, he found somebody not knowing her kind as well, and that is why he felt her to be a soul mate.
Derergon thought it possible to raise each beetle's level because they clearly weren't afraid of death. It seems when you constantly see the amount or remaining rebirths you get used to the idea of not being able to rebirth someday.
Lucky the immortal. They may not worry about such things and they don't know what we feel. The beetle named Rald showed quite a good fighting talent.
He has slightly developed his hands already and could remember a couple of hits with a small claw. When he gets to tenth or rather twentieth level then we will be able to teach him to master a sword.
“Der, somebody is coming,” Gard said.
“Wow! This is Sel Er!” Mohr greeted me happily. “I feel you have fulfilled my task and I can see it. Great!”
The task “Experiment” fulfilled!
300 points of experience gained!
“My task is fulfilled either,” Derergon nodded, watching the dwarf and the girl putting the supplies down. “Very curious food from the surface. And I also can see you have managed to talk to the rippers and made good contacts with them. Well, this is very good.”
The task “Supplies” fulfilled!
20
0 points of experience gained!
“Hm, there’s a big squad you have here,” the dwarf nodded respectfully. “You even protect the little ones.”
“This…this is me,” the girl looked at her dead body in surprise. “But how come?”
“Mohr, can you give the girl her staff and other things back? I assume much of them are still attached to this body.”
“You may take them,” Mohr said, though I won’t give you the dead back. “So, guys,” he addressed the zombie-spikers. “Grab the bodies.”
“Hooray! Hooray!” the girl was jumping with joy when she got her staff and other things back. “Thank you, thank you, Sel Er!”
“Golm, you said you had been banished,” I thought and decided to ask something. “Would you like to stay with us?”
“Hm…” the dwarf frowned thinking, and then having decided something he smiled and waved his hand. “I stay with you. I have nothing to lose anyway.”
“And what about you, Alyona? Would you like to go with our squad?”
“I…” the girl was a little scared of all these beetles, but she didn’t feel any evil coming from them, and all their names were grey now. Could it be because of the fact that she had come with Sel Er? Meanwhile, he is much lower in level than the others. Moreover, she felt guilty about him. “I agree.”
“This is going to be interesting,” Mohr said. “I will need your help.”
“These berries are tasty,” Rald was chomping an apple.
“They are,” Skal confirmed. “I am glad you are back at last. I learned to create something out of the death energy.”
“Well, we have to get ready. Don’t forget, we need to me in time for the fight,” Derergon said and started to push everyone.
All the beetles began to bustle and getting ready for their way back to the mercenary city.
***
Crassus
The sun caressed the leaves with warm sunshine, the wind calmed down completely, and only numerous birds made a whole host of different sounds, breaking the silence.
A warrior stood on a small clearing next to the high hill. A large white mushroom grew on his head, any dwarf could envy his thick beard and he was taller than half of most ordinary people.
Monster Page 20
